Health Psychology Research Articles

"Learning with each other, about each other": Interdisciplinary learning among genetic counseling students and clinical health psychology residents.

Interprofessional collaborative healthcare is known to improve provider satisfaction and retention, as well as patient safety and quality of care. The specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to work in these environments are best taught interprofessionally. Despite having considerable overlap in training, orientation, and populations served, it is rare for trainees from genetic counseling and clinical health psychology to interact and learn together. In 2017, we developed an innovative week-long clinical health psychology rotation for students in the University of Manitoba MSc in Genetic Counselling Program, which aims to enrich psychotherapeutic/counseling knowledge and skills, as well as gain familiarity with the work of clinical psychologists. This rotation incorporates didactic teaching, observation, and structured reflection. Didactic teaching includes topics such as psychological assessment, adaptation to life-altering news, skills for managing intense emotional responses, and counseling for change. Observations of clinical health psychologists and clinical health psychology residents occur in a range of health settings. Structured reflection is practiced in both oral and written formats. Finally, both groups of trainees participate in an interprofessional case seminar series. Feedback from this experience has been very promising, and it was identified as a strength in the program's accreditation review. Adaptations over time include refining the clinical exposures to increase breadth and relevance, increasing the contact between the trainees from the two professions and enhancing the case seminar series to be more learner-driven and to focus on explicit interprofessional skills and themes. In addition to expected results, this rotation has led to some unanticipated findings, including an emergent emphasis on the social determinants of health and the need to work collaboratively for systemic change. Further, psychology residents have identified that it benefits them to learn more about genetic counseling and expressed interest in potential reciprocal learning opportunities in genetics clinics.

Mindfulness-based Interventions as a Breakthrough on Occupational Stress of Working Professionals: A Trilogical Approach

Occupational stress is increasingly recognized as contributing to the deterioration of employees’ productivity and overall performance. Emerging research interest has gained significance in mindfulness in the workplace. Within this body of knowledge, research investigating the effects of mindfulness interventions on employee health and well-being has substantial practical implications for organizations. The current bibliometric study investigates the research landscape of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in the workplace as a breakthrough in occupational stress. The present research study aims to fill the gap in the literature by conducting a scientific and bibliometric mapping of occupational stress in employees, using a methodological trilogy with the application of SMART, Prisma and R bibliometric tools. The analysis focuses on the different trends implanted in using various keywords, authors and journals. A total of N = 642 data consisting of peer-reviewed articles were retrieved from the Scopus database. Research is carried out based on an average citation of 17.44 per document; the research also shows an average citation of 3.632 per year per document. This study fosters to provide an overview of the trends in journals, popular author keywords, authors and country collaboration with the respective source impact, which helps to provide information for researchers in the field of MBIs at the workplace that will set a futuristic potential to propel further with mindfulness training programmes at workplace, thus mitigating the stress levels and improving the well-being of the employees. Advancing scientific understanding by researching MBIs for occupational stress contributes to the body of knowledge of psychology, organizational behaviour and occupational health.

IMP2ART: development of a multi-level programme theory integrating the COM-B model and the iPARIHS framework, to enhance implementation of supported self-management of asthma in primary care

BackgroundSupported asthma self-management, incorporating an asthma action plan and annual clinical review, has been recommended by UK/global guidelines for over three decades. However, implementation remains poor, as only around a third of individuals receive basic asthma care, according to the UKs leading respiratory charity Asthma and Lung UK. A systematic review of implementation studies recommended that a whole systems approach targeting patients, healthcare professional education, and organisations is needed to improve implementation of supported asthma self-management in primary care. The IMPlementing IMProved Asthma self-management as RouTine (IMP2ART) is a national Hybrid-II implementation cluster randomised controlled trial that aims to evaluate such an approach. This paper describes the development of the implementation strategy for IMP2ART with particular focus on the integration of multiple level theories.MethodsThe Medical Research Council design and evaluation of complex interventions framework and the Person-Based Approach to intervention development were used as guidance for stages of strategy development. Specifically, we (i) set up a multidisciplinary team (including practicing and academic clinicians, health psychologists, public health and patient colleagues), (ii) reviewed and integrated evidence and theory, (iii) developed guiding principles, (iv) developed prototype materials, and (v) conducted a pre-pilot study before final refinement.ResultsThe implementation strategy included resources for patients, team-based and individual healthcare professional education, practice audit and feedback, and an asthma review template, as well as a facilitator role accessible to primary care practices for 12 months. The synthesis of the integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (iPARIHS) and Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) frameworks led to an evolved framework bringing together important implementation and behaviour change elements which will be used as a basis for the study process evaluation.ConclusionsA description of rigorous implementation strategy development for the IMP2ART study is provided along with newly theorised integration of implementation and behaviour change science which may be of benefit to others targeting implementation in primary care.Trial registrationISRCTN15448074. Registered on 2nd December 2019.

Do interpersonal resources improve your job performance? Scale development of interpersonal resources and the moderated mediation model of group harmony.

How to help workers establish a safe and healthy working environment is the primary purpose of promoting workplace health psychology. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interpersonal resources and job performance (work performance, organizational citizen behavior). Besides, this study tries to clarify the psychological mechanisms of vitality and emotional attachment, and further considers the moderating role of group harmony. Questionnaires were used. Two samples included 267 and 285 questionnaires were collected in study 1. A total of 151 valid and matched surveys were collected in study 2. Study 1 tested the psychometric properties of the interpersonal resources scale, and then, established three constructs of interpersonal resources: "interpersonal caring", "interpersonal inclusion", and "interpersonal connection". Study 2 results showed positive correlations between interpersonal resources and job performance. Vitality has the mediating effect between interpersonal resources and work performance, and emotional attachment has the mediating effect between interpersonal resources and organizational citizen behaviors. In addition, the moderating effects of group harmony were supported. This research covered two studies to clarify the construct of interpersonal resources and develop an interpersonal resources scale with reliability and validity. Furthermore, this research further discussed the theoretical meaning and practical application and explained the future research direction. This research not only responds to experts' calls but also considers the influence of cultural values to examine the model of interpersonal resources.

Effects of a Web-Based Behavioral Activation Intervention on Depressive Symptoms, Activation, Motivation, and Volition: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Behavioral activation (BA) is effective for the treatment of depression. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), which is derived from health psychology, can provide a motivational-volitional framework of BA. Objective: This study investigated the efficacy of a HAPA-based internet-delivered BA intervention (iBA; called InterAKTIV) in individuals with depression, also assessing HAPA-based motivational and volitional outcomes. Methods: In a two-arm randomized controlled efficacy trial with a parallel design, 128 participants with a major depressive episode were randomly allocated to the intervention group (IG; TAU + immediate access to iBA) or control group (CG; TAU + access to iBA after follow-up). The primary outcome of clinician-rated depressive symptoms and secondary outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), 8 weeks (T2), 6-month after randomization (T3). Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: Linear mixed model analyses revealed a significant group*time interaction effect on clinician-rated depressive symptoms favoring the IG (F_{2, 156.0} = 7.40; p < 0.001, d = 0.79 at T2, d = 0.25 at T3). The IG was also superior regarding self-rated depressive symptoms, BA, most motivational, and all volitional outcomes. Conclusion: This study shows that HAPA-based iBA can significantly improve clinician-rated depressive symptoms, as well as outcomes used in the HAPA model in people with depression. Building on these efficacy results, in the next step, the relationship between BA interventions and activity levels should be investigated, taking into account motivation and volition as potential mediators.

An introduction to local and global health behaviors using a Collaborative Online International Learning exchange

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), uses technology to facilitate the engagement of students from different countries in collaborative coursework and sharing of cultural perspectives. The existing literature concerning COIL exchanges points to the need to further explore student satisfaction and engagement with such exchange projects, and whether course learning outcomes are being achieved. This practice paper describes a COIL exchange between students of health psychology at Mary Immaculate College, Ireland, and Sacred Heart University, in the United States. During this 10-week project students were required to engage in synchronous and asynchronous activities. Following the completion of the COIL project, students were given a questionnaire to assess their course satisfaction and whether learning outcomes were achieved. Findings indicate that students were satisfied with the exchange and learning outcomes were met. Overall, COIL may serve as another teaching approach to help students learn course specific material, understand multicultural viewpoints, and enhance their professional skill set.

Better spiritual support for people living with early stage dementia: Developing the diamond conversation model.

People with early-stage dementia could benefit greatly from on-going spiritual support. However, health care professionals working in dementia care often do not have a clear idea of what such support might entail. There is a lack of tools that can help professionals provide such support. The Diamond conversation model used in palliative care could provide such a support. Aims: To develop the Diamond model for early-stage dementia so that professionals can provide better spiritual support. Participatory research was conducted. Reflective interviews with chaplains, case managers and health psychologists identified frequently occurring existential and spiritual issues of clients and family members. A core participatory group consisting of chaplains, a psychologist and a researcher further analysed these issues thematically and co-developed the Diamond model for early stage dementia over three co-creation sessions. Researchers with Diamond model expertise provided feedback to the core participatory group in between these sessions based on the session output. Central existential and spiritual issues were found to be: self-confidence and -worth, adaptability and capacity, security and loss, burden and enrichment of memory and faith and meaning. The five polarities of the Diamond model were found helpful to understand tensions surrounding these issues. Specific tensions were identified between maintaining a self and being valued, finding direction in what to do and a way to bear changes in ability, a strong need for attachment and letting go of past ways to relate to one another, the renewed intensity of long term memories and decline of the short term ones and surrendering to one's life situation and wanting certainty and meaning. The newly developed Diamond model for people with early-stage dementia offers a valuable framework to help professionals provide conversational support. More research needs to be done to further test and develop the model in practice.

Gender roles and gender norms associated with psychological distress in women and men among the Dutch general population.

Women report more psychological distress than men, which may be related to both biological sex and socio-cultural gender. We tested whether associations between gender and distress differ for women and men. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 678 Dutch people (54% women). Gender roles were assessed as masculinity and femininity. A composite gender norm score was calculated by summing gendered sociodemographics. Multivariate regressions examined sex, gender, and their interaction for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and perceived stress, additionally adjusted. Women reported more psychological distress. People scoring higher on masculine gender roles, but not feminine gender roles, reported lower psychological distress. A higher gender norm score was related to more depressive symptoms and perceived stress. This association was only present in men and was explained by health-related covariates. This research shows that there is a need to further elaborate on the discrepancies between sex and gender in health psychology research to better understand individual differences.

The application of deep learning analysis based health psychology education in the ideology and politics course of universities

Abstract In this paper, a formal view of mental health based on deep learning was constructed by collecting social network data and psychological labeling data of students in colleges and universities, and the social network data model was extracted by using the MANE algorithm and combined with the average degree and other indexes to make a preliminary assessment. Oriented to this data model, a student mental health identification algorithm based on the MAM algorithm was proposed, and the method was combined with psychology education to study its application in the Civics classroom. From the perspective of educators, the influence degrees of teachers’ knowledge, ability, quality, and teaching input in Civics education from the psychological perspective are 0.214, 0.114, 0.043, and 0.048, respectively. Healthy psychology education based on deep learning can effectively analyze the psychology of Civics education and provide a guiding path to the use of psychology in the Civics classroom.

HOW TO START AN UNBIASED CONVERSATION ABOUT EXHAUSTION

AbstractThe author, a self‐employed occupational health psychologist, presents her research on various nuanced aspects of exhaustion, stress, and burnout, as they related to leadership and organizations. She also notes her TEDx talk “Let’s talk about the bright side of exhaustion,” and writes that “using study results based on data of more than 26,000 participants and illustrative anecdotes, I will explain why exhaustion is more complicated than most realize, that there is not only a dark but also a bright side, and how leaders can make sure that people in their environment experience the bright side of exhaustion by improving person‐job matches.” She describes her own personal background within these issues, and Figure 1 depicts a Conversation Starter for Exhaustion Model. The Venn diagram has “Joyfully Exhausted” in the middle, surrounded by the keywords Meaning, Support, Autonomy, and Appreciation. In the article text, regarding meaning, she writes “As a leader you need to know what kind of work is meaningful for each person around you and ideally create work environments where people can mainly focus on performing these tasks. This makes it easier for individuals in your work environment to better perform and make the effort feel worthwhile.”

Tutorial on causal mediation analysis with binary variables: An application to health psychology research.

Mediation analysis has been widely applied to explain why and assess the extent to which an exposure or treatment has an impact on the outcome in health psychology studies. Identifying a mediator or assessing the impact of a mediator has been the focus of many scientific investigations. This tutorial aims to introduce causal mediation analysis with binary exposure, mediator, and outcome variables, with a focus on the resampling and weighting methods, under the potential outcomes framework for estimating natural direct and indirect effects. We emphasize the importance of the temporal order of the study variables and the elimination of confounding. We define the causal effects in a hypothesized causal mediation chain in the context of one exposure, one mediator, and one outcome variable, all of which are binary variables. Two commonly used and actively maintained R packages, mediation and medflex, were used to analyze a motivating example. R code examples for implementing these methods are provided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Opportunities in Multiple Sclerosis Care Partner Research: An Interview

INTRODUCTION Guest editor Marcia Finlayson, PhD, OT Reg (Ont), OTR, is a professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. She began her career as a clinical occupational therapist and shifted to a research career focused on generating and sharing knowledge to help people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) lead healthy, meaningful lives with control over their participation in daily activities, at home and in the community, particularly as they age. For this special issue on caregiving in MS, she chose to interview Kenneth Pakenham, PhD, emeritus professor of clinical and health psychology at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. For more than 4 decades, he has investigated the psychological well-being welle-eing of caregivers, including coping mechanisms and innovative interventions to improve their quality of life. His work is dedicated to applying positive health frameworks to chronic illnesses and to empowering caregivers and individuals with MS. Together, their expertise illuminates the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in MS caregiving research and understanding.

The Impact of Workplace Bullying on Health Care Quality, Safety and Work Productivity in Jordan: A Systematic Review

Bullying among nurses and other health care professionals with low health quality has become a major global concern. Nurses were also recognised as people who are close to patients and can play an important role to manage work bullying through providing effective training and education programs.This systematic review was developed and aimed to identify and clarify concepts and provide an overview of the available evidence on workplace bullying (WPB) among nurses as part of health care delivery system. Systematic review of all types of studies involving nurses published between 2009 and 2020 and approached health-related databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychology and Behavioural Sciences (PsychINFO), MEDLINE, and Education Resource Information Centre (ERIC). The review used focused keywords: WPB, health care quality, safety, interpersonal conflict, work productivity and nursing. Forty-three studies met the review criteria and five main themes were discovered including the prevalence of WPB among nurses worldwide, prevalence of WPB among nurses in the Arab region, perpetrators of WPB, influence of bullying on productivity, and individual–organisational characteristics and bullying. Growing evidence provided a negative relationship between WPB, safety and productivity suggesting further research on how bullying is prevalent and what solutions would manage this problem, particularly in Jordan.

Exploring Health Literacy and Psychological Resilience as Moderators of Symptoms of Mental Illness Among Australian Men.

Although highly related, mental illness may not fully determine perceived well-being, a distinction captured by dual-continuum models. Separating mental illness and well-being into related but separate constructs prompted investigation into potential buffers to reduce the impact of mental illness on perceived well-being. This study explored two such buffers in health literacy and psychological resilience among Australian men. Using the Ten to Men Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health, this secondary data analysis of n = 8,408 men between 18 and 60 years of age assessed the moderating effect of three components of health literacy (feeling supported by health care providers, ability to find health information, and active engagement with health care providers) and psychological resilience on the relationship between mental illness and well-being. Mental illness symptoms were negatively associated with well-being, whereas psychological resilience, active engagement with health care, and health care provider support (β res = .65, β eng = .28, and β sup = .25) had positive significant relationships with the outcome (all p ≤ .001). Ability to find health information (p = .25) and psychological resilience (p = .43) were not significantly associated with well-being. Of the four interactions tested, health literacy relating to health care worker support was the only significant moderator between mental illness and well-being (β sup = .03). This study identified that meaningful support and understanding from health care providers for Australian men aged between 18 and 60 years may somewhat ameliorate the impact of mental illness on well-being. Further related investigation may reveal specific interventions that improve perceptions of support among men.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Misdiagnosis: Why Medical Evaluation Should Be a Part of ADHD Assessment.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that interferes with multiple aspects of daily functioning and is associated with impairments in several domains. It may affect academic, educational, vocational, social, emotional, interpersonal, and health domains, and worsen risks to health outcomes. To identify and discuss medical conditions that commonly present with symptoms resembling ADHD. This review is selective and not systematic. It is conducted through a focused literature search through PubMed, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. Search term included "ADHD misdiagnosis", "medical conditions with ADHD like symptoms", "ADHD AND medical problems". giftedness, high IQ, and any article that does not list medical conditions. The limits applied were the following: the work must have been published in the past 20 years, be on humans, and be in the English language. There are several medical conditions that can be misdiagnosed as ADHD and may show a similar presentation to ADHD, particularly with inattentive symptoms. Examples include, but are not limited to, absence seizure disorder, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, sleep deprivation, post-concussion states, inflammatory bowel disease, iron deficiency states and anemia, and disordered breathing. Our review suggests that a thorough medical evaluation should be conducted prior to the diagnosis of ADHD. Allied health professionals and psychologists who diagnose ADHD should seek medical clearance from a physician prior to making the ADHD diagnosis in order to reduce misdiagnosis rates and improve patient outcomes. ADHD diagnosis should follow guidelines and be carried out under a systematic standardized approach. A full medical evaluation should be conducted to assess for medical conditions that may look like ADHD or be associated with ADHD.

A Comprehensive Review of Forgiveness Interventions in Türkiye

With the rise in the popularity of the positive mental health perspective, the concept of forgiveness has captured the attention of numerous researchers in the psychology and mental health domains. This heightened interest has resulted in a notable surge in studies focused on identifying the variables associated with forgiveness. Beyond elucidating the connection between forgiveness and psychological well-being, there is a growing emphasis on studies that aim to enhance individuals' knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes toward forgiveness. In this study utilizing a descriptive research model, 13 theses and 7 articles featuring experimental interventions on forgiveness were scrutinized. The evaluation encompassed the composition of the research group, the primary disciplines and publication years, the study design, characteristics of the applied group intervention, the entity administering it, session numbers, utilized measurement tools, and the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings indicate that all forgiveness interventions effectively heightened participants' knowledge and skills regarding forgiveness, fostering a positive attitude toward forgiveness. In summary, forgiveness interventions are associated with increased forgiveness and a positive impact on psychological health.

Time for You: A process evaluation of the rapid implementation of a multi-level mental health support intervention for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had wide-ranging negative impacts on mental health. The pandemic also placed extraordinary strain on frontline workers who were required to continue working and putting themselves at risk to provide essential services at a time when their normal support mechanisms may not have been available. This paper presents an evaluation of the Time for You service, a rapidly developed and implemented intervention aimed at providing frontline workers with quick access to flexible online mental health support. Time for You provided service users with three service options: self-guided online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) resources; guided engagement with online CBT resources; 1-1 psychological therapy with trainee sport and exercise psychologists and trainee health psychologists. A process evaluation informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research considered service fidelity, adaptations, perceived impact, reach, barriers, and facilitators. Interviews with project managers (n = 5), delivery staff (n = 10), and service users (n = 14) explored perceptions of the service implementation and outcomes, supported by data regarding engagement with the online CBT platform (n = 217). Findings indicated that service users valued the flexibility of the service and the speed with which they were able to access support. The support offered by Trainee Psychologists was perceived to be of high quality, and the service was perceived by service users to have improved mental health and wellbeing. The rapid implementation contributed to issues regarding appropriate service user screening that led to trainee psychologists being unable to provide the service users with the support they needed as the presenting issues were outside of trainees' competencies. Overall, the findings suggest that interventions offering flexible, online psychological support to frontline workers can be an effective model for future interventions. Trainee psychologists are also able to play an important role in delivering such services when clear screening processes are in place.

Depressive Symptoms of Homophobic Bullying Victims among LGB Adolescents in the Chinese Mainland A Case Study Analysis

In recent years, depression has become more common among younger age groups in the Chinese Mainland. However, only a small amount of study has examined the prevalence of depression among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents, and little is known about how prejudice events such as homophobic bullying may impact this groups rates of depression. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms following experiences of bullying victimization among LGB adolescents. A case study analysis was performed using secondary sources from online surveys conducted by Common Language, Beijing LGBT Center, and international literature in sociology, psychology, and public health. The study demonstrated that victims of homophobic bullying frequently encounter issues with depressive symptoms. The psychological well-being of victims is greatly affected by challenges including an absence of social support, internalized homophobia, perceived discrimination, and hostile school climates. The resilience framework can offer insights on how to improve their mental health by using effective strategies for coping and intervention programs to address the issue.

Semmelweis Caring University Model Program: A Holistic Approach to Promoting Healthy Ageing through a Longitudinal Cohort Study, Preventive Services and Workplace Health Promotion

Abstract Hungary is facing an alarming public health situation due to the unhealthy ageing of its population, calling for innovative and effective approaches to promote healthy ageing. This presentation showcases the Semmelweis Caring University Model Program, a unique and holistic program developed by the leading health sciences university in Hungary to address this societal challenge. The program serves as a model for the ongoing primary care reform, which incorporates preventive services, the first study to address determinants of unhealthy ageing in Hungary, and includes a workplace-based health promotion program that could be implemented nationally. The Semmelweis Caring University Model Program aims to promote the health and wellbeing of its 8500 employees and provides potential answers to the unfavorable public health situation in Hungary. The Semmelweis Study, a longitudinal occupational cohort of university employees, investigates the complex relationships between lifestyle, environmental, and occupational risk factors and the development and progression of chronic age-associated diseases. Data is collected through computer-assisted questionnaires, physical health examination, physiological measurements, biomarker assessment and data linkage to national registers. The results of the Semmelweis Study inform the development of the Centre of Preventive Services (CPS), which provides health risk assessment, screening, and counseling services to employees, with medical specialists in preventive medicine and primary care, public health professionals, dieticians, physiotherapists, and psychologists. The CPS units also serve as practical training sites for medical and health sciences students. The Semmelweis Workplace Health Promotion Program is a personalized public health model program that utilizes infrastructure and human resources of Semmelweis University to encourage healthy behaviors and environments in the workplace, with a potential for nationwide implementation.

Using a Survey and Discussion Forums on Students’ Satisfaction and Experience to inform the Development of a New Virtual Leaning Environment (VLE): A Data-driven Approach to Technology Use in Learning and Teaching

The virtual learning environment (VLE) is of great importance in Higher Education as a repository for course content, communication and student support. Students’ satisfaction with the VLE may impact greatly on their engagement with the VLE itself, and, consequently, module content and learning more widely. In moving to a new VLE we wished to optimise its design for our students’ needs by determining features that impact students’ usage. As such, in this study we tested the satisfaction of psychology students with the layout used in our current VLE, Blackboard Learn (BbL). Using an online survey, students rated their satisfaction for each element of the BbL template on a 7-point Likert-type scale, from 1 (‘extremely dissatisfied)’ to 7 (‘extremely satisfied’). Eighty-seven students enrolled in the BSc Psychology (N = 68) and BSc Psychology (Sport, Health and Exercise) (N = 19) programmes completed the survey. Results showed that, overall, students were very satisfied with their BbL structure. Open-text comments indicated students appreciated the clear, organised structure, making it very easy to navigate. However, students suggested clearer labelling and greater consistency across modules would improve their learning. These findings will be used to inform the template of our new VLE.