Higher Levels Of Mental Health Research Articles

Age-friendliness of community and sleep quality: The role of mental health

BackgroundThe relationship between age-friendliness of community (AFC), mental health and sleep quality is still unclear. MethodUsing a sample of Chinese older adults aged ≥60 years (N = 3099), this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the serial mediating roles of resilience and depressive symptoms between AFC and sleep quality through structural equation modeling. Additionally, this study examined the association between each AFC dimension and sleep quality stratified by mental health, using the multivariable linear regression models. Mental health was categorized based on levels of resilience and depressive symptoms. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The AFC dimensions included housing, transportation, built environment, social participation, as well as social inclusion and health services. ResultsResilience and depressive symptoms completely mediated the relationship between AFC and sleep quality through three paths: (1) the independent mediating role of resilience or (2) depressive symptoms, and (3) the serial mediating roles of resilience and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, higher AFC and higher age-friendliness in transportation dimension as well as social inclusion and health services dimension were associated with better sleep quality among older adults with high levels of mental health. ConclusionsResilience and depressive symptoms played serial mediating roles in the relationship between AFC and sleep quality. For older adults with low or medium levels of mental health, a community-based approach may not be recommended. LimitationsThis cross-sectional study used self-reported sleep measures and could not make cause inferences.

Mental health and the overall tendency to follow official recommendations against COVID-19: A U-shaped relationship?

This paper investigates the association between several mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness) and the overall tendency to follow official recommendations regarding self-protection against COVID-19 (i.e., overall compliance). We employ panel data from the COME-HERE survey, collected over four waves, on 7,766 individuals (22,878 observations) from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. Employing a flexible specification that allows the association to be non-monotonic, we find a U-shaped relationship, in which transitions to low and high levels of mental health are associated with higher overall compliance, while transitions to medium levels of mental health are associated with less overall compliance. Moreover, anxiety, stress, and loneliness levels at baseline (i.e., at wave 1) also have a U-shaped effect on overall compliance later (i.e., recommendations are followed best by those with lowest and highest levels of anxiety, stress, and loneliness at baseline, while following the recommendations is lowest for those with moderate levels of these variables). These U shapes, which are robust to several specifications, may explain some of the ambiguous results reported in the previous literature. Additionally, we observe a U-shaped association between the mental health indicators and a number of specific health behaviours (including washing hands and mask wearing). Importantly, most of these specific behaviours play a role in overall compliance. Finally, we uncover the role of gender composition effects in some of the results. While variations in depression and stress are negatively associated with variations in overall compliance for men, the association is positive for women. The U-shaped relation in the full sample (composed of males and females) will reflect first the negative slope for males and then the positive slope for females.

How was your day? A within-person analysis of how mental health may moderate the route from daily micro-events to satisfaction after work via affect and contextual performance.

This study builds on the affective events theory and the conservation of resources theory to propose a model that analyses an affect-to-behaviour-to-outcome route, highlighting how daily micro-events and subsequent affective reactions lead to behaviours (performance) and cognitions (satisfaction after work), and how mental health moderates this process. Results from a 5-day diary study, during the pandemic (N = 250, n = 1221), provided data to test the proposed affect-to-behaviour-to-outcome route. Poorer mental health buffered the positive within-person relationship between daily micro-events, affective reactions, performance and satisfaction after work, suggesting that high levels of mental health allowed individuals to maximise the benefits of positive daily micro-events in their satisfaction after work via affect and performance. This study presents original research analysing how situational factors create a route through which individuals experience affective reactions that influence their work behaviour, and in turn their levels of satisfaction after work.

Mental health and academic performance of college students: Knowledge in the field of mental health, self-control, and learning in college

The aim of this research is to analyze the impact of mental health on the academic performance of junior and senior students studying in a university setting during the 2022–2023 academic year, in the post-COVID period. The study was conducted in Beijing, China, with the participation of 600 students, including 300 first-year students and 300 fifth-year students. DASS (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) and PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) questionnaires were employed to measure mental health. The DASS assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, while the PHQ-9 specifically evaluates depression severity. Academic performance was evaluated using a 12-point scale, which incorporated various criteria such as exam scores, coursework performance, and participation in extracurricular activities. The research was conducted across five faculties of the university from 2022 to 2023. In the study, fifth-year students demonstrated a higher level of mental health compared to first-year students, with an average DASS score of 27.1 and 24.2, respectively. Interestingly, despite this, first-year students achieved higher academic performance indicators, with an average score of 8.2 compared to 9.8 in fifth-year students. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between stress, depression, and anxiety levels with academic performance (stress: r = −0.25, p < 0.001; depression: r = −0.20, p = 0.003; anxiety: r = −0.18, p = 0.008). These findings highlight the critical importance of addressing students' mental well-being, particularly in later academic years. Recommendations include implementing support programs and developing online resources for students.

Physical Activity Involvement and Mental Health of Middle School Students

To promote the mental health of middle school students through physical activity involvement and to provide scientific physical activity recommendations for middle school students with different states of emotional well-being, interpersonal relationships, coping skills, self-esteem, and body image. Using literature review, questionnaire surveys, and statistical analysis, the study analyzed the types, duration, and intensity of physical activities participated in by middle school students, as well as their mental health status across five psychological factors. Middle school students' involvement in physical activities is moderate but slightly below average. Students mainly engaged in school-organized physical activities; higher grade level, older age, and being male are risk factors for physical activity involvement among middle school students. Overall, middle school students had a high level of mental health, with interpersonal relationships reaching a high level of health and even the lowest-scored body image reaching a healthy level. There were a highly correlation between the types, duration and involvement of physical activities with their mental health among middle school students. The physical and mental health of middle school students should be promoted by increasing their types, duration, and participation in physical activities.

The Body Appreciation Scale-2: Psychometric evaluation of the Puerto Rican Spanish version among women aged ≥ 50 years who are breast cancer survivors

Purspose Self-perceived body image may impact women’s well-being and levels of depressive symptomatology after cancer-related treatment. The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a 10-item, unidimensional tool used to assess body appreciation, a facet of body image. A culturally relevant version of the BAS-2 was needed for the Spanish spoken in Puerto Rico. A cross-cultural adaptation of the BAS-2 for Spanish spoken in Puerto Rico was conducted and tested its psychometric properties, using a methodological design. It was hypothesized that the BAS-2 adapted for Puerto Rican Spanish would have an internal consistency with a Cronbach α value greater than 0.70 and a unidimensional structure; and that body appreciation would be positively and significantly correlated to mental health and would be negatively and significantly correlated to depression and body mass index. Methods One hundred-nine participants were recruited with a diagnosis of breast cancer (stages 0 to III) who completed adjuvant curative therapy at least two months to five years prior to recruitment. Results Participants had an average age of 61.5 years (SD = 7.1), and 64.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher educational level. The internal consistency of the BAS-2 adapted for the Puerto Rican Spanish was Cronbach α = 0.92. Exploratory factor analysis indicated one-dimensionality of the test. Body appreciation was negatively correlated with higher levels of depressive symptomatology and with a higher body mass index, and positively correlated with higher levels of mental health. Conclusion The BAS-2 adapted for the Spanish of Puerto Rico is a psychometrically sound instrument to assess body image.

Use of physical activity as a coping strategy mediates the association between adolescent team sports participation and emerging adult mental health

PurposeWe explored how team sport participation during adolescence may have prepared emerging adults to use physical activity (PA) as a coping strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore protect their mental health. MethodsMATCH study participants reported their involvement in team sports from age 11 to 18. At age 20, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, they reported their level of positive mental health, strategies to cope with stress, and perception of how helpful these are. Mediation analyses were used to estimate the natural direct effect of number of years of team sport participation during adolescence on emerging adults’ mental health, and the natural indirect effect through using PA as a coping strategy. ResultsData from 454 participants were available. PA was the most prevalent coping strategy reported (51.5%) and 74% of those using this strategy reported it helped a lot. More years of team sport participation during adolescence was associated with higher odds of reporting PA as a coping strategy (OR [95% CI] = 1.012 [1.007; 1.017]) and with higher level of mental health during emerging adulthood (β [95% CI] = 0.059 [0.024; 0.095]). The natural indirect effect suggests that the use of PA as a coping strategy partially explained the association between team sport participation in adolescence and mental health in emerging adulthood (NIE [95% CI] = 0.038 [0.002;0.074]). DiscussionMore team sports participation during adolescence is associated with better mental health during emerging adulthood. This association may operate through using PA to cope with stress.

Healthcare utilization patterns of individuals with depression after national policy to increase the mental health workforce in primary care: a data linkage study

BackgroundThe deployment of the mental health nurse, an additional healthcare provider for individuals in need of mental healthcare in Dutch general practices, was expected to substitute treatments from general practitioners and providers in basic and specialized mental healthcare (psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, etc.). The goal of this study was to investigate the extent to which the degree of mental health nurse deployment in general practices is associated with healthcare utilization patterns of individuals with depression.MethodsWe combined national health insurers’ claims data with electronic health records from general practices. Healthcare utilization patterns of individuals with depression between 2014 and 2019 (N = 31,873) were analysed. The changes in the proportion of individuals treated after depression onset were assessed in association with the degree of mental health nurse deployment in general practices.ResultsThe proportion of individuals with depression treated by the GP, in basic and specialized mental healthcare was lower in individuals in practices with high mental health nurse deployment. While the association between mental health nurse deployment and consultation in basic mental healthcare was smaller for individuals who depleted their deductibles, the association was still significant. Treatment volume of general practitioners was also lower in practices with higher levels of mental health nurse deployment.ConclusionIndividuals receiving care at a general practice with a higher degree of mental health nurse deployment have lower odds of being treated by mental healthcare providers in other healthcare settings. More research is needed to evaluate to what extent substitution of care from specialized mental healthcare towards general practices might be associated with waiting times for specialized mental healthcare.

Trajectories of Adolescent Media Use and Their Associations With Psychotic Experiences

Adolescent media use is thought to influence mental health, but whether it is associated with psychotic experiences (PEs) is unclear. To examine longitudinal trajectories of adolescent media use and their associations with PEs at 23 years of age. This cohort study included participants from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (1998-2021): children who were born in Québec, Canada, and followed up annually or biennially from ages 5 months through 23 years. Data were analyzed between January 2023 and January 2024. Participants reported their weekly amount of television viewing, video gaming, computer use, and reading at ages 12, 13, 15, and 17 years. Lifetime occurrence of PEs was measured at 23 years of age. Covariables included sociodemographic, genetic, family, and childhood characteristics between ages 5 months and 12 years. A total of 1226 participants were included in the analyses (713 [58.2%] female, 513 [41.8%] male). For each media type, latent class mixed modeling identified 3 group-based trajectories, with subgroups following trajectories of higher use: television viewing, 128 (10.4%); video gaming, 145 (11.8%); computer use, 353 (28.8%); and reading, 140 (11.4%). Relative to lower video gaming, higher video gaming was preceded by higher levels of mental health and interpersonal problems at age 12 years. Adjusting for these risk factors mitigated the association between higher video gaming and PEs at age 23 years. The curved trajectory of computer use (189 [15.4%] participants), characterized by increasing levels of use until age 15 years followed by a decrease, was associated with higher PEs (estimated difference, +5.3%; 95% CI, +1.5% to +9.3%) relative to lower use (684 [55.8%] participants). This association remained statistically significant after covariable adjustment. This study found that longitudinal trajectories of media use during adolescence were modestly associated with PEs at age 23 years, likely reflecting the influence of shared risk factors. Understanding the environmental determinants and psychosocial functions of media use during adolescence may help better integrate digital technologies in the prevention and management of PEs.

Psychological Well-Being Among Adolescents: The Role of Parenting Styles, Causal Attributions of Academic Success/Failure, and Perceived School Performance

We investigated the effects of perceived parenting styles, causal attributions for academic success/failure, and perceived school performance (PSP) on adolescents’ psychological well-being (PWB). Participants were 200 Brazilian adolescents who answered the Parenting Styles &amp; Dimensions Questionnaire, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, and the Rating Scale of Causal Attributions for Academic Success/Failure (RSCA). The results showed that adolescents’ PWB was predicted by authoritative parenting style (APS), internal and controllable attributions (appropriate motivations to cope with academic success/failure; ICASF), and PSP. In addition, we tested a mediation model showing that the ICASF mediated the relationship between APS and PSP, which in turn led to better PWB. These results highlighted the relevance of parenting styles and school-based causal attributions for the understanding of adolescents’ mental health. Our findings can support interventions that enable more effective teaching–learning processes, which are associated with higher levels of mental health for the adolescent population.

Gender, marginalised groups, and young people’s mental health: a longitudinal analysis of trajectories

BackgroundIndividuals from marginalised groups experience higher levels of mental health difficulties and lower levels of wellbeing which may be due to the exposure to stress and adversity. This study explores trajectories of mental health over time for young women and girls and young people with other marginalised identities.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis on N = 14,215 children and young people (7,501 or 52.8% female, 6,571 or 46.2% male, and 81 or 0.6% non-binary or questioning) who completed a survey at age 11 to 12 years and at least one other annual survey aged 12 to 13 years and/or aged 13 to 14 years. We used group-based trajectory models to examine mental health difficulties.ResultsExcept for behavioural difficulties, young women’s and girls’ trajectories showed that they consistently had higher levels of mental health difficulties compared to young men and boys. A similar pattern was shown for non-binary and questioning children and young people. Children and young people with economic disadvantage and/or special education needs, and/or for whom there were welfare concerns, were generally more likely to experience higher levels of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsThis information could inform public policy, guidance and interventions.

Caregiver burden and impact on COVID-19 patient participation and quality of life one year after ICU discharge – A prospective cohort study

Objectivesto investigate changes in caregiver strain, mental health complaints and QoL in caregivers of COVID-19 ICU survivors in the first year after discharge, and their associations with patients’ participation and quality of life. MethodsPost-ICU COVID-19 survivors, needing inpatient rehabilitation and their informal caregivers were included. Caregiver self-administered questionnaires included quality of life, self-rated health, caregiver strain, anxiety and depression symptoms, post-traumatic stress and coping style. Patients’ participation in society was assessed and quality of life. Results67 patients (78% male) and 57 caregivers (23.6% male) were included. Three months post-ICU, caregivers experienced caregiver strain (32%), anxiety (41%), depressive symptoms (16%) and PTSD (24%). One year post-ICU, rates decreased, still being 11%, 26%, 10% and 5%, respectively. Caregiver anxiety symptoms and self-rated health at three months were associated with worse patient levels of participation and quality of life one year after ICU discharge (p < 0.05). ConclusionsCOVID-19 caregivers experience high levels of mental health complaints one year after a patient’s ICU discharge. Furthermore, our results indicate that patient participation levels and quality of life one year after ICU discharge may be negatively associated by caregiver complaints. Practical implicationsCounselling and routine assessment of emotional complaints and unmet needs of the informal caregiver should be incorporated and addressed in the rehabilitation treatment of (COVID-19) post-ICU patients.

The prevalence and comorbidity of mental health and substance use disorders in Scandinavian prisons 2010-2019: a multi-national register study.

Mental health disorders are common among people in prison, but their prevalence in the Scandinavian prison population remain unclear. In this multinational register study, we examined the prevalence of mental health disorders and the comorbidity of substance use disorders (SUDs) with other mental health disorders in this population. Further, we investigated how the prevalence of mental disorders at prison entry had changed in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden over the study period. The three study cohorts included all individuals, aged 19 or older, whom had been imprisoned in Norway (2010-2019), Denmark (2011-2018), and Sweden (2010-2013). Mental disorders were defined as ICD-10 diagnoses (F-codes) registered in the national patient registers. The study prevalence was estimated based on recorded diagnoses during the entire study follow-up period in each respective country. The one-year prevalence of mental disorders was estimated for each calendar year for individuals entering prison during that year. The Scandinavian prison cohorts included 119 507 individuals released 191 549 times during the study period. Across all three countries a high proportion of both women (61.3%-74.4%) and men (49.6%-57.9%) had at least one mental health disorder during the observation period. The most prevalent disorders were SUDs (39.1%-44.0%), depressive disorder (8.1%-17.5%), and stress related disorder (8.8%-17.1%). Women (31.8%-41.1%) had higher levels of mental health and substance use comorbidities compared to men (20.8%-27.6%). The one-year prevalence of any mental health disorder increased over time with a 33% relative increase in Norway, 8% in Denmark, and 10% in Sweden. The proportion of individuals entering prison with a comorbid SUD and other mental disorder had also increased. While the incarceration rate has been decreasing during the past decade in the Scandinavian countries, an increasing proportion of people entering prison have a diagnosed mental health disorder. Our results suggest that prisons should provide adequate treatment and scale up services to accommodate the increasing proportion of people with complex health needs among incarcerated people.

Health Risk Assessment of AIMS Employees: Basis towards the Development of an Enhanced Wellness Program

This study explored the relationship between medical and mental health status among Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS) employees, employing statistical analyses such as Pearson correlation coefficients and t-tests. The results indicated a lack of significant correlation between medical and mental health status, suggesting no strong evidence supporting a relationship. Gender differences in health concerns were evident, with female employees reporting significantly higher levels of mental health concerns compared to their male counterparts. However, no substantial gender-based disparity was found in medical health concerns. Civil status also emerged as a significant factor, with single employees exhibiting notably higher mental health concerns than their married counterparts. Medical history included high blood pressure, stomach pain/ulcer, and nose/throat issues, with some reporting alcohol and smoking history. A minority were currently on medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. The study highlights the need to address mental health, especially among female employees, and implement strategies to reduce stress and enhance well-being in the workplace at AIMS.&#x0D; In light of these findings, the study recommended targeted programs addressing mental health concerns among AIMS employees, emphasizing accessibility to counseling services and collaborative efforts with the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO). Additionally, initiatives promoting digital literacy, fitness programs, and team-building activities were suggested. Recognizing the importance of early intervention, the study encouraged employees to consult with healthcare professionals for appropriate diagnosis and treatment measures for managing depression.

The Contribution of the Internet to Promoting Mental Health for Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Survey in China.

Health is an important topic for everyone and essential to high-quality economic and social development. Recently, some researchers have suggested that older adults' internet use may have a health effect. This study specifically aims to clarify the relationship between internet use and the mental health of older adults, for which other surveys present contradictory results. Data were obtained from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey conducted in 2018. A total of 6648 participants were included. Mental health was assessed by the 12-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Ordinary least squares regression was adopted to explore the relationship between internet use (independent variable) and the mental health of older adults. Robustness analysis, sensitivity analysis, and heterogeneity analysis were conducted in detail to verify the empirical result. A mediating effect analysis was further conducted to discover the effect mechanism between the dependent and independent variables. It was found that internet use and smartphone use can significantly improve the mental health of older adults (ordinary least squares, β=.075; P<.001). After endogenous and robustness tests were conducted, the aforementioned conclusion remained robust. In particular, participation in voluntary activities played a mediating role in the relationship between internet use and the mental health of older adults. In addition, younger subjective age enhanced the positive effect of internet use on the mental health of older adults. Internet users showed higher levels of mental health among Chinese older adults. To improve the mental health of older adults, the government should not only cultivate the ability to use the internet but also encourage greater participation in voluntary activities among older adults.

Religious Commitment and Gratitude as a Strategy for Promoting Student Mental Health

Despite global students' mental health problems being prevalent, adequate attention and resources to treat mental health problems are still lacking. Meanwhile, several studies found that religious commitment and gratitude can play an essential role in addressing the issue of mental health problems. This study explored religious commitment to promote mental health and gratitude as moderating variables to address this gap. This study used the Brief Scale of Mental Health 12, the General Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test (GRAT), and the Religious Commitment Inventory (RCI–10) scales. Data were taken from 320 students of four state Islamic Universities in East Java, Indonesia. This study utilized descriptive and regression analysis techniques. The result of the data analysis demonstrated three main findings as follows. First, the students had a high level of mental health. Second, religious commitment positively affected mental health. Third, gratitude could become a variable that strengthens the relationship between religious commitment and mental health. Research implication in education is attempting to improve mental health among students not merely on the religious commitment but also on emphasizing systematic ways to develop gratitude in students' daily lives as a moderator that plays a role in maintaining the relationship between mental health and religious commitment. This study was based solely on a quantitative approach; therefore, a mixed-method model is recommended for further investigation to understand the process of improving mental health through religious commitment and students' gratitude better.

Less social media use – more satisfied, work-engaged and mentally healthy employees: an experimental intervention study

ABSTRACTIntensive Social Media Use (SMU) can negatively impact employees’ work performance and mental health. The present experimental study investigated how a reduction of daily SMU time influences employees from different professional sectors in Germany. The experimental group (N = 84; age: M = 29.38, SD = 5.84) reduced its non-work-related SMU by 30 min daily for seven days; the control group (N = 82; age: M = 30.06, SD = 8.39) used Social Media (SM) as usual. Work-related variables and mental health-related variables were assessed via online surveys at three measurement time points (baseline; post-intervention; one-week follow-up). The intervention significantly reduced the experience of work overload, stress symptoms, fear of missing out and addictive SMU. Work satisfaction, work engagement and positive mental health increased significantly. The present findings reveal that less time spent on SMU leads to increased work motivation and higher levels of mental health. Employers and employees should take the present findings into account. Business coaching programmes, mental health promotion programmes and clinical interventions could benefit from the integration of a controlled reduction of SMU time.

Prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among home isolated COVID-19 patients in Western Nepal.

Globally, COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on mental health. In Nepal, COVID-19 positive cases have to self-isolate at home in multi-generational and multi-family households. This could be strongly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress-related health outcomes. Additionally, COVID-19 related stigma and fear of transmission may intensify depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. This study determined the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and their association with presence of COVID-19 symptoms and comorbid conditions among home isolated COVID-19 positives in the Karnali province, Nepal. We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among 402 home isolated COVID-19 patients of Karnali province from January to May 2021 using "Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21)". We interviewed patients to collect socio-demographic, DASS-21, COVID-19 symptoms, comorbid conditions, and self-treatment. We conducted a telephonic interview using a standardized questionnaire using Kobotoolbox. We calculated the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. We utilized univariate and multivariate logistic regression to determine their association with the presence of COVID-19 symptoms and comorbid conditions. In multivariate logistic regression, we adjusted sociodemographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, monthly family income, education level), smoking status and history of self-treatment. We reported adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals. All analyses were conducted in R (version: 4.0.3). The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among home isolated COVID-19 patients were 8.0% (95% CI: 5.5 to 11.1), 11.2% (95% CI: 8.3 to 14.7), and 4.0% (95% CI: 2.3 to 6.4) respectively. Higher odds of depression symptoms (aOR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.10-7.44,p= 0.03), anxiety symptoms (aOR: 3.81; 95% CI: 1.62 to 8.93;p= <0.01) and stress symptoms (aOR: 7.78; 95% CI: 1.43 to 42.28;p= 0.02) were associated significantly with presence of COVID-19 symptoms in past week. Higher odds of anxiety symptoms were associated with the presence of comorbid conditions (aOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.09 to 7.80;p= 0.03). Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were present in a significant proportion of home isolated COVID-19 patients in western Nepal and positively associated with the presence of COVID-19 symptoms. In this global COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to provide timely counseling to high-risk groups like those with comorbidities and COVID-19 symptoms to maintain a high level of mental health among home isolated COVID-19 patients.

Psychotherapy and chronic pain management: a quantitative study evaluating the contribution of psychotherapy to quality of life and treatment compliance in chronic disease patients.

The psychology of pain is an important field of study that focuses on understanding the psychological factors associated with pain and developing effective approaches to its management. Pain is a complex sensation that affects a person's physical and mental well-being, and psychological factors can have a significant impact on the perception, response and coping with pain. This research study examines the contribution of psychotherapy in managing chronic pain and improving quality of life and treatment adherence. The sample consisted of 87 participants who completed the McGill Pain Assessment Questionnaire, SF-36 Quality of Life questionnaire, and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) questionnaire. Two groups were created: one group received psychotherapy to manage pain and illness, while the other group either did not receive psychotherapy or had no contact with this therapeutic method. The results showed that patients who received psychotherapy had higher scores in the dimensions of mental health, vitality, general health, physical pain, physical functioning, and social functioning compared to patients who did not receive psychotherapy. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences between the two groups. Additionally, psychotherapy was associated with higher treatment adherence, as indicated by the mean scores of patients receiving psychotherapy compared to those who did not. This suggests that psychotherapy can contribute to increased treatment adherence. The results clearly show that patients who received psychotherapy have significantly higher levels of mental health, vitality, general health and functioning compared to patients who did not receive psychotherapy.

Study protocol for a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial to reduce risky drinking among service members and their partners

BackgroundMilitary spouses and partners in relationships with a heavy drinking service member report high levels of mental health concerns and consequences, which are compounded when both partners drink heavily. Military spouses and partners —termed “concerned partners” (CPs)—may be an important gateway for motivating service members (SMs) to seek care. However, CPs may first need to reduce their own drinking and improve their communication to effectively support and encourage changes for their service member partner. Partners Connect is a web-based intervention aimed at improving communication and relationship quality and increasing SM help-seeking. MethodsThe current study design is a two-stage Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) to develop an adaptive CP intervention to decrease CP drinking and increase SM help-seeking. CPs aged 18 and older (n = 408) will be recruited via social media and followed for six months. In stage one, we will randomize CPs to either a 4-session web-based intervention (Partners Connect) or to receive communication resources from the Gottman Institute website. The goal is to have CPs invite their SM to complete an online personalized normative feedback (PNF) session. If their SM completes the PNF at stage one, CPs will be considered “responders,” if the SM does not complete, CPs who are “non-responders” will be re-randomized during stage two to receive either (1) a CRAFT workbook or (2) phone-based CRAFT if in Partners Connect; or (1) Partners Connect or (2) a CRAFT workbook if in Gottman. DiscussionBy first intervening with the service member's CP, we aim to better equip them to engage their service member partner in treatment services. In doing so, we develop a model that increases treatment accessibility and appeal among a group that may not otherwise seek care.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05619185