High Levels Of Distress Research Articles

Occupational Stress, Psychological Distress, and Coping Strategies of First-Level Judges in the Philippines: Examining the Influence of Demographics and Caseloads

Judges worldwide face intense pressure from heavy workloads, emotionally charged cases, and limited resources, leading to burnout and decreased public trust in the justice system. While individual coping is important, systemic change is crucial. This descriptive-correlational study investigated occupational stress, psychological distress, and coping strategies among 357 first-level judges in the Philippines. The study employed three standardized instruments: the Occupational Stress Scale, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and the Filipino Coping Strategies Scale (FCSS). This study revealed that first-level judges in the Philippines experience high levels of occupational stress and psychological distress. However, they also utilize a range of coping strategies to manage these challenges. The study found no significant relationship between occupational stress, psychological distress, and coping strategies and the demographic profile of the first-level judges. This suggests that these challenges are inherent to the judicial role itself rather than influenced by individual differences. The study concludes that interventions and support systems tailored to the specific demands of the profession are needed to address these challenges. The findings served as the basis for the Wellness Program for the first-level court judges in the Philippines.

Psychological Distress and Quality of Life Among Military Trauma Patients.

Military trauma has a significant impact on soldiers, affecting many aspects of their lives, with the highest impact on their quality of life and psychological wellness. This study aimed to measure psychological distress and its relationship with the quality of life among Jordanian military trauma patients. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in The Hashemite Protection Departments for military causalities in Amman, Irbid, and Al-Karuk. The authors used the WHO Quality of Life Scale-Brief and Trauma Symptoms Checklist-40 scales for assessing the quality of life and psychological distress among Jordanian military trauma patients. A total of 145 trauma survivors participated in the study and responded to all questionnaires out of 173 distributed. The study was approved by the institutional review board of Al-Zaytoonah University. The result of this study revealed that military trauma survivors had high levels of psychological distress with a mean of 85.66 (SD = 19.418). The subscale of "Dissociation symptoms" had the highest rating (M = 19.92, SD = 5.096), while the "sleep disorders" subscale had the lowest rating (M = 10.000, SD = 3.501). On the quality of life scale, a moderate level of quality of life resulted among the participants with a mean of 61.620 (SD = 17.190). The "general health" subscale scored the highest among the other domains (M = 18.241, SD = 5.434), while the "physical health" domain scored the lowest (M = 4.910, SD = 2.078). Furthermore, a statistically significant negative relationship between psychological distress and quality of life was reported (r =-0.178, P < .05). Jordanian injured military persons had a moderate quality of life level and high level of psychological distress. A structured follow-up program is required to be developed to improve those patients' health and quality of life. Furthermore, additional research is needed to investigate the impact of military trauma and services on soldiers in Jordan and the Middle East.

Exploding Head Syndrome among Patients Seeking Help for Tinnitus and/or Hyperacusis at an Audiology Department in the UK: A Preliminary Study.

Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is characterized by hearing a sudden loud noise or experiencing a sense of explosion in head during the transition of sleep-wake or wake-sleep. The experience of EHS shares similarities with tinnitus, where an individual perceives a sound without any external sound source. To the authors' knowledge, the possible relationship between EHS and tinnitus has not been explored. Preliminary assessment of prevalence of EHS and its related factors among patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis. Retrospective cross-sectional study. A total of 148 consecutive patients who sought help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis at an audiology clinic in the United Kingdom. The data regarding demographics, medical history, audiological measures, and self-report questionnaires were collected retrospectively from the patients' records. Audiological measures comprised of pure-tone audiometry and uncomfortable loudness levels. The self-report questionnaires which were administered as a part of standard care comprised of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, numeric rating scale of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life, hyperacusis questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale 7, and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). To establish presence of EHS, participants were asked "Do you ever hear a sudden, loud noise, or feel a sense of explosion in your head at night?" EHS was reported by 8.1% of patients with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis (12 out of 148). The patients with and without EHS were compared, but no significant relationships were found, between the presence of EHS and age, gender, tinnitus/hyperacusis distress, symptoms of anxiety or depression, sleep difficulties, or audiological measures. The prevalence of EHS in a tinnitus and hyperacusis population is similar to that in the general population. While there does not seem to be any association with sleep or mental factors, this might be due to the limited variability in our clinical sample (i.e., most patients exhibited high level of distress regardless of EHS). Replication of the results in a larger sample with more variety of symptom severity is warranted.

Telephone-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Objectives Family caregivers of persons with dementia (PwD) experience high levels of distress. We used a randomized-controlled trial to investigate the effects of telephone-based acceptance and commitment therapy (tbACT) for family caregivers. Methods Caregivers were randomly allocated to an intervention group (tbACT, n = 41) or an untreated control group (CG, n = 40). The intervention consisted of eight weekly sessions of tbACT. Depression and anxiety (primary outcomes), physical symptoms, pre-death grief, care-related thoughts, acceptance (secondary outcomes), quality of life, coping and well-being (well-being/coping outcomes) were assessed pre- and post-assessment. A 6-month follow-up was conducted. Results Compared to CG participants, tbACT participants had at post-assessment significantly lower depressive symptoms; fewer physical symptoms (rheumatic pain); better physical health; more resource utilization (coping with daily hassles, social support); better coping with the care situation and better emotional well-being. During the six-month follow-up, tbACT participants showed less pre-death grief, fewer physical symptoms, and more utilization of resources related to coping with daily hassles. Conclusions tbACT is a feasible and promising psychotherapeutic intervention for family caregivers of PwD. Because of small sample size our results are preliminary. Clinical Implications Most of the effects of tbACT were not maintained 6 months after the intervention, suggesting that booster sessions may be helpful.

Evaluating psychological distress in Chinese patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma planned for radiotherapy: a cross-sectional study using the distress thermometer.

We aim to estimate the prevalence of baseline clinically significant distress in Chinese patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) before receiving the first radiotherapy and assess factors predictive of distress. One hundred and sixty-eight patients were enrolled to complete a set of questionnaires including Distress Thermometer (DT) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Of these, 131 questionnaires were available for the final analysis. The accuracy of DT was validated using HADS as the gold standard, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to identify the optimal cutoff score of DT. Distress was reported in sixty-two patients (47%). Patients who were visited in the last week (p = 0.022) and those with medical-related occupations (p = 0.017) were less likely to suffer from psychological distress. Additionally, religious belief was negatively associated with both the DT and HADS-T scores, indicating that patients with religious beliefs were less likely to report high levels of distress (odds ratio (OR) for DT ≥ 4 = 0.291, p = 0.039; OR for HADS-T ≥ 15 = 0.316, p = 0.047). Factors such as age, gender, marital status, education and residency did not contribute to distress levels. DT was significantly correlated with HADS-T (Correlation coefficient (r) = 0.624, p < 0.001) and the best cutoff score of DT was 4 in screening distress. DT was a brief and effective tool to screen distress among HNSCC patients.

Clinical, functional and neuropsychological status of joint replacement patients

Introduction The number of hip and knee replacement surgeries is increasing annually in Russia and worldwide. The majority of patients receiving joint arthroplasties are elderly women.The objective was to assess the clinical, functional and neuropsychological status of patients undergoing total knee or hip replacement.Material and methods The study included 448 patients admitted for elective surgery of total knee or hip replacement at the Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics of the Federal Center for High Medical Technologies (CHMT, Kaliningrad Region). Anthropometric parameters of the patients were measured, the medical history and concomitant diseases recorded. Common blood count and biochemistry test were evaluated preoperatively. Neuropsychological examination included assessment of cognitive and executive functions, levels of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization.Results Almost all patients studied were found to have varying degrees of obesity. A typical combination of concomitant pathology in volunteers was stage 2 hypertension, risk degree 2–3, and chronic gastritis in remission. Half of the volunteers showed moderate and high levels of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization. A significant number of volunteers showed moderate to high levels of cognitive decline. Age- and sex-related blood counts were slightly different from the normal ranges for a CBC and biochemistry. Changes in leukocyte count were detected.Discussion Leukocyte counts indicated the osteoarthritis induced inflammatory process in most patients. Mitochondrial dysfunction and aging of the immune system contributed to the “proinflammatory status.” The high rate of cognitive impairment in volunteers was associated with age and comorbidity, cardiovascular conditions, in particular. Distress and anxiety were associated with emotional reactions to surgery.Conclusion The factors reported can affect the duration and course of rehabilitation. The “pro-inflammatory status” of patients can complicate the healing of a postoperative wound. Neuropsychological disorders noted during postoperative rehabilitation can have a significant impact on physical recovery, social and professional adaptation.

Mindfulness meditation among South African psychologists: a pathway to ‘being’ amid existential suffering in contemporary South Africa

Mindfulness is currently regarded as a life skill as well as part of an approach to life that can generate beneficial intrapersonal and relational outcomes. Given the centrality of intrapersonal and relational outcomes in psychotherapeutic encounters, it seems logical that the practice of mindfulness by psychologists would be relevant to explore, especially in contemporary South African contexts where high levels of trauma, interpersonal distress, and resultant existential and intrapsychic struggles prevail. The study seeks to address an identified gap in existing research concerning the experienced relevance of long-term mindfulness meditative practice for counselling psychology and therapeutic practice generally, particularly in the South African context. Located within an interpretivist paradigm and interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored the mindfulness and mindfulness meditation practices of 11 South African counselling psychologists and the ways in which these practices informed their being in both personal and psychotherapeutic settings. Each participant was invited to participate in a semi-structured interview and reflexive journalling task as part of the research process. The findings centralise the being capacities afforded to psychologists through a mindfulness practice and identify how the related elements of non-judgement, nonattachment, and (re)connection enable enhanced relational encounters with clients. The findings contribute to the limited literature related to the value of psychologists’ mindfulness practices in relation to the way in which they manage their own responses to clients, as well as the potential for mindfulness practices to help clients manage presenting trauma responses.

A Study of Diabetes Correlated Emotional Distress among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A cross Sectional Study

Background: Diabetes distress (DD) is a significant concern for individuals with type 2 diabetes, marked by emotional strain related to disease management and support, distinct from general psychological distress. Specific Background: Addressing DD can improve self-care practices and glycemic control, yet limited research exists on the relationship between emotional distress and sociodemographic factors in this population. Knowledge Gap: This study aims to fill this gap by exploring how sociodemographic traits influence emotional distress among type 2 diabetes patients. Aims: The primary objectives are to identify the correlation between emotional distress and diabetes and to determine the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on this distress. Results: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the Endocrinology and Diabetes Center in Al-Basrah City included 150 patients aged 50–65 years, with a significant proportion of men (63.3%). The findings revealed a mean emotional distress score of 3.81, indicating high distress levels, with physician-associated distress at 3.32 and regimen-related distress at 3.48. Novelty: This research highlights the strong correlation between emotional and diabetes-related distress, particularly across different age and gender demographics, thus emphasizing the need for tailored interventions. Implications: The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating psychological assessments into diabetes management and policymakers' consideration of emotional dimensions in health program designs to improve patient self-management and quality of life. Highlights: Diabetes distress impacts self-care and glycemic control. Socio-demographics influence emotional distress levels in patients. Psychological assessments are crucial in diabetes management strategies. Keywords: diabetes distress, emotional distress, type 2 diabetes, sociodemographic factors, healthcare interventions

Climate change psychological distress is associated with increased collective climate action in the U.S.

The mental health impacts of climate change are increasingly documented; however, less research has investigated the relationship between climate change-related psychological distress and engagement with the issue. The results from two national probability samples of U.S. adults show that 16% report at least one feature of climate change psychological distress and that certain groups have higher levels of distress than others (e.g., Hispanic/Latinos, lower income adults, younger adults). Importantly, people experiencing distress are more likely to engage in collective action on climate change or express a willingness to do so, even when controlling for several correlates of environmental behavior (e.g., political ideology, collective efficacy beliefs). These findings highlight that many Americans are experiencing psychological distress from climate change, and those who do are more involved in collective climate action. People experiencing such distress may benefit from resources to support mental health and engagement with climate change.

Association between hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties in children and adolescents.

Hallucinations are serious symptoms that can lead to high levels of distress, functional impairment, and increased risk of suicide in both adults and children. However, their etiology and treatment remain unclear. Hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties (SPDs) are associated with various psychiatric disorders, including mood, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in a pediatric population. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 335 children aged 6-18 years who visited the child psychiatry outpatient clinic at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital between April 2020 and March 2023 and continued treatment for at least three months. After excluding those with intellectual disabilities or uncontrolled epilepsy, 304 participants were included in the analyses. The presence of hallucinations was assessed through interviews with the children and their parents. SPDs were evaluated using the Short Sensory Profile. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between hallucinations and SPDs, adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties (low-income, single-parent households), and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders. Hallucinations were present in 64 children (21%). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association between SPDs and hallucinations, even after adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties, and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.008-1.036; p = 0.002). The results of this study suggest a potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in pediatric patients. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the causal relationship between these factors and determine whether interventions for SPDs can alleviate hallucinations in children.

Effect of a Single-Session Mindfulness-Based Swinging Technique (MBST) Intervention on Emotional Distress in Cancer Patients Undergoing PET-CT Scan: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Undergoing complex diagnostic investigation of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans is associated with high levels of distress, fear, and anxiety in oncological patients. This study evaluated the effects of a single 20-min session of an innovative mindfulness-based swinging technique (MBST) intervention on emotional distress in cancer patients scheduled for PET-CT scans. Material and Methods: Adult cancer patients undergoing PET-CT scans (n = 57) were assigned to the intervention group (n = 27) or the control group (n = 30). The emotion thermometer (ET) was used to measure distress, anxiety, depression, anger, and need for help at baseline and after the PET-CT scan. Participants in the intervention group received a 5-min psycho-education followed by listening to an audio recording of the MBST intervention just before their PET-CT scan. The session included mindfulness-based visualization, imaginary swinging activity, and synchronized breathing. The control group participants received brief 5-min counseling. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in distress (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), anger (p = 0.002), and need for help (p < 0.001) in the intervention group compared with the control group. Safety: None of the participants reported adverse events caused by the MBST intervention. The intervention was well accepted by the participants. However, n = 3 participants could not complete the intervention due to mind wandering, inability to focus, difficulty complying with the guided instructions, falling asleep, and physical discomfort unrelated to the intervention. Conclusion: The findings suggest the potential role of MBST intervention in mitigating emotional distress in patients undergoing complex diagnostic imaging procedures. Integrating this with conventional care in nuclear medicine settings can provide patient-centered care that addresses their unmet requirements. There is a need for further validation with a larger sample size. Clinical Trial Registration Number: CTRI/2023/04/051243 (Registered prospectively on 03/04/2023).

Ethical concerns in caring for persons with anorexia nervosa: content analysis of a series of documentations from ethics consultations

BackgroundCaring for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with high levels of moral distress among healthcare professionals. The main moral conflict has been posited to be between applying coercion to prevent serious complications such as premature death and accepting treatment refusals. However, empirical evidence on this topic is scarce.MethodsWe identified all 19 documentations of ethics consultations (ECs) in the context of AN from one clinical ethics support service in Switzerland. These documentations were coded with a sequential deductive-inductive approach and the code system was interpreted in a case-based manner. Here, we present findings on patient characteristics and ethical concerns.FindingsThe ECs typically concerned an intensely pretreated, extremely underweight AN patient endangering herself by refusing the proposed treatment. In addition to the justifiability of coercion, frequent ethical concerns were whether further coerced treatment aimed at weight gain would be ineffective or even harmful, evidencing uncertainty about beneficence and non-maleficence and a conflict between these principles. Discussed options included harm reduction (e.g. psychotherapy without weight gain requirements) and palliation (e.g. initiating end-of-life care), the appropriateness of which were ethical concerns in themselves. Overall, nine different types of conflicts between or uncertainties regarding ethical principles were identified with a median of eight per case.ConclusionsEthical concerns in caring for persons with AN are diverse and complex. To deal with uncertainty about and conflict between respect for autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence, healthcare professionals consider non-curative approaches. However, currently, uncertainty around general justifiability, eligibility criteria, and concrete protocols hinders their adoption.

Impact of the asylum determination process on mental health in the UK and EU+: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

IntroductionPeople seeking asylum are at increased risk of mental health difficulties due to premigration and postmigration experiences. The objective of this review was to understand how asylum determination process in...

Baseline characteristics of parents enrolled in ACCL20N1CD: Financial distress during treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the US.

220 Background: Personal costs of childhood cancer can contribute to disparities in health outcomes. The purpose of ACCL20N1CD is to examine trajectories of parental costs and the associated financial distress, cost coping behaviors, and household material hardships (HMH) during treatment for pediatric ALL. Objective is to report baseline characteristics of the parents and their households. Methods: The study used a prospective cohort design with repeated measures. Setting was Children’s Oncology Group (COG) practices at National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) institutions. Parents who use English or Spanish, and have children newly diagnosed with ALL treated at COG NCORP practices were eligible. Parents were asked to complete surveys at 3 time points, including baseline (T1; during induction and &lt;7 days after planned induction remission evaluation). Surveys included items about (a) parent socio‐economic status, financial distress measured by 8-item Personal Wellness Scale (PFWS), and cost coping behaviors, and (b) HMH. Factors related to high PFWS scores were evaluated by logistic regression. Results: Of 104 evaluable parents, most were female (83.7%), white (65.4%), non-Hispanic (48.1%), partnered (79.8%), &gt; high school diploma (93.3%), used English (84.6%), worked full (48.1%) or part (5.8%) time, and paid for their child’s care with public insurance (57.7%). Median household income=$50,000 (Inter-Quartile Range/IQR 20,000-100,000) for 4 (IQR 4-5) people. Not including wages lost due to caregiving, out of pocket payments for medical care + other ALL-related costs in the prior month &gt;15% of monthly income for 51.9% of households, which is considered financially catastrophic. 24.0% of households lacked food stability; 21% had housing insecurity. Conclusions: At baseline, sizeable proportions of parents exhibit high out of pocket costs, high financial distress level, and multiple cost coping behaviors with implications for future health and individual and household quality of life.

The Effect of Emotional Techniques in Reducing Psychological Distress among Orphan Female Secondary School Students

The current research aims to verify the ineffective effects in removing psychological distress among orphan female secondary school students in schools in Basrah Governorate. In order to apply these goals to the field of study and application, and to achieve the objectives of this study, the two researchers built a scale of psychological distress based on the definition of Pearlin (1983) and built a counseling program based on emotional techniques to reduce psychological distress, taking into account the scientific steps to build measurement tools and verify the face validity and construct validity as well as the validity of the confirmatory factor analysis and extracting psychometric properties and calculating reliability in two ways. It was found that the value of the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was (0.72) and by the retest method was (0.84).After applying the scale to the final sample of (267) and analyzing the data using the statistical package (SPSS), the results of the study showed that there was high psychological distress among the research sample. Based on this result, a purposive sample of (20) female students who obtained the highest scores on the scale was drawn. And according to the type of experimental design adopted in the research, the experiment sample was distributed into two groups, experimental and control, in a random manner, with (10) female students in each group. The experimental group was then subjected to treatment using emotional techniques, and the treatment was withheld from the control group. After the end of the experiment period, (14) sessions were provided, two sessions per week. The researchers processed the pre- and post-measurement data for the two groups by adopting the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for two correlated samples and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results of the post-measurement for the experimental group showed a noticeable decline compared to the results of the pre-measurement for the same group and the results of the post-measurement for the control group whereas the control group maintained a high level of psychological distress in the pre- and post-measurements. The results of the scientific experiment demonstrated the effect of emotional techniques in making change in reducing psychological distress among the experimental group, achieving the general goal of the program. In light of these results, the research concluded with a set of recommendations and suggestions.

Prevalence and Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of this study was to identify the correlates of depressive symptoms and the prevalence of depression, distress, and demoralization among patients with cancer in Taiwan in relation to their sociodemographics. A cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling was used to recruit 191 consecutive patients with cancer from the Cancer Center of a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Multiple linear regression was applied to analyze the determinants of depressive symptoms. The prevalence rates of depression (including suspected cases), distress, and demoralization were 17.8%, 36.1%, and 32.5%, respectively. The regression model explained 42.2% of the total variance, with significant predictors including marital status, life dependence, comorbidity, demoralization, and distress. The results demonstrated that higher levels of distress and demoralization were associated with more depressive symptoms. Demoralization and distress played vital roles in moderating depressive symptoms among patients with cancer. Nursing interventions should integrate appropriate mental health services, such as alleviating distress and demoralization, to prevent the occurrence of depression in patients with cancer.

Feasibility of Early Assessment for Psychological Distress: HRV-Based Evaluation Using IR-UWB Radar.

Mental distress-induced imbalances in autonomic nervous system activities adversely affect the electrical stability of the cardiac system, with heart rate variability (HRV) identified as a related indicator. Traditional HRV measurements use electrocardiography (ECG), but impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radar has shown potential in HRV measurement, although it is rarely applied to psychological studies. This study aimed to assess early high levels of mental distress using HRV indices obtained using radar through modified signal processing tailored to reduce phase noise and improve positional accuracy. We conducted 120 evaluations on 15 office workers from a software startup, with each 5 min evaluation using both radar and ECG. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were collected to assess mental distress, with evaluations scoring 7.5 or higher classified as high-mental distress group, while the remainder formed the control group. Evaluations indicating high levels of mental distress showed significantly lower HRV compared to the control group, with radar-derived indices correlating strongly with ECG results. The radar-based analysis demonstrated a significant ability to differentiate high mental distress, supported by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. These findings suggest that IR-UWB radar could be a supportive tool for distinguishing high levels of mental stress, offering clinicians complementary diagnostic insights.

Comparison of outcomes from a university counselling service before and during COVID‐19: Exploring the use of remote therapy

AbstractBackgroundResearch pooling data from UK university counselling services (UCSs) has allowed UCSs to compare their outcomes and demonstrate their effectiveness in improving student mental health. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, UCSs moved to remote delivery. Consequently, it was necessary to understand how this impacted students' outcomes.AimsThis evaluation aimed to (1) understand how the therapeutic outcomes of a UCS compared with established norms in UK UCS literature, and (2) understand whether delivering therapy online affected student outcomes compared with UK norms from in‐person therapy.MethodSessional outcome data from 627 students who attended the UCS in the 2020/2021 academic year were gathered. Descriptive analyses of students' initial clinical data (determined by the CCAPS‐34) were conducted. Paired sample t‐tests determined differences between the pre‐ and post‐therapy scores. The effect size of this difference was derived.ResultsStudents presented with high levels of academic distress, social anxiety, generalised anxiety and depression. The initial severity of mental health concerns was lower than that reported in previous literature. The largest improvements were evidenced for depression and general anxiety and 25% (n = 112) of students achieved reliable reductions in distress. Compared with existing literature, the UCS showed similar levels of improvement over therapy. It is suggested that remote therapy increased service accessibility.ConclusionThe delivery of remote therapy produced results consistent with norms in the UK data, highlighting the effectiveness of online therapy for university students. Further large‐scale evaluations of student outcomes from remotely delivered therapy are recommended.

Abstract B158: Sources of support and strain in Latino patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers

Abstract Background: Latino patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers are an understudied and underserved population that experiences high levels of psychological distress and impaired quality of life. As part of a larger effort to culturally adapt a mindfulness intervention for this population, this study qualitatively explored sources of support and strain, with a particular focus on the social context, among Latino patient-caregiver dyads undergoing cancer treatment. Methods: Twenty Latino patients undergoing treatment for a metastatic solid malignancy and their family caregivers were recruited from a county hospital and participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted by a trained, bilingual and bicultural staff member and explored participants’ cancer-related experiences, psychosocial needs, and sources of support. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim by a professional external vendor, and translated into English, where applicable. Atlas.ti was used to conduct a thematic descriptive analysis. Results: Patients (55% male) and caregivers (60% female) were predominantly born outside the U.S. (93%) and reported low levels of education (59% &amp;lt; high school graduate) and income (63% household income &amp;lt; $30,000). Preliminary analyses revealed how family can be both an important source of support and strain. Many participants described how the cancer diagnosis brought the family closer while others shared negative experiences including discrimination and distancing by family members. Participants’ religious faith, their church community, friends, work colleagues, and other cancer patients were highlighted as additional sources of support. Reported strains included financial stress (e.g., loss of income, healthcare costs, transportation costs), changes in household dynamics and family roles, and challenges navigating healthcare. In particular, caregivers reported strains managing work, family responsibilities, and caregiving tasks with limited resources. Ongoing analyses are examining differences between caregivers and patients and men and women. Male patients in particular expressed despair over the inability to work and the impact this had on their self-identity and perceived burden to others. Conclusion: Participants emphasized the important role of family and religion as a way of coping with the cancer diagnosis and related challenges. Stress associated with economic challenges and changes in family roles was prevalent and appeared to contribute to depression and anxiety. In conclusion, study findings highlight key sources of support and strain among Latino patient-caregiver dyads that can inform culturally relevant and equity-based cancer-related interventions. Citation Format: Larkin L. Strong, Josheili Llavona-Ortiz, Hilary Ma, Maria E. Fernandez, Elizabeth Dominguez, Rosangela Silva, Jaquelin Hernandez, Kathrin Milbury. Sources of support and strain in Latino patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B158.

Testing the Effectiveness of a Mobile Smartphone App Designed to Improve the Mental Health of Junior Physicians: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Shift (Black Dog Institute) is the first mobile health smartphone appcreated to support the mental health of junior physicians. Junior physicians experience demanding work conditions, leading to high levels of psychological distress and burnout. However, they are often concerned about the potential career impacts of seeking mental health support. The confidentiality and ease of access of digital interventions may be particularly suited to address these concerns. The Shift app provides therapeutic and psychoeducational content and strategies contextualized for the specific needs of physicians in training. App content includes information on mental health, help seeking, mindfulness, and common workplace-related concerns of junior physicians. This study aims to test, at scale, the effectiveness of Shift among junior physicians working in Australia using a randomized controlled trial design. The primary aim is to examine whether junior physicians using Shift experience a reduction in depressive symptoms compared with a waitlist control group. The secondary aim is to examine whether the app intervention group experiences improvements in anxiety, work and social functioning, help seeking, quality of life, and burnout compared with the control group. A total of 778 junior physicians were recruited over the internet through government and nongovernment medical organizations across Australia, as well as through paid social media advertisements. They were randomly allocated to one of 2 groups: (1) the intervention group, who were asked to use the Shift app for a period of 30 days, or(2) the waitlist control group, who were placed on a waitlist and were asked to use the app after 3 months.Participants completed psychometric measures for self-assessing mental health and wellbeing outcomes, with assessments occurring at baseline, 1 month after completing the baseline period, and 3 months after completing the baseline period. Participants in the waitlist control group were asked to complete an additional web-based questionnaire 1 month after receiving access to the app or 4 months after completing the baseline survey. Participants took part in the study on the internet; the study was completely automated. The study was funded from November 2022 to December 2024 by the New South Wales Ministry of Health. Data collection for the study occurred between January and August 2024, with 780 participants enrolling in the study during this time. Data analysis is underway; the effectiveness of the intervention will be estimated on an intention-to-treat basis using a mixed-model, repeated measures analysis. Results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2025. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of a mobile health smartphone app specifically designed to support the mental health of junior physicians. Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12623000664640; https://tinyurl.com/7xt24dhk. DERR1-10.2196/58288.