Improvements In Social Functioning Research Articles

Effectiveness of Switching to Long-acting Injectable Aripiprazole in Patients with Recent-onset and Chronic Schizophrenia.

This study investigated the effectiveness of switching to once-monthly long-acting injectable (LAI) aripiprazole from other second-generation antipsychotics including LAI paliperidone palmitate in both recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia patients. This was a 24-week prospective, open-label, flexible dose-switching study in patients with schizophrenia. Scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale, Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics-Short Form (SWN-K), and a computerized emotional recognition test (ERT) were evaluated. Subjects were divided into two groups (recent onset and chronic) based on 5 years' duration of the illness. Among the 82 patients participating, 67 (81.7%) completed the 24-week study. The discontinuation rate after switching to LAI aripiprazole did not differ according to clinical characteristics including type of previous antipsychotics. Scores on the PANSS, PSP, SWN-K, CGI, and ERT were significantly improved after a switch to LAI aripiprazole without exacerbation of metabolic parameters and bodyweight. The improvements in the PANSS, PSP, and CGI scores were significantly greater in patients with recent-onset than in those with chronic schizophrenia; the improvement in metabolic parameters was significantly greater in the latter group. High rates of successful switching to LAI aripiprazole from other antipsychotics suggest its good tolerability and effectiveness. Improvements in psychopathology and social functioning were more evident in patients with recent- onset schizophrenia, and improvements in metabolic abnormalities were more prominent in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Experience of parents in delivering pediatric tuina to children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative findings from focus group interviews

BackgroundEvidence suggests that pediatric tuina, a modality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), might have beneficial effects on the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as overall improvements in concentration, flexibility, mood, sleep quality, and social functioning. This study was conducted to understand the facilitators and barriers in the delivery of pediatric tuina by parents to children with ADHD symptoms.MethodsThis is a focus group interview embedded in a pilot randomized controlled trial on parent-administered pediatric tuina for ADHD in preschool children. Purposive sampling was employed to invite 15 parents who attended our pediatric tuina training program to participate voluntarily in three focus group interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed through template analysis.ResultsTwo themes were identified: (1) facilitators of intervention implementation and (2) barriers to intervention implementation. The theme of the facilitators of intervention implementation included the subthemes of (a) perceived benefits to children and parents, (b) acceptability to children and parents, (c) professional support, and (d) parental expectations of the long-term effects of the intervention. The theme of barriers to intervention implementation included the subthemes of (a) limited benefits for children’s inattention symptoms, (b) manipulation management difficulties, and (c) limitations of TCM pattern identification.ConclusionPerceived beneficial effects on the children’s sleep quality and appetite and parent–child relationships, as well as timely and professional support, mainly facilitated the implementation of parent-administered pediatric tuina. Slow improvements in the children’s inattention symptoms and the possible inaccuracies of online diagnosis were the dominant barriers of the intervention. Parents have high expectations for the provision of long-term professional support during their practice of pediatric tuina. The intervention presented here can be feasibly used by parents.

Real World Analysis of Quality of Life and Toxicity in Cancer Patients Treated with Hyperthermia Combined with Radio(chemo)therapy.

Hyperthermia (HT) in combination with radio(chemo)therapy (RCT) is a well-established cancer treatment strategy. This report analyses the quality of life (QoL), toxicity and survival outcomes in patients with different tumor entities who received HT in combination with RCT. The primary endpoint of this study was the assessment of QoL scale items 3 and 12 months after treatment in patients who were treated with palliative intent and curative intent, respectively. The secondary endpoints of this study were acute toxicities, 1-year overall survival (OS), and local progression-free survival (LPFS). Patients treated with curative intent experienced significant improvement in emotional functioning (EF), social functioning (SF), financial difficulties (FI) and insomnia (SL) 12 months after treatment. Patients had significantly improved FI and pain (PA) three months after palliative treatment. Acute toxicity of grade 3 or more was 26% during treatment and 4% after three months. The 1-year OS rates were 90% (95% CI: 79-96%) and 44% (95% CI: 31-59%) for patients treated with curative and palliative RCT combined with HT, respectively. Moreover, the 1-year LPFS rates were 94% (95% CI: 84-98%) for patients treated with curative intent and 64% (95% CI: 50-77%) for palliative patients. In summary, combined RCT and HT stabilized or improved QoL scale items for both curative and palliative indications.

Ambulatory oxygen therapy in lung transplantation candidates with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis referred for pulmonary rehabilitation.

To determine independent factors related to the use of oxygen and the oxygen flow rate in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients placed on a lung transplant waitlist and undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). This was a retrospective quasi-experimental study presenting functional capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data from lung transplant candidates with IPF referred for PR and receiving ambulatory oxygen therapy. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the oxygen flow rate: 0 L/min (the control group), 1-3 L/min, and 4-5 L/min. Data on functional capacity were collected by means of the six-minute walk test, and data on HRQoL were collected by means of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), being collected before and after 36 sessions of PR including aerobic and strength exercises. The six-minute walk distance improved in all three groups (0 L/min: Δ 61 m, p < 0.001; 1-3 L/min: Δ 58 m, p = 0.014; and 4-5 L/min: Δ 35 m, p = 0.031). Regarding HRQoL, SF-36 physical functioning domain scores improved in all three groups, and the groups of patients receiving ambulatory oxygen therapy had improvements in other SF-36 domains, including role-physical (1-3 L/min: p = 0.016; 4-5 L/min: p = 0.040), general health (4-5 L/min: p = 0.013), social functioning (1-3 L/min: p = 0.044), and mental health (1-3 L/min: p = 0.046). The use of ambulatory oxygen therapy during PR in lung transplant candidates with IPF and significant hypoxemia on exertion appears to improve functional capacity and HRQoL.

Transtornos pelo uso de substâncias e funcionamento social sob uma perspectiva ocupacional: um pré e pós estudo

Abstract Introduction Improvements in the social functioning (SF) of people experiencing substance use disorders (SUD) can occur even without use discontinuation. Occupational Therapy (OT) performs multifaceted work on it. Objective This study analyzes the SF of people experiencing SUD before and after treatment and the contributions of OT. Method A pre and post-study before and after starting treatment for SUD in a Psychosocial Care Centre - Alcohol and other Drugs (CAPS-AD) in Brasilia, Brazil - was conducted with 35 clients based on an SF questionnaire. A measure of the participant's SF improvement was defined as the difference between the SF before treatment (SFpre) with the SF after treatment (SFafter). The association between SF and sociodemographic variables/drug/previous treatment was verified by linear regression; all analyses considered a significance level &lt;5%. Results Most of the 35 participants were male (83%), 30-49 years old (77%), attended elementary school (57%), unemployed (57%), single (46%), Black (40%), had been treated previously (60%) and had present alcohol use disorder (46%). Overall, people undergoing treatment significantly improved their SF. Multivariate analysis showed that Whites improved their SF more (mean of 18.8± 10.4) than Pardos/Blacks (10.8± 8.7; 14.1± 6.4), and the improvement in SF was lower for participants who were taking treatment for the first time (10.3± 5.7) compared with those who had previous treatment (17.2± 9.4). Conclusion Treatment in CAPS-AD improved the SF of people experiencing SUD, and the OT professional is a key agent in improving SF due to its performance and approach to clients in vulnerable contexts.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback posture training improves the physical and mental health of early adolescents with mild scoliosis: A qualitative study.

Asymmetry in paraspinal muscle activities is observed in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and may be of value for predicting curve progression. We have reported the effects of the surface electromyography biofeedback posture training program in improving the symmetry of paraspinal muscle activities and reducing the curve progression of early adolescents with mild scoliosis. This study further explored their subjective experience of the training program on posture correction and health-related quality of life. Using purposive sampling, 13 early adolescents aged between 11 and 13 years with mild scoliosis participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews after completing 30 sessions of training. The data were recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis with NVivo 10. Significant statements and phrases were categorized into themes and subthemes. As assessed by X-ray, five early adolescents showed at least a 5° Cobb angle reduction in spinal curvature, while eight showed no significant curve progression (a Cobb angle change under 5°). Several subthemes related to the benefits of the training program on the health-related quality of life were generated, namely (a) posture correction, (b) improvement in body appearance, (c) restoration of muscle relaxation, (d) reduction in bodily pain and fatigue, (e) enhancement of self-confidence/self-image, and (f) improvement in social functioning. Given its positive effects, the sEMG biofeedback posture training program has the potential to be an alternative early intervention for early adolescents with mild scoliosis. Further empirical studies need to be carried out to substantiate its effectiveness and evaluate the sustainability of its benefits over time.

Effect of Orthognathic Surgery on the Quality of Life

Dentofacial deformities have an effect on the quality of life (QoL) by affecting numerous elements of an individual's life and oral health. Orthognathic surgery is generally performed to correct facial abnormalities related to the maxilla and/or mandible. Several observational studies have looked at how orthognathic surgery and other factors affect the QoL of adults. The reported overall satisfaction in observational studies is high, ranging from 70% to 87%. Satisfaction in terms of aesthetic outcome is higher compared to functional improvement, especially in female patients. Additionally, orthodontic surgery resulted in remarkable improvements in social adjustment, social functioning, self-esteem, selfconfidence, and facial appearance changes, as well as positive life improvement. Finally, it has been determined that orthognathic surgery results in physical and psychosocial quality of life improvements after surgery and is connected with high patient satisfaction ratings. Psychological variables and aesthetics exerted a considerable influence on the patient's QoL and were more influential in determining large changes than functional considerations.

Personal and Social Functioning and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Schizophrenia Treated with the Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Risperidone ISM.

To analyze the effect of Risperidone ISM on social functioning and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in both short- and long-term treatment of patients with schizophrenia. This analysis was based on data from both phases of the PRISMA-3 study, including 433 relapsed patients from the double-blind (DB) phase of the PRISMA-3 trial who were treated for 12-weeks with once-monthly (every 28 days) intramuscular Risperidone ISM 75 mg or 100 mg (n = 288), or placebo (n = 145), as well as 174 patients transitioning from the DB to an open-label 52-week extension (OLE) phase, plus 41 de novo patients treated on a stable maintenance dose of oral risperidone. The clinician-administered Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale and the patient-reported 20-item Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics scale (SWN-20) were used to measure social functioning and HR-QoL outcomes, respectively. Risperidone ISM significantly improved PSP total score from baseline to endpoint (Day 85) versus placebo in the DB phase with mean change total score (95% CI) of 10.7 (9; 12) compared to 4.8 (3; 7) for placebo (p < 0.0001). The statistically significant improvement was present from the first measurement time point (Day 29). SWN-20-measured HR-QoL increased on average in patients treated with Risperidone ISM in the DB phase. A significant improvement was also observed for PSP and SWN-20 scores from the OLE baseline to week 52 for patients transitioning from the DB phase. Stable de novo patients maintained similar PSP and SWN-20 scores during the whole OLE phase. Risperidone ISM provided a rapid and sustained improvement in personal and social functioning, and HR-QOL without need of oral risperidone supplementation or loading doses. These findings, along with a fast onset of efficacy, could contribute to reinforcing the therapeutic alliance and possibly an earlier discharge. Moreover, patient functioning continued improving or was maintained with long-term treatment.

Integrated Supports for Women and Girls Experiencing Substance Use and Complex Needs.

There is strong research to support integrated and gender-sensitive harm reduction approaches for supporting women, girls, and gender diverse people. For individuals who are pregnant, flexible and integrated treatment approaches may be especially important. In this study, we report on an integrated program in rural Canada designed to support pregnant women, girls, and gender diverse people experiencing substance use and other complex needs. Program data (N = 393) from the 2nd Floor Women's Recovery Centre (2nd Floor) at the Lakeland Centre for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (LCFASD) was analyzed with several aims. Study goals were to (1) describe characteristics and needs of clients, (2) identify factors associated with program completion, and (3) for a subset of clients, examine resources, wellbeing, and social and behavioral outcomes after treatment. Clients (Mage = 27.4 years, range 15-64) presented at the 2nd Floor with complex medical and mental health needs, and experiences of significant socioenvironmental adversity. However, almost two-thirds (63.4%) successfully completed the program, which was more likely for clients who had stable housing at intake and a possible or confirmed diagnosis of FASD. After treatment, clients reported high levels of wellbeing, and most were connected to health care and community resources. In the year after program completion, clients who were contacted for follow-up maintained strong connection to resources and reported notable improvements in social and behavioral functioning. Many were working or volunteering, most were in stable home environments, rates of substance use and legal involvement were substantially reduced, and many clients were actively caring for their children. This study offers important findings to inform future research, practice, and policy for supporting health and wellbeing for women, children, families, and communities.

Average and Interindividual Effects to a Comprehensive Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program.

Background: To describe the average effects and the interindividual variability after a comprehensive outpatient cardiovascular rehabilitation (CCR) program using concurrent exercise training prescribed according to cardiovascular risk stratification on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), anthropometric/body composition, quality of life and emotional health in patients of four cardiovascular disease profiles. Methods: CRF, anthropometric/body composition, quality of life, and emotional health were measured before and after a CCR and analyzed in heart valve surgery (HVS), heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), post-acute myocardial infarction (post-AMI), and in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Twenty, twenty-four, and thirty-two exercise sessions were prescribed according to mild, moderate, and severe baseline cardiovascular risk, respectively. In addition to concurrent exercise training, nutritional counseling, psychological support, and lifestyle education programs were performed. Results: The main outcomes by delta changes comparisons (Δ) revealed no significant differences at anthropometric/body composition as ΔBody fat decreases (HVS Δ−1.1, HFrEF Δ−1.0, post-AMI Δ−1.4, CAD Δ−1.2 kg) and ΔSkeletal muscle mass increases (HVS Δ+1.4, HFrEF Δ+0.8, post-AMI Δ+0.9, CAD Δ+0.9 kg), and CRF performance as ΔVO2peak increases (HVS Δ+4.3, HFrEF Δ+4.8, post-AMI Δ+4.1, CAD Δ+5.1 mL/kg/min) outcomes among HVS, HFrEF, post-AMI, and CAD (p > 0.05). Secondary outcomes showed significant pre-post delta changes in METs (HVS Δ+1.8, HFrEF Δ+0.7, post-AMI Δ+1.4, CAD Δ+1.4), and maximal O2pulse (HVS Δ+3.1, post-AMI Δ+2.1, CAD Δ+1.9). In addition, quality of life had a significant improvement in physical functioning (HVS Δ+17.0, HFrEF Δ+12.1, post-AMI Δ+9.8, CAD Δ+11.2), physical role (HVS Δ+28.4, HFrEF Δ+26.8, post-AMI Δ+25.6, CAD Δ+25.3), vitality (HVS Δ+18.4, HFrEF Δ+14.3, post-AMI Δ+14.2, CAD Δ+10.6) and social functioning (HVS Δ+20.4, HFrEF Δ+25.3, post-AMI Δ+20.4, CAD Δ+14.8) in all cardiovascular disease. For anxiety (HVS Δ−3.6, HFrEF Δ−2.3, post-AMI Δ−3.0, CAD Δ−3.1) and depression (HVS Δ−2.8, HFrEF Δ−3.4, post-AMI Δ−3.2, CAD Δ−2.3) significant changes were also observed. Conclusions: A CCR program that prescribes the number of exercise sessions using a cardiovascular risk stratification improves CRF, QoL, and emotional health, and the average results show a wide interindividual variability (~25% of non-responders) in this sample of four CVD profile of patients.

Early follow-up quality of life and mental health of patients with congenital vascular malformations cared for in a multi-disciplinary specialist centre.

The study aimed to evaluate the early follow-up quality of life (QoL), pain and mental health of patients with congenital vascular malformation (CVM) from a variety of treatment options. All patients with CVM who received care and had follow-up between February 1st 2018 and January 31st 2020 were included. The health-related QoL, pain, and mental health were assessed with RAND Health Care 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), visual analogue score for pain (VAS-P) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Paired t-test was used for all analyses. p < .05 were considered significant. In total, 110 patients with a mean age of 36.9 years were included in this study. In all patients following care, significant improvement was found in the bodily pain domain of SF-36 and VAS-P (both p = .01). This was largely driven by high-flow vascular malformation patients who responded better to embolo-sclerotherapy, which revealed significant improvement in the bodily pain domain of SF-36 (p = .002) and VAS-P (p = .02). Patients who received supportive treatment only reported significant improvement in mental health (p = .004) and social functioning (p = .03) domains of SF-36. Meanwhile, patients treated with embolo-sclerotherapy reported significant improvement only in VAS-P (p = .02). This study concluded that the effects of care on early follow-up QoL, pain and mental health of patients with CVM were heterogenous. Future research should therefore, include larger sample size and longer term follow-up to understand the various factors that affect the QoL and mental health of these patients, as well as the holistic approaches to manage them.

Outcomes of free vascularized iliac bone flap for severe traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head in young adults.

To explore the clinical and radiological effects of the free vascularized iliac bone flap (FVIBF) based on deep iliac circumflex vessels for Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stage 3 traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (TONFH) in young adults. From February 2017 to August 2020, a total of 29 (29 hips) TONFH patients with ARCO stage 3 were enrolled in this study. Following the FVIBF standard procedure, the necrotic area of the femoral head was removed and a free vascularized iliac bone flap was harvested and grafted. X-rays were performed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12months and every 6months thereafter postoperatively for evaluation of the degree of femoral head collapse. The Beijing University of Chinese Medicine X-ray Evaluation Method (BUCMXE) was used to evaluate the hip preservation effects based on anteroposterior hip radiographs. Hip functions were evaluated using the Harris hip score (HHS) every 6months and annually after 24months, and the quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire at 18months postoperatively. The mean follow-up time was 30months (range 12-54months). None of the patients was lost to follow-up, and the wounds healed primarily without infection and deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs. The HHS at 12months postoperatively was significantly improved than that before surgery (83.4 ± 7.4 vs. 64.8 ± 14.1; p < 0.05). The BUCMXE radiographic score at 12months postoperatively did not reveal any significant differences in femoral head morphology and osteonecrotic lesion, when compared to preoperation. The SF-36 questionnaire showed significant improvements in social functioning, role physical, bodily pain, and general health (p < 0.05). However, eight patients had varying degrees of femoral head collapse after surgery, and only one of them underwent THA due to pain and collapse aggravation. BUCMXE-Osteoarthritis scores showed that 23 hips were stable and six hips were advanced, among which five hips staged ARCO 3B and one staged ARCO 3A preoperatively, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Although some patients showed no improvement of radiological outcomes, most patients with severe TONFH could still benefit from the FVIBF procedure. Further studies should attempt to improve this surgical procedure and explore its long-term efficacy.

Pilot Randomised, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Crossover Trial Evaluating the Feasibility of an Intranasal Oxytocin in Improving Social Cognition in Individuals Living with Alzheimer’s Disease

AbstractBackgroundIndividuals living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate global deficits in social cognition. These deficits have been associated with impaired interpersonal relationships amongst caregivers, in turn contributing to a greater sense of caregiver ‘burden’. In other areas of neuropsychiatric disease (i.e., autism spectrum disorder), intranasal oxytocin (INOT) administration has shown replicable improvements in social cognitive function, particularly in Theory of Mind. Recently, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in frontotemporal dementia have reported that repeated INOT administration may be regarded as safe and well tolerated at higher doses ‐ resulting in changes to apathy and improvements in empathic concern, as rated by a caregiver. To date, no studies have investigated the feasibility of an INOT treatment in individuals living with AD. Here, we conducted a pilot feasibility trial to determine the feasibility of recruitment, the acceptability of enrolment and the adherence to an INOT treatment in order to inform the subsequent design of a future RCT. Secondly, we sought to determine the effect size estimates on key potential social cognitive function outcome measures related to both the participant and their caregiver.MethodFour individuals living with AD were enrolled in a single‐centre, randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial involving a one‐week treatment period with both INOT (72 IU) and placebo.ResultAll participants reported no treatment‐causative or serious adverse events, following repeated INOT administration. While acceptability of enrolment was excellent (100%), as well as INOT treatment adherence (placebo, 95%; INOT, 98%), our feasibility of recruitment was not acceptable (i.e., only 7% of fifty‐eight individuals with dementia screened met inclusion criteria). However, positive/large effects were associated with expected secondary outcomes around self‐reported health and wellbeing, caregiver ‘burden’, intimacy and interpersonal bonding, following repeated INOT administration.ConclusionThese data provide the first evidence demonstrating the safety and tolerability of INOT administration in individuals living with AD. Despite limitations in sample size, moderate‐to‐large effect size improvements were identified in participant health outcomes as well as core social cognitive functions and burden as reported by a caregiver. This suggests potential broad‐ranging beneficial effects of INOT which should be assessed in future RCTs from multiple perspectives.

LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS FOLLOWING CARDIAC SURGERY: A 5-YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY.

<h3>Objective</h3> Heart surgery can have a significant negative effect on patients' quality of life (QoL) and may cause long-term posttraumatic stress reactions. We aimed to estimate the longitudinal change and predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and identify factors associated with posttraumatic stress (PTS) at 5-year follow-up after elective cardiac surgery. <h3>Methods</h3> Single-centre prospective study was conducted after Regional Bioethics Committee approval. Adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery at tertiary heart center were enrolled in the study. HRQOL was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire before and 5-years after cardiac surgery. PTS was assessed using the International Trauma Questionnaire. To estimate change in eight domains of HRQOL assessment between two measurement points (preoperativelly and 5 years after surgery) we performed statistical analysis using multivariate latent change modeling. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 286 patients were enrolled into the study. At 5-year follow-up 210 patients were contacted and included into final data analysis. Median age was 62.29 [19–84] years, and 70 % were male. 65 % of study participants underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). All study participants achieved statistically significant (p<0.001) improvement in Physical Functioning (PF) Mental Health (MH), Vitality (VT) and Social Functioning (SF) domains of HRQOL assessment. No significant shift was observed in General Health (GH) (p=0.067), Bodily Pain (BP) (p=0.248) and composite scores of Role Problems (RP (p=0.686)) and Emotional Problems (RE (p=0.169)) domains 5 years after surgery. Significant gender effects were found on mean levels of GH (βintercept=0.17, p=0.003), PF (βintercept=0.19, p<0.001), BP (βintercept=0.19, p<0.001), MH (βintercept=0.14, p=0.006), VT (βintercept=0.24, p<0.001) and SF (βintercept=0.11, p=0.019), indicating higher scores of these HRQOL domains before heart surgery in men, compared to women. There were no differences in the moderating effects of age, dyslipidemia, hypertension, reduced EF and higher EuroScore II. Patients undergoing valve and combined surgery reported a significant increase in GH, while this change was not observed in the CABG group. In total, 4 (1.9%) patients met the diagnostic criteria for cardiac surgery-related PTSD at 5-year follow-up. <h3>Conclusions</h3> There was an improvement in HRQOL five years after cardiac surgery. Lower rates of all SF-36 domains before surgery, valve and combined surgery were associated with more signifficant HRQOL improvement. Female gender was associated with lower scores in HRQOL before heart surgery, and poorer improvement of physical functioning in comparison to male patients. The incidence of PTSD was 1,9 % in a sample of cardiac patients at 5-year post cardiac surgery.

Dance as a tool for managing emotions. A systematic review

ABSTRACT Nowadays, in a society where the rate of mental health issues and imbalances is increasing, dance is acknowledged as a tool for emotional management. This study aimed to carry out a systematic review of the scientific articles published on dance and emotions, to analyse their themes and evolution. This review was carried out by the statistical analysis of textual data and their means, using the MANOVA Biplot to generate a lexical matrix, resulting in 216 articles. This was used to study the evolution between time periods and the topics addressed. In conclusion, it can be stated that there is a lack of scientific research on dance and emotions in Secondary Education, as it depends on the educational curriculum of each country, their laws and teaching protocols. Greater the frequency of performance, greater the improvements in physical fitness, cognitive, social, physical and affective functioning. In addition, dance therapy has positive results on emotional effects in illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease. This is why dance is a fundamental means of helping students work on emotional awareness and management, although it has limited involvement in the educational field.

A systematic review of in-patient psychiatric care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: effectiveness, patient safety and experience.

An increasing number of children, adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism are being admitted to general psychiatric wards and cared for by general psychiatrists. The aim of this systematic review was to consider the likely effectiveness of in-patient treatment for this population, and compare and contrast differing models of in-patient care. A systematic search was completed to identify papers where authors had reported data about the effectiveness of in-patient admissions with reference to one of three domains: treatment effect (e.g. length of stay, clinical outcome, readmission), patient safety (e.g. restrictive practices) and patient experience (e.g. patient or family satisfaction). Where possible, outcomes associated with admission were considered further within the context of differing models of in-patient care (e.g. specialist in-patient services versus general mental health in-patient services). A total of 106 studies were included and there was evidence that improvements in mental health, social functioning, behaviour and forensic risk were associated with in-patient admission. There were two main models of in-patient psychiatric care described within the literature: admission to a specialist intellectual disability or general mental health in-patient service. Patients admitted to specialist intellectual disability in-patient services had greater complexity, but there were additional benefits, including fewer out-of-area discharges and lower seclusion rates. There was evidence that admission to in-patient services was associated with improvements in mental health for this population. There was some evidence indicating better outcomes for those admitted to specialist services.

A brief report on the temporal relations between social functioning and behavioral health among veterans.

Using a four-wave longitudinal design, three competing hypotheses (i.e., social selection, social causation, and reciprocal causation) were tested pertaining to the relation between social functioning and several indices of behavioral health [i.e., post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), distress, and alcohol-related problems] among military veterans exposed to trauma. Across two latent growth curve analyses, data largely supported longitudinal links between improved social functioning and positive behavioral health, often indicating that the improvements in social functioning frequently precede improvements in behavioral health. Overall, findings underscore the merit of directly targeting social functioning as part of mental health treatment among trauma-exposed individuals.

Comparative Effectiveness of Integrated Peer Support and Clinical Staffing Models for Community-Based Residential Mental Health Rehabilitation: A Prospective Observational Study

This observational study compared the outcomes of consumers receiving community-based residential mental health rehabilitation support in Australia under a clinical staffing model and an integrated staffing model where Peer Support Workers are the majority component of the staffing profile. Reliable and clinically significant (RCS) change between admission and discharge in functional and clinical assessment measures were compared for consumers receiving care under the clinical (n = 52) and integrated (n = 93) staffing models. Covariate analyses examined the impact of known confounders on the outcomes of the staffing model groups. No statistically significant differences in RCS improvement were identified between the staffing models. However, logistic regression modelling showed that consumers admitted under the integrated staffing model were more likely to experience reliable improvement in general psychiatric symptoms and social functioning. The findings support the clinical and integrated staffing models achieving at least equivalent outcomes for community-based residential rehabilitation services consumers.

The Effectiveness of Transactional Analysis Treatments and Their Predictors: A Systematic Literature Review and Explorative Meta-Analysis

Objectives: Despite many studies on transactional analysis (TA) psychotherapy, there are no comprehensive reviews or meta-analyses on its effectiveness. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis on TA psychotherapeutic treatments to examine the extent of psychological and psychosocial change in pre-post studies, the effects compared with other treatments in randomized clinical trials, and factors explaining these effects and differences. Method: We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis according to Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiolog (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in Pubmed, Medline, PsycInfo, Web-of-Knowledge, and scholar.google.com . Results: Overall, 41 clinical trials of TA treatments had moderate to large effects on psychopathology (Hedges’s g = .66), social functioning ( g = .62), self-efficacy ( g = .80), ego-state functioning ( g = .69), well-being ( g = .33), and behavior ( g = .56). Compared with control conditions, TA had moderate to large effects on psychopathology ( g = .61), social functioning ( g = .69), self-efficacy ( g = .88), ego-states ( g = .70), well-being ( g = .85), and behavior ( g = .46). TA was more effective on most outcomes in individuals, groups, and families than in schools or prisons. Psychopathology changes were significantly predicted by improvements in ego-states, self-efficacy, social functioning, and client–practitioner relationship ( r² range = .27–.43). Treatments were more effective if they included systematic assessment, treatment stages, psycho-education, TA-unique techniques, and an experiential focus ( r² range = .03–.31). Conclusions: TA may be considered an effective treatment for many clients.

Switching from risperidone to paliperidone palmitate in schizophrenia: Changes in social functioning and cognitive performance

BackgroundPrevious studies suggest that paliperidone might show a better profile for social functioning and cognitive abilities than risperidone. We aimed to study whether switching from risperidone to paliperidone palmitate (PP) is associated with improved cognitive abilities at 3 or 6 months after the switch. MethodsThirty-eight patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia were studied. All patients were treated with oral risperidone or risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) and had an indication to be switched to PP by their psychiatrists. Statistical analyses were conducted in a final sample of 27 patients who completed the follow-up visits. Three assessments were completed: 1) baseline (preswitch), 2) 3 months postswitch, and 3) 6 months postswitch. Social functioning at each visit was assessed with the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Cognitive assessment was conducted at each visit with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. Statistical analyses were performed with R. Linear mixed models were used to explore longitudinal changes in social functioning and cognitive outcomes. ResultsPSP scores significantly improved over time after the switch from risperidone to PP. A sensitivity analysis found a significant negative interaction between time and PP maintenance doses (greater improvement in those patients receiving lower doses when compared to higher doses).Regarding longitudinal changes in cognitive functioning, patients improved in 6 out of 10 cognitive tasks involving processing speed, working memory, visual memory, reasoning and problem solving, and attention and vigilance. ConclusionsOur study suggests that switching from risperidone to PP in patients with schizophrenia is associated with an improvement in social functioning and cognitive performance.