Measures Of Anxiety Research Articles

Examining the reciprocal associations between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system.

Taken together, prior publications on the association between symptoms of depression and anxiety and contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) suggest a bi-directional relationship, but all the studies only focus on one direction in this relationship. To examine, in longitudinally collected data, period-specific within-individual change in anxiety and depression measures preceding arrest measurement and, separately, following arrest measurement. Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, a nationally representative sample of people born between 1980 and 1984 and first interviewed between ages 12-17 and a publicly accessible database. Our focus was on data for the 11years 2000-2010. Using whole sample data, we tested for a reciprocal association between depression and anxiety during each 2-year period and arrests during the following year, and vice versa, allowing for relatively fixed characteristics such as sex, age and socio-economic indicators. We used period-specific change modelling to test relationships. We found that within-individual increases in depression and anxiety scores over short periods (2-year periods) of time was associated with an increase in the number of arrests subsequent over the following year, consistently throughout the whole of the 10years studies. The reciprocal association was also observed, albeit the magnitude of the effects was much smaller. This study adds to the literature on the association between mental health and CJS contact by showing that they may be reciprocally associated. This suggests that facilitating co-working or even formal partnerships between community mental health services and justice-related services could be beneficial.

A network analysis of eating disorder, PTSD, major depression, state-trait anxiety, and quality of life measures in eating disorder patients treated in residential care.

The network approach in the eating disorder (ED) field has confirmed important links between EDs and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, studies including comorbid symptoms are scarce, which limits our understanding of potentially important connections. We hypothesised that anxiety, depression and poor quality of life (QOL) would provide a more complete picture of central, maintaining factors. Network analysis using R was performed in 2178 adult ED patients (91% female) admitted to residential treatment. Assessments included the ED Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ), the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD clusters (PCL-5)), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI), and the ED QOL Scale (EDQOL), which measure symptoms of EDs, PTSD, major depression, state-trait anxiety, and QOL, respectively. EDI-2 ineffectiveness showed the highest centrality (expected influence) followed by EDI-2 interoceptive awareness, STAI state anxiety, EDEQ shape concern, EDQOL psychological subscale, and PTSD cluster D (hyperarousal) symptoms. Eating Disorder Quality of Life psychological and physical-cognitive subscales and PHQ-9 major depressive, STAI state anxiety and PCL-5 PTSD cluster E (negative alterations in mood and cognition) symptoms showed the highest bridge expected influence, suggesting their interactive role in maintaining ED-PTSD comorbidity. This is the first network analysis of the interaction between ED and PTSD symptoms to include the comorbid measures of depression, anxiety, and QOL in a large clinical sample of ED patients. Our results indicate that several symptom clusters are likely to maintain ED-PTSD comorbidity and may be important targets of integrated treatment.

The S in STEM: gender differences in science anxiety and its relations with science test performance-related variables

BackgroundSTEM education has experienced significant growth due to its pivotal role in innovation and economic development. While cognitive factors like prior knowledge are known predictors of STEM success, non-cognitive factors, including attitudes and demographics, also play vital roles. However, there is a notable scarcity of research focusing on the "S" in STEM—science—compared to extensive studies in fields like mathematics. This study aims to address this gap by exploring gender differences in science test performance and related attitudes, providing insights into this under-researched aspect of STEM education.ResultsThe effective sample comprised 1839 Estonian 12th-grade students who took a computer-assisted science test. The test consisted of tasks combining chemistry, physics, biology, and geography, and a post-test survey was also administered. Across the total sample, the results showed that test performance positively correlated with test-taking duration, effort, and test importance. Test performance was negatively correlated with perceived test difficulty. Interestingly, while general science anxiety was not associated with test performance, subject-specific anxiety, especially chemistry anxiety had a negative association with test performance. While there were no gender differences in test performance, female students scored consistently higher on all science anxiety measures, compared to male students. Furthermore, female students assessed the science test to be more difficult, and they also took more time to complete the test. The correlations in gender subsamples mirrored those observed in the total sample.ConclusionsThe association between science test performance and test-related variables is nuanced: students might not necessarily have a “general” STEM anxiety but it may be associated with a specific subject. Moreover, the findings imply that although there are no gender differences in test performance, girls have a greater anxiety when it comes to natural sciences subjects. These findings indicate the need for investigating the origin of such anxieties, which do not seem to stem from aptitude.

Fears and Worries at Nighttime in Young Children: Development and Psychometric Validation of a Parent-Report Measure (FAWN-YC).

This paper outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Fears and Worries at Nighttime-Young Children (FAWN-YC) scale; a parent-rated measure for children aged 3-5years. Based on previous literature, it was hypothesised that the measure would be represented by a six-factor solution, with four clusters of fear types and two behavioural manifestations of fears. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA; N = 436) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; N = 383), resulted in a final 17 items that loaded onto 3 factors: Nighttime Fear Focus (8 items, α = 0.92), Bedtime/Sleep Avoidance and Interference (5 items, α = 0.90), and Dark Fear (4 items, α = 0.88). Evidence of convergent validity was found through strong associations between the total score and subscales of the FAWN-YC with measures of child anxiety, fear, sleep, externalizing and conduct problems. Furthermore, there was support for divergent validity (through a very weak to no relationship with a measure of prosocial behaviours), and evidence for temporal stability was also established with 2-week test-retest reliability. Overall, the results provide strong preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the FAWN-YC total score and subscales. Implications for the use of the measure in research and clinical practice are discussed.

Depletion of the paternal gut microbiome alters sperm small RNAs and impacts offspring physiology and behavior in mice

The paternal environment prior to conception has been demonstrated to influence offspring physiology and behavior, with the sperm epigenome (including noncoding RNAs) proposed as a potential facilitator of non-genetic inheritance. Whilst the maternal gut microbiome has been established as an important influence on offspring development, the impact of the paternal gut microbiome on offspring development, health and behavior is largely unknown. Gut microbiota have major influences on immunity, and thus we hypothesized that they may be relevant to paternal immune activation (PIA) modulating epigenetic inheritance in mice. Therefore, male C57BL/6J mice (F0) were orally administered non-absorbable antibiotics via drinking water in order to substantially deplete their gut microbiome. Four weeks after administration of the antibiotics (gut microbiome depletion), F0 male mice were then mated with naïve female mice. The F1 offspring of the microbiome-depleted males had reduced body weight as well as altered gut morphology (shortened colon length). F1 females showed significant alterations in affective behaviors, including measures of anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, indicating altered development. Analysis of small noncoding RNAs in the sperm of F0 mice revealed that gut microbiome depletion is associated with differential expression of 8 different PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), each of which has the potential to modulate the expression of multiple downstream gene targets, and thus influence epigenetic inheritance and offspring development. This study demonstrates that the gut-germline axis influences sperm small RNA profiles and offspring physiology, with specific impacts on offspring affective and/or coping behaviors. These findings may have broader implications for other animal species with comparable gut microbiota, intergenerational epigenetics and developmental biology, including humans.

Blue Space: Extracting the Sensory Characteristics of Waterscapes as a Potential Tool for Anxiety Mitigation.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate if there is a physiological stress response to the visual and auditory characteristics of waterscapes. Background: Biophilic research suggests that the presence of water can reduce stress, reduce blood pressure, and increase circulation. However, water has largely been omitted from healthcare design due to concerns of cost, maintenance, waterborne pathogens, and contamination. Existing research has not yet provided a design methodology to incorporate the healing effects of water without the potential diseases, contamination, and maintenance issues associated with physical water. Given the current technological capabilities, the isolation of the auditory and visual sensory stimuli has potential to re-introduce the healing benefits of water into healthcare design. Methods: Participants were either exposed to a slow-moving or fast-moving waterscape for 20 minutes. Pre- and post-anxiety were measured using the State Trait Anxiety Scale in an online Qualtrics survey (118 participants) and through a salivary cortisol biomarker (in which 26 participants also partook). Results: The overall results demonstrate that the utilization of digital blue space was effective in reducing stress. There was no significant difference between the lake or waterfall environment in both salivary cortisol and state-trait anxiety measures. However, it is suggested that the slow and fast-moving waterscapes may be beneficial in different settings. Conclusion: Design recommendations are made regarding potential biophilic design in healthcare facilities. The utilization of sensory waterscapes can also provide a cost affordable, non-pharmacological, alternative for anxiety mitigation for patients and staff undergoing high-stress situations.

Insistence on sameness, repetitive negative thinking and mental health in autistic and non-autistic adults.

Autistic people are more likely to have mental health problems than non-autistic people. We know that having repetitive and negative thoughts can contribute to multiple mental health problems such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Autistic people often do the same behaviours repetitively, and they may also have more repetitive thinking styles. This could contribute to higher rates of mental health problems in autistic people. In this research, we wanted to find out if higher rates of repetitive behaviours contributed to depression and anxiety, and whether this relationship was because of repetitive negative thinking. We asked three groups of autistic adults to take part in the research. Sixty-seven autistic clinical participants were recruited from clinical settings and had moderate depression. Fifty-four autistic community participants and 66 non-autistic community participants were recruited from community settings. All participants completed measures of repetitive behaviours; a measure of anxiety and depression; and two measures of repetitive negative thinking (ruminating and obsessing). Autistic community participants had significantly higher repetitive behaviours, rumination and obsessing scores than non-autistic community participants. We found that higher rates of repetitive behaviours contributed to more repetitive thinking (obsessing and ruminating), which contributed to higher rates of depression and anxiety. The higher rates of repetitive negative thinking found in autistic individuals may contribute to higher rates of mental health problems in this group. Mental health assessments and interventions for autistic people should therefore consider the role of multiple forms of repetitive negative cognition and behaviour, which cut across diagnostic categories such as anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These should be considered when aiming to understand why individuals develop mental health conditions and why these conditions persist.

Smartphone Distraction and Academic Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Academic Procrastination and the Moderating Role of Time Management Disposition.

The present study investigated the relationship between smartphone distraction, academic procrastination, academic anxiety, and time management disposition. A total of 474 college students were recruited to complete a survey comprising measures of smartphone distraction, academic procrastination, academic anxiety, and time management disposition. The hypothesised moderated mediation model was tested using Model 4 and Model 15 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results showed that smartphone distraction was positively and significantly correlated with academic anxiety (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and academic procrastination (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Academic procrastination mediated the relationship between smartphone distraction and academic anxiety. Time management disposition moderated the paths from academic procrastination and smartphone distraction to academic anxiety. The present study suggests that smartphone distraction could predict increased levels of academic procrastination, which could then lead to higher academic anxiety. However, the predicting effects in this mediation model could fluctuate across individuals with different time management dispositions. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of smartphone distraction using different methods.

Validation of a Malayalam Version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale

Background: The apathy evaluation scale (AES) measures apathy, but its usefulness as a screening tool in diverse populations is limited without translation into more languages. To date, there is no reported translation of the AES into Malayalam, a language spoken by over 32 million people in the southern Indian state of Kerala. In the present study, we aimed to validate the Malayalam version of the AES. Methods: Six hundred sixty-one community-dwelling older adults without dementia participating in the Kerala Einstein study completed the Malayalam AES. We assessed the internal consistency and the validity of the Malayalam AES, using another measure of apathy, as well as measures of depression and anxiety. We also used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the dimensionality of the Malayalam AES. Finally, we assessed possible sex differences in apathy. Results: The Malayalam AES demonstrated high internal consistency and good validity, and the results of our PCA indicate that it has a three-component structure, as in the original English version and other translated versions. We found that while overall apathy scores were similar, the relationship with other neuropsychiatric symptoms differed by sex, with stronger relationships found in male participants compared to female participants. Conclusion: Our study provides another tool to screen for apathy in non-English-speaking populations, an important early risk factor for cognitive and functional decline, and enables future research across diverse cultures.

Cognitive performance, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cerebrospinal fluid viral control following programmatic switch from efavirenz-based to dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy in South Africa (CONNECT): a prospective cohort study

Both efavirenz and dolutegravir have been associated with neuropsychiatric side-effects and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV RNA escape has not been comprehensively studied in African populations. We aimed to examine changes in cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and CSF viral control associated with the widespread switch from efavirenz-based to dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART). This prospective cohort study of people with HIV and people without HIV recruited adults with HIV (aged 18-55 years) from the Gugulethu Community Health Centre in a low-income periurban area of Cape Town, South Africa. Eligible participants had been receiving efavirenz-based ART for at least 1 year and were identified by the clinic to switch to dolutegravir-based ART as part of the national programmatic switch. Participants were studied at baseline and followed up at 1 year after switch to dolutegravir. People without HIV were recruited from the same area, matched for age and gender, and followed up at the same time interval. People with HIV and people without HIV underwent comprehensive cognitive testing over seven domains and measures of functioning, mood, anxiety, and sleep. People with HIV had CSF sampling for HIV RNA quantification. Between Aug 12, 2019, and Sept 16, 2022, we recruited 178 people with HIV and 95 people without HIV. 145 (81%) of 178 people with HIV and 40 (66%) of 60 people without HIV who were offered underwent follow-up. Global cognitive performance was 2·57 T score points lower in people with HIV than in people without HIV at baseline (p=0·0008). At follow-up, cognition in people with HIV improved more than practice effects observed in people without HIV (coefficient 1·40, 95% CI 0·48-2·32, p=0·0028) and no significant difference in cognitive performance between groups was apparent (51·43 vs 52·73; p=0·22). Sleep quality improved following the switch (risk ratio 0·90, 95% CI 0·84-0·95; p=0·0002), driven mainly by indicators of disturbed sleep. There were nine incident cases of depression, although baseline differences were present. There was one case (1%) of CSF escape at baseline and three cases (4%) at follow-up; all were at low levels or resolved with repeated sampling. Improvements in cognition and sleep are probably related to switching from efavirenz. However, the possible increase in depression warrants further examination. Cognitive performance in virally supressed African people with HIV receiving dolutegravir-based therapy is similar to people without HIV. CSF escape is uncommon on both efavirenz-based and dolutegravir-based therapy. South African Medical Research Council and UK Medical Research Council, Newton Fund.

Surgeon stress, anxiety, and workload: a descriptive study of participant reported responses to fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery exercises

BackgroundStress while operating is an important contributor to surgeon health and burnout. Measuring stress is key to improving surgeon and patient outcomes, however biological responses to stress during surgery are variable and difficult to interpret. Participant reported measures of stress have been suggested as an alternative, but the most appropriate measure has not been defined. This study’s primary aim was to assess measures of anxiety, stress, and workload before and after surgical simulation and characterize the relationship between these measures.MethodsSurgeons completed three laparoscopic exercises from the fundamentals of laparoscopy program (peg transfer, pattern cutting, intracorporeal suturing) in a neutral environment and “stressed” environment (ergonomic, noise, or time pressure). State trait anxiety and self-reported stress on a visual analogue scale were collected prior to simulation and again immediately afterwards. The NASA task load index (TLX) was also administered post-simulation.ResultsOf the 26 participants from gynecological and general surgery specialties, state anxiety increased in 98/148 simulations (62%) with a significant mean increase during simulation (32.9 ± 7.9 vs 39.4 ± 10.2, p < .001). Self-reported stress increased in 107/148 simulations (72%), with a significant increase in mean scores during simulation (38.7 ± 22.5 vs 48.9 ± 23.7, p < .001). NASA-TLX scores immediately after simulation ranged from 40 to 118 (mean 60.5 ± 28.7). Greater anxiety and stress scores were reported in “stressed” simulations (43.6 ± 23.1 vs 54.2 ± 23.3; 68.7 ± 27.0 vs 52.4 ± 28.2 respectively) with a significant interaction effect of the “stressed” environment and type of exercise. Anxiety and stress were moderately positively correlated prior to simulation (r = .40) and strongly positively correlated post-simulation (r = .70), however only stress was strongly correlated to workload (r = .79).ConclusionStress and anxiety varied by type of laparoscopic exercise and simulation environment. Correlations between anxiety and stress are stronger post-simulation than prior to simulation. Stress, but not anxiety, is highly correlated with workload.Graphical

B - 110 Exploring the Relationship between Subjective Cognitive Complaints, Psychiatric Symptom Reporting, and Neurocognitive Test Performance in a Post-SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Sample

Abstract Objective This study evaluated the relationship between subjective cognitive complaints, objective cognitive performance, and psychological outcomes among clinical patients referred for persisting cognitive concerns following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Method The sample consisted of 49 patients (69.4% female; 38.8% Black, 36.7% White, 18.4% Hispanic, 6.0% Other; Mage = 45.27, SD = 12.08; Meducation = 15.49; SD = 3.0) referred for neuropsychological evaluation to assess for long-term post-SARS-CoV-2 cognitive changes. All patients were administered a uniform neuropsychological test battery that included measures of working memory, processing speed, and verbal learning/memory, as well as measures of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Degree of subjective cognitive concerns was established using the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) cognitive subscale. Linear regression models were conducted between the NSI cognitive subscale and each cognitive and psychological outcome. Results NSI cognitive scale predicted all psychological (depression [F = 31.37, p &amp;lt; 0.001(R2 = 0.41)]; anxiety [F = 6.71, p = 0.01(R2 = 0.13); perceived stress [F = 4.40, p = 0.04(R2 = 0.10)]) variables. The NSI cognitive scale also significantly predicted working memory [F = 4.624, p = 0.04(R2 = 0.09)]; however, no individual scores fell below the low average range upon further analysis. Cognitive complaints did not significantly predict any other cognitive (processing speed [F = 0.002, p = 0.97(R2 = 0.00)], total learning [F = 0.14, p = 0.71(R2 = 0.00)], and delayed recall [F = 1.03, p = 0.32(R2 = 0.02)]) variable. Conclusions Subjective cognitive complaints significantly predicted self-reported psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, while working memory was the only cognitive performance with a similarly meaningful relationship. These preliminary findings suggest that the psychological effects of persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, rather than objective cognitive changes, may better explain subjective cognitive concerns reported by this population.

A - 99 Examining the Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Neuropsychological Functioning, and Neurocognitive Status among Older Adults

Abstract Objective Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poorer cognitive and mental health outcomes in adulthood. However, there is limited research elucidating the relationship between ACE severity and specific neuropsychological outcomes among examinees with cognitive impairment. This study assessed the relationship between ACE exposure and cognitive and psychiatric outcomes among older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Method This cross-sectional study included 75 patients (64% female; MAge = 67, SD = 8.6; MEducation = 12.8, SD = 3.2) undergoing neuropsychological evaluation at an academic medical center. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) compared high versus low ACE groups on specific tests of verbal fluency, processing speed, working memory, executive functions, and on depression and anxiety measures. Groups were formed based on neurocognitive status (i.e., no diagnosis, mild cognitive impairment, dementia) and ANOVAs were re-run for each diagnosis. Results No significant differences were detected on neurocognitive measures among the overall group or when groups were subdivided by diagnosis. Among the overall sample, significant group differences were detected for depression and anxiety symptoms, F(1,73) = 16.696, p &amp;lt; 0.001 and F(1,73) = 12.268, p = 0.001 respectively, such that higher ACE groups endorsed significantly more psychiatric symptoms. Among the no-diagnosis group, depressive symptoms were bordering insignificance, p = 0.048, and no differences were detected for anxiety. By contrast, higher ACEs were associated with greater anxiety among the mild cognitive impairment group and greater depression among the dementia group. Conclusions Findings reinforce the impact of ACEs on psychiatric symptoms among older adults. Although there were no significant cognitive differences, further research is necessary to better understand the relationship between ACEs, neurocognitive impairment, and psychiatric functioning.

B - 95 Cogniphobia and Psychological Factors in Episodic Migraine: a Correlational Analysis

Abstract Objective The Cogniphobia Scale for Headache Disorders (CS-HD) was developed to assess pain-related fear as a trigger for headache pain. The study objective is to examine the bivariate correlations between cogniphobia with measures of depression, anxiety, pain anxiety, and subjective cognition to better understand relationships between psychological factors that can impact cognitive performance. Method Participants were recruited using internet-based methods and an existing headache research database. Baseline questionnaires on mood, including anxiety (PROMIS anxiety), pain anxiety (PASS-20), depression (PROMIS depression) and cogniphobia (CS-HD), from a longitudinal observational study were analyzed. A 4-week daily measure of subjective cognition was included in the analysis (Alertness Behavior subscale of the Sickness Impact Profile). Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine relationships between cogniphobia with depression, anxiety, pain anxiety, and subjective cognition. Results The sample consisted of 18 participants with episodic migraine (Male = 6, Female = 12; Hispanic = 4, Non-Hispanic = 14). Results revealed significant correlations between cogniphobia and both pain anxiety (r = 0.86, p &amp;lt; 0.001, 95% CI [0.656, 0.947]) and subjective cognition (r = 0.595, p = 0.009, 95% CI [0.178, 0.831]). Non-significant correlations were found between cogniphobia and both anxiety (r = 0.256, p = 0.305, 95% CI [−0.240, 0.646]) and depression (r = 0.418, p = 0.084 95% CI [−0.060,0.741]). Conclusion(s) Pain anxiety and subjective cognition are most closely related to cogniphobia. Although not statistically significant, results indicate that symptoms of depression may be more related to cogniphobia than purely anxious symptoms, however further research with larger sample sizes is needed.

Effects of yoga compared with health promotion on health-related quality of life in adults with post-COVID-19 condition: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPost-COVID-19 condition (post COVID, also known as long COVID) is a global public health issue estimated to affect over 100 million people. Common symptoms include fatigue, dyspnoea and cognitive dysfunction...

A 'Problematic' Pattern of Power-system Functioning and its Association with psychopathological Symptoms.

Following the well-researched two-dimensional model of attachment-system functioning, based on the concepts of hyperactivation and deactivation, a two-dimensional model of the power behavioral system has recently been proposed. The power system is aimed at activating, organizing, and implementing action patterns that protect or restore a sense of power or dominance. Here, we tested predictions derived from the two-dimensional model of power-system functioning regarding the contribution of a 'problematic' high-high pattern, characterized by the coexistence of both hyperactivating and deactivating strategies, to psychopathological symptoms. A non-clinical sample of Italian adults (N = 385) completed the Power Behavioral System Scale together with self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms and difficulties in executive control. Multiple regression analyses showed that higher deactivation and hyperactivation scores, characteristic of the 'problematic' pattern, significantly predicted anxiety and depression symptoms as well as executive function difficulties. These results provide initial support for the pathogenic implications of the 'problematic' high-high pattern of power-system functioning.

Crowdsourcing integrated into a digital mental health platform for anxiety and depression: A pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAnxiety and depression are major public health concerns. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are effective at reducing anxiety and depression, especially when they leverage human support. However, DMHIs that rely on human supporters tend to be less scalable. “Crowdsourced peer support,” in which a “crowd” of many peers provides users support via structured and focused interactions, may enable DMHIs to provide some of human support's unique benefits at scale. ObjectiveTo conduct a pilot trial of two versions of a digital mental health intervention for anxiety and depression: one with crowdsourced peer support and one without. MethodsWe conducted a two-armed pilot randomized controlled trial examining two versions of the novel “Overcoming Thoughts” platform: crowdsourced (intervention) vs. non-crowdsourced (control). The crowdsourced version allowed participants to view and interact with other users' content. We randomly assigned 107 participants to use the crowdsourced (n = 56) or non-crowdsourced (n = 51) platform for 8 weeks. Participants completed assessments at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks. At each time point, these assessments included measures of anxiety and depression, including the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS, primary outcome), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, secondary outcome), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7, secondary outcome). We also collected usage information, including the number of exercises started, and safety data. ResultsUsing mixed models controlling for demographic factors, we compared the conditions' effectiveness in reducing depression and anxiety over time. Although we found significant drops over time in the DASS at both Week 8 and Week 16 (ps < 0.01), we did not find significant treatment x time interactions (Week 8, p = 0.35; Week 16, p = 0.68). The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 showed similar results. The median number of times participants used the platform was 3 (mean = 6.99, SD = 9.78). Greater platform use was not associated with a different change in DASS total score, PHQ-9 score, or GAD-7 score over eight weeks (ps > 0.10). ConclusionsNeither version of the “Overcoming Thoughts” platform (crowdsourced or non-crowdsourced) reduced anxiety or depression significantly more than the other. Future work should investigate how digital platforms can better leverage crowdsourced support, and if crowdsourced support may be especially useful in certain kinds of systems, populations, or target areas. Optimizing intervention engagement and obtaining the large sample sizes needed for appropriate statistical power will be key challenges for similar studies.NCT: 04226742

The Relation of Health Anxiety to Treatment Utilization Among Patients with Substance Use Disorders: The Moderating Role of Racial/Ethnic Background

Background: Although health anxiety is broadly related to the overutilization of healthcare, limited research has examined this relation among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), or the extent to which racial/ethnic differences influence this relationship. Objectives: The purpose of the current study is to examine the moderating role of racial/ethnic minoritized background in the relationship between health anxiety and treatment utilization among individuals with SUDs. In the present study, patients with SUDs receiving residential treatment in Mississippi (N=118; 62% racial/ethnic minoritized status, 35.6% White) completed a measure of health anxiety and answered questions about past mental health, physical health, and substance use treatment. Regression models examined whether racial/ethnic minoritized status (White vs. racial/ethnic minoritized status) moderated the relation of health anxiety to treatment utilization among patients with SUDs. Treatment utilization was examined by asking whether participants had seen a doctor or mental health provider, engaged in substance use treatment, or alcohol treatment prior to their current treatment (dichotomous), as well as the number of times they had engaged in each treatment (physical health, mental health, substance use, and alcohol treatment) in the past year (continuous). Results: Results revealed that the facets of health anxiety involving concerns about pain and disease phobia were positively associated with treatment utilization, but only among racial/ethnic minoritized participants, with concerns about pain positively associated with self-reported physical health treatment utilization (OR=0.70, 95% CI=0.50; 0.97) and disease phobia positively associated with past mental health (B = 0.36, p = 0.023) and alcohol use treatment (B=-0.23, p=.009). Conversely, disease phobia was related to less prior alcohol use treatment among White participants (B=-0.23, p=.009). Conclusions: Overall, among patients in residential treatment for SUDs, racial/ethnic minoritized participants with SUDs reported more health anxiety compared to white participants, and certain facets of health anxiety (i.e., concerns about pain and worry about severe illness) were linked to heightened treatment utilization among racial/ethnic minoritized individuals.

Prediction of depressive symptoms severity based on sleep quality, anxiety, and gray matter volume: a generalizable machine learning approach across three datasets

Depressive symptoms are rising in the general population, but their associated factors are unclear. Although the link between sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms severity (DSS) is reported, the predictive role of sleep on DSS and the impact of anxiety and the brain on their relationship remained obscure. Using three population-based datasets (N=1813), we trained the machine learning models in the primary dataset (N=1101) to assess the predictive role of sleep quality, anxiety problems, and brain structural (and functional) measurements on DSS, then we tested our models' performance in two independent datasets (N=378, N=334) to test the generalizability of our findings. Furthermore, we applied our model to a smaller longitudinal subsample (N=66). In addition, we performed a mediation analysis to identify the role of anxiety and brain measurements on the sleep quality and DSS association. Sleep quality could predict individual DSS (r=0.43, R2=0.18, rMSE=2.73), and adding anxiety, contrary to brain measurements, strengthened its prediction performance (r=0.67, R2=0.45, rMSE=2.25). Importantly, out-of-cohort validations in other cross-sectional datasets and a longitudinal subsample provided robust similar results. Furthermore, anxiety scores, contrary to brain measurements, mediated the association between sleep quality and DSS. Poor sleep quality could predict DSS at the individual subject level across three datasets. Anxiety scores not only increased the predictive model's performance but also mediated the link between sleep quality and DSS. The study is supported by Helmholtz Imaging Platform grant (NimRLS, ZTI-PF-4-010), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, GE 2835/2-1, GE 2835/4-1), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)-Project-ID 431549029-SFB 1451, the programme "Profilbildung 2020" (grant no. PROFILNRW-2020-107-A), an initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of Northrhine Westphalia.

Exploration of the Links Between Psychosocial Well-being and Face Recognition Skills in a French-Speaking Sample.

Face recognition abilities vary tremendously in the general population. People at the lower end of the spectrum, those with developmental prosopagnosia, report stress, anxiety or social interaction issues due to their poor face recognition abilities. It is thus important to develop adequate diagnostic tools convenient to use for clinicians and to examine relationships between face recognition skills and negative affects. In the present study, we provide a validated French translation of the 20-item prosopagnosia index (PI20), a self-report measure used to detect people with developmental facial identity recognition deficits (Shah et al., 2015; Tsantani et al., 2021). We also examined links between face recognition skills measured with the PI20 and a standard face recognition test (Cambridge face memory test-CFMT; Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006) and measures of social anxiety (social interaction anxiety scale, social phobia scale) and negative affects (state trait anxiety scale, Beck depression inventory). We did not find any significant correlation between the CFMT and measures of psychosocial well-being and only found a weak positive association between the PI20 and social interaction anxiety. Although this association is weak and warrants further research, raising awareness about developmental face recognition issues may help improve the well-being of people with facial identity recognition deficits and provide new investigation or intervention avenues for clinicians who treat patients with social interaction anxiety.