Disturbance Symptoms Research Articles

Psychological immunity: A new mental health test for psychiatric samples

IntroductionThe Mental Health Test serves as the operationalized, comprehensive measurement of Maintainable Positive Mental Theory which defines mental health (for either the non-clinical or psychiatric population) as a high level of global well-being, psychological, social and spiritual functioning, resilience, effective creative and executive functioning, savoring capacities, coping and enjoyment, regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms of psychopathology.ObjectivesTo assist psychiatrists and clinical psychologists to assess their patients’ psychological immune competence–based capacities and resources, depending on the mental health disorder diagnosis and the severity of the symptoms, the present study examined the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Test in a psychiatric sample.MethodsThe research was carried out in four Hungarian healthcare facilities using a cross-sectional design. A total of 331 patients (140 male, 188 female, and 3 who preferred not to disclose their gender) completed the Mental Health Test, six well-being and mental health measures, and the Symptom Checklist-90. Clinical psychologists reported the mental disorder status of each participant.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the five-factor model to the data for the clinical version of the Mental Health Test (CFI = 0.972, RMSEA = 0.034). High internal consistency coefficients (α: 0.70–0.84; ω: 0.71–0.85) and excellent external and content validity were reported. The Mental Health Test was not sensitive to sociodemographic indicators but was sensitive to correlates of well-being and symptoms of mental disorders in a psychiatric sample. Regression analyses demonstrated that unipolar depression and number of mental disorders were related to a lower overall Mental Health Test score. Personality disorders, unipolar depression, and the greater severity and higher number of mental disorders were associated with a lower global well-being score. Unipolar depression was related to lower savouring capacity. Self-regulation showed a correlation with the self-reported number of mental disorders only. Anxiety and somatization disorders, unipolar depression, and a higher number of self-reported mental disorders were related to a lower psychological resilience score. The regression model for the creative and executive efficiency subscale did not fit our data. The interaction of all combinations of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy was significantly related to the overall Mental Health Test score and to the subscales. These results can later serve as a basis for designing intervention studies.ConclusionsOur preliminary findings suggest that the Mental Health Test is a suitable measure for assessing mental health capacities and resources in psychiatric samples.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Mental workload modulates the effects of baroreceptor afferents on sensorimotor processing

The heart–brain interaction is the main mechanism for maintaining normative physiological processes, and its dysregulation underlies the somatic symptoms of various mental disorders. Cortical inhibition, triggered by afferent signals from baroreceptor activation, induces systematic variations in sensorimotor responses within a cardiac cycle, with reaction times (RTs) slower at cardiac systole compared to diastole (known as cardiac cycle time effects). However, recent data suggest that baroreceptor afferents not only inhibit simple responses but also facilitate complex sensorimotor responses during cardiac systole. The mental workload that is implicated in complex responses may modulate the cardiac cycle time effects. The current study aimed to examine whether concurrent mental workloads influenced cardiac cycle time effects on sensorimotor processing. Using a dual-task paradigm, 47 participants (32 female; age = 21.9 ± 2.1 years) performed a choice RT task and a working memory (WM) task. Stimuli were presented during either cardiac systole or diastole. RT data were fitted using the ex-Gaussian distribution, and the parameters, mu and tau, were derived to indicate response speed and high-order attentional processes, respectively. The behavioral data were submitted to 2 (WM load) × 2 (cardiac timing) repeated measures analyses of variances. The results indicated that RT metrics were longer during cardiac systole than diastole under the no-load condition. However, WM load reversed the cardiac timing effects on response speed while inducing more attentional lapses. These findings suggest that concurrent WM load influences cardiac cycle time effects on sensorimotor processing via top-down resources.

Genetic associations with psychosis and affective disturbance in Alzheimer's disease.

Individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) commonly experience neuropsychiatric symptoms of psychosis (AD+P) and/or affective disturbance (depression, anxiety, and/or irritability, AD+A). This study's goal was to identify the genetic architecture of AD+P and AD+A, as well as their genetically correlated phenotypes. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of 9988 AD participants from six source studies with participants characterized for AD+P AD+A, and a joint phenotype (AD+A+P). AD+P and AD+A were genetically correlated. However, AD+P and AD+A diverged in their genetic correlations with psychiatric phenotypes in individuals without AD. AD+P was negatively genetically correlated with bipolar disorder and positively with depressive symptoms. AD+A was positively correlated with anxiety disorder and more strongly correlated than AD+P with depressive symptoms. AD+P and AD+A+P had significant estimated heritability, whereas AD+A did not. Examination of the loci most strongly associated with the three phenotypes revealed overlapping and unique associations. AD+P, AD+A, and AD+A+P have both shared and divergent genetic associations pointing to the importance of incorporating genetic insights into future treatment development. It has long been known that psychotic and affective symptoms are often comorbid in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Here we examined for the first time the genetic architecture underlying this clinical observation, determining that psychotic and affective phenotypes in Alzheimer's disease are genetically correlated.Nevertheless, psychotic and affective phenotypes in Alzheimer's disease diverged in their genetic correlations with psychiatric phenotypes assessed in individuals without Alzheimer's disease. Psychosis in Alzheimer's disease was negatively genetically correlated with bipolar disorder and positively with depressive symptoms, whereas the affective phenotypes in Alzheimer's disease were positively correlated with anxiety disorder and more strongly correlated than psychosis with depressive symptoms.Psychosis in Alzheimer's disease, and the joint psychotic and affective phenotype, had significant estimated heritability, whereas the affective in AD did not.Examination of the loci most strongly associated with the psychotic, affective, or joint phenotypes revealed overlapping and unique associations.

Identification Of Dry Eye Syndrome Risk Factors In Workers Who Use Visual Display Terminals (VDT)

Dry eye syndrome is a multifactorial disease of the eye air and eye surface which causes symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbances, and instability of the eye air layer which has the potential to damage the eye surface. This condition has an impact on productivity, activities in the work environment, apart from that it also has an impact on lower employment opportunities, decreased working hours and increases a person's inability to work. Using visual display terminals for 5-7 hours/day can significantly increase the incidence of dry eye syndrome. Therefore, paying attention to the risk factors of visual display terminal workers is very important in preventing the occurrence of dry eye syndrome. The research method uses literature studies from several national and international journals obtained from 18 reference sources through searches on PubMed and Google Scholar published in the last 5 years. There were 18 articles with full text that met the inclusion criteria and contained several risk factors associated with the incidence of dry eye syndrome. Risk factors for dry eye syndrome in workers who use visual display terminals include age, gender, screen exposure time, psychological stress, work environment, use of contact lenses, use of drugs and history of surgery, refractive disorders, and length of work. Identification of risk factors for dry eye syndrome in workers who use visual display terminals can reduce the incidence and morbidity associated with this disease. So it can improve the quality of life of workers

Emotional disorders in the structure of psychoorganic pathology in tumors of the diencephalon

IntroductionThe tumors of the diencephalon region (thalamic-hypothalamic-pituitary system) include a large group: pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, gliomas, and others. Tumors differ in the histological structure, and manifestations of the clinical symptoms; by hormonal data; by approaches and methods in treatment.Psychic symptoms are revealed in disease in addition to cerebral, neuroendocrine symptoms, neurological disorders. Psychoorganic syndrome is represented by emotional, motivational, personal, cognitive impairments, inversion of the sleep-wake cycle, seizures.Disorders of mental activity are detected in all tumors of this localization in varying degrees, according to the different authors from 20 to 100%; affective pathology varies from 2 to 80% by the literature.ObjectivesTo study the emotional disorders in the structure of psychoorganic pathology in tumors of diencephalon regionMethods290 patients (18-78 years old, mean age 38+2): pituitary adenomas (PA), as the most common – 170 (58,6%), craniopharyngiomas (CG), as with the most varied manifestation of mental symptoms – 120 (41,4%). Methods: psychopathological, data from endocrinological, neurological, neuroimaging methods.ResultsEmotional disorders were detected in patients from 30 to 68% of cases, depending on the histology of the tumours: PA with excessive secretion of growth hormone - emotional disorders are in 60%; PA with excessive secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone - in 50%; PA with excessive secretion of prolactin - in 30%; with excessive secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone - in 40%; non-functioning PA - in 16%; CG - in 68%.Emotional disorders were more often represented by changeable mood, depression, apathy, sleep disturbance, and visceral symptoms. Symptoms differed depending on the histology of the tumor (type and level of hormones), the volume of the lesion and direction of growth, and concomitant hypertensive-hydrocephalic symptoms. Emotional disturbances often include memory impairment, personality and behavior changes.ConclusionsEmotional disorders are detected in patients in 30-68% of cases in the structure of psychoorganic pathology with damage to the diencephalon region (in particular, with pituitary adenomas and craniopharyngiomas); are determined by the topography of the tumor and histology with the involvement of the corresponding structures and nuclei in the pathological process.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Mental disorders in internally displaced persons: clinical features, therapy, prevention

IntroductionMilitary aggression significantly worsens the mental health of the population due to losses: human, economic-financial, social-psychological, ecological. One of the negative consequences of military aggression is migration, the movement of the population within the country and outside its borders, which disrupts adaptation and leads to the formation of a wide range of psychological and mental disorders.ObjectivesTo study the state of mental health of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and to develop, on this basis, a system of therapy and prevention of mental disorders.MethodsA combination of clinical-psychopathological and psychodiagnostics methods of studying were used to identify peculiarities of the mental state and various forms of mental pathology.Results270 IDPs were examined. It was established that the group of IDPs is heterogeneous and includes 3 categories: 1 group of IDPs who do not have signs of mental disorders (conditionally healthy) (34.81%), 2 group of IDPs who have separate symptoms of mental disorders (risk group) (25.19 %) and the 3 group of IDPs with established mental disorders (40.00 %). The assessment of the general condition of the IDPs of the 1 group shows that they have various somato-neurological disorders and the absence of mental disorders. The assessment of the emotional state of the IDPs of the 2 group indicates the presence of various emotional disorders that include asthenic syndrome (41.18 ± 5.97) %, agripnic syndrome (45.59 ± 6.04) %, somato-vegetative syndrom (30.88 ± 5.60) %, anxiety-depressive syndrome (20.59 ± 4.90) %). That separate syndromеs do not meet the criteria of ICD-10 and were subthreshold. The general features of mental disorders in group 3 IDPs are characterized by the predominance of disorders of the anxiety-depressive spectrum and includes adjustment disorders (F43.2) in 35,18%; post-traumatic stress disorder (F43.1) in 17.59%; a moderate depressive episode (F32.1) in 16, 67%; organic affective (depressive) disorder (F06.3) in 14.81%; organic anxiety disorder (F06.4) in 9.28%; recurrent depressive disorder (33.1) in 6.48%.ConclusionsA system of treatment of mental disorders in IDPs has been developed, which includes pharmacotherapy (the usage of antidepressants, anxiolytics and, if necessary, antipsychotics), cognitive-behavioral and family psychotherapy. For prevention mental disorders among IDPs of groups 1 and 2, a psychoeducational program was created, aimed at forming awareness of clinical manifestations of mental disorders, opportunities to prevent their formation, and necessary actions in conditions of exacerbation of the mental state. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the developed system of therapy and psychoeducation has testified to their effectiveness.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

School shooting: are psychiatrists capable of preventing tragedies?

Armed attacks with numerous victims committed in educational institutions of various levels, mainly (but not always) with the use of firearms, have received the generic name “school shooting”, and attackers are most often called “school shooters”. The United States is the leader in the prevalence of mass murders in educational institutions, although these tragic incidents also occur in other countries, and their number shows a tendency to constantly increase. Since any murder is an abnormal phenomenon, the question of the mental health of school shooters naturally arises. Research shows that not all assailants show symptoms of mental disorders; the most common cause of armed attacks is bullying and the desire to take revenge on offenders for cruel humiliation. In cases where a mental disorder is still diagnosed, not all students, as well as their family members, agree to receive psychiatric care. The prevention of armed attacks must be carried out by the efforts of school counsellors and school psychologists with the possible involvement of psychiatrists, although the potential of psychiatric care in the prevention of school murders, according to the authors of the article, is quite limited.

The Role of Social Support in Perinatal Mental Health and Psychosocial Stimulation.

Social support refers to the help someone receives emotionally or instrumentally from their social network. Poor social support in the perinatal period has been associated with increased risk for symptoms of common mental disorders, including depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS), which may impact parenting behavior. Whether social support impacts parenting behaviors, independent of mental health symptomatology, remains unclear. Among N=309 participants of the Scaling Up Maternal Mental healthcare by Increasing access to Treatment (SUMMIT Trial), a large perinatal depression and anxiety treatment trial, we explored the relations between perceived social support, perinatal depressive and PTS symptoms, and psychosocial stimulation provided by the parent in their home environment. Social support was measured at baseline using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Perinatal depressive symptoms were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and PTS symptoms were measured by the Abbreviated PTSD Checklist (PCL-6) at baseline, 3-, and 6-months post-randomization. Psychosocial stimulation was assessed by the Home Observation Measurement of the Environment (HOME) when the infant was between 6 to 24 months. Using stepwise hierarchical regressions, we found: (1) perceived social support at baseline significantly predicted both depressive and PTS symptoms at 3-months post-randomization, even when controlling for baseline depressive and PTS symptoms; and (2) while neither depressive nor PTS symptoms were significantly associated with psychosocial stimulation, perceived social support at baseline was a significant predictor. Clinical implications regarding treatment of perinatal patients are discussed.

Temporal network of experience sampling methodology identifies sleep disturbance as a central symptom in generalized anxiety disorder

BackgroundA temporal network of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms could provide valuable understanding of the occurrence and maintenance of GAD. We aim to obtain an exploratory conceptualization of temporal GAD network and identify the central symptom.MethodsA sample of participants (n = 115) with elevated GAD-7 scores (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Questionnaire [GAD-7] ≥ 10) participated in an online daily diary study in which they reported their GAD symptoms based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria (eight symptoms in total) for 50 consecutive days. We used a multilevel VAR model to obtain the temporal network.ResultsIn temporal network, a lot of lagged relationships exist among GAD symptoms and these lagged relationships are all positive. All symptoms have autocorrelations and there are also some interesting feedback loops in temporal network. Sleep disturbance has the highest Out-strength centrality.ConclusionsThis study indicates how GAD symptoms interact with each other and strengthen themselves over time, and particularly highlights the relationships between sleep disturbance and other GAD symptoms. Sleep disturbance may play an important role in the dynamic development and maintenance process of GAD. The present study may develop the knowledge of the theoretical model, diagnosis, prevention and intervention of GAD from a temporal symptoms network perspective.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile App for Prolonged Grief Disorder Symptoms.

Mobile apps provide a unique platform for mental health assessment and monitoring. They can provide real time, accessible data on symptoms of mental disorders that may yield rich data for detailed clinical assessment and help individuals gain insight into their current mental state. We developed one of the first apps for tracking symptoms of prolonged grief disorder. In this pilot feasibility study, we assess the feasibility and acceptability of a new mobile app mGAGE for use once a day for 3 weeks. 27 participants completed mental health assessments at t1 and t2. Adherence to the app protocol was very high with 100% for the first two weeks of use. A surprising finding was the improvement of grief symptoms at t2. Debriefing interviews revealed general qualitative categories including positive feedback, negative feedback and specific recommendations. Overall, the app was found to be feasible for use for the first two weeks and acceptable for bereaved individuals. This app could provide valuable data for in depth clinical assessment, may support individuals to gain greater insight into their symptoms and may have a therapeutic effect in terms of improved grief symptoms. Implications for future studies including use in larger intervention studies are discussed.

Association between antenatal common mental disorders symptoms, and adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes: A community-based prospective cohort study in Eastern Ethiopia

BackgroundMaternal common mental disorders have broad implications for maternal and child mental and physical health that may have a long-lasting social and economic impact. This study aimed to assess the association between symptoms of antenatal common mental disorders and obstetric and perinatal outcomes in Eastern Ethiopia. MethodsA community-based prospective cohort study was conducted and a total of 1011 randomly selected pregnant women were followed up from February 1, 2021, to January 30, 2022. The modified Poisson regression model with a robust variance was fitted to examine the effect of the symptoms of antenatal common mental disorders on obstetric and perinatal outcomes. ResultsAntenatal common mental disorders (SRQ ≥ 6) were presented among 390 (38.58 %) pregnant women. In the final multivariate Poisson regression model, women with antenatal common mental disorders symptoms had an increased risk of some pregnancy complications (ARR = 1.65, 95 % CI: 1.59, 1.84). In the current study, symptoms of antenatal common mental disorders increased also the risk of preterm birth (ARR = 1.71; 95 % CI: 1.20, 2.42) and low birth weight (ARR = 1.93; 95 % CI: 1.36, 2.74). LimitationThe indirect effects of some potential mediators and moderators were not assessed in this study. ConclusionThe study found a high rate of symptoms of antenatal common mental disorders and adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes. Antenatal common mental disorders symptoms may have considerable effects on individual and combined pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes.

Relationships between climate change distress, generalized anxiety, and climate-related symptoms of mental disorders

ABSTRACT Background and Objective: We examined the possibility that reactions to climate change take two forms: distress, which may be adaptive, and symptoms of mental disorders, which may not be. Design and Method: In a national sample of Polish adults (n = 1133), we measured climate change distress (experiencing unpleasant emotions and feelings due to climate change), climate-related symptoms of mental disorders (e.g., problems sleeping and problems working and planning), generalized anxiety, and depression. Results: Zero-inflated Poisson regression analyses of the occurrence of climate-related symptoms of mental disorders found two latent classes: People who experienced symptoms of the disorder and those who did not. For all eight symptoms, climate change distress predicted membership in the latent class of people who experienced a symptom, whereas how often people in the non-zero latent class experienced each symptom was positively related to generalized anxiety but was not related to distress or depression. Conclusions: These results suggest that reactions to climate change take two forms. Some people do not experience climate change-related symptoms of mental disorders, and some do. People who experience symptoms have higher levels of climate change distress, and the frequency with which they experience these symptoms is determined by their dispositional, generalized anxiety.

Pre-morbid sleep disturbance and its association with stroke severity: results from the international INTERSTROKE study.

Whilst sleep disturbances are associated with stroke, their association with stroke severity is less certain. In the INTERSTROKE study, the association of pre-morbid sleep disturbance with stroke severity and functional outcome following stroke was evaluated. INTERSTROKE is an international case-control study of first acute stroke. This analysis included cases who completed a standardized questionnaire concerning nine symptoms of sleep disturbance (sleep onset latency, duration, quality, nocturnal awakening, napping duration, whether a nap was planned, snoring, snorting and breathing cessation) in the month prior to stroke (n = 2361). Two indices were derived representing sleep disturbance (range 0-9) and obstructive sleep apnoea (range 0-3) symptoms. Logistic regression was used to estimate the magnitude of association between symptoms and stroke severity defined by the modified Rankin Score. The mean age of participants was 62.9 years, and 42% were female. On multivariable analysis, there was a graded association between increasing number of sleep disturbance symptoms and initially severe stroke (2-3, odds ratio [OR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.94; 4-5, OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.25; >5, OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.83-3.66). Having >5 sleep disturbance symptoms was associated with significantly increased odds of functional deterioration at 1 month (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.01-2.34). A higher obstructive sleep apnoea score was also associated with significantly increased odds of initially severe stroke (2-3, OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.20-1.83) but not functional deterioration at 1 month (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.93-1.52). Sleep disturbance symptoms were common and associated with an increased odds of severe stroke and functional deterioration. Interventions to modify sleep disturbance may help prevent disabling stroke/improve functional outcomes and should be the subject of future research.

Indonesian Indonesian Medicine Plants for Mental Health Disorders: Anxiety and Depression

Mental health disorders are currently widely discussed, especially anxiety and depression. The number of people living with anxiety and depression disorders in 2020 increased significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These mental health disorders are quite serious and need to be addressed. Indonesian people for generations have used medicinal plants in everyday life, one of which is to treat symptoms of mental health disorders such as increasing mood and motivation, calming, overcoming depression, stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders. However, there has been no comprehensive review on the ethnopharmacology of Indonesian medicinal plants that can treat mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety and there is also little scientific evidence to support the efficacy of these plants. This paper reviews Indonesian medicinal plants used to treat mental health disorders and reviews the scientific evidence for these plants. We conduct literature studies of scientific articles, research journals, and books at national and international vessels. The search results identified 67 Indonesian medicinal plants used to treat symptoms of mental health disorders. The Zingiberaceae family is reported as the most medicinal plant that can potentially treat mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Several plants have been proven in preclinical research, but many still have not been studied and proven. Therefore, further research on Indonesian medicinal plants that can overcome mental health disorders must be carried out to provide knowledge and develop drugs for mental health disorders.

The relationship and relevant factors between sleep disturbance and depressive symptoms in adolescents

Depression and sleep difficulties have a strong association. Depression may coexist with long-term sleep difficulties in some people, and vice versa for those who already have depression, they are more likely to develop sleep disturbance. In other words, the development of one symptom can trigger the development of another. Patients must therefore pay close attention to their sleep difficulties. Numerous psychiatric illnesses that are related to sleep difficulties might worsen a patient's overall condition. If the issue of sleep difficulties is not resolved in a timely manner, it may eventually lead to the appearance of other connected psychiatric illnesses, which may make the patient's condition worse overall. Depression is a prevalent mental illness. Clinical symptoms of depression commonly include tiredness, delayed thinking, and diminished volitional activity. Sleep disturbances can arise for a variety of reasons, including physical illnesses and psychological issues. This review can provide some suggestions for the development of prevention and intervention programs for individuals with depression and sleep disturbance.

A Cross-Sectional Study Regarding the Prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Its Impact on the Regular Life of Female Students in Bangladesh

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) causes a variety of disturbing symptoms that can affect mood, cognition, and physical well-being and have effects on the regular lives of females, especially students. Objective: Assessment of female students’ knowledge, attitude, and awareness regarding PMS, evaluation of the prevalence of PMS in Bangladesh, and its impact on the regular life of female students in Bangladesh. Study Design: Cross-sectional study using a semi-structured questionnaire. Method: Primary data were collected by conducting an online survey with a semi-structured questionnaire. Data collection was carried out from March 2021 to October 2021. The subjects’ age range was 13–35. A total of 366 female students participated in the survey from different demographic profiles. Results: 74.86% of respondents were between the ages of 21 and 25, and they were mostly undergraduate students (71.31%). 77.05% of respondents were familiar with the term PMS. PMS symptoms were experienced by almost all participants (94%) to different extents. 140 participants (38%) experienced PMS one week before their period. On the other hand, 152 participants (42%) were moderately affected by PMS physical symptoms. 43% of participants rated PMS psychological and behavioral symptoms as moderately severe. The most common PMS symptom, according to 259 female students, was cramping, followed by headache and backache. PMS causes 65.85% of participants to lose concentration during educational activities. 59.56% of the participants claimed PMS causes difficulty at work and in other regular activities. Conclusion: PMS is highly prevalent among female students in Bangladesh. The majority of students experience a lack of concentration on educational activities due to PMS. PMS has an impact on both their personal and professional lives. Personal hygiene, sexual health, and overall awareness about PMS should be promoted more through education and social awareness programs.

Interaction between Fokl polymorphism and vitamin D deficiency in the symptoms of mental disorders in adults: a population-based study

Mental disorders are intricate and multifaceted and encompass social, economic, environmental, and biological factors. This study aimed to explore the potential association between vitamin D deficiency and anxiety and depression symptoms in adults, considering the role of the vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism FokI (rs2228570). This was a population-based cross-sectional study with stratified and cluster sampling, evaluating anxiety symptoms (AS) and depression symptoms (DS) in 1637 adults. Vitamin D levels were measured using electrochemiluminescence and were considered deficient when < 20 ng/mL in a healthy population or < 30 ng/mL in at-risk groups. Genotyping was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction with TaqMan probes. The prevalence rates of AS, DS, and vitamin D deficiency were 23.5%, 15.8%, and 30.9%, respectively. No direct association was observed between vitamin D deficiency and AS or DS. However, interaction analysis revealed a combined effect of vitamin D deficiency and FokI for DS but not for AS. Individuals with vitamin deficiency and one or two copies of the altered allele of the FokI exhibited a higher prevalence of DS than individuals homozygous for the wild-type allele and vitamin D sufficiency. The interaction between vitamin D deficiency and the FokI polymorphism was associated with DS.

Screening children in conflict with the law in Kenya for mental health needs using the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2

A growing body of research shows that justice-involved children, particularly those in conflict with the law, present with symptoms of a diagnosable mental disorder. Routine screening and assessment of young offenders assists justice actors in determining the most appropriate treatment interventions, ensures effective rehabilitation, and enhances public safety. Conversely, some child-justice jurisdictions such as Kenya have not integrated mental health screening for children entering the justice system. This lack of internal audit mechanisms by agencies can contribute to worsening of the young person’s mental status. This study sought to determine the mental health needs of 153 children in conflict with the law committed by courts to remand homes, reception centers, rehabilitation schools, Borstal institutions, youth corrective centers, probation hostels, and on community probation supervision in Nairobi country. Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument Version-2 was used to screen the children. The findings revealed that thought disturbance in boys was the highest endorsed scale as 58.9% were within warning range scores. Clinically significant caution level scores were reported for somatic complaints (66.7%), angry-irritable (54.2%), and depressed-anxious (45.1%). There were statistically significant gender differences in somatic complaints (p = 0.021), suicidal ideation (p < 0.001) and traumatic experiences (p = 0.034). Respondents with a history of offending had higher mean scores in alcohol/drug use (M = 2.92, SD = 2.36). Significant differences were found between the institution where the child was screened and alcohol/drug use. The findings of this study could assist the Kenyan child justice system to institute mechanisms for mandatory mental health screening, assessment, and treatment of young offenders.

The interrelationship between sleep disturbance symptoms and aggression before and after the campus closure of the COVID-19 pandemic: insight from a cross-lagged panel network model.

The COVID-19 pandemic is detrimental to sleep quality and increases aggression among college students. Nevertheless, relevant studies were rare. Hence, we collected longitudinal data during and post-campus closure in the current study to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance and aggression. Data from 665 college students (59.2% females, Meanage = 19.01, SD age = 1.25) were collected before (wave 1) and after (wave 2) the campus closure of COVID-19. All participants were asked to fill out the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale. Two symptom networks and a cross-lagged panel network were formed and tested. Hostility has the highest centrality in the symptom network both in waves 1 and 2, and it bridges sleep disturbance and aggression. "Easily be woken" - "wake up too early" and "wake up with tired" - "function hindrance" are two important symptom associations in networks of waves 1 and 2. All symptoms except "difficulty in falling asleep" and "easily be woken" ameliorated after closure. Moreover, "physical aggression" and "hostility" can trigger other symptoms in wave 2. As the first study about aggression and sleep disturbance in the background of COVID-19, we provide valuable information about the relationship between sleep disturbance and aggression on the symptom dimension.

Psychological well-being of healthcare workers during COVID-19 in a mental health institution.

This study examined the psychological wellbeing of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) during COVID-19 in a mental health setting, associations of psychosocial wellbeing with coping style, and ways that organisations can mitigate the psychosocial burden on HCWs. Thirty-seven Mental HCWs (MHCWs) from infected and non-infected wards (control group), were recruited and assessed at three timepoints. Psychological wellbeing, perceived cohesion, and coping style (Brief-COPE) were assessed. Reports on individual coping and feedback on the organisation were collected through in-depth interview. Comparison between infected and non-infected wards, as well as comparison of psychosocial measures and perceived cohesion, across the three timepoints were made. As there were no significant changes in coping styles across the timepoints, Timepoint 1 (T1) coping style was used to correlate with the psychosocial measures across all timepoints. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. MHCWs from infected wards reported significantly higher levels of stress, χ2(1) = 6.74, p = 0.009, effect size: medium (ε2 = 0.198), and more severe sleep disturbance (PSQI), χ2(1) = 6.20, p = 0.013, effect size: medium (ε2 = 0.182), as compared to the control group at T2. They also engaged in more problem-focused coping (T2 and T3) and emotion-focused coping (T2). As expected, negative coping style was correlated with negative outcomes except problem-focused coping that was correlated with both negative (sleep disturbance and anxiety symptoms) and positive outcomes (wellbeing). Emotion-focused coping was moderately correlated (Tb = 0.348, p<0.017) with higher levels of wellbeing at T2. Thematic analyses revealed MHCWs felt supported by the responsiveness of the institution, emotional and informational support, and the availability from direct leaders, presence of team and hospital leaders on the ground, helped build trust and confidence in the leadership. MHCWs experienced significantly higher levels of stress and sleep disturbance during COVID-19. The ways that organizations can offset the psychological burden of pandemics on MHCWs are discussed.