Mental Ill-health Research Articles

Motherhood and drinking: The relative importance of mental health and psychosocial factors on maternal alcohol misuse during the postpartum period.

Being a mother of a young child may be protective against alcohol misuse for some, but not all, women. This is the first paper to identify the mental health and psychosocial correlates of alcohol misuse among postpartum mothers. Mothers with a child under 12-months (n=319) were recruited via social media to complete a cross-sectional online survey. Two hierarchical logistic regressions examined unique factors associated with heavy episodic drinking and hazardous alcohol use, including sociodemographic, mental ill-health, and psychosocial factors. On average, mothers drank alcohol at low levels (4 drinking days, 9 standard drinks in the past month). One in 10 (11.6%) reported heavy episodic drinking during this time and 1 in 12 (8.5%) were drinking at hazardous or greater levels. In the final models, older age and more severe postpartum anxiety were associated with higher likelihood of hazardous drinking (OR=1.37, OR=1.09, respectively), while breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of heavy episodic drinking (OR=0.29). Greater perceived social support was associated with lower odds of heavy episodic (OR=0.56) and hazardous drinking (OR=0.39), while higher coping-with-anxiety and social drinking motives were associated with greater odds of both forms of alcohol misuse (ORs=3.51-10.40). Conformity drinking motives (e.g., drinking to avoid social rejection) were negatively associated with heavy episodic drinking (OR=0.24). Maternal anxiety, coping-with-anxiety and social drinking motives, and reduced social support are important factors associated with postpartum alcohol misuse. These modifiable factors are potential targets for screening and intervention for mothers who may need additional support and preventative care.

Adolescent school-based mental health screening: a best practice implementation project.

More than one in ten people globally live with a mental health illness. Adolescent mental health is a major contributor to that statistic, as 27% of adolescents have one or more mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. School-based health care clinics can provide mental health services for this age group. This project aimed to promote evidence-based practices regarding adolescent mental health screening in schools. This project used the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework to promote evidence-based practices for adolescent mental health screening in schools. The JBI framework is grounded in an audit and feedback process, along with a structured approach to identifying and managing barriers to compliance with best practices. Five audit criteria representing best practice recommendations were developed. A baseline audit was conducted, followed by the implementation of an improvement strategy. The project was finalized with a follow-up audit to determine any changes in compliance with best practice recommendations. The baseline survey of students revealed a 25% average compliance for audit criteria 1 and 2. The primary barrier to compliance was students' unawareness of the availability of mental health services. The improvement strategy included an educational presentation for students regarding mental health. The follow-up audit revealed an increase in compliance with best practices. The project achieved a 29% increase in compliance with best practices, although only 23% of the students were reached via the improvement strategy. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A189.

Longitudinal Associations Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health in Aging Adults in South Africa

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the longitudinal unidirectional and bidirectional associations between food insecurity and mental health among aging adults in South Africa. Methods The analysis utilized data from the South African 7-year longitudinal Health and Ageing in Africa (HAALSI) study. Results The proportion of food insecurity was 20.2% in 2015, 24.1% in 2019 and 18.4% in 2021/2022. Food insecurity was positively associated depressive symptoms, poor life satisfaction, poor sleep quality, PTSD, loneliness, impaired cognition, and current tobacco use. Compared to without food insecurity in all three study waves, having food insecurity in one wave and/or two to three waves was positively associated with incident depressive symptoms, incident poor life satisfaction, incident poor sleep quality, incident PTSD, incident loneliness, incident current tobacco use, and incident current heavy alcohol use. PTSD, impaired cognition, current tobacco use and current heavy alcohol use were positively associated with incident food insecurity. Conclusion We found that food insecurity was unidirectionally associated with depressive symptoms, poor life satisfaction, poor sleep quality and loneliness, and bidirectionally associated with PTSD, impaired cognition, current tobacco use and current heavy alcohol use. Clinical Implications Enhanced screening and management of food insecurity may reduce mental ill-health in South Africa.

Childhood maltreatment influences adult brain structure through its effects on immune, metabolic, and psychosocial factors

Childhood maltreatment (CM) leads to a lifelong susceptibility to mental ill-health which might be reflected by its effects on adult brain structure, perhaps indirectly mediated by its effects on adult metabolic, immune, and psychosocial systems. Indexing these systemic factors via body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rates of adult trauma (AT), respectively, we tested three hypotheses: (H1) CM has direct or indirect effects on adult trauma, BMI, and CRP; (H2) adult trauma, BMI, and CRP are all independently related to adult brain structure; and (H3) childhood maltreatment has indirect effects on adult brain structure mediated in parallel by BMI, CRP, and AT. Using path analysis and data from N = 116,887 participants in UK Biobank, we find that CM is related to greater BMI and AT levels, and that these two variables mediate CM's effects on CRP [H1]. Regression analyses on the UKB MRI subsample (N = 21,738) revealed that greater CRP and BMI were both independently related to a spatially convergent pattern of cortical effects (Spearman's ρ = 0.87) characterized by fronto-occipital increases and temporo-parietal reductions in thickness. Subcortically, BMI was associated with greater volume, AT with lower volume and CPR with effects in both directions [H2]. Finally, path models indicated that CM has indirect effects in a subset of brain regions mediated through its direct effects on BMI and AT and indirect effects on CRP [H3]. Results provide evidence that childhood maltreatment can influence brain structure decades after exposure by increasing individual risk toward adult trauma, obesity, and inflammation.

'You are being categorised as better than you are'.. Male students’ perception of male student mental health

ABSTRACT The mental health of English university students is an increasing concern and is now often described as a ‘crisis’. Most higher education students are at the key age of onset for mental ill-health, and simultaneously face pressures associated with academic attainment, and navigating new social practices. Male students are significantly more likely to take their own lives than females, and yet more research attention has typically been given to female student mental health. We need to better understand the impact of the university environment on male students specifically, and what can be done to better support male students who experience mental ill-health. Through interviews with 16 male UK university students, this paper explores the perceptions of male students about mental ill-health, including potential causes of, and support seeking for male students specifically. Findings centre around three themes: the impacts of the university environment on male mental health, masculinity culture as a potential cause of male student mental ill-health, and barriers to male students seeking and accessing support for mental ill-health. Conclusions have implications for Higher Education Institutes in supporting (male) students with transitions to university, and for university mental health services. Moreover, understanding the specific male student lived experiences may assist in developing effective ‘gender sensitive’ (rather than gender specific), support.

The role of holistic religiosity on mental health and mental illness: A global study of Muslims.

The role of holistic religiosity on mental health and mental illness: A global study of Muslims.

Safeguarding adults within institutional settings: a narrative overview of the literature focused on the care of people with mental ill-health and learning difficulties

Purpose Institutional abuse is a worldwide phenomenon with the UK also subject to several high-profile abuse scandals perpetuated on people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions living within institutional settings. This study aims to provide a broad perspective of safeguarding practices within institutional care to inform practice and service development in this area. Design/methodology/approach A narrative overview was undertaken of a range of empirical evidence, discussion papers, enquiry reports, reports from regulatory bodies and professional guidance to explore safeguarding practices within institutional care for individuals with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions. Findings A range of literature was identified that exposed and explored abuse in this context. Three key themes were identified: failings within institutional care; safeguarding issues and concerns; and good practice within institutional care. Whilst guidance is available, standards are explicit and protocols facilitate improvement potential in this area, a consistent message was that statutory recommendations for reform have not been effective. Originality/value This paper provides an important resource for practitioners and service providers involved in institutional care. An accessible overview of both the empirical evidence and grey literature on adult safeguarding within institutional settings is provided, along with a range of standards and resources that specify practice in these settings.

Cultural perspectives and experiences of mental healthcare in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa

Background: Healthcare systems reflect worldviews, specifically in mental health, where norms dictate what is normal and abnormal. The era of coloniality promoted Western dogma over collectivist cultures, which were marginalised. This study explored the perspectives and experiences of Black, isiZulu-speaking, South Africans who utilised multidisciplinary services, based on a Western-based therapy model at a private psychiatric facility in KwaZulu Natal. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was utilised. Purposive sampling was utilised to recruit 10 participants. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Braun and Clarke’s six phases of thematic analysis were used to guide the data analysis. Findings: Three themes with sub-themes emerged from the data: personal perceptions, which explored how isiZulu-speaking people made sense of mental health and mental illnesses. Cultural perceptions were the collectivist method of problem-solving, which stressed the importance of spiritual beliefs. Health-seeking behaviour considered the experience of the isiZulu-speaking mental health care user. Cognitive dissonance prevailed due to the difference between westernised mental health treatment and traditional healing systems. Conclusion: The family and community are intertwined in participation, reputation, and healing. There is an emphasis on enduring hardship and following traditions, which are preserved by valued elders. Disregarding these norms can outcast the Zulu individual who strives toward inclusion within the community. Implications for practice: Intervention cannot only be at individual level but also community level. Including the family in psychoeducation and therapeutic goal settingwould be beneficial to the Zulu MHCU. Group programmes should address gender-specific issues. Occupational therapists must recognise the importance of participating in spirituality for the healing of the Zulu MHCU and appropriately include it in intervention. Mental health resources and awareness programmes need to be disseminated atcommunity level. Competency in the isiZulu language is recommended.  

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health visits in primary care: an interrupted time series analysis from nine INTRePID countries

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health disorders, affecting both individuals with pre-existing conditions and those with no prior history. However, there is limited evidence regarding the pandemic's impact on mental health visits to primary care physicians. The International Consortium of Primary Care Big Data Researchers (INTRePID) explored primary care visit trends related to mental health conditions in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Norway, Peru, Singapore, Sweden, and the USA. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis in nine countries to examine changes in rates of monthly mental health visits to primary care settings from January 1st, 2018, to December 31st, 2021. Sub-group analysis considered service type (in-person/virtual) and six categories of mental health conditions (anxiety/depression, bipolar/schizophrenia/other psychotic disorders, sleep disorders, dementia, ADHD/eating disorders, and substance use disorder). Mental health visit rates increased after the onset of the pandemic in most countries. In Argentina, Canada, China, Norway, Peru, and Singapore, this increase was immediate ranged from an incidence rate ratio of 1·118 [95% CI 1.053-1.187] to 2.240 [95% CI 2.057-2.439] when comparing the first month of pandemic with the pre-pandemic trend. Increases in the following months varied across countries. Anxiety/depression was the leading reason for mental health visits in most countries. Virtual visits were reported in Australia, Canada, Norway, Peru, Sweden, and the USA, accounting for up to 40% of the total mental health visits. Findings suggest an overall increase in mental health visits, driven largely by anxiety/depression. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the studied countries adopted virtual care in particular for mental health visits. Primary care plays a crucial role in addressing mental ill-health in times of crisis. Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant #173094 and the Rathlyn Foundation Primary Care EMR Research and Discovery Fund.

Mental health in athletes: Does authentic leadership matter?

Recent research has attested to the prevalence of mental health issues in sport, and the need to identify factors that could promote athletes’ mental health. In this study, we investigated: (a) whether authentic leadership is associated with athletes’ mental health directly and indirectly via psychological capital and prosocial and antisocial behaviour experienced from one’s teammates; and (b) whether the hypothesized model testing these relationships is the same in higher versus lower competitive level athletes. We examined two dimensions of mental health, namely positive mental health and mental illness. A total of 751 athletes (Mage = 22.92, SD = 8.53; 294 female) from a range of sports completed a multi-section questionnaire administered via an online survey. Path analysis showed that authentic leadership was positively related to positive mental health via psychological capital and prosocial behaviour and negatively linked to mental illness via psychological capital and antisocial behaviour. The effects of authentic leadership on positive mental health via prosocial teammate behaviour and subsequently psychological capital, and on mental illness via prosocial teammate behaviour, were stronger in higher compared to lower competitive level athletes. The findings suggest that by adopting an authentic leadership style coaches could strengthen athletes’ positive mental health and protect them from mental illness. This may happen by increasing athletes’ psychological capital and prosocial behaviour within the team and decreasing antisocial behaviour within the team.

Treatments and interventions addressing chronic somatic pain in torture survivors: A systematic review.

Torture survivors experience chronic, somatic pain that may be exacerbated by environmental, social, and structural factors that extend beyond immediate traumatic events and diagnoses. We conducted a systematic review of research describing the types and efficacy of treatments for chronic somatic pain in a global population of torture survivors. In this systematic review, we searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE (1974 to present), and PubMed. We used all appropriate controlled vocabulary and keywords for interventions and treatments for chronic somatic pain in torture survivors. The population included survivors of torture of any age and in any country. Outcomes included pain relief, pain intensity, distress level, and quality of life. Four authors participated in screening, full-text review, and quality assessment, with each title and abstract being independently reviewed by two authors. This study is reported according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. We included six pre-post intervention studies and four pilot or modified randomized controlled trials (RCTs), for a total of ten studies included in the analysis. Different combinations of interventions targeted pain reduction in refugees, the majority of whom were torture survivors as the primary (n = 1) or secondary (n = 9) outcome. Sample sizes varied from eight to 470 participants. We identified three main types of interventions: multimodal combined, manual therapy, and specific types of talk therapy. Five studies demonstrated positive outcomes on pain and its intensity, three reported no effect, and two had mixed outcomes. Pain in torture survivors is often considered a symptom secondary to mental health illness and not targeted directly. Instead, combined interventions are mainly directed at posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Most studies noted promising preliminary results and plans to conduct RCTs to increase the reproducibility and quality of their pilot data.

Dietary intake with supplementation of vitamin D, vitamin B6, and magnesium on depressive symptoms: a public health perspective.

This study aims to understand the impact of dietary intake through supplementation of vitamins D, B6, and magnesium on elevated depressive symptoms, a mental health illness that is a leading contributor to global disability and a public health concern. Multiple datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020 investigated the associations between vitamin D, B6, and magnesium on depression screening scores. A cross-sectional sample of adults over 20 was extracted (n = 9,232). Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations. Individuals with low amounts of vitamin D (p = 0.0481) were more likely to report elevated depressive symptoms relative to those with low amounts of vitamin B6 (p = 0.0225). These results remained significant among those with high magnesium (p = 0.0133) proportionate to high vitamin B6 (p = 0.0225). In the age-adjusted model, a lower intake of vitamin D, vitamin B6, and magnesium showed a relationship with elevated depressive symptoms (Vitamin D: OR = 0.611, 95% CI 0.382-0.980 Vitamin B6: OR = 0.503, 95% CI 0.291-0.867 Magnesium: OR = 0.458, 95% CI 0.277-0.759). The fully adjusted regression model (gender, race/ethnicity, and household food security) showed that a lower intake of vitamin B6 and magnesium correlated with elevated depressive symptoms (Vitamin B6: OR = 0.439, 95% CI 0.260-0.738 Magnesium: OR = 0.465, 95% CI 0.303-0.714). Preventive measures could be addressed by identifying the risks of vitamin deficiencies. Further epidemiological research is needed for the individual effects of vitamin supplementation and depression screening scores. Future prospective cohort studies exploring these associations, focusing on daily dietary intake, are needed to validate the direction of causation further and understand the underlying mechanisms.

Carnosine/histidine-containing dipeptide supplementation improves depression and quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Mental ill-health is a common and growing issue, affecting 1 in 8 individuals or 970 million people worldwide in 2019. Histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs) have been suggested to mitigate some aspects of mental ill-health, but a quantitative synthesis of the evidence is lacking. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted. To summarize the evidence on the effects of HCDs on mental health outcomes. A systematic literature search was performed using electronic databases (Medline via Ovid, Embase via Ovid, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane) from inception to October, 2022. Two authors independently extracted data using a structured extraction format. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 17. Random-effects models were used, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test. Quality appraisal was performed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias 2.0 tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. 5507 studies were identified, with 20 studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies comprising 776 participants were included in the meta-analysis. HCD supplementation (anserine/carnosine, l-carnosine, β-alanine) caused a significant reduction in depression scores measured with the Becks Depression Inventory (-0.79; 95% CI: -1.24, -0.35; moderate certainty on GRADE) when compared with placebo. An increase in quality-of-life scores measured with the 36-item Short-Form survey (SF-36) (0.65; 95% CI: 0.00, 1.30) and low certainty on GRADE in HCDs (anserine/carnosine, l-carnosine, β-alanine) when compared with placebo were found. However, the rest of the outcomes did not show a significant change between HCD supplementation and placebo. Although the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was modest, a significant mean reduction was observed in depression score as well as an increase in quality-of-life score for the HCD group when compared with placebo. Most of the studies included had small sample sizes with short follow-up periods and moderate to high risk of bias, highlighting the need for further, well-designed studies to improve the evidence base. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42017075354.

Alzheimer's disease intelligent detection combining XGBOOST and NARX

Due to the current situation of mental health illness, which causing a huge impact on the society. In this paper, an attempt has been made to analyses and predict the data from ANDI using single and composite algorithms. This paper used chi-square test, Spearmans correlation coefficient and maximum mutual information number, cost-sensitive learning, SMOTE, ADASYN, SMOTE+ENN, SMOTE+TOMEK to investigations. Specifically, this paper adopted the random forest to fill the data, and besides, given the fact that the data shows the characteristics of imbalance, this paper identifies the method of SMOTE TOMEK integrated sampling, XGBOOST and Bayesian optimization scheme to give the best performance and the best classification was obtained by XGBOOST combined with SMOTE-TOMEK. Furthermore, this paper used the NARX network to track the changes generated by time-based indicators, providing another insight to refine the study of intelligent diagnosis of Alzheimer.

Sensory processing across eating disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of self-report inventories.

This review investigated the extant literature regarding the relationship between eating disorder diagnoses and sensory processing as measured by validated and reliable self-report inventories. Increasing evidence highlights the role of sensory processing in cognitive functions. Sensory processing is implicated in mental-ill health, including eating disorders (ED) and body image disturbances. However, the pathophysiological underpinnings of sensory processing, encompassing exteroception and interoception, in relation to ED remain underexplored. We included studies involving participants aged 15 years or older with an eating disorder diagnosis confirmed by semi-structured or structured interviews. We further limited inclusion to articles using validated and reliable self-report instruments to measure sensory processing. Our meta-analysis focused on studies using the interoceptive awareness subscale from the second version of the Eating Disorder Inventory. We used the Critical Appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies to assess the quality of included articles. There were 19 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Most studies showed moderate-to-high quality. Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were associated with heightened exteroception. Moreover, people with AN reported a heightened sense of taste compared to those with BN. Our meta-analysis comprising 10 studies, 19 samples, and 6382 participants revealed that AN (binge-purge subtype) and BN were associated with increased interoceptive difficulties compared to AN (restrictive subtype) or binge-eating disorder. Overall, this review emphasizes the need for a deeper investigation into sensory processing, spanning both exteroception and interoception, in relation to ED. This may prove important for individualizing person-centered care. How people process internal, for example, hunger, and external, for example, taste and sensations is known to influence cognition and mental-ill health, including ED and body image disturbances. However, the ways in which sensory processing may contribute to ED are incompletely understood. We found that individuals with AN or BN experienced heightened exteroception, while people with an eating disorder characterized by purging reported increased interoceptive difficulties. These patterns could inform the development of more personalized treatments.

Internal stigmatization in patients with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache

ObjectivesInternalized stigma can have profound effects on how individuals with migraines and other primary headache disorders see themselves and their quality of life. We aimed to investigate internalized stigma in patients with chronic migraines and medication overuse headaches.MethodsA total of 57 patients (52 women, 5 men) were included in the study, 26 of these patients were affected by chronic migraine, 31 of them were affected by medication overuse headache and chronic migraine. The Internalized Stigma Scale in Mental Illness (Ristsher’s stigmatization scale) and General Health Questionnaire were applied to all patients.ResultsIn Ristsher’s stigmatization scale, which measures internalization of stigma, internalized stigmatization was more significant in patients with medication overuse headache than in patients with chronic migraine compared to groups (p:0.05). The subtitle of alienation was statistically significant when the groups were compared to all subscales in the form of alienation, confirmation of stereotypes, perceived discrimination, social withdrawal and resistance to stigma (p:0.05).DiscussionAlthough internal stigmatize has been observed in chronic migraine patients, medication overuse headache is also a type of headache with intense stigma. In addition, this internal stigma perhaps plays an active role in the transformation of chronic migraine patients to medication overuse headaches patient.

Frequency of burnout in dental students and its relationship with stress level, depressive, and anxiety state

BackgroundThis study aimed to identify the prevalence of burnout in dental students at the Dentistry School of University of Qadisiya, Iraq. All students at the dentistry school were invited to participate in the study. Medical and dental education is a highly demanding endeavor. Burnout is associated with anxiety, depression, and stress levels. Addressing these psychological factors and manage them early will improve the well-being of students.Material and methodsA cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with the participation of 147 dentistry school students. The students completed a sociodemographic data form, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).ResultsThe DASS-21 scale scores for all three components (depression, anxiety, and stress) were high in 74.1%, 90.4%, and 98% of the respondents, respectively. The results also showed that high scores of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment were reported in 50.3%, 67.3%, and 89.8% respectively. MBI revealed a significant association with presence of an established diagnosis of a mental illness or a chronic illness, but not with sociodemographic characteristics. Students had a high stress perception but had relatively lower than depression and anxiety. Almost half of the students reported that they were moderately or severely depressed or anxious.ConclusionAll MBI subscales had statistically significant correlation with scores of mental health or chronic physical illnesses. The respondents reported high percentages of all components of MBI. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress is much higher in dental students compared to the general population. They also have a very high prevalence of all components of the MBI. Further research is warranted to explore additional factors contributing to burnout and mental health issues among dental students and to develop effective strategies for prevention and intervention.

Childhood correlates and young adult outcomes of trajectories of emotional problems from childhood to adolescence.

Emotional problems, especially anxiety, have become increasingly common in recent generations. Few population-based studies have examined trajectories of emotional problems from early childhood to late adolescence or investigated differences in psychiatric and functional outcomes. Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, n = 8286, 50.4% male), we modeled latent class growth trajectories of emotional problems, using the parent-reported Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire emotional scale (SDQ-E) on seven occasions (4-17 years). Psychiatric outcomes in young adulthood (21-25 years) were major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and self-harm. Functional outcomes were exam attainment, educational/occupational status, and social relationship quality. We identified four classes of emotional problems: low (67.0%), decreasing (18.4%), increasing (8.9%), and persistent (5.7%) problems. Compared to those in the low class, individuals with decreasing emotional problems were not at elevated risk of any poor adult outcome. Individuals in the increasing and persistent classes had a greater risk of adult MDD (RR: 1.59 95% CI 1.13-2.26 and RR: 2.25 95% CI 1.49-3.41) and self-harm (RR: 2.37 95% CI 1.91-2.94 and RR: 1.87 95% CI 1.41-2.48), and of impairment in functional domains. Childhood sleep difficulties, irritability, conduct and neurodevelopmental problems, and family adversity were associated with a persistent course of emotional problems. Childhood emotional problems were common, but those whose symptoms improved over time were not at increased risk for adverse adult outcomes. In contrast, individuals with persistent or adolescent-increasing emotional problems had a higher risk of mental ill-health and social impairment in young adulthood which was especially pronounced for those with persistent emotional problems.

Outcomes of Best-Practice Guided Digital Mental Health Interventions for Youth and Young Adults with Emerging Symptoms: Part I. A Systematic Review of Socioemotional Outcomes and Recommendations.

Youth-specific digital mental health interventions (DMHI) represent an emerging field of study, and aim to increase access, improve socioemotional outcomes, and, where required, support triage to targeted interventions. However, prior reviews have reported inconsistent findings on the clinical effectiveness of such interventions in young adults (12-25years). Further, shortfalls remain for the impact of guided interventions based on the mode of delivery and the type of human support personnel (e.g., professional or peer) guiding the intervention. In response, this systematic review, co-designed with Australia's leading mental health organization, aims to assess the effectiveness of guided digital programs in improving youth socioemotional outcomes. Included studies involve young people experiencing mental ill-health, receiving brief (i.e., 1-12 sessions), digitally delivered (at least partially) psychological interventions that were guided or partially guided, tested in a type of experimental study, with a socioemotional outcome. Specific socioemotional outcomes examined were depression, anxiety, stress, wellbeing, mindfulness, and quality of life. A systematic search of the contemporary published and grey literature identified 22,482 records with 32 relevant records published between 2018 and 2023. A narrative synthesis guided integration of findings. Results demonstrated strong evidence for the effectiveness of guided interventions on socioemotional outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) yet these effects were short-lived. When factoring in the use of different control groups (i.e., active vs. inactive), inconsistent effects were observed for the socioemotional outcomes of depression, anxiety, and stress. The mode of delivery (i.e., asynchronous, synchronous, combined) and the type of human support personnel did not appear to impact socioemotional outcomes. Results indicate efficacious brief digital interventions for depression and anxiety include refresher/follow-up content, goal setting content, and relapse prevention content. In contrast, poor efficacy is associated with interventions that include homework tasks, self-monitoring, and log-keeping content.PROSPERO, ID CRD42023405812.

Mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour among Egyptian undergraduates: a cross-sectional national study

BackgroundMental health literacy (MHL) and help-seeking behaviors are pivotal in managing mental well-being, especially among Egyptian undergraduates. Despite the importance and prevalent psychological distress in this group, limited research has addressed MHL and associated behaviors in Egypt. This study aimed to assess the levels of MHL and help-seeking behavior among Egyptian university students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted across ten Egyptian universities during the academic year 2022–2023. A convenience sample of 1740 students was obtained through online questionnaires distributed via social media platforms. The survey comprised demographic characteristics, the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), and the General Help Seeking Behavior Questionnaire (GHSPQ).ResultsAmong 1740 Egyptian undergraduates, medical students scored higher in recognizing disorders (p < 0.05), while non-medical students excelled in attitudes (p < 0.05). A strong correlation was observed between attitudes toward mental illness and total mental health literacy (coefficients of 0.664 and 0.657). Univariate analysis indicated a significant association with professional help-seeking (OR = 1.023). Females, individuals aged 21 or above, and non-medical students were more likely to seek mental health information (OR = 1.42, 1.82, 1.55 respectively). Help-seeking behavior for emotional problems was more inclined towards intimate partners, whereas suicidal thoughts prompted seeking professional help.ConclusionThe findings advocate for comprehensive mental health education, particularly in rural areas, and emphasis on the role of personal relationships in mental well-being. Implementing these insights could foster improved mental health outcomes and reduce related stigma in Egypt.