Mood Scale Research Articles

Heading for the Frontline: Mood, Stress, Resilience, and Coping of Nursing Graduates during a Global Pandemic

COVID-19 affected health and wellbeing globally. Graduating nursing students face a variety of stressors, and entering the nursing profession during the pandemic adds additional stress. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, mood, perceived stress, resilience, and coping were assessed in an Australian sample of 112 graduating nursing students, who completed the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). Mean BRUMS scores for tension, fatigue, and confusion were significantly above population norms and vigour scores were significantly below. Mean PSS-4 scores were reflective of population norms but showed higher levels of stress among younger and on-campus students compared to those who were older or studied externally. BRCS data showed that 82.1% of graduating nursing students were medium- or high-resilient copers. Mood profiles suggested that 19.6% of participants reported moods associated with mental health issues, 23.2% reported moods associated with risk of burnout, and only 17.9% reported mood profiles associated with positive mental health. High mean tension scores reported by graduating nursing students indicated apprehension about joining the profession, although stress, resilience, and coping scores suggested they were adequately managing the additional stressors generated by the global pandemic.

Relation between Adaptive Eating and Energy Intake Coping Strategies in a Refeed Model for Bodybuilders

Lean bodybuilder athletes may encounter challenges in adapting their eating habits during ad libitum refeed, either intuitively or consciously. Aims: This paper investigates whether there is a relationship between adaptive eating and energy intake coping strategies in a refeed model for bodybuilders. Methods: Fourteen male bodybuilders (29.6 ± 3.1 years; 85.6 ± 6.8 kg, ≥6 competitions) completed a 4-week regimen consisting of 5 days of energy restriction followed by 2 days of refeed. Dietary assessment, body composition (ultrasound), recovery stress questionnaire (REST-Q) and Brunel mood scale (BRUMS) were utilized pre- and post-regimen. Coping function questionnaire (CFQ), mindful eating scale version 2 (MES 2) and the intuitive eating scale-2 (IES-2) were evaluated at the 4th week. Results: Compared to the initial values, the refeed day resulted in a daily caloric increase of 44% compared to the average energy intake on the energy restriction days, culminating in a weekly calorie deficit of 27% and a drop in body mass of 3.1 ± 1.4%. Most participants showed reduced body fat and preserved or gained lean mass. The energy consumption during the refeed maintained an inverse relationship with the perception of satiety (r = −0.9; p < 0.01), the IES 2 total scores (r = −0.82; p < 0.01), as well as the confidence in hunger and satiety cues (r = −0.62; p = 0.02) and congruence in food–body choice dimensions (r = −0.56; p = 0.04). Emotional coping maintained an inverse relationship with the IES 2 total scores (r = 0.54; p < 0.05) and an inverse relationship with energy intake during refeed (r = −0.42; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that a heightened perception of internal hunger and satiety signals and higher scores in intuitive eating may contribute to adequate energy intake, even when high scores of emotional coping are present.

Strike 3 … Out! Investigating Pre-Game Moods, Performance, and Mental Health of Softball Umpires.

Mood research in sports typically focuses on athletes, with sports officials being largely overlooked. In the current study, mood profiling was used to determine if softball umpires reported an identifiable and consistent mood profile and if mood was predictive of umpiring performance and/or reflective of positive mental health. Eleven male and five female participants aged 25-68 years (M = 48.5 ± 15.5 years) each completed the Brunel Mood Scale on multiple occasions prior to officiating games at the 2020 U18 National Softball Championships. A total of 185 mood profiles were analysed. Performance was assessed using Softball Australia's official umpire assessment tool. Overall, participants reported an iceberg mood profile, which tends to be associated with positive mental health and good performance. Umpiring performances (pass/fail) were correctly classified in 75.0% of cases from tension, depression, and confusion scores (p = 0.003). Participant sex explained 25.7% of the variance in mood scores (p < 0.001); age, 25.8% of the variance (p < 0.001); position on the diamond, 10.5% of the variance (p = 0.003); and accreditation level, 14.3% of the variance (p < 0.001). Australian softball umpires typically reported mood profiles associated with positive mental health, and none reported profiles associated with risk of mental ill-health.

Changes in perceived mental fatigue, physical fatigue and mood state during a 4‐day national junior orienteering competition preparation camp

AbstractMental fatigue (MF) has been shown to acutely impair the psychological responses and endurance running performance of orienteers. This study aimed to explore MF levels experienced by orienteers during a 4‐day competition preparation camp that consisted of simulated sprint, middle‐distance, long‐distance, relay and night races. Eleven national junior orienteers participated in the study (age: 15–17 years, height: 1.69 ± 0.07 m and body mass: 59.9 ± 5.22 kg). Subjective ratings of MF, motivation, stress, physical fatigue (PF) and tiredness were measured using a 100‐mm visual analogue scale. The Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) was utilized to assess the mood state of the orienteers. The self‐report measures were taken within 30 min of waking, immediately after the post‐training session, and after 24 and 48 h following the final training session. The pre–post orienteering training combined analysis showed that there was a moderate increase in perceived MF (ES = 1.06 [0.66, 1.45]), PF (ES = 1.07 [0.69, 1.45]) and BRUMS fatigue (ES = 0.74 [0.4, 1.1]) after orienteering training. At 48 h post the final training session, MF remained moderately elevated (ES = 0.86 [−0.07, 1.75]), while PF also remained elevated to a small extent (ES = 0.46 [−0.46, 1.39]) compared to the pre‐training values. A moderate impairment was still observed in BRUMS vigor (ES = −1.02 [−1.65, −0.36]), but BRUMS confusion scores were moderately lower (ES = −0.85 [−1.71, 0.04]) than pre‐training values. This study found that orienteering training induced acute MF, persisting for at least 48 h after the final session.

The mediating role of sleep problems and depressed mood between psychological abuse/neglect and suicidal ideation in adolescent childhood: a multicentred, large sample survey in Western China

BackgroundAdolescent suicidal ideation are associated with factors including psychological abuse/neglect, sleep problems, and depressed mood, but the systematic effects of these factors on suicidal ideation remain unclear, which is a research gap this work aims to fill.MethodsA multi-center, the cluster sampling method was employed to collect general demographic data, such as age, gender, the experience of being left behind, and parents’ marital status, from 12,192 students across 17 secondary schools in China. The Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect Scale (CPANS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Chinese version of the Depressed mood, Anxiety and Stress Scale − 21 Items (DASS-21) and Chinese version of Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory (PANSI) were utilized. Data were analyzed using t-tests, chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and structural equation modeling mediation analyses.ResultsThe prevalence of psychological abuse/neglect and adolescent suicidal ideation was 34.8% and 13%, respectively. This mediation analysis suggests that, in the relationship between psychological abuse/neglect and suicidal ideation, sleep problems and depressed mood play both parallel and sequential mediating roles.ConclusionSleep problems and depressed mood play a mediating role in the development of suicidal ideation in adolescents. Good sleep habits and depressed mood interventions help reduce the risk of suicidal ideation in adolescents who experience psychological neglect/abuse.

Parameters of subjective well-being in conditions of psychosocial adaptation of students with visual impairment

Despite the positive trends in the availability of higher education for students with visual disabilities, there are problems of adaptation of students with visual impairment to the social student environment. Psychological stress resistance, social adaptation, and integration of blind students depend largely on the conditions of their own positive selfassessment development, individual characteristics, including cognitive, psychological, behavioral and social aspects. The article considers theoretical analysis of socio-psychological adaptation and subjective wellbeing of students with visual disabilities. The aim of the study is to analyze the subjective well-being of undergraduate students with visual disabilities within the psychosocial adaptation at the university, using the targeted methods. Twenty-two full-time students with various visual pathology willingly participated in the experiment. The average age of the participants was SD=20,9 ±1,05 years. The study was carried out in accessible forms of perception of information: for example, the blind students perceived information audibly; the font of the techniques presented in Google form was increased for the visually impaired students. The carried out analysis of the existing signs of subjective well-being in students with visual disabilities showed low results of socio-psychological adaptation, which manifested more expressed psycho-emotional instability compared to the comparison group. The students of the experimental group had the most psycho-emotional instability. According to scale of wellbeing, activity, and mood (WAM), the students perception of own health was statistically lower.

Patients With Hemangioblastoma: Mood Disorders and Sleep Quality.

Sleep has confirmed physical, psychological, and behavioral benefits, and disruptions can result in disturbances in these states. Moreover, it can be linked bidirectionally with susceptibility to and the subsequent status of brain tumors. The current study examined mood disorders and sleep quality before and after surgery for hemangioblastoma brain tumors. Thirty-two patients diagnosed with hemangioblastoma brain tumors between 2017 and 2023 underwent surgical treatment. The Karnofsky Performance Status and ECOG performance status scales, the Brunel Mood Scale, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, and the Mini-Sleep Questionnaire were employed to assess the patients. The findings indicate that after surgery, sleep quality and mood disorders, including tension, vigor, and depression, did not exhibit significant differences in these patients (p>0.05). However, tension, vigor, depression, and sleep quality did have a significant impact on their functional status post-surgery (p<0.05). Depression is the significant mood factor in patients with brain tumors that impact their functional status. In this context, it is recommended that psychological therapies be considered for them, alongside conducting more comprehensive and in-depth studies on psychological disorders in patients with brain tumors.

Trait emotional intelligence mediates the dispositional gratitude and subjective well-being in young adults.

Gratitude has proved to be an enhancer of subjective well-being in previous studies. However, studies that linked the relation between emotional intelligence and its facets when interacting with gratitude, are still limited. In this sense, this study examined the mediating roles of emotional intelligence between gratitude and subjective well-being indicators, by introducing the general factor of emotional intelligence. The first approach to data analysis was to examine the descriptive statistics; the second approach consisted of an Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling, applying also a bifactor analysis. Data was collected from 406 Spanish students, through an online survey that includes the gratitude, trait meta mood scale, satisfaction with life and subjective happiness scale. The mean age of participants was 20.27 years (SD = 4.68), whereas 79.5% were females. The results provided preliminary evidence of the mediation role of the general factor of emotional intelligence between gratitude and subjective well-being, which provided a meaningful insight about the role of trait emotional intelligence. These findings suggested that gratitude promotes emotional intelligence, allowing to an increase in subjective well-being. Nonetheless, there is a need for further research to achieve a better understanding of the role of the emotional intelligence facets between gratitude and subjective well-being.

Intrasession Caffeine Intake and Cycling Performance After Accumulated Work: A Field-Based Study.

Preexercise caffeine intake has proven to exert ergogenic effects on cycling performance. However, whether these benefits are also observed under fatigue conditions remains largely unexplored. We aimed to assess the effect of caffeine ingested during prolonged cycling on subsequent time-trial performance in trained cyclists. The study followed a triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over design. Eleven well-trained junior cyclists (17 ± 1years) performed a field-based 8-min time trial under "fresh" conditions (i.e.,after their usual warm-up) or after two work-matched steady-state cycling sessions (total energy expenditure∼20kJ/kg and ∼100min duration). During the latter sessions, participants consumed caffeine (3mg/kg) or a placebo ∼60min before the time trial. We assessed power output, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion during the time trial and mood state (Brunel Mood Scale) before and after each session. No significant condition effect was found for the mean power output attained during the time trial (365 ± 25, 369 ± 31, and 364 32W for "fresh," caffeine, and placebo condition, respectively; p = .669). Similar results were found for the mean heart rate (p = .100) and rating of perceived exertion (p = 1.000) during the time trial and for the different mood domains (all p > .1). Caffeine intake during prolonged exercise seems to exert no ergogenic effects on subsequent time-trial performance in junior cyclists. Future studies should determine whether significant effects can be found with larger caffeine doses or after greater fatigue levels.

Assessing effects of diet alteration on selected parameters of chronically mentally ill residents of a 24-hour Nursing Home. Part 3: Effects of diet modification on selected health indicators.

The aim of the research was to check whether, and to what extent, dietary changes affect the selected indicators of health, including well-being. The study, lasting 3 years, included 52 chronically mentally ill people. Hand grip strength (HGS) measurements ‟before" and ‟after" feeding adjustments were performed using a SaehanTM pear dynamometer, blood pressure measurements were made using an Omron blood pressure monitor. Well-being was assessed using the UMACL Adjective Mood Scale. Based on the analysis of medical records, the study also included: the number of infections of the upper respiratory tract, the number of autoaggressive/aggressive behaviors and the frequency of stay of extremely offensive/agitated residents in the hospital. The dietary changes were reflected in the increased value of the hand grip strength (especially in women), lowered or normalized blood pressure to normal or recommended values, lowered tension arousal, accompanied by an increase in energetic arousal and hedonic tone (translating into improved well-being and mood), and a decrease in the number of episodes of aggression/self-aggression and associated hospitalizations. The dietary changes resulted in an improvement in the tested parameters as well as in reduction in the amount of food wasted by the residents. There was also a decrease in the number of catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, which reduced the overall number and quantity of prescribed drugs.

Ecological Momentary Assessment to Explore Fatigue, Mood, and Physical Activity Levels in People Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis

Fatigue is a frequent and debilitating symptom that contributes to poor quality of life for people receiving peritoneal dialysis. Ecological momentary assessment using mobile technology (mEMA) is a novel survey technique that can collect symptom data in real-time and has not been trialed in a peritoneal dialysis cohort. The study aimed to explore real-time fluctuations and associations between fatigue, mood, and physical activity using mEMA. Adults receiving peritoneal dialysis completed fatigue and mood scales, via a mobile application (app), 5 times daily for 7 days and, concurrently wore an accelerometer. A feasibility questionnaire was completed on the eighth day. Forty-eight adults completed the study. Within-day fatigue fluctuations were observed with severity lowest during mid-morning to early afternoon and peaking at bedtime. Associations between fatigue and mood were observed with a 1-unit change in mood score conferring a 5.2-unit change in fatigue (P< 0.01). Higher volume of physical activity was associated with lower fatigue and enhanced mood. Overall adherence to the app-based surveys was 73% with most participants reporting mobile phones and the mEMA app being easy to use. People receiving peritoneal dialysis experience within day and day-to-day fluctuations in fatigue that appear highly variable. Higher fatigue severity was associated with poorer mood and lower physical activity levels with future studies required to explore if physical activity-based interventions could be a potential strategy for the management of these symptoms. Furthermore, mEMA, and mobile phones, were feasible to capture symptom data with potential to be employed in future research or, as part of improved care.

The Effect of Ironman Taper on Mood and Engagement of Nonprofessional Triathletes: An Interrupted Time Series Study

An Ironman triathlon, which consists of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles, requires extensive training with planned recovery to prevent overtraining. Prior to a race, athletes commonly take a period of time for reduced training, known as a taper. Although much is known about the physical benefits of a taper, little is known about the psychological changes that occur in athletes during taper. This study assessed the mood and athletic engagement (AE) of triathletes during Ironman training, tapering, and post-race, with specific attention paid to these variables during taper. Nineteen participants, who were training for one of three selected late-season Ironman races, were recruited for the study. Data were analyzed for eight participants (five males and three females, Mage data for all time points: training, taper, and post-race. Mood subscales of the Brunel Mood Scale (Terry et al., 1999) and an overall mood scale, as well as the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (Lonsdale et al., 2007), assessed weekly mood and engagement, respectively. Data were analyzed using time series regression analysis. Results showed no overall trends in change of mood and engagement across the three time points. However, there were significant changes in several variables on an individual level during the taper and post-race period. These individual changes demonstrate that psychological reaction to taper is a personal experience, and factors such as goal orientation, goal satisfaction, social support, competence, and coping strategies can impact the training, tapering, and post-race experience.

Psychometric Characteristics of the Brazil Mood Scale among Youth and Elite Athletes Using Two Response Time Frames.

Regular assessment of the mood construct as an indicator of psychological wellbeing is used in Brazil to screen athletes for risk of mental health issues. The present study tested the psychometric characteristics of the Brazil Mood Scale (BRAMS) using both "right now" and "past week" response time frames and investigated between-group differences in mood based on athletes' sex, age, and social vulnerability. Participants were 898 athletes (511 male, 387 female, age range: 12-44 years) from eight sports. The factorial validity of the BRAMS was supported using both response time frames independently and in a multi-sample analysis. Subscale reliability was supported for both time frames. Fatigue, depression, and tension scores were higher using the "past week" time frame than the "right now" time frame. Males reported higher vigor scores than females, and younger participants (<18 years) reported lower scores for anger and depression than older participants (18+ years). No significant differences in mood (p > 0.05) were found between participants identified as socially vulnerable and those who were not socially vulnerable. Findings supported the psychometric integrity of the BRAMS and its use as a screening measure for psychological wellbeing among youth and elite athletes in Brazil.

An explanatory sequential pilot inquiry on music therapy and performance anxiety in university music education majors

Music Performance Anxiety (MPA) is prevalent among amateur and professional musicians. While music therapy has established itself as an effective therapy for reducing anxiety in numerous individuals with varying health issues, in depth research on the potential benefits of music therapy for managing MPA is lacking. This explanatory sequential pilot inquiry with 15 undergraduate music education majors from two large music faculties in Canada assessed the benefits of group music psychotherapy offered for 6 weeks in person or via telehealth on the experience of MPA. Test measures included the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventories (STAI) pre and post study, a pre and post study questionnaire, pre and post music psychotherapy session Likert scales for anxiety and mood, and a post study interview. Music psychotherapy interventions included breathing exercises, grounding and guided visualizations/meditations, and musical improvisation. Quantitative data, assessed for all participants combined and by group, revealed that anxiety and mood scores on the Likert scale improved after participation in six music psychotherapy sessions, while the STAI scores remained constant pre and post study. Qualitative themes suggest the benefits of music psychotherapy for changed perception and cognitions, sense of support, reduction in symptoms and overall continued and future management of MPA. The results of this study are promising, pointing to music psychotherapy as a potential short-term therapy for MPA symptom management, having practical implications for post-secondary music education and future research.

Positive psychosocial factors and the development of symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms following acute myocardial infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a potentially fatal condition, leading to high psychological distress and possibly resulting in the development of depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of clusters of positive psychosocial factors (resilience, task-oriented coping, positive affect and social support) with both MI-induced depressive symptoms and PTSS, independent of demographic factors. We investigated 154 consecutive patients with MI, 3 and 12 months after hospital discharge. All patients completed the short version of the German Resilience Scale, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), the Enriched Social Support Inventory (ESSI) and the Global Mood Scale (GMS). The level of interviewer-rated MI-induced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at 3- and 12-months follow-up was evaluated through the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Depressive symptoms were assessed at 3- and 12-month follow-up with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Three different clusters were revealed: (1) lonely cluster: lowest social support, resilience and average task-oriented coping and positive affect; (2) low risk cluster: highest resilience, task-oriented coping, positive affect and social support; (3) avoidant cluster: lowest task-oriented coping, positive affect, average resilience and social support. The clusters differed in depressive symptoms at 3 months (F = 5.10; p < 0.01) and 12 months follow-up (F = 7.56; p < 0.01). Cluster differences in PTSS were significant at 3 months (F = 4.78, p < 0.05) and 12 months (F = 5.57, p < 0.01) follow-up. Differences in PTSS subscales were found for avoidance (F = 4.8, p < 0.05) and hyperarousal (F = 5.63, p < 0.05), but not re-experiencing, at 3 months follow-up. At 12 months follow-up, cluster differences were significant for re-experiencing (F = 6.44, p < 0.01) and avoidance (F = 4.02, p < 0.05) but not hyperarousal. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the relationships among different positive psychosocial factors, depressive symptoms and PTSS following acute MI. Future interventions may benefit from taking into account positive psychosocial factors to potentially reduce patients' depressive symptoms and PTSS after MI.

The temporal relationship between physical activity, mood, and sleep in older adults via a lead‐lag analysis

AbstractBackgroundPhysical Activity, sleep, and mood are key modifiable lifestyle behaviours that are individually associated with lower cognitive decline [1]. Prior research suggests there may be a tridirectionally relationship among these three behaviours. The temporal relationship among these behaviours is unknown. Using an Ecological Momentary Assessment (ECA) and a time series analysis we aim to understand the temporal and longitudinal relationship among these factors.MethodWe performed a 10‐day lead‐lag analysis using Moderate‐to‐Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) and sleep as measured by a 24‐hour wrist‐worn accelerometer, and a self‐assessed daily mood scale on 30 community dwelling older adults who participated in a behavioural study to enhance physical activity in sedentary individuals (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04315363). Participants were included if they did not exercise more than 150 minutes of MVPA per week (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and were sitting more than 8 hours per day (Marshall Sitting Questionnaire). We examine each variable separately for auto‐correlative relationships for different timepoints of the same variable. The temporal dynamics are calculated from the rank‐order of the lead‐lag coefficients. The relationships between different timepoints of mood, MVPA, and sleep are examined through cross‐correlations.ResultsAutocorrelations showed that mood presented seasonality with baseline mood positively correlated to the subsequent day’s mood (r = +.571, p = .037) and negatively correlated with mood at day 7 (r = ‐.330, p = 0.27) and day 8 (r = ‐.248, p = .013). The temporal dynamics identified mood (B = +.602), preceding MVPA time (B = ‐.001), and sleep time (B = ‐.276) (Figure 1). Furthermore, cross‐correlations demonstrated that mood was positively correlated to MVPA at the same time point (r = ‐.605) and also that previous day mood predicted next day’s MVPA (r = ‐.629). Cross‐correlations confirmed that MVPA (r = ‐.507) and mood (r = ‐.504) predicted next day’s sleep time.ConclusionImproved mood precedes the increase in MVPA and sleep time in sedentary older adults. Understanding temporal dynamics between mood, sleep time, and MVPA, can help develop better interventions targeting increase in physical activity in older adults. Reference:[1] 2020 Report of the Lancet Commission. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140‐6736(20)30367‐6.

The Effectiveness of Reminiscence Therapy in Improving Cognitive Functions And Psychological Wellbeing in Older Adults With Early Dementia ‐ The Randomized Control Trial

AbstractBackgroundReminiscence therapy (RT) is a trending type of non‐pharmacological intervention in dementia care. RT is using life histories recalling and re‐experiencing the life events in older people in order to improve their psychological well‐being through the volitional or non‐volitional process of recollecting memories from their past.MethodParticipants' selection inclusion criteria are: (a) aged 65 or above, (b) early stage of dementia that was screened by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with scoring of 17‐19, and (c) can read written instruction and consent. Participants were randomly assigned by block randomization with randomized block procedure. The participants attended eight group sessions, with each session lasting for 60 minutes. Sessions were administered two times a week over a 4‐week period. Participants' depressive symptoms were evaluated by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Subjective well‐being (the cognitive components) was measured by Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), mood change as measured by Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS). All these evaluation were conducted baseline, mid‐way evaluation and post‐evaluation by a registered Occupational Therapist.ResultForty older people (29 male and 11 female) were eligible for the study. There was significant difference on depressive symptoms (p = .02, t = ‐2.38), mood change (p = .03, t = ‐3.38), but marginally significant in subjective well‐being (p = .05, t = ‐1.03) between intervention and control group. Further analyses were conducted whether depressive symptoms and mood change effect individuals' subjective well‐being. A two‐way ANOVA revealed that there was not a statistically significant interaction between the effects of depressive symptoms and mood change (F(3, 16) = 1.242, p = .311). Simple main effects analysis showed that depressive symptoms did not have a statistically significant effect on subjective well‐being (p = .975). Simple main effects analysis showed that mood change did have a statistically significant effect on subjective well‐being (p &lt; .000).ConclusionThe findings of this study affirmed the benefit of RT to older people with early stage of dementia through improving depressive symptoms, mood and marginally on their subjective well‐being. The research data available support the inclusion of a structured RT as a part of the routine care given to older people. There are some limitations of our study.

A Greek Translation of the Brunel Mood Scale: Initial Validation among Exercise Participants and Inactive Adults.

The aim of the present study was to provide initial validity evidence of a Greek translation of the 24-item Brunel Mood Scale, referred to as the BRUMS-Greek, a measure of anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, tension, and vigour. Data were collected from 1417 Greek adult exercise participants and 369 physically inactive adults, totaling 1786 adults (male = 578, female = 1208) aged 18-64 years (M = 34.73 ± 11.81 years). Given the large univariate and multivariate non-normality, a confirmatory factor analyses treating responses as ordered categorical variables was conducted which supported the hypothesised six-correlated factor measurement model. The internal consistency reliability of the BRUMS-Greek subscales was supported via Cronbach alpha coefficients. The construct validity of the scales was supported (a) via correlations in the hypothesised direction with trait positive and negative affect, (b) with more positive and less negative moods reported immediately after participation in a single exercise class compared to pre-exercise mood, and (c) with exercise participants reporting more positive and less negative mood states compared to physically inactive adults. Women reported higher tension and lower vigour scores than men. Tension scores were higher and confusion scores lower among younger participants (≤35 years) than older participants (≥36 years). Participants with obesity reported higher negative mood scores than those who were underweight or normal weight. In sum, the BRUMS-Greek demonstrated acceptable psychometric characteristics, and is proposed to be a suitable measure for use with exercise participants, physically inactive adults, and other Greek populations to explore research questions related to mood.

Emotion regulation effects of Ayahuasca in experienced subjects during implicit aversive stimulation: An fMRI study

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAyahuasca is a beverage used in Amazonian traditional medicine and it has been part of the human experience for millennia as well as other different psychoactive plants. Although Ayahuasca has been proposed as potentially therapeutic as an anxiolytic and antidepressant, whilst no studies have been carried out so far investigating their direct effect on brain emotional processing. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to measure the emotional acute effect of Ayahuasca on brain response to implicit aversive stimulation using a face recognition task in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Materials and methodsNineteen male experienced Ayahuasca users participated in this study in two fMRI sessions before and after 50 min of the Ayahuasca ingestion. Subjects were presented with pictures of neutral (A) and aversive (B) (fearful or disgusted) faces from the Pictures of Facial Affect Series. Subjects were instructed to identify the gender of the faces (gender discrimination task) while the emotional content was implicit. Subjective mood states were also evaluated before Ayahuasca intake and after the second fMRI session, using a visual analogue mood scale (VAMS). ResultsDuring the aversive stimuli, the activity in the bilateral amygdala was attenuated by Ayahuasca (qFDR<0.05). Furthermore, in an exploratory analysis of the effects after intake, Ayahuasca enhances the activation in the insular cortex bilaterally, as well as in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (qFDR<0.05). In the psychometric VAMS scale, subjects reported attenuation of both anxiety and mental sedation (p < 0.01) during acute effects. ConclusionsTogether, all reported results including neuroimaging, behavioral data and psychometric self-report suggest that Ayahuasca can promote an emotion regulation mechanism in response to aversive stimuli with corresponding improved cognition including reduced anxiety and mental sedation.

Longitudinal association between positive affect and blood lipids in patients following acute myocardial infarction.

Unfavorable blood lipid profiles are robust risk factors in predicting atherosclerotic disease. Studies have shown that positive affect (PA) is associated with a favorable lipid profile. However, longitudinal studies regarding the course of PA and lipid profiles in myocardial infarction (MI) patients are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prospectively explore the association between PA and blood lipid levels across three inv estigations over 12 months following acute MI. Patients following an acute MI were examined at hospital admission (n = 190), and at 3 months (n = 154) and 12 months (n = 106) thereafter. Linear mixed effect regression models were used to evaluate the relation between PA, assessed with the Global Mood Scale, and blood lipid levels. Potential confounding variables were controlled for in the analysis. Higher PA was significantly associated with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and a lower total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C ratio over time, independent of demographic factors, indices of cardiac disease severity, comorbidity, medication use, health behaviors, serum cortisol and negative affect (p≤0.040). No association was found between PA and the two blood lipids low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG). Positive affect was independently associated with HDL-C levels and the TC/HDL-C ratio in patients up to 1 year after MI. The findings support a potential role of PA for cardiovascular health through an association with a favorable blood lipid profile.