Pleasurable Activities Research Articles

Depression and Suicide in Regards to Sex

Psychiatric disorders represent one of the leading problems of the public health community in the modern world today, especially because their incidence is steadily increasing and they are one of the main reasons for the overall disease burden in Europe. One of the most frequently diagnosed, yet under recognized diseases, is depression. Depression, whether a symptom, part of a syndrome or an independent diagnosis, is characterized by feelings of sadness, loss of interest and pleasure in activities that normally bring joy to a person, and can affect how a person feels, thinks and behaves. It affects all age and social groups, as well as both sexes, it is often comorbid with other physical diseases, and increases the risk of developing other physical diseases. There are certain differences between the sexes in the prevalence, the way a certain sex group deals with problems caused by depression, and the possible causes of these differences, which we present in more detail in this paper. Differences are observed in all cultures, environments and across different age groups. Patients suffering from depression have a particularly high risk of committing suicide. Suicide is a psychopathological phenomenon of multifactorial aetiology that is most often associated with psychiatry and mental disorders and is not a diagnosis in itself, but a complication of many psychiatric disorders. here are many differences in the rate of suicide by age and sex, as well as in the method of suicide, which we also present in more detail in this paper.

Perception and use of social media by Indonesian adolescents and parents: A qualitative study.

Social media are popular among adolescents worldwide, including the global South. The way adolescents use social media is influenced by their own perception of social media but also by how their parents use and perceive social media. This study aims to understand how Indonesian young adolescents (12-15 years old) and parents of adolescents use and perceive social media. For this purpose, we conducted eight focus group discussions and eight semi-structured interviews with 30 Indonesian adolescents and 15 Indonesian parents. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data reveals that both adolescents and parents use social media for social, practical, and pleasure activities. Most adolescents mention that they consider themselves skilled in using social media, while parents consider themselves less skilled. Both adolescents and parents mention that social media offer benefits for adolescents, including emotional, social, and practical benefits. However, adolescents and parents also mention the risks of social media use for adolescents, including social, emotional, and informational risks, as well as the displacement of more meaningful activities. As such, both adolescents and parents do not perceive social media as inherently good or bad but rather as a novel medium that offers benefits for adolescents but also involves several risks to be considered by parents and other relevant stakeholders. This study adds to our understanding of social media use in the global South and offers a theoretical basis for future studies on the impact of adolescents' social media usage on wellbeing in an Indonesian context. However, future research is necessary to depict possible differences in social media use between Indonesia and other countries in the global South.

A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess the Physical and Psychological Well-Being among Older Adults during COVID-19 Outbreak

Background: The pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus is an international health crisis that has the potential to have major repercussions for public health, including both physical and mental health. There is a lack of epidemiological information about the COVID-19 outbreak, which makes elderly people more susceptible to the stress it causes. The goal of the study is to evaluate older persons’ physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Mixed method, embedded design was adopted. Fifty older adults were selected through purposive sampling technique from the selected village. Qualitative approach was used to measure physical well-being by interview and quantitative approach was employed to assess psychological well-being by modified psychological general well-being index. Qualitative data analyzed by thematic analysis and quantitative data analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The study findings revealed that, in physical well-being, maximum older adults reported, the daily schedule was totally changed, did not get enough time for doing pleasurable activities, changed their food pattern, sleep was fully disturbed, daily habits were changed by following COVID appropriate behavior, and many discomfort faced in maintaining health during COVID-19 outbreak. The finding of psychological well-being shows, maximum 34 (68%) having moderate level of psychological distress, the domain self-confidence 3.1 ± 30.68 was mostly disturbed. There was a significant association found between the age, education, occupation, performance of basic activity, and vaccination status with the selected demographic variables at P ≤ 0.05 levels. Conclusion: The older adults were considered as vulnerable people as they need more attention in maintaining health during COVID-19 outbreak.

The co-construction of a reading assessment measure with adults with Down syndrome: a meaningful literacy approach.

The need to develop appropriate measures of broad-based reading-related literacy skills for adults with Down syndrome has been highlighted in the literature. In this study we aimed to co-construct a valid and reliable assessment measure that can be used to document meaningful everyday reading, in adolescents and adults with Down syndrome. The study was carried out in two stages. Stage 1 used an inclusive participatory design in which individuals with Down syndrome were research collaborators (n = 46). Items to be included in the measure were identified and ecological, face and content validity were established through an iterative process. In stage 2 we examined the reliability of the tool and explored potential relationships between meaningful reading score and (1) age, (2) receptive vocabulary, and (3) reading ability as measured by standardized assessments. In addition, we profiled what a pilot cohort of adults with Down syndrome read (n = 33) and how they experience reading in their everyday lives. Results showed that 46 items were generated for inclusion in the Meaningful Reading Measure (MRM). Our preliminary data showed that the tool has internal and external reliability and ecological and content validity. There were no associations between meaningful reading score and any of the other variables examined. There was considerable variability in items read (range 12-44) which reflected a broad range of reading practices. Adults with Down syndrome identified the importance of reading as a pleasurable activity and as something that aids learning. The MRM developed here can be used (1) as a reading intervention outcome measure to complement existing standardized tools, (2) to profile meaningful reading in adults with Down syndrome, (3) to guide reading module content, and (4) to capture change in adults' perceptions of themselves as readers. Future work is needed to establish the tool's sensitivity to change over time.

Os efeitos das restrições sanitárias devido ao COVID-19 e a importância do uso de abordagens corporais com pessoas com sofrimento psíquico e suas famílias

Abstract Objective Results are presented on the importance of using corporal approaches with people with mental suffering and their families. Method The qualitative research developed with an ethnographic approach focused on the corporal dimension supported the development of the collaborative performance-investigation process. The philosophical support of Agnes Heller's Theory on the Daily Life on the practice of Psychosocial Rehabilitation allowed us to analyze the body experiments that used eight meetings where four users and two relatives of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center of Valdivia, Chile participated. Results The logic of progression of intensity and incorporation of learning allowed to identify four categories: Framing and beginning of the process; Knowing and becoming aware of one's own body; Between pain and pleasure; The importance of corporeality. The results allowed access to bodily perceptions that were silenced and even made invisible both due to the effects of the sanitary restrictions due to COVID-19, as well as the stigmatization associated with mental suffering. Agnes Heller's Theory of the Everyday allowed an approach to the understanding of the daily life of people with mental suffering with the positive assessment associated with group dynamics and bodily praxis, making it possible to visualize the interface between pleasant bodily activities with the perspective of rehabilitation effective psychosocial. Conclusion Body practices managed to generate reflective spaces that were central to the effective incorporation of empowerment and autonomy. In this sense, it becomes essential to provide support for therapeutic experiences with a body perspective, in a (re)educational framework, which allows the restructuring of healthy mental habits.

Co-created decision-making: From co-production to value co-creation in health care.

Rare diseases are characterized by a wide diversity of signs and symptoms and vary not only from disease to disease but also from person to person, and living with a disease leads patients to peculiar experiences, without limits of time and space, as they extend to various environments and relationships of their lives. Therefore, the objective of this study is the theoretical interaction between value co-creation (VC) and the stakeholder theory (ST) with the shared decision-making (SDM) health care theory, to enable the analysis of the relationships between patients and their stakeholders in the co-creation of value for decision-making focused on the patient's quality of life. It is configured as a multi-paradigmatic proposal by enabling the analysis of multiple perspectives of different stakeholders in health care. Thus, co-created decision-making (CDM) emerges with emphasis on interactivity of the relationships. As previous studies have already highlighted the importance of holistic care, seeing the patient as a whole and not just the body, studies with CDM will be beneficial for analyses that go beyond the clinical office and doctor-patient relationships, extending to all environments and interactions that add value to the patient's treatment. It was concluded that the essence of this new theory proposed here is neither in patient-centered care nor in patient self-care, but in co-created relationships with and between stakeholders, including non-health care environments that are important to the patient, such as relationships with friends, family, other patients with the same disease, social media, public policies, and the practice of pleasurable activities.

Anhedonia symptom of depressive disorder in adolescents

Major Depressive Disorder is a mental disorder that’s common among adolescents, while anhedonia, characterized by the diminish in ability to enjoy pleasurable activities and loss of interest. The essay is written to examine factors that can contribute to onset of adolescent anhedonia in the context of MDD and its impacts on adolescents. The author read and analyze scientific studies pulished in National Library of Medicine, then combine her personal observation and experience with knowledge she had gained online. Past studies concluded that adolescent anhedonia is a result of a combination of varying factors such as reduced activities in the reward system, emotional neglect in childhood, social pressure. Adolescents who have anhedonia tend to be less motivated and have less expectation of future events, which will hinder their performance in school or outside of school. Despite of past studies that are conducted to help finding a cure for adolescent anhedonia, more research is needed to be conducted concentrating on adolescent with anehdonia as an individual.

The veterinary care of the donkey

Donkeys have had a close association with horses for a long time, but there are a number of differences between the two species. In general, donkeys are kept primarily as companion animals or for pleasure activities. They are well suited to therapy and work with special-needs children and adults. In developing countries, donkeys form an important part of the economy. Donkeys deserve high-quality preventive healthcare. They need regular vaccination, dentistry, farriery and worm control, just as much as horses.

Schizoid personality disorder: a rare type

Schizoid personality disorder is a rare type of personality disorder that is characterized by restricted range of expression of emotions such as emotional coldness, detachment or flattened affectivity to almost each and everything in daily and natural activities. This was a case report about a 30 year old male from a rural area who presented with the complaints of being self absorbent, slothful, reluctant with self-laughing, self-muttering and odd behavior, having little interest in emotional reaction with poor social interactions and no interest in earning or pleasurable activities. On mental state examination his mood was found to be euthymic with restricted affect; decreased rate and rhythm of speech with impairment of judgement, abstract and insight. Other medical causes of such conditions were excluded. In addition to pharmacological treatment, psychological interventions were exercised and considerable improvement was noticed. Bang J Psychiatry 2022;36(2): 42-43

Lipid Peroxidation Level on Moderate-Intensity Interval Exercise on Non-Athlete Adolescent

Exercise is commonly perceived as a pleasurable and healthy activity. However, it is classified as a complex activity that potentially enhances the formation of free radicals and oxidative stress. This study aims to analyze lipid peroxidation, as the biomarker of free radicals, in interval exercise. A total of 16 trained non-athlete male adolescents, aged 20-21 years old, with normal blood pressure, normal resting heart rate, and gave good level of physical fitness voluntarily participated in this study. The participants were randomly separated into two groups, namely the K1 (n=8, interval exercise with active resting medium intensity pedaling ergometer bike) and K2 (n=8, interval exercise with resting without pedaling the ergometer bike). The interval exercise was carried out at 60-70% HRmax intensity for 35 minutes. The blood sample for Malondialdehyde (MDA) level analysis, as the lipid peroxidation biomarker, was taken using Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The blood samples were collected before and after the interval exercise. The obtained data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA test with a 5% significance level. Our results suggest no significant different level of MDA, a lipid peroxidation biomarker, between the interval exercise with resting through medium intensity pedaling ergometer bike and the interval exercise with resting with no pedaling ergometer bike. However, the interval exercise resting through pedaling an ergometer bike presented relatively higher lipid peroxidation than the interval exercise resting without pedaling an ergometer bike. Therefore, following the free radical concept, interval exercise with resting through pedaling an ergometer bike is more beneficial than the exercise without pedaling an ergometer bike resting.

Does Connectedness Matter? The Association Between Mutuality and Job Satisfaction Among Home Health Aides Caring for Adults With Heart Failure.

Home health aides (HHAs) provide care to many adults with heart failure (HF) in the home. As the demand for HHAs increases, there is a need to promote HHAs' job satisfaction and retention. In this cross-sectional community-partnered study, we examined whether mutuality (e.g., quality of the HHA-patient relationship), is associated with job satisfaction among HHAs caring for adults with HF. Mutuality was assessed with the Mutuality Scale, which measures overall mutuality and its four domains (reciprocity, love and affection, shared pleasurable activities, and shared values). Our final sample of 200 HHAs was primarily female. The mean overall mutuality score was 2.92 out of 4 (SD 0.79). In our final model, overall mutuality and each of the four domains were associated with increased job satisfaction; however, only the shared pleasurable activities domain was significant (aPR: 1.15 [1.03-1.32]). Overall, mutuality may play a role in promoting job satisfaction among HHAs.

CONTEXTUAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED DAILY DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AMONG DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS

Abstract Family caregivers of individuals with dementia (IWDs) have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. Little is known about daily protective factors that mitigate this risk. The purpose of this study was to identify everyday coping strategies used by family caregivers that reduce the daily odds of experiencing depression and anxiety-related symptoms. Daily diaries were used to examine whether pleasant non-care activities with the IWD, social connection, and exercise were associated with a decrease in depression and anxiety-related symptoms. A national sample of ADRD caregivers (N=165) completed diaries over 21-days (n=2,841). Participants were asked about their daily experiences as caregivers, coping strategies, and mental health. Data were analyzed using mixed-level modeling. Depression and anxiety symptoms were endorsed by 141 (85.45%) and 155 (93.94%) participants, respectively. Social connection was associated with a decrease in the daily odds of depression (OR: 0.71, CI: 0.54 – 0.94, p=0.016) and anxiety symptoms (OR: 0.74, CI: 0.56 – 0.97, p=0.032). Caregivers were also less likely to endorse depression-related symptoms on days when engaging in a pleasant non-care activity with the IWD was reported (OR: 0.70, CI: 0.52 – 0.93, p=0.015). Finally, anxiety-related symptoms were less likely to be endorsed on days when caregivers reported engaging in exercise (OR: 0.65, CI: 0.49 – 0.86, p=0.003). The results from this study help elucidate coping strategies that may mitigate the risk of depression and anxiety associated with caregiving. These findings inform potential components for interventions to help support the health and well-being of family caregivers of IWDs.

MULTIPLE SCALES OF SOCIAL RELATIONS IN REMINISCENCE ACTIVITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Memory, especially autobiographical memory, is central to personhood in contemporary North America and Europe (Herskovits 1995). Cultivated practices of reminiscence, in which older adults are prompted to remember events and experiences from the past, can be pleasurable, meaningful, and therapeutic activities that shape personhood and contribute to wellbeing (Coleman, 1999; Sherman, 1987). Although reminiscence practices include both individual (e.g., Butler, 1963; Woods et al., 2018) and social (Hash et al., 2021; Sass et al., 2021) elements of remembering, less attention has focused on the myriad scales of social relations that are part of reminiscence activities. Moreover, the mechanisms through which reminiscence creates positive transformations remain unclear (Menn et al., 2020). Anthropological theories of personhood show that social relations at multiple spatiotemporal scales play key roles in transforming personhood (Carsten, 1995; Robbins, 2021), thus suggesting a nuanced framework within which to understand how social relations shape personhood and contribute to wellbeing for older adults. Drawing on a systematic review of interdisciplinary literature on reminiscence activities for older adults, this paper documents the multiple scales of social relations (interpersonal, institutional, regional, [trans]national) that are part of reminiscence activities, and interpretively analyzes their significance for personhood and wellbeing. Key findings of this study are: 1) collective memory plays an important role in reminiscence activities; and 2) fostering reminiscence activities that focus on meaningful elements of the shared past can promote wellbeing for older adults. These findings have implications for 1) refining gerontological theories of reminiscence, and 2) improving reminiscence-based practices for older adults.

A MOBILE MUSIC APPLICATION FOR CAREGIVERS OF PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA: A USABILITY TESTING STUDY

Abstract More than 11 million Americans spend an average of 26.3 hours caring for a person with dementia (PWD). Managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is a significant source of caregiver stress. Music-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to be a pleasant activity enjoyed by both PWD and their caregivers, with the potential to help alleviate BPSD. However, current commercial music streaming services are not designed for families coping with dementia due to subscription and/or network connection requirements. This mixed-methods usability study tested caregivers’ experience with an open-source Android application (MUsic to Support Engagement and Resilience, or MUSER) as a potential platform for home-based MBI delivered by caregivers of PWD. In-lab and in-home testing sessions were conducted with 6 caregivers (2 former and 4 current caregivers, 1 male and 5 females). Semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after the in-home testing period between July and November 2021 to better understand User Experiences (UX). Family caregivers had a mean age of 57.8 (SD=26.2, range 20-77). The main themes identified from the interviews included ease of use, device and music preferences, and prior experience with technology. Overall, users reported high satisfaction and would recommend the application to other caregivers. Users reported that listening to music on the app elicited positive emotional effects (e.g., calmness and relaxation). The MUSER mobile music application can be used by caregivers to deliver MBI in the community. Future research should test whether a caregiver-delivered MBI would be efficacious in reducing BPSD among PWD.

The Adverse Effects of Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Mental Health Practitioners: Self-care Strategies for Prevention and Mitigation

Over the years, a body of empiricism and conceptual frameworks has burgeoned related to the emotional toll often exacted on mental health practitioners engaged in the helping field—an emotional toll often denoted as burnout and compassion fatigue. This article delineates the concepts of burnout and compassion fatigue and their adverse, often catastrophic, effects on mental health practitioners’ personal and professional functioning when left unaddressed. The article also highlights the more recent research relating to the changes and challenges brought about by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and its exacerbation of burnout and compassion fatigue among mental health practitioners. Finally, the article highlights practical, empirically validated, and efficacious self-care strategies for individual practitioners and organisations to utilise in preventing and mitigating the adverse effects of burnout and compassion fatigue. The latter are: walking or other forms of exercise; engaging regularly in mindfulness and meditation practices; seeking support from family and friends; engaging in pleasurable activities, such as taking a holiday and socialising; and personal psychotherapy. The top five best practice strategies for office/practice managers are: instituting reasonable working hours and caseloads for mental health practitioners; optimising working spaces and consulting rooms; providing adequate break times throughout the working day; providing ample opportunities for peer support, clinical supervision, and other debriefing initiatives; and facilitating occasional team-building and wellbeing days.

Conceptualizing Sexual Pleasure at Home as a Work-Related Stress Recovery Activity

ABSTRACT Job stress is pervasive in today’s workforce and has negative implications for employees’ mental and physical well-being and job performance. Recovery activities outside of work can reduce strain and improve work outcomes; however, little is known about pleasurable intimate recovery experiences and their influence on work outcomes, even though these experiences are important parts of most people’s lives outside of work. The present study examined sexual activity that is shared either with a relationship partner or oneself (masturbation) and how pleasure specifically predicts well-being and work outcomes to induce recovery. Results suggest that pleasurable sexual activity, with a partner or alone, is related to perceived recovery from work stress, job satisfaction, work engagement, and life satisfaction. Moreover, perceived recovery from work mediated the relationship between pleasurable sex and work outcomes. Gender moderated this relationship such that pleasurable sex was a stronger predictor of recovery for women (compared to men) in the context of sex within committed relationship partners (but not masturbation). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Have a good day! An experience-sampling study of daily meaningful and pleasant activities.

We organize our daily lives with a relatively high degree of freedom. Some things must be done; others are optional. Some we find meaningful, some pleasant, some both, and some neither. The present study looks at such evaluations of daily activities and how they relate to perceived meaning in life. Sixty-two students from an Austrian university first completed the meaningfulness scale from the Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe). They then participated in a 1-week experience-sampling assessment, wherein they completed a short questionnaire at five random time-points per day. They indicated their current activity and then reported, on a 6-point Likert scale, how pleasant and meaningful they perceived it to be. Activities could thus be categorized as meaningful, pleasant, both, or neither. Results reflected that activities grouped under culture/music, communication, intimacy, and sports are experienced as both highly meaningful and pleasant. A two-level hierarchical linear regression suggested that people with high trait meaningfulness experience their daily activities as more meaningful than people with lower trait meaningfulness if they also enjoy what they are doing. People with low trait meaningfulness, however, tended to experience their daily activities as rather meaningless, even if they enjoyed them very much. Thus, when looking for advice on how to have a good day, clarifying one's meaning in life seems to represent the best starting point.

Studying the basics and concepts of group counseling based on emotional intelligence and postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is major depression and the simultaneous presence of 5 symptoms, disruption of physical order and depression characteristics, one of which is depression or a decrease in interest and pleasure in activities. In addition, counseling is considered a facilitating issue to help a person to realize himself and the surrounding environment and live a healthy and productive life through expanding facilities according to his goals. Counseling with an emotional intelligence approach can be effective in cases where postpartum depression appears in women. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand emotions and feelings to achieve and create emotions to help someone think better and face life's requirements more effectively. Necessary harmony between emotions and feelings is also provided for emotional and intelligence improvement for a person.

An Integrated Music and Artificial Intelligence System in Support of Pediatric Neurorehabilitation.

This study aims at the implementation of an Artificial Intelligence approach to the use of music for supporting the neurorehabilitation of children with brain injuries or neurological difficulties.The output of this study will be the implementation of an app for mobile devices with games to be played by pediatric patients, allowing time for their cognitive and motor abilities to recover while enjoying pleasant activities. In particular, a Neural Network Classification approach is proposed in order to automatically adapt the game difficulty to the current cognitive capabilities of the child.

The strengths and weaknesses of bike sharing as an alternative mode during disruptive public health crisis: A qualitative analysis on the users’ motivations during COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic may provoke an increase on our overreliance on private car usage due to a permanent loss of confidence on public transport (PT), threatening current decarbonization efforts of the transport sector. Thus, alternative modes like bike sharing systems (BSS) must be considered.In this study, through conducting 16 semi-structured interviews and by employing thematic analysis, we explore the users' perceptions of using Lisbon's BSS during this pandemic. Our findings show that the observed decrease on BSS usage during the COVID-19 lockdowns was mostly due to mandatory teleworking than to a perceived infection risk. Even during the height of the pandemic, users still turned to BSS to fulfil their essential trip needs. Users considered bike sharing to have a lower infection risk comparatively to PT, with some users joining BSS during the pandemic to specifically avoid using PT. Furthermore, users associate riding a shared bicycle with a pleasant activity that reduces their travel times and costs, while also providing health and environmental benefits. Consequently, bike sharing contributes to the resilience of transport systems by providing its users with a transport alternative perceived to have a low infection risk, ensuring their mobility needs during disruptive events.Findings from this research provide evidence that support policies, such as, expanding BSS coverage areas, optimizing rebalancing operations, introducing shared e-bikes, and implementing segregated cycling lanes alongside BSS. These policies may be particularly effective at increasing the competitiveness of BSS as an alternative mode during disruptive public health crises and beyond.