Psychosocial Perspective Research Articles

Echoes of the blast: A qualitative study of loss and adaptation among bereaved families of the 2020 Beirut explosion

On August 4, 2020, an explosion in the Beirut Port in Lebanon caused over 220 deaths and 76,000 injuries. The blast, which is considered a national tragedy, had profound impacts on Lebanese citizens, notably the traumatic loss for families who lost a loved one. This qualitative study explored the experiences of loss and adaptation among bereaved families following the Beirut Port explosion from a psychosocial perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 bereaved family members three years after the explosion. Participants reported an initial state of shock following the loss. They experienced emotional distress, including persistent sadness and anger, especially toward the political class, as well as existential concerns. Moreover, social support, religious coping, and the quest for justice were noteworthy adaptation modalities. The findings showcase the experiences and adaptation strategies of bereaved families and highlight their ongoing psychological struggles. These insights pave the way for interventions for similar events.

Legal Protection of Child Victims of Sexual Crimes from a Legal and Psychosocial Perspective

Introduction: The protection of children needs serious attention because often, children become victims of sexual crimes. The number of sexual crimes against children shows that cases of sexual crimes against children are at an alarming level. Cases against children, especially minors, seem to have become a phenomenon. Case after case began to be revealed to the public, whether the perpetrators or victims were minors. The need for adequate legal protection for victims of sexual crimes is not only a national issue but also an international issue; therefore, this issue needs serious attention. Aims: This study discussed how legal protection is for child victims of sexual crimes from a legal and psychosocial perspective. Method: The research method used in this study is a normative juridical research method. Result: The result is the development of students' digital competencies plays an important role in improving global competitiveness towards the Golden Indonesia 2045. With research collaboration based on technological innovation, students can become the driving force for sustainable transformation of science.

The problem of suicidality, personality disorder, and treatment: an alternative psycho-social perspective.

Suicidal behaviour, including both attempted and completed suicides, has been increasing globally, particularly in industrialized nations, making suicidality a significant public health concern. Despite the allocation of increasing resources by US, EU, and UK governmental and mental health bodies, the effectiveness of current strategies for the treatment, management, and prevention of suicide remains in question. This paper reviews evidence from epidemiological studies and national prevention policies, alongside research data from a London-based specialist personality disorder treatment centre and clinical case studies from private psychiatric/psychotherapy practice, to explore an alternative psychosocial approach to addressing suicidality. The dominant psychiatric model, which relies heavily on medication, hospitalization, and often coercive methods of control, may have iatrogenic effects, potentially exacerbating the risk of suicide. In contrast, a psychodynamic and psychosocial approach, focused on understanding the underlying psychological dimensions of suicidality, fostering a trusting therapeutic alliance, addressing both internal and external factors contributing to suicidal behaviour, and promoting open dialogue around suicidal thoughts, has shown promise in reducing suicide risk. The findings presented in this paper argue for a rethinking of traditional psychiatric approaches, advocating for a shift toward more personalized, collaborative, and psychologically informed interventions that can more effectively reduce the risk of suicide.

International and Interdisciplinary Perspectives on School Violence and Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Cyber Deviance: An Introductory Essay

ABSTRACTSchool violence and bullying, cyberbullying, and cyber‐deviance have become subject matters of great concern for various disciplines, such as social work, criminology, psychology, education, medicine, public health, and nursing. In the past years, scholars in different countries have adopted the theoretical perspectives developed in their respective disciplines to separately examine issues of school violence and bullying, cyberbullying, and cyber deviance. For example, researchers in the field of social sciences tend to adopt psychosocial theories and perspectives, while public health scholars tend to adopt medical‐ or health‐related theories. There is a call for the international and interdisciplinary perspectives to examine these topics and their potential interconnectedness. There is also an urgent need to systematic strategies, policies, and intervention to tackle school violence and bullying, cyberbullying, and cyber deviance. The purpose of this special issue is to deepen our understanding of issues related to school violence and bullying, cyberbullying, and cyber‐deviance, to expand our cross‐disciplinary and integrated perspectives on these topics, and to provide potential legal strategies, policy, and intervention to tackle these social problems.

Family engagement strategies in palliative care: overcoming challenges

Objective: To investigate the main difficulties faced by family members in the process of engaging in palliative care and to identify effective strategies for preventing and alleviating suffering. Method: This is an integrative review, using the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO) and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) databases, with the descriptors integrative palliative care, palliative nursing at the end of life, and palliative care. The inclusion criteria were full-text articles available in Portuguese, published in the last five years. Results: The main difficulties identified were lack of knowledge, difficulty in acceptance, and psychosocial perspective. The strategies mentioned were symptom control, psychosocial, and spiritual intervention. Conclusion: This study highlights the complexities of family involvement in palliative care and suggests the need for future research to develop more integrated and effective approaches to address the identified challenges.

Putting an Integrated Theoretical Framework of Student Engagement into Practice: A Case Study of Three Student Initiatives at the Technical University of Munich

AbstractStudent engagement is perceived as an increasingly important but complex phenomenon in medical education. Recently, integrated theoretical frameworks have been introduced to conceptualize student engagement from a psychological, behavioral, and psychosocial perspective. The body of literature underpinning the development of the frameworks is enormous, but there is a relative paucity of reports detailing the use of the frameworks in practice. Here, we present a case study of three de novo student initiatives at the Technical University of Munich. The initiatives cover various topics, from case-based learning tutorials to extracurricular offerings on mental health and mentoring. We will map each project to the integrated framework proposed by Kassab et al. (Med Teach 45:949–965, 2023) and assess its usefulness in capturing student engagement. We conclude that the framework holistically describes the engagement profile of each project but does not consider the different roles students assume when participating in a project or incentivizing it.

Answering populist attacks on psychosocial ideas: why Fromm matters more than Marcuse

The reactionary American intellectual Christopher Rufo has made German critical theorist Herbert Marcuse the centre of his campaign to purge the American academy of radical ideas and movements. Marcuse’s ideas have significant influence in contemporary psychosocial scholarship, so attacks on his work may have negative consequences for psychosocial scholars. Rufo’s critique of the influence of Marcuse’s ideas is mostly exaggerated but it contains elements of truth. This article will outline ways in which some of Marcuse’s ideas are echoed in elements of the contemporary left/liberal intellectual and political orthodoxy. We revisit the Fromm/Marcuse debate from the 1950s, and offer an analysis of why Rufo might have picked Marcuse for attack when Fromm might well have been a viable target, as Fromm was in the 1980s when he was famously scapegoated by Allan Bloom in The Closing of the American Mind (1987). I then offer an analysis of how Erich Fromm’s alternative psychosocial radicalism can help better defend the psychosocial perspective in mass politics than Marcuse’s framework. Fromm’s framework also offer a theoretical foundation for radical psychosocial studies that can help our field defend itself against the new McCarthyism of Rufo and his allies on the global right who are likely to attack radical psychosocial perspectives in the near future.

Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals and People with a Spinal Cord Injury on Resistance Exercise Intensity in Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Thailand

(1) Background: This study aims to investigate differences in the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) on resistance exercise intensity in Asian countries in association with knowledge translation (KT). Also, it verifies the appropriateness of the conventional indicators for resistance exercise intensity in an Asian context. (2) Methods: 121 certified HCPs and 107 adults with SCI participated in a survey conducted in Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Thai languages. The survey asked what principles are important for prescribing resistance exercise, and if ‘moderate’ and ‘vigorous’ were appropriate terms for indicating an intensity level. Perspective differences were examined between both groups and, further, between countries from a psychosocial perspective. (3) Results: Of the HCPs, 92% perceived that resistance exercise intensity was far more important than frequency, time or type of exercise while frequency (61%) followed by intensity (58%) was perceived as important by respondents with SCI. Only Japanese respondents with SCI agreed with the HCPs’ perception of intensity. Both HCPs and respondents with SCI showed unfavorable responses to the usage of ‘moderate’ and ‘vigorous’ for describing resistance exercise intensity, especially Japanese HCPs and respondents with SCI from Indonesia. (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that non-HCPs must improve their perceptions of exercise intensity. Our findings also suggest the need for more explicit and user-friendly terms or expressions indicating the level of intensity in a local (Asian) context.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-going adolescents studying in government schools – A psychosocial perspective

ABSTRACT Background: Childhood is the most essential phase in a person’s life as the foundations laid at this stage decide the future. Children are one of the vulnerable groups during any disaster. It is a stressful event that is not easily understood. It is emotionally confusing and frightening and results in children needing significant instrumental and emotional support from adults. Aim: To understand the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-going adolescents. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional research design in which sociodemographic characteristics and the CRIES-13 were administered to all the 312 children studying in 9th and 10th grade from the five selected schools. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, mean, and percentages were employed to analyse participants’ demographic characteristics. Chi-square, independent t-test, and ANOVA were used for comparison of the data. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 15 years (SD 0.98). It was found that most of the children (90.4%) had disturbances in their education, with 10th grade children having more disturbance than 9th grade ones (P value < 0.05). Further, intrusion and arousal were found to be significantly higher among male children than female children (P value < 0.05). Also, intrusion and arousal are significantly higher among 9th grade students, whereas avoidance is higher among 10th grade students (P value < 0.05). Conclusion: The study identified that COVID-19 has a profound psychosocial impact on school going-adolescents. This finding highlights the importance of understanding the pandemic’s impact on children from a psychosocial perspective and designing appropriate interventions for them.

What Is Our Added Value? A Systematic Analysis of Epidemic Narratives in the Social Work Literature

Abstract This article addresses social work’s singular conceptual and analytical contribution to the field of epidemics. A systematic literature review was conducted to analyze how social work studies overlap to construct epidemic narratives. The author collected 601 articles from the Social Services Abstracts database and carried out a targeted search within 20 social work journals. Five epidemic narratives were identified: (1) a psychosocial consequences narrative, (2) a social work competence narrative, (3) a social risk factors narrative, (4) a misinformation narrative, and (5) a power matrix narrative. Results highlighted the social success of psychosocial perspectives prevalent in classic public health narratives. This understanding relies on a “politics of access” perspective and advocates for the improvement of current social services. The findings revealed that social work does not have a conceptual specificity in the field of epidemics but, rather, its current distinctive contribution mostly lies in its use of social work–centric inquiries that analyze social work practices and describe the consequences experienced by social work actors during epidemics. The author argued that the social work literature could benefit from analyses informed by a “politic of emancipation” that are less prominent in the analyzed studies. Avenues for future research are considered.

UNDERSTANDING ALEXITHYMIA: A PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE

Objective: The objective of the review is to understand multifaceted construct of alexithymia and its association with psychosocial variables. Method: A thorough examination of the literature on the construct of alexithymia was conducted, encompassing studies published over several years. The empirical findings over the years regarding various psychosocial variables, including attachment styles and empathy were also reviewed. The Sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidity of alexithymia with other mental health conditions were also analyzed. Results: The review revealed that attachment bond plays a significant role in the development of alexithymia, childhood trauma due to unhealthy mother-infant bond can be one of the reasons for difficulty in understanding emotions which leads to difficulties in empathy as well. Furthermore, alexithymia has been found to be comorbid with depression, anxiety, autism and other mental illnesses. Conclusion: The findings of the review suggests that alexithymia is an important construct which can influence various psychosocial aspects of life. Although some of the variables have been extensively studied, much remains to be unclear. Further research will add up value to comprehensively evaluate the impact of alexithymia on psychosocial aspects Keywords: alexithymia, psychosocial perspective, attachment styles, empathy.

Ethical Issues in Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: An Update from a Psychosocial Perspective.

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) currently represents the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal failure. LDKT is a serious event with profound psychological, interpersonal, familial, and social implications. Over the last few years, there has been an exponential growth in living donation programs involving genetically and emotionally related donors, as well as people who donate to an unrelated and unknown subject. The implementation of paired exchange programs, Samaritan donation, and preemptive transplantation raise further ethical issues, which are inextricably linked to the unique psychosocial context of both the donor and the recipient. The present narrative review aims to provide an update on the main ethical challenges related to LDKT. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed/Medline. The results of the most relevant studies were narratively synthesized from a psychosocial perspective around the four principles of biomedical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Finally, we discussed the potential future directions to provide an effective, patient-centered, and ethical psychosocial assessment and follow-up of living donors and recipients that underwent LDKT.

Disease burden and symptom management in type 2 diabetic patients: A phenomenological study.

This study was conducted to address the experiences of diabetic patients from a psychosocial perspective, examine the burden of disease, and determine their practices for symptom management. In this study, a phenomenological research design, a qualitative research design, was used. The study included 20 diabetic patients. Individual and face-to-face interviews were performed, and Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was used to analyze the data. As a result of the data analysis, four categories (challenges with care and treatment, coping with the disease, effects, and healthy life behaviors) and eleven main themes (knowledge, application, symptoms, support resources, spiritual coping methods, physical coping methods, physical effects, spiritual effects, social effects, physical practices, and psychological practices) emerged. It was concluded that the disease burden of diabetic patients is intense and that the participants of the study were not effective in coping with the disease through symptom management and found spirituality important in coping.

The role of infertility-related stress and sexist beliefs in anxiety symptoms in infertility couples

ABSTRACT It is necessary to continue identifying the predictors of anxiety symptoms in men and women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART), especially from a psychosocial perspective. For this reason, this study evaluated a mediation model that demonstrates the effect of various stressors related to infertility, as well as the variables of sex, age, social support, and sexist beliefs, on anxiety symptoms. The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 215 infertility patients (146 women and 69 men) undergoing ART and residing in Spain. The Inventory of Infertility Problems (FPI) was used, which measures five stressors related to infertility (social, sexual and relationship concerns, rejection of a child-free lifestyle and need for parenthood). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) were also used. Being women and perceiving less social support was associated with higher anxiety symptoms, due to the mediated effect of social, sexual and relationships concerns. Higher levels of sexist beliefs were related to greater concern about the relationship, greater rejection of a childless lifestyle and greater need for parenting. This pioneering research in Spain identifies factors predisposing to anxiety in ART patients. This evidence should be considered in infertility research and clinical practice.

Treatment outcomes of the e-Health in the elderly: A systematic review

Introduction: the E-Health, is a relevant service provision since the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, when it became a patient care alternative, however, few studies have evidenced the treatment outcomes of this tool in elderly people. Objectives: to analyze the treatment outcomes of telemedicine in the elderly. Methods: a systematic review was carried out according to six stages. The PubMed, CINAHL and Science Direct databases were used. Experimental studies between 2017 and 2022 were included. All references were exported to the EndNote manager. The methodological quality was analyzed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tools (MMAT) checklist. The deductive thematic analysis of the data was based on the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine Applications (MAST). Results: out of a total of 2 628 articles identified and 10 included. Of the total number of studies analyzed, two of them used a digital platform, two by telephone follow-up, four mixed telemedicine interventions and two by tele-rehabilitation. According to the evaluation of the methodological quality of the studies, five of them met all the criteria and five studies met more than 80 % of the criteria. Conclusions: mixed e-Health tools improve treatment outcomes in the psychosocial perspective in the older adult. Future studies should delve into other aspects of the impact of treatment outcomes of other digital tools used in health for this age group, such as somatic, physical, and cultural aspects

COVID-19 and stroke in women: impact on clinical, psychosocial and research aspects.

Despite the growing interest in gender medicine, the influence of sex and gender on human diseases, including stroke, continues to be underestimated and understudied. The COVID-19 pandemic has overall impacted not only the occurrence and management of stroke but has also exacerbated sex and gender disparities among both patients and healthcare providers. This paper aims to provide an updated overview on the influence of sex and gender in stroke pathophysiology and care during COVID-19 pandemic, through biological, clinical, psychosocial and research perspectives. Gender equity and awareness of the importance of sexual differences are sorely needed, especially in times of health crisis but have not yet been achieved to date. To this purpose, the sudden yet worldwide diffusion of COVID-19 represents a unique learning experience that highlights critical unmet needs also in gender medicine. The failures of this recent past should be kept as food for thought to inspire proper strategies reducing inequalities and to address women's health and wellbeing issues, particularly in case of future pandemics.

Factor analysis: psychological and social maturity of personality

The article addresses the topic of psychological and social maturity, highlighting the interdependence between these two essential concepts in the field of psychology. The paper provides a detailed analysis of how these notions are understood and applied in the specialized literature, emphasizing the main indicators of optimal development of psychological and social maturity. Empirically, it presents the results of a study conducted in 2023, which focused on identifying the interconnections between psychological and social maturity in young people during their transition from education to work. This research offers valuable contributions to both the field of psychology and pedagogy, providing a reference framework for understanding the complexity of the maturation process from a psycho-social perspective. The study served as a basis for developing an educational program aimed at promoting the development of indicators associated with achieving optimal psycho-social maturity.

The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma, Depression and PTSD, Etiology and Treatment Methods

This paper will explore the relationship between childhood trauma and its impact on mental health, feelings of helplessness, and negative cognitive perceptions that lead to these conditions. Moreover, it highlights the important role of parental influence in shaping emotional well-being, with a specific focus on depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Childhood trauma, encompassing experiences such as abuse, neglect, and violence, can significantly elevate the risk of severe mental health issues. Research understates childhood trauma as a predictor of depression and PTSD, both psychosocially and neurobiologically, as trust issues. The paper provides the underlying mechanisms of this relationship, exploring psychosocial perspectives concerning attachment issues, negative beliefs, and emotion dysregulation. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies are emphasized when taking steps for the recovery of childhood trauma and preventing the development of mental disorders; other interventions and treatments, including psychotherapy and medication, offer avenues for healing and recovery. By recognizing the profound impact of childhood trauma on mental health and implementing effective interventions, individuals affected by trauma can embark on a journey toward healing, resilience, and improved well-being.

Italian translation, cultural adaptation and pilot testing of Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT 3.1) in pediatric cancer.

Experiences related to pediatric oncology diagnosis cause great imbalances within the family structure. Assessing the frailties and needs of families and children with cancer from a psychosocial perspective is an important step in providing appropriate pediatric psychology care. The aim of this study was to develop an Italian translation of the last version of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool questionnaire (PAT 3.1) and to pilot-test it among pediatric oncological families. The guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures were followed. Specifically, two independent forward translations were produced, followed by a reconciliation step by a multidisciplinary expert committee and back-translation. Revision of the original text and all translations were performed by the expert committee leading to a final version, which was pilot-tested by cognitive debriefing on five families. Subsequently, the final Italian PAT 3.1 version was approved. The Italian version of the PAT 3.1 generated in the present study is a useful instrument to examine the psychosocial risk of the families with a child with cancer. This instrument will be a valuable tool for future clinical trials and it will help clinicians to target specific pediatric psychology support intervention. The questionnaire will be further validated through a multicenter Italian study on psychosocial screening of pediatric oncology and pediatric general diseases.

Are Gender Identities and Gender Ideologies Associated with the Variety and Type of Owned Sex Toys? Evidence from a Large Italian Sample of Cisgender Individuals.

Research on the use of sex toys has been primarily performed from a medical perspective, while there is still limited research from a psychosocial perspective. To bridge this gap, in this study we examined whether some psychosocial variables might be linked to sex toy ownership in a sample of 3960 Italian (cisgender men and women) sex toy buyers. More specifically, we investigated the association between gender identities and ideologies and the variety and types of sex toys owned. Based on the data, we detected two dimensions underlying the ownership of sex toys: (1) orientation to owning kinky sex toys and (2) orientation to owning clit-oriented sex toys. Results showed that benevolent sexism and gender system justification were negatively correlated with owning clit-oriented toys. Moreover, strongly gender-identified participants owned a small variety of different toys and preferred toys that were designed to stimulate the vagina or clitoris over less commonly-used toys. No significant correlation between feminist identification and sex toy type owned was found when gender identification was taken into account. These results suggest that the owning of sex toys might be associated with traditional gender ideology and the strength of gender identification.