Psycho-emotional Well-being Research Articles

Investigating guidance counselors’ perceived sense of preparedness and support in carrying out their job

Guidance Counsellors play a critical role in the education and psycho-emotional well-being of students. They work in schools to promote and advocate for students' social, emotional, and cognitive needs. This cross-sectional research sought to investigate Guidance Counsellors perceived sense of preparedness and the support they received in carrying out their roles and responsibilities. The research utilized quota sampling to collect data from 131 Guidance Counsellors across four Caribbean countries: Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The results revealed that Guidance Counsellors are satisfied with their preparedness and the support they receive. In addition, Guidance Counsellors who are prepared are also very likely to receive professional and social support. There is no difference in the support received and preparedness for their job based on school type and location. The findings suggest that Guidance Counsellors are prepared and receive the necessary social and professional support to effectively and efficiently deal with the challenges they face. Keywords: Caribbean; counseling; guidance; guidance counselors; preparedness; support.

ЗНАЧИМОСТЬ УДОВЛЕТВОРЕННОСТИ РАБОТОЙ В ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ СОВРЕМЕННОГО ВРАЧА

Currently, the national project «Healthcare» is being actively implemented in the Russian Federation, the most important tasks of which are to increase the availability of medical care and the quality of medical services, the development of high-tech methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases, strengthening the personnel reserve of the industry and achieving maximum staffing of medical organizations at various levels with doctors, secondary and junior medical personnel. As a basis for achieving these goals, of course, an increase in the level of motivation, satisfaction and psycho-emotional well-being of healthcare workers should be considered, which can contribute to the retention of existing and influx of young personnel, increase the level of staff working capacity, increase the quality of services provided and the availability of medical care. The peculiarities of the doctor’s work determine a consistently high level of work stress, which to a certain extent is determined by individual factors and personal characteristics of the specialist, as well as a number of organizational predictors. The degree of satisfaction of healthcare professionals with the workflow largely determines the quality and availability of medical care. This article presents data from domestic and foreign literary scientific sources that highlight the level of satisfaction of doctors with work and various factors associated with it, the impact of this indicator on the social and professional life of doctors, as well as possible measures to increase the satisfaction of specialists with their own work.

RECOGNISING EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND MOBBING IN ADOLESCENTS: CAUSES AND IMPACTS

Emotional abuse can cause severe effects on person`s emotional development, e.g., sense of worthlessness, wearing away confidence and self-esteem, anxiety, depression, etc. Psycho-emotional wellbeing becomes essential for the adolescent to become successful at school, which can be reached through emotional support, understanding and self-discovery. Emotional abuse quite often is not recognized, because of possible judgement from family, friends, teachers and community members. Silence about emotional and physical abuse can be the result of fears and emotional abuse situations which can seem as normal for the victim. Therefore, the first step to solve mental problems is becoming aware of a problem and reducing stigma about mental health. Survey results highlight the need for parents to improve their knowledge, attitudes and skills about emotional abuse and understanding of how to communicate with their children about possible emotional abuse situations at schools. Survey results also highlight that one of the main reasons why mobbing occurs is students` attitude towards difference of others e.g. different interests, lifestyle, appearance, clothes, way of communication, sexual orientation, etc.). Using theoretical and empirical research (survey) methods, the aim of the article is: to describe forms of emotional abuse, highlighting the link between emotional abuse and physical abuse and the impact of it on the emotional well-being of adolescent at school. The authors of the article have identified the main problems faced by students, teachers and parents in cases of emotional abuse.

Does the psychoemotional well-being of Spanish students influence their mathematical literacy? An evidence from PISA 2018.

Data from international studies reveal that the mathematics literacy of Spanish students is significantly lower than that of students from nearby countries. Therefore, in recent years, interest in identifying the factors that influence students' mathematics results in Spain has grown considerably. Often, these factors are sought among the socioeconomic characteristics of the students or among variables related to the schools, ignoring the psychological and emotional factors of the students. This paper analyzes the impact of certain psychoemotional characteristics of Spanish students on their literacy in mathematics. For this purpose, multilevel regression models are applied to the data of the Spanish sample of the 2018 edition of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), which is composed of 35,943 15-year-old students. The instruments for data collection are the mathematics literacy tests and the contextual questionnaires on students' personal situation and well-being used by PISA. As dependent variable, students' mathematics literacy has been considered, measured through the plausible values provided by PISA, and as independent variables, different indices measuring students' psychoemotional well-being obtained from the contextual information collected by PISA. Results indicate that resilience, motivation for the achievement of learning objectives, competitiveness, perceived cooperation at school, and social connectedness with parents have a positive impact on students' mathematics literacy, while experiences related to bullying, physical self-concept, meaning in life and perceived competitiveness at school have a negative impact.

Depression and Quality of Life among Ukrainian Adults Relocated to Russia

At an early stage of Russia–Ukraine War, the psychological conditions of Ukraine people relocated to Russia were reported by the International Journal of Loss and Trauma. In this paper, updated findings evidence the war impact on quality of life, depression, loneliness, substance use, and eating behavior among refugees relocated from the Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Indicators of quality of life, mental health, depression, substance use, and unhealthy food intake tend to be attributed to the war regardless of refugee gender, age, religiosity, and marital status. These findings are consistent with those previously reported about the impact of war and location status among Ukrainian “help” professional women showing relocation associated with poor psycho-emotional well-being, increased burnout, loneliness, and substance use. Responses from the refugees continue to evidence key issues that need to be addressed by policy and program decision makers as well as service providers for prevention and treatment intervention purposes.

Asians and Asian Americans’ social media use for coping with discrimination: A mixed-methods study of well-being implications

Although social media has the potential to serve as a coping tool, it is unclear how Asians and Asian Americans use social media to cope with discrimination, and how social media coping is associated with these users’ psycho-emotional well-being. Drawing on the Multidimensional Model of Social Media Use, this mixed-methods study examined the well-being implications of three social media coping activities among Asians and Asian Americans. A total of 931 Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 93 (M = 46.49, SD = 16.58; 49.2% female) completed an anonymous online survey. Twenty-three participants (12 females) between the ages of 19 and 70 joined seven focus group interviews. Survey results showed that messaging was related to greater race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), although it also had a weak indirect relationship with positive emotions through social support. Posting and commenting had an indirect relationship with both lower RBTS and greater positive emotions via social support. Reading and browsing was associated with greater RBTS (directly) and positive emotions (both directly and indirectly through social support). Focus group data revealed how the three activities contributed to perceived social support and why these activities were associated with promising and/or concerning well-being outcomes.

Psycho-emotional well-being of non-hodgkin lymphoma patients

The given study focuses on the evaluation of the psycho-emotional well-being of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) according to age, gender, living environment, morphological subtype, stage, primary tumor focus, Charlson comorbiditiesindex, and completion of first-line chemotherapy treatment. To carry out the study, a number of 126 patients aged between 18 and 78 years, included in the treatment and monitored in the Department of Hematology, IMSP Oncological Institute, during the years 2020-2022, were selected. The Global Well Being (GWB) score was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results illustrate statistically significant correlations between GWB score and gender, living environment, extranodal onset, and treatment period. The lack of statistically significant correlations was appreciated between the GWB score and age, disease stage, comorbidities.

Hygienic assessment of lifestyle, work pressure and regime, health status and psychological well-being in teachers

Introduction. The state of health in students in schools is directly dependent on the state of health and psycho-emotional well-being in teachers.
 The purpose of the study: to substantiate the algorithm for assessing the provision of favourable conditions for the professional activities of schoolteachers based on an analysis of the lifestyle, work intensity and work regime, the state of health and psychological well-being in teachers.
 Materials and methods. The object of the study were teachers, tools for assessing the health promoting activities of schools. Surveys of lifestyle, work management, psychological status in teachers, medical examinations were conducted; analysis of tools for assessing the health promoting activities of schools.
 Results. Teachers are mostly women aged 30 to 59 years, with an average teaching experience of 23 years, have favourable family and living conditions. The optimal intensity of the teacher’s activity was found in 3.3%, acceptable – in 76.7%, tense of the 1st degree (harmful) – in 20.0%. 74.1% of teachers had a high level of occupatonal stress. Most teachers care little for their health. The leading behavioural risk factors for teachers are irrational unbalanced nutrition, irrational management of work and rest, low physical activity.
 Limitations. The use of a complex of research methods was one of the strengths of the study, which made it possible to identify potential factors affecting the health of teachers and develop an algorithm for assessing the provision of favourable conditions for the professional activities of schoolteachers. The program of an in-depth examination with the determination of the state of health and psychological status included only primary school teachers in Moscow, so the results of the study may vary depending on the place of residence (region) and personal characteristics, but can be generalized in relation to persons with similar background characteristics and conditions 
 Conclusion. Modern professional risk factors for the health of teachers are determined. For the first time, indicators and an algorithm for assessing the provision of favourable conditions for the professional activity of schoolteachers are proposed.

Psycho-Emotional Well-Being in Caregivers of People with Acquired Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study on the Human Immersion Model during the Omicron Wave.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a "human immersion model" (HIM) in improving psychological well-being in caregivers of patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) during the Omicron wave in Italy. Fifteen subjects affected by ABI, who attended our intensive neurorehabilitation unit from January to March 2022 and their caregivers were submitted to the HIM. This novel approach consisted of "real" long-lasting meetings between the patients and their careers in a hospital setting (1-72 h meeting per week for 8 weeks). Each ABI caregiver was assessed through the administration of a short psychometric battery before starting the first immersion session with their family member and at the end of the HIM. We found significant changes in the caregivers' scores analyzed for anxiety, as per SAS (p < 0.0007, d = 1.02), burden and stress (ZBI-22; p < 0.001, d = 0.65), and emotive intelligence (TEIQue-SF; p < 0.0007, d = 0.82). Our data suggest that the HIM may be useful to promote ABI caregivers' psycho-emotional well-being in the context of critical periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychoemotional health of students in distance learning conditions

The article analyzes Ukraine’s modern education system in the context of epidemiological situation challenges in the world and the state of war in Ukraine. Methods of overcoming adaptation stress by the subjects of the educational process in the conditions of the forced transition to distance learning are investigated. Attention is focused on the fact that the intensification of the youth adaptation crisis today is accompanied by intense anxiety due to the permanently growing informational pressure, threats to life due to military aggression. The authors describe the results of the study concerning the psycho-emotional profile of students in the conditions of distance learning and its reflection in the state of health. The purpose of the work was to study the psycho-emotional well-being of students, the presence of life exhaustion and some somatic health disorders during distance learning under conditions of the COVID-19 quarantine and the state of war. It has been proven that taking psycho-emotional health regulators into account will let to optimize the process of students’ adaptation to the changing conditions of distance learning and improve their mental well-being.

COVID-19 Fear Impact on Israeli and Maltese Female “Help” Profession Students

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 fear on the well-being of Israeli and Maltese female "help" profession (e.g., social work and psychology) undergraduate students. This cross-national comparison includes factors of depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness, nervousness, substance use, eating behavior, burnout, and resilience. The study hypothesis is that country status, even with different social-cultural characteristics including religiosity, is not a significant factor associated with COVID-19 fear impact on select behavioral characteristics of female university students. A total of 453 female "help" profession students completed an online survey from January to July 2021. Various statistical methods of analysis including regression were used for this study. The mean COVID-19 fear scores were the same among Israeli and Maltese students. Resilience was found to be higher among Israeli females; burnout was found to be higher among those from Malta. Substance use (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, or prescription drugs) in the last month was reported by 77.2% of the respondents. No significant differences were found for previous-month substance use based on country status. Regardless of country, respondents who reported more previous-month substance use had higher COVID-19 fear and burnout scores, as well as lower resilience. Due to COVID-19, most respondents (74.3%) reported deterioration of their psycho-emotional well-being in the last month; however, no significant differences were found based on country and religiosity statuses. Furthermore, no significant differences were found for eating behavior changes and weight increase based on country and religiosity statuses. Study findings showed the impact of COVID-19 fear on the well-being of Israeli and Maltese female "help" profession undergraduate students. This study examined only female students; however, additional research is needed to address male students and their experiences. Prevention and treatment intervention measures aimed to increase resilience and decrease burnout, including those that can be made available on campus, should be thought about by university administration personnel and student association leaders in consultation with mental health professionals.

Virtual Team Building in an Intelligent Collaborative Learning Environment

Aim/Purpose: The main purpose is to study the experience of using virtual team building as a means of forming educational and research teams in the context of the development of online education and its effect among students and teachers of higher educational institutions. Background: Methods ensuring effective engagement of students in learning are critical to the success of online education. The most obvious problems in higher educational institutions are procrastination, academic dishonesty due to easy access to electronic resources, decreased attendance, and insufficient interaction between teachers and students. Methodology: The research methodology is based on an empirical approach, which is a research survey using a questionnaire to collect data based on closed-ended questions. For quantitative analysis, the independent sample t-test was used. The survey was conducted among students and teachers of two educational institutions in the Russian Federation. Contribution: This study is of practical and scientific importance as it can contribute to the introduction of virtual team building in the modern education system. Findings: Based on the analysis of the data obtained, it can be concluded that students and teachers approximately equally assess the impact of team building on the ability to get to know each other better, improve communication skills, and psycho-emotional intimacy. Despite the need and sometimes no alternative to virtual team building (for example, during a pandemic), half of the sample of students (50.8%) agreed that team building was more effective in an offline environment while 64.3% of teachers believe that the effectiveness could have been higher in the offline environment. The respondents assessed the positive effect of team building on their interest and motivation to study or work. Recommendations for Practitioners: These findings can contribute to a broader and faster implementation of virtual team-building practices in the education system of the Russian Federation and other countries of the world. The results of this study can be applied by higher educational institutions that are interested in increasing team cohesion, interest, and motivation to study or work, as well as the creation of closer and trusting relationships, and an atmosphere of psycho-emotional safety. Recommendation for Researchers: This topic requires more observations to verify the influence of student personality on the effectiveness of virtual team building in intelligent collaborative learning environments. Impact on Society: The study highlights the importance of communication between the student and the teacher, as well as between students, as psycho-emotional well-being in the micro-society results in a better academic performance. Future Research: Further research can be aimed at studying the difference in the effectiveness of team building in online and offline learning environments, as well as the impact of team building on the teaching staff.

Effect of Mind Sound Resonance Technique on Selected Psycho-emotional Well-being Parameters in Secondary School Students: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Mind Sound Resonance Technique (MSRT) is a yogic relaxation technique, which creates a resonance of the “A,” “U,” “M,” “AUM,” and Mahämåtyuïjaya mantra chanting to provide a delicate massage sensation throughout the body. Adolescence is a developmental stage marked by changes in social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of yoga, pranayama, and meditation regarding health and mental issues in both adolescents and adults. Aim: To see the effect of the MSRT on selected psycho-emotional parameters in secondary school students. Materials and Methods: In this randomised controlled trial, data of total 63 adolescents (intervention group (n=32) and control group (n=31) were analysed, who were selected from two English medium schools in Udaipur, Tripura (northeast India). The intervention group was provided the MSRT for 30 minutes each day for 21 sessions, whereas the control group went through only the daily routine, in the month of April 2022. The data were collected using questionnaires, prior to and after the intervention. Independent sample test and paired sample t-test were done for ‘between groups’ and ‘within group’ comparison respectively for the variables i.e., emotion regulation, impulsivity, creative thinking, critical thinking, and interpersonal relationship. Mann-whitney test and Wilcoxon-signed rank test were done for ‘between groups’ and ‘within group’ comparison, respectively for the variables i.e., aggression and mindfulness. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvement in mindfulness (p&lt;0.001), creative thinking (p&lt;0.001), critical thinking (p&lt;0.001), interpersonal relationship (p&lt;0.001), emotion regulation (p=0.005) and a significant reduction in aggression (p&lt;0.001) and impulsivity (p=0.001) compared to control group. Conclusion: Based on the result of the present study it is suggested that MSRT can help to improve the psycho-emotional well-being of adolescents.

Stress and burnout among Greek critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Occupational stress and burnout of health personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially of the nursing population in intensive care units (ICUs), were quite frequent along with negative effects and a direct correlation with the manifestation of many physical, behavioral and psychological symptoms. For the purposes of this research, a quantitative survey was carried out, in which 153 ICU nurses of secondary and tertiary public hospitals in Greece participated. Nurses completed anonymously and voluntarily a special electronic questionnaire about stress, burnout, personal concerns about the pandemic, the consequences of the outbreak and their resilience toward COVID-19 patients' care. Specific validated scales were used in this study. Female nurses felt, to a greater extent than males, work-related burnout, especially patient-related burnout and total burnout. There was a statistically significant negative relationship between the existence of a psychological support group within a hospital and personal burnout. Participants who had experience in caring for SARS-CoV-2 patients had higher mental resilience than those without experience. As the consequences experienced by the health professionals of the reference COVID-19 hospitals were increased, so did mental resilience and stress coping strategies during the pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak and the conditions configurated in the health system had negative effects on the psycho-emotional state of ICU nurses. The manifestation of anxiety, stress and burnout had a direct correlation with both the work and personal functionality of the nurses and the whole of the healthcare services provided. The early recognition of symptoms and their individualized management are imperative for the protection of the psycho-emotional well-being of nurses.

Gaming Disorder and Psycho-Emotional Wellbeing among Male University Students and Other Young Adults in Israel

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the impact of gaming and gaming disorder on the wellbeing of Israeli male university students and other adults. Gaming disorder (i.e., persistent, and recurrent gaming activity associated with a lack of control that may be clinically diagnosed) was determined using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF). Survey participants were recruited from gaming associations, clubs and the gaming community using Facebook. Data were collected in June 2022. A total of 526 males completed the survey (30.9% university students and 69.1% other young adults). Various statistical methods of analysis including regression were used for this study. Significant study group differences revealed university students with more indications of gaming disorder, more burnout, less loneliness, more stimulant (i.e., Ritalin) use, a greater consumption of salt- and/or sugar-loaded foods and lower economic wellbeing. The levels of resilience (i.e., the ability to recover from stress), substance use (e.g., tobacco and alcohol) and weight gain were similar for the two groups. Regression analysis showed gaming disorder as a key predictor of burnout, economic wellbeing and resilience. This study examined only male gamers because of the small number of female respondents. However, additional research is needed about female internet gamers, including their possible exposure to online harassment and sexual degradation. Additionally, additional research should be considered to verify the present study's findings about gamers based on demographic factors and gaming disorder levels. Prevention and treatment intervention measures, including those that can be made available on campus, should be thought about by university administration personnel and student association leaders in consultation with professionals who are experienced in reducing gaming disorder and other harmful behaviors among students.

The Doctrine of “in Loco Parentis” in Anglo-Saxon Legal Systems and in the Republic of Latvia

This publication analyses the “in loco parentis” doctrine of Anglo-Saxon law, which means “in place of parents”. In particular, the authors seek to reveal the content, historical aspects of this concept and its expression in the Latvian legal system. This can be applied, for example, to the duty of employees of an educational institution who are required as part of their role to exercise a duty of care, as well as to enforce discipline, as aspects of cooperation between parents and the school. The practice of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in connection with the “in loco parentis” doctrine is highlighted. The authors conduct a study using methods of interpreting the rules of law adopted in legal science: grammatical, historical, comparative, teleological method. An educational institution as a structure authorized by the state per se can be viewed as having an equivalent responsibility to that of a child’s parents. That is, the school, like parents, has an obligation to take care of the child, especially in relation to the child’s psycho-emotional well-being and physical safety. So, should the school staff take care of the child the same way the parents do? In the case of the Republic of Latvia, this is most clearly reflected in the scientific knowledge of pedagogy and in the practice of daily education.

Comparative assessment of the quality of life, sleep, and psycho-emotional stress in students in distance and blended learning

Quality of life, emotional state, and sleep are closely related to the process of education and successful mastering of disciplines within the framework of the main curriculum in a higher educational institution. Student academic performance, working capacity, and health depend on the quality of the parameters listed above. Since March 2020, the world has been facing the SARSCoV-2 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed significantly the socio-economic and political situation in countries and affected the way of life of the whole world. Changes have taken place in the educational process as well; the integration of distance learning technologies and the global digitalization of the learning process have affected all countries. Purpose of the study. To compare the quality of life, sleep, and psychological health in students enrolled in higher nursing education programs during periods of distance and blended education. Materials and methods. The study was conducted from September to May of the 2021–2022 academic year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students had distance and blended forms of education. The study involved 1st and 2nd year students enrolled in higher nursing education programs at the Department of Nursing Management, Medical Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. The study used the following questionnaires: Medical Outcomes Study 36‑Item Short Form Survey, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), Pittsburgh questionnaire on determination of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results. Due to the transition and adaptation of students to distance learning at the university during the period of social isolation, violation of the generally accepted schedule of classes and physical activity, physical inactivity, a large load on the musculoskeletal system and vision, as well as digital load, students began to notice a decrease in the psycho-emotional state, mild depression, apathy, decreased motivation to learn, increased mental fatigue, cognitive disorders, disturbed night sleep and insomnia. According to the results of the study, the quality of life, physical and mental health, psycho-emotional well-being, general mood, sleep quality and its characteristics are significantly better among students with a blended form of education compared to distance learning

Suitability of Online Higher Education for Learners with Disabilities: The Students’ Voices

Online higher education has the potential to offer extra benefits for students with disabilities in comparison with campus-based universities, but it can also cause them some challenges. This case study addresses why students with disabilities choose online studies and how a fully online educational model fits their expectations and needs. Twenty-four students living with physical, sensory, mental, and learning disabilities participated in semi-structured interviews from which we identified six main themes: flexibility, accessibility, curricular design, online interaction, online collaboration, and psycho-emotional wellbeing. These students find online studies flexible, accessible, and helpful for their psycho-emotional wellbeing, but still challenging for interacting and collaborating. Our findings emphasize the importance of applying the Universal Instructional Design for Online Learning in combination with the Universal Design for Learning principles to enhance the inclusion of students with diverse profiles in online learning, as well as offering personalized support for those with severe or multiple disabilities.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Health and Well-Being: Foreign Medical Students in Eastern Europe

Approximately 350,000 foreign students, mostly from India, study medicine in Eastern Europe (EE). However, there is a dearth of information about the COVID-19 impact on this population who study at universities in Eastern Europe (e.g., Russia, Ukraine and Belarus). The aim of this study was to examine the pandemic impact on such students and to generate useful information that may be applied to their health, well-being and learning experience. A cross-sectional survey of Indian students at a Russian medical university was conducted. The data collection instrument included questions about background characteristics, fear of COVID-19, burnout, mental distress, eating behavior, substance use, resilience and adherence to World Health Organization prevention recommendations. Male and female students were compared to determine the COVID-19 impact based on gender status. A total of 497 students participated in this study. Among the survey participants, 92.3% reported being vaccinated. No significant difference was found among male and female respondents regarding fear and burnout associated with COVID-19. Approximately 40% of the students reported a deterioration in psycho-emotional well-being due to COVID-19, and such students had higher levels of COVID-19-related fear, burnout, substance use and lower resilience. Nearly half of the respondents reported unhealthy eating behavior (49.7%) and weight gain (46.3%) associated with COVID-19. In addition, students who adhered to prevention measures of mask wearing and social distancing had less COVID-19 fear and burnout, as well as more resilience. This study promotes an understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the psycho-emotional conditions of male and female medical students from India studying abroad.

Continuous theta burst stimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy.

IntroductionRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may have anti-epileptic effects, especially in patients with neocortical lesions. Initial clinical trials demonstrated that the duration of the seizure reducing effect is relatively short-lived. In the context of a chronic condition like epilepsy, theta burst stimulation (TBS) may represent a potential solution in optimizing treatment practicality and durability as it was demonstrated to be associated with longer-lasting after-effects. TBS has been studied extensively in diverse neuropsychiatric conditions, but a therapeutic TBS protocol has not previously been applied in epilepsy patients.Materials and methodsWe performed a prospective open-label pilot study of 4-day accelerated continuous TBS (cTBS) treatment in patients with neocortical drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). A treatment session consisted of 5 cTBS trains, each comprising 600 pulses presented in 50 Hz triplet bursts every 200 ms, delivered at 10-min intertrain-intervals, targeted over the epileptic focus (EF) using a neuronavigation-guided figure-of-8 coil. Safety and feasibility, and seizure frequency were assessed as primary and secondary endpoints, respectively, over a 4-week baseline period, a 1-week treatment period and a 7-week follow-up period, using adverse event logging, electro-encephalography, cognitive, and psychological questionnaires and a seizure diary kept by the patients and/or caregivers.ResultsSeven subjects (4M:3F; median age 48, interquartile ranges 25) underwent the treatment protocol. Adverse events were reported in all subjects but were mild and transient. No clinical or electrographic seizures were evoked during or immediately following stimulation. No deterioration was found in cognition nor in psycho-emotional well-being following treatment. Treatment burden was acceptable, but seems to depend on clinical effect, duration of ongoing effect and stimulation site. Median weekly seizure frequency and ratio of seizure-free weeks did not change significantly in this small patient cohort.ConclusionWe report the results of the first ever trial of cTBS as a treatment for neocortical DRE. A 4-day accelerated cTBS protocol over the EF appears safe and feasible. Although the design and sample size of this open-label pilot study is unfit to reliably identify a therapeutic effect, results encourage further exploration of cTBS as an anti-epileptic treatment and potential optimization compared to conventional rTMS in a dedicated randomized controlled trial. (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02635633).