Symptoms Of Mental Health Disorders Research Articles

Mindfulness, mental health, and motives for eating tasty foods when not in metabolic need.

Habitual consumption of highly palatable foods when not in metabolic need (HPF eating) is linked to obesity. High HPF consumption is also linked to mental health disorder (MHD) symptoms. Mindfulness-based interventions are popular treatments for obesity and MHDs, but little is known about the relationship between trait mindfulness and motive-based HPF eating. Therefore, a total of 927 young adults completed a survey that included the Palatable Eating Motives Scale-7 (which identifies Coping-, Reward enhancement-, Social-, and Conformity-eating), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and demographic and body mass index (BMI) questions. An MHD questionnaire allowed a comparison of HPF eating between participants with and without various MHDs. Regressions revealed that Coping-eating was independently associated with lower mindfulness and also greater perceived stress, higher BMI, and female sex. Of these variables, only lower mindfulness was independently associated with Reward-, Social-, and Conformity-eating. Coping- and Reward-eating were more frequent in participants with versus without an anxiety disorder, depression, ADD/ADHD, and PTSD. Coping-eating was also more frequent in participants with body dysmorphic disorder. These findings warrant investigations in participants with clinically validated diagnoses for DSM-specific MHDs. Results from such investigations and the uncovered nature of associations between motive-specific HPF eating and trait mindfulness could provide novel targets to improve mindfulness-based interventions for obesity and MHDs.

Journey along the edge of the night: the image of the 20th century writer in contemporary foreign cinematography

BACKGROUND: The interdependence of a person's creative abilities and the features of his life order, behavior, state of health, building social communications is widely discussed in literature, art, sociology, psychology, narrative medicine and the history of medicine (in particular, the question of the impact of health and disease on the possibilities of creative work and the reflection in the images and characters of the diseases suffered by the writer, the experience of overcoming the disease is discussed). At the same time, in public discourse, creative abilities are often present (and connected) in the contour of psychological and mental health disorders.
 AIM: To study the image of a writer of the 20th century, expressed in modern cinema, as the equivalent of the perception by public consciousness of the characteristics of the behavior and thinking of the writer.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out by the method of quantitative content analysis of popular movies and biographies of foreign writers of the 20th century (n=10). The facts and features of deviant behavior and thinking of writers recorded in biographical works and the representation of the writer's image in cinema were compared.
 RESULTS: The content analysis of the biographies and image of the writer presented in films for the 10 most frequently encountered psychopathological symptoms reflects a much more pronounced frequency of demonstrating the symptoms of the writer's mental health disorder in films (with the exception of the subcategory “depressive thoughts”) than in the actual data of his biography, and the severity of psychopathological symptoms is higher in film images of writers who have never received psychiatric care. Manifestations of maladaptation are shown in films in 9 out of 10 main characters, while the fact of maladaptation of 6 out of 10 writers is actually confirmed. At the same time, the deviant psychological features confirmed in the biography are much less often presented in films, and the greatest discrepancy is observed in the subcategories “feeling depressed” and “excessive impulsiveness”. However, a comparison of the ratio of the frequency of cases of positive, indifferent and negative perception/attitude towards the writer reflected in his biography and presented in films shows that society actually has a more positive attitude towards the writer than is shown in cinema.
 CONCLUSION: The peculiarities of the behavior and creative thinking of writers in the public consciousness are still perceived in many cases as manifestations of mental pathology, while creative people are assigned a special social status that “justifies” the deviation of their lifestyle and behavior from accepted standards. The robustness of the stereotype about the correlation between creative abilities and the presence of psychopathology is largely formed by the heuristics of accessibility.

Immigration status-related exclusive e-cigarette use and cannabis use and their dual use disparities associated with mental health disorder symptoms

IntroductionE-cigarette and cannabis use has been linked to various health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Yet, extant knowledge about the risk factors for exclusive and dual use of e-cigarettes and cannabis is limited, especially among immigrants. We examined exclusive e-cigarette and cannabis use and their dual use associated with mental health disorders among immigrants and U.S.-born. MethodsWe analyzed national cross-sectional data collected between May 13, 2021, and January 9, 2022, among adults aged >18 years (n= 4766) living in U.S. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to model the associations of exclusivity and dual-use (reference group= non-use) with anxiety/depression. ResultsThe dual-use prevalence was higher than exclusive e-cigarette and cannabis use, especially among U.S.-born (dual use= 14.79% vs. cannabis use= 13.53% vs. e-cigarette use= 7.11%) compared to immigrants (dual use= 8.23% vs. cannabis use= 5.03% vs. e-cigarette use= 6.31%). Immigrants had lower risks of exclusive cannabis and dual use compared to U.S.-born. Anxiety/depression was associated with higher risks of exclusive cannabis use and dual use across immigration status, but was associated with exclusive e-cigarette use among only immigrants. While effect sizes of dual-use associated with anxiety/depression were higher among U.S.-born, the effect sizes of exclusive e-cigarette and cannabis use associated with anxiety/depression were higher among immigrants. ConclusionsThe findings revealed significant mental health risks for e-cigarette, cannabis, and their dual use among immigrants and U.S.-born, especially among U.S.-born. These findings highlight the need for public health research and interventions to consider immigration status-related disparities in substance use.

The Intersections Between Sexual Orientation, Latine Ethnicity, Social Determinants of Health, and Lifetime Suicide Attempts in a Sample Being Assessed for Entry to Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment.

Few studies have examined the relationship between the intersections of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) sexual orientation, Latine ethnicity, and lifetime suicide attempts in Latine individuals with substance use disorder. This study examines this intersection and controls for social determinants of health, mental health disorder symptoms, and substance use disorder symptoms in a sample of Latine adults entering treatment for co-occurring disorders. Bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze assessment data (n = 360) from a bilingual/bicultural integrated behavioral health system serving Latine communities in Massachusetts to examine the relationship between sexual orientation, Latine ethnicity, and history of lifetime suicide attempts. We controlled for social determinants of health, mental health disorders, and substance use disorder (SUD) factors significantly associated with lifetime suicide attempts at the bivariate level. Over 27% of the sample and 35% of Puerto Ricans (PR) reported lifetime suicide attempts. The logistic regression identified that PR clients were 78% more likely to have attempted suicide in a lifetime compared to non-PR clients. Clients identifying as LGB were 3.2 times more likely to report having attempted suicide in their lifetime compared to heterosexual clients. Unemployed clients were 2.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide in their lifetime compared to employed clients. Findings identify high rates of lifetime suicide attempts among LGBs and PRs entering SUD treatment. Targeted outreach and treatment efforts designed to address intersectionality for this underserved population are needed.

Improving feeling of control and trust in interpreter-mediated mental health consultations.

Language barriers are among the most critical factors in health care disparities. Low language proficiency is consistently associated with a high prevalence and severity of mental health disorder symptoms. Despite the advantages of working with an interpreter, most practitioners report difficulties, especially with trust and the feeling of control. The main objective of this exploratory qualitative intervention research is to examine the impact of training when working with interpreters and their inclusion in follow-ups. This impact is evaluated in the changes in feelings of control and trust for the practitioners who received the training, for the trained interpreters included in follow-ups and for the patients of these follow-ups. Semistructured interviews were conducted with individuals involved in five follow-ups at four public mental health clinics in Paris, France. The project had two phases: before (N = 18) and a few months after (N = 12) the training. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Before the training, practitioners perceived the potential for collaboration with interpreters and the complexity of triadic consultations. Interpreters expressed irritation and disappointment at the lack of recognition, and patients seemed confident because they had already built a relationship with practitioners. After the training and inclusion of interpreters, trust is better established between interpreters and practitioners, which has substantial effects. All the protagonists state that trust positively impacts the relationship with patients and the therapeutic process. Although some practitioners still doubt the sessions' control, the intervention helps them to gain knowledge and critically examines their clinical modus operandi. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Childhood Mental Health and Substance Use on Methylation Aging Into Adulthood

To test whether childhood mental health symptoms, substance use, and early adversity accelerate the rate of DNA methylation (DNAm) aging from adolescence to adulthood. DNAm was assayed from blood samples in 381 participants in both adolescence (mean [SD] age= 13.9 [1.6] years) and adulthood (mean [SD] age= 25.9 [2.7] years). Structured diagnostic interviews were completed with participants and their parents at multiple childhood observations (1,950 total) to assess symptoms of common mental health disorders (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety, and depression) and common types of substance use (alcohol, cannabis, nicotine) and early adversities. Neither childhood mental health symptoms nor substance use variables were associated with DNAm aging cross-sectionally. In contrast, the following mental health symptoms and substance variables were associated with accelerated DNAm aging from adolescence to adulthood: depressive symptoms (b= 0.314, SE= 0.127, p= .014), internalizing symptoms (b= 0.108, SE= 0.049, p= .029), weekly cannabis use (b=1.665, SE= 0.591, p= .005), and years of weekly cannabis use (b= 0.718, SE= 0.283, p= .012). In models testing all individual variables simultaneously, the combined effect of the variables was equivalent to a potential difference of 3.17 to 3.76 years in DNAm aging. A final model tested a variable assessing cumulative exposure to mental health symptoms, substance use, and early adversities. This cumulative variable was strongly associated with accelerated aging (b= 0.126, SE= 0.044, p= .005). Mental health symptoms and substance use accelerated DNAm aging into adulthood in a manner consistent with a shared risk mechanism. Using data from 381 participants in the Great Smoky Mountains Study, the authors examined whether childhood mental health symptoms, substance use, and early adversity accelerate biological aging, as measured by DNA methylation age, from adolescence to adulthood. Depressive symptoms and cannabis use were found to significantly accelerate biological aging. Models that tested the combined effect of mental health symptoms, substance use, and early adversity demonstrated that there was a shared effect across these types of childhood problems on accelerated aging.

Specific topics, specific symptoms: linking the content of recurrent involuntary memories to mental health using computational text analysis

Researchers debate whether recurrent involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs; memories of one’s personal past retrieved unintentionally and repetitively) are pathological or ordinary. While some argue that these memories contribute to clinical disorders, recurrent IAMs are also common in everyday life. Here, we examined how the content of recurrent IAMs might distinguish between those that are maladaptive (related to worse mental health) versus benign (unrelated to mental health). Over two years, 6187 undergraduates completed online surveys about recurrent IAMs; those who experienced recurrent IAMs within the past year were asked to describe their memories, resulting in 3624 text descriptions. Using a previously validated computational approach (structural topic modeling), we identified coherent topics (e.g., “Conversations”, “Experiences with family members”) in recurrent IAMs. Specific topics (e.g., “Negative past relationships”, “Abuse and trauma”) were uniquely related to symptoms of mental health disorders (e.g., depression, PTSD), above and beyond the self-reported valence of these memories. Importantly, we also found that content in recurrent IAMs was distinct across symptom types (e.g., “Communication and miscommunication” was related to social anxiety, but not symptoms of other disorders), suggesting that while negative recurrent IAMs are transdiagnostic, their content remains unique across different types of mental health concerns. Our work shows that topics in recurrent IAMs—and their links to mental health—are identifiable, distinguishable, and quantifiable.

Qualitative Study of Perinatal Mental Health Services: Experiences and Perspectives of Health Workers and Patients

The perinatal period is a transitional period that is vulnerable to changes in women's relationships with partners, family, friends, and wider social networks. This study aims to determine how perinatal mental health services are based on the experiences of health workers and patients. This research is qualitative research with a case study design. The informants in this study were 6 informants, namely 2 health workers and 4 patients with a history of perinatal mental health disorders. The instruments used in this study were structured interview guidelines, interviews were conducted in health facilities and patients' homes. Thematic data analysis using the Collaizi protocol. Qualitative data from this study raised six themes, namely "symptoms of perinatal mental health disorders", "causes of perinatal mental health disorders", "management of mental health disorders", "prevention of perinatal mental health disorders", "barriers to perinatal mental health services", and "support". Pregnant, maternity and postpartum women are vulnerable to mental health problems, especially if a woman is faced with family neglect and lack of husband's support during pregnancy. It is important for health workers, especially midwives, to examine women's problems more comprehensively during antenatal care.

P095 Factors associated with sleep and mental health problems following athletic retirement

Abstract Introduction Despite growing research on the sleep and mental health of athletes, there is limited literature on their sleep health following retirement from sport. The aim of this study was to investigate potential factors associated with symptoms of sleep and mental health disorders in former athletes. Methods Former athletes (N=173, 50% women) who retired from any sport or competition level ≤20 years ago completed an online survey, consisting of the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWI-A), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R), and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7). Results Self-disclosed lifetime diagnosis of sleep disorder(s) and mental health disorder(s) was reported by 28.3% and 45.1% of former athletes, respectively. Binary logistic regressions showed that age (OR=0.95[95% CI:0.92, 0.99], p=.007) and gender (OR=2.28[95% CI:1.09, 4.79], p=.029) were associated with anxiety symptoms, with women and younger ex-athletes presenting greater risk. Increased BMI was associated with risk for sleep disordered breathing (OR=1.20[95% CI:1.10, 1.30], p<.001), sleep difficulty (OR=1.13[95% CI:1.03, 1.23], p=.008), and poor wellbeing (OR=0.91[95% CI:0.85, 0.98], p=.010). Those who placed a lower priority on sport whilst competing had greater risk for sleep disordered breathing (OR=2.00[95% CI:1.05, 3.80], p=.035). Recency of retirement was not associated with any measures. Discussion Findings indicate that former athletes are not exempt from poor sleep and mental ill-health. Results provide preliminary insight into predictive factors for difficulty transitioning out of sport. Future longitudinal research should consider the interplay between sport reintegration and the timing of sleep and mental health problems.

Mind Note - Application for Mental Health Support.

This paper presents a mobile application supporting mental health combining techniques to detect different mental health disorder symptoms. It provides different interactions, using affirmations, emotions, based on unloading techniques such as writing, drawing, and monitoring associated emotions, providing modalities to save and track progress.

Daily survey participation and positive changes in mental health symptom scores among Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers self-report high levels of mental health disorder symptoms, such as alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Participation in regular mental health monitoring has been associated with improved mental health disorder symptom reporting and may provide an accessible tool to support RCMP mental health. The current study assessed relationships between self-reported mental health disorder symptoms and the completion of daily surveys (i.e., daily mental health disorder symptom monitoring) by RCMP cadets during the Cadet Training Program (CTP). Participants were RCMP cadets (n = 394; 76.1% men) in the Standard Training Program who completed the 26-week CTP and daily self-monitoring surveys, as well as full mental health assessments at pre-training (i.e., starting the CTP) and pre-deployment (i.e., ~2 weeks prior to deployment to the field). Symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder were assessed. Changes in mental health disorder symptom reporting from pre-training to pre-deployment were calculated. Spearman's rank correlations were estimated for number of daily surveys completed and change in mental health disorder symptom scores between pre-training and pre-deployment. There were statistically significant inverse relationships between number of daily surveys completed and number of mental health disorder symptoms reported; specifically, cadets who completed more daily surveys during CTP reported fewer symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. An inverse correlation between number of daily surveys completed and mental health disorder symptom scores indicated that participation in daily mental health monitoring was associated with improvements in self-reported mental health disorder symptoms between pre-training and pre-deployment. Regular self-monitoring of mental health disorder symptoms may help to mitigate mental health challenges among RCMP cadets and officers.

Knowledge and Attitude About COVID-19 Affected The Mental Health of Nurses

Nurses are at the fore frontof taking care, prevention, and providing support and education almost at the same time without considering their psychological state in treating patients with Covid-19 for 24 hours. Most health workers have experienced and will experience some physical and psychological difficulties that are beyond their capacity. The importance of the knowledge and attitudes of nurses to provide professional nursing services during a pandemic has an impact on the ability of nurses to control the symptoms of mental health disorders. This study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes about Covid-19 and mental health of nurses. This research had a correlational design with a cross-sectional study approach. The study population was 109 nurses and 53 of them were taken by proportional random sampling technique. The correlation test was made using a Spearman rank test. This study suggested a moderate relationship between knowledge about Covid-19 and mental health of workers (p-value) =0.001<=0.05, correlation coefficient=0.443 anda weak relationship between attitudes about Covid -19 and mental health (p-value) = 0.018 < = 0.05 correlation coefficient value=0.294). There is a relationship between knowledge and attitudes about Covid-19 with the mental health of nurses. It is suggested, particularly to the local Hospital of South east Sulawesi, tomake a policy to improve the mental health status of nurses.

Dementia, Mental Health Disorder, or Intellectual Disability: How Do We Tell?

The identification of mental health disorders and dementia in individuals with intellectual and developmental disability is complex. This is due to possible overlapping clinical presentations and the difficulty in separating the symptoms of mental health disorders and dementia from the characteristics of intellectual and developmental disability. Furthermore, the intrinsic limitations in communication and challenges faced in elucidating accurate information in the presence of these conditions lend additional difficulty. However, differentiating between these conditions is essential for establishing accurate diagnoses and instituting appropriate treatment. Moreover, even if the patient presents with a completely unrelated complaint, being aware of the base diagnosis is vital. This is especially important so that appropriate intervention plans and community resources can be activated to support the individuals and their families. Having said that, the limited time and resources that primary care doctors have access to in their clinical practice may pose questions regarding how possible it is for them to make such a differentiation. This article aims to suggest a practical approach to differentiating between these conditions in the primary care setting.

How Mental Health Affects Injury Risk and Outcomes in Athletes.

The importance of mental health among athletes is becoming more recognized and valued. Athletes experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and related mental health disorders at rates similar to those of the general population, but because athletes face unique cultural and environmental pressures, such disorders are exacerbated in the context of an injury. Furthermore, we review the less well-known evidence that mental health disorders in athletes are associated with an increased risk of injury. We discuss the increasing awareness of the deficiencies in mental health support for athletes, which has been especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in prominent professional and Olympic athletes, and describe both internal and external barriers to appropriate care. We searched PubMed for pertinent peer-reviewed studies. Clinical review. Level 5. There is a known psychological response to injury that can prolong recovery from musculoskeletal injury; conversely, mental health disorders in athletes are not only associated with an increased injury risk but also portend poorer outcomes subsequently, including prolonged recovery times, increased rates of injury recurrence, decreased rates of return to sport, and reduced performance upon return. Because of inherent barriers to appropriate care of athletes, including identification, stigma, and resource availability, there are currently various ongoing efforts nationally to create and implement initiatives regarding athlete mental health screening, support systems, and directed interventions to address the inextricably linked physical and mental health of athletes. Athletic injury negatively impacts the mental health of athletes. Likewise, mental health can and does influence athletic performance and is also intimately tied to the risk of athletic injury, thus creating a complex cycle with inability to separate physical and mental health.

A core component of psychological therapy causes adaptive changes in computational learning mechanisms.

Cognitive distancing is an emotion regulation strategy commonly used in psychological treatment of various mental health disorders, but its therapeutic mechanisms are unknown. 935 participants completed an online reinforcement learning task involving choices between pairs of symbols with differing reward contingencies. Half (49.1%) of the sample was randomised to a cognitive self-distancing intervention and were trained to regulate or 'take a step back' from their emotional response to feedback throughout. Established computational (Q-learning) models were then fit to individuals' choices to derive reinforcement learning parameters capturing clarity of choice values (inverse temperature) and their sensitivity to positive and negative feedback (learning rates). Cognitive distancing improved task performance, including when participants were later tested on novel combinations of symbols without feedback. Group differences in computational model-derived parameters revealed that cognitive distancing resulted in clearer representations of option values (estimated 0.17 higher inverse temperatures). Simultaneously, distancing caused increased sensitivity to negative feedback (estimated 19% higher loss learning rates). Exploratory analyses suggested this resulted from an evolving shift in strategy by distanced participants: initially, choices were more determined by expected value differences between symbols, but as the task progressed, they became more sensitive to negative feedback, with evidence for a difference strongest by the end of training. Adaptive effects on the computations that underlie learning from reward and loss may explain the therapeutic benefits of cognitive distancing. Over time and with practice, cognitive distancing may improve symptoms of mental health disorders by promoting more effective engagement with negative information.

Implementasi Metode Manajemen Stress Sebagai Sarana Edukasi Kesehatan Mental Wanita di Dharma Wanita Badan Pemeriksaan Keuangan Perwakilan Provinsi Maluku

Mental health is not something that is not considered important nowadays, especially mental health in women, in fact, it is found that 47 percent of women are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health disorders than men. The high number of stresses in women can be triggered by various factors, such as family and the surrounding environment. For this reason, women, especially those who are married and working, are expected to care more about their mental health and be able to manage stress by recognizing symptoms of mental health disorders, their triggers, and how to manage stress. In this community service, community service will be carried out in the form of increasing understanding of mental health in women and stress management. This activity was carried out using the method of delivering material or workshops and continued with the practice of mindfulness (meditation) accompanied by counselors who were attended by 30 members of the Dharma Wanita Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia (BPK) Representatives of Maluku Province. Participants feel more educated with the material that has been delivered as well as mindfulness practices that can be applied every day.

We Grow Together / Crecemos Juntos: A Children’s Book about Mental Health

The rate of children diagnosed with mental health conditions has been rising, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns (AAP). These conditions include depression, anxiety, and stress, which can be difficult to notice in children. Accessible mental health resources can help parents, teachers, friends, and even affected children themselves to recognize the symptoms of mental health disorders. Resources for marginalized communities are especially important; diverse and representative media can be hard to come by. We Grow Together is a picture book for second through fifth graders with short stories that describe symptoms and coping mechanisms for anxiety, depression, and stress. It is important to note that children with these conditions can have a wide range of symptoms, but for simplicity the characters in these stories display only a few of the most common signs. The coping mechanisms included in the stories are supported by scientific literature and recommended by mental health professionals (CDC). In the story about anxiety, the character experiences an anxiety attack but is able to gradually relax through deep breathing exercises and listening to music. The character with depression has feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and exhaustion, but with his friend’s encouragement seeks help from a teacher. School-induced stress causes a third character to feel jittery and unable to relax, so her friend suggests that she take a break to unwind. The stories involve diverse characters and familiar school settings to help children connect to the characters. The book is also a helpful resource for English language learners as it contains a side-by-side Spanish translation of the text. A list of mental health organizations and resources in Iowa is also provided at the end of the book. We Grow Together is currently used by guidance counselors at Kirkwood Elementary School in Iowa City.

Prophylactic relationship between mental health disorder symptoms and physical activity of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets during the cadet training program.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police report experiencing extremely frequent potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE). In a recent study, approximately half of participating RCMP screened positive for one or more mental disorders, which is approximately five times the diagnostic proportion for the general Canadian population. Increased reporting of mental health symptoms been linked to PPTE exposures. Programs promoting physical activity may be useful interventions to supplement or pair with mental health interventions, providing anxiolytic, antidepressant, and stress-buffering effects. The current study was designed to assess the relationship between physical activity behaviors and reported mental health disorder symptoms of cadets during the Royal Mounted Canadian Police (RCMP) Cadet Training Program (CTP). The current study also examined the relationship between exercise and mental health disorder symptoms of cadets during the CTP. The study included data from 394 cadets (76.1% male). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a series of t-tests were used to assess several differences across sociodemographic groups. Bivariate Spearman's Rank correlations were performed between the average number of active calories burned per day, as recorded by Apple Watches, and changes in self-reported mental health disorder symptoms (i.e., Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD], Major Depressive Disorder [MDD], Posttraumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD], Social Anxiety Disorder [SAD]. Alcohol Use Disorders [AUD], Panic Disorder [PD]) from pre-training (starting the CTP) to pre-deployment (completing the CTP) 26 weeks later. There were statistically significant correlations between physical activity and self-reported mental health disorder symptom scores during CTP. Cadets who performed more physical activity from pre-training to pre-deployment had statistically significantly greater decreases in symptoms of GAD (ρ = -0.472, p < 0.001), MDD (ρ = -0.307, p < 0.001), PTSD (ρ = -0.343, p < 0.001), and AUD (ρ = -0.085, p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between physical activity and changes in PD symptoms (ρ = -0.037, p > 0.05). There were also no statistically significant relationships between pre-CTP mental health disorder symptom scores and the volume of physical activity performed during CTP. There was evidence of a significant relationship between reductions in mental health disorder symptom scores and physical activity during the 26-week CTP. The results highlight the role that exercise can play as an important tool for reducing mental health disorder symptoms, considering there was no relationship between pre-CTP baseline mental health scores and physical activity performed during CTP. Further research is needed to understand differences in physical activity behaviours among cadets and serving RCMP.

Impact Of Meditation On Mental Health And Well-Being

With a growing interest in meditation as a means of enhancing overall well-being, it is essential to understand the effects of meditation on mental health outcomes. The review reveals consistent findings indicating that meditation practices have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. Cross-sectional studies demonstrate that individuals who engage in regular meditation exhibit lower levels of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Controlled studies, including randomized controlled trials, provide stronger evidence, showing that meditation interventions effectively reduce symptoms of mental health disorders and improve psychological well-being. Intervention studies further highlight the benefits of meditation practices in improving attention, cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and overall subjective well-being. The findings suggest that meditation practices can be valuable tools for promoting mental health and well-being. It highlights the potential of meditation as an effective approach for reducing symptoms of mental health disorders, enhancing psychological well-being, and improving overall quality of life. However, there are areas in need of further research, such as understanding the underlying mechanisms of action, determining optimal dosage and duration of meditation practice, and exploring the long-term effects of meditation.

Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors.

Pilots are a unique occupational group who perform a specialised job and face significant stressors. Pilot mental health has received increased attention since Germanwings Flight 9525; however, this research has largely focused on general anxiety, depression, and suicide and relied on a questionnaire-based methodology. This approach is likely to miss various mental health issues that may affect pilot wellbeing, leaving the prevalence of mental health issues in aviation unclear. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a particular impact on the mental health and wellbeing of pilots, who experienced the devastating effect of COVID-19 on the industry. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of 73 commercial pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the DIAMOND semi-structured diagnostic interview and explored possible associated vulnerability and protective factors, including life event stressors, personality, passion, lifestyle factors, and coping strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on aviation during the time of this study, affecting 95% of participants. The diagnostic results revealed over one third of pilots had symptoms of a diagnoseable mental health disorder. Anxiety disorders were the most commonly found disorders, followed by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Adjustment Disorder, and Depressive Disorders. Pilots' high life event scores placed them at an increased risk for the development of stress-related illness, though did not explain which pilots had mental health difficulties in this study. Regression analysis supported a diathesis-stress model for pilot mental health, with disagreeableness and obsessive passion contributing to pilots' development of mental health issues, and nutrition as the most important protective factor. This study, though limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, provides a valuable precedent for a more thorough assessment of pilot mental health, and contributes to the broader understanding of pilot mental health, including suggestions to target factors associated with the development of mental health issues.