Thoughts Research Articles

Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of endometriosis: A systematic review

Background: Endometriosis affects approximately 4%–10% of women of reproductive age. The most common symptom is dysmenorrhea, which can impact patients’ physical, mental, and social lives. Early diagnosis is imperative, despite the fact that it is indeed challenging that diagnostic delay occurs frequently. Both physician and patient factors contribute to the diagnostic delay of endometriosis. Methods: We conducted a literature search published from March 2015 to March 2023 in PubMed, Cochrane, PMC, CINAHL, and SCOPUS databases reporting about factors associated with delayed diagnosis of endometriosis. Results: Six studies were included in the analysis. Patient aspects, including age at first symptom ( p < 0.001) and first consultation ( p < 0.001), were associated with delayed diagnosis of endometriosis. Physician aspects, which include the number of doctors’ visits to get a diagnosis ( p < 0.001), time to referral to a gynecologist ( p = 0.028), and false diagnosis by a general practitioner ( p = 0.021), are also associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. From patient’s perspectives, their symptoms are often normalized by general practitioners, and general practitioners lack knowledge regarding endometriosis. From a health professional’s perspective, time-consuming consultation correlates with delayed diagnosis. Conclusion: Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of endometriosis were patient—and physician-related, including age at first symptom and first consultation, normalization of symptoms, and lack of knowledge among general practitioners. Increasing awareness and knowledge about endometriosis will likely reduce the diagnostic delay.

From Traditional to Digital: Evaluating the Role of Spirituality in Mental Health and Therapy

The increasing number of mental health issues has obliged us to find new methods that are not only innovative but also so easy that they can be used by almost everybody. The given paper examines the progress and effect of the mental health and life- assisting chat-bot. The main idea of the chat-bot incorporates elements from the Bhagavad Gita, the ancient spiritual manual. Information was collected to measure the public's view of introducing spirituality into the traditional treatment, the results reveal that the majority back such a venture. A study (n=51) was conducted, and respondents were asked questions about their age, religion, opinion on spirituality and mental health, and choice for which method online therapy or traditional therapy. It was found that out of all the respondents, (80.4% aged 16-25) there was a large majority (88.2%) that mentioned the spiritual aspect of mental well- being. There were a lot (most responses were YES) of them have been into spiritual exercises when they faced the difficulties, they still believe that it still could be personalized intervention to use. Even as traditional therapy is the main option (70.6%), a significant number of respondents (29.4%) still feel comfortable with online help. Those research counterparts that focus on the role of technology in mental health improvements which tend to look to the public for a response, are the ones that discuss the chance for the Bhagavad-Gita chatbot as a supplementary tool. The proposed chatbot will make use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in understanding a user query and generating an answer through reference to Bhagavad Gita. Key Words: Bhagavad Gita, Mental health, Chatbot, Spiritual therapy, Technology-assisted therapy

Examining the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With a Virtual Agent on User Motivation and Improvement in Psychological Distress and Anxiety: Two-Session Experimental Study.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a valuable treatment for mood disorders and anxiety. CBT methods, such as cognitive restructuring, are employed to change automatic negative thoughts to more realistic ones. This study extends on previous research conducted by the authors, focused on the process of correcting automatic negative thoughts to realistic ones and reducing distress and anxiety via CBT with a virtual agent. It was aimed to investigate whether the previously applied virtual agent would achieve changes in automatic negative thoughts when modifications to the previous experimental paradigm are applied and when user motivation is taken into consideration. Furthermore, thepotential effects of existing participant knowledge concerning CBT or automatic thoughts were explored. A single-group, 2-session experiment was conducted using a within-group design. The study recruited 35 participants from May 15, 2023, to June 2, 2023, via Inter Group Corporation, with data collection following from June 5 to June 20, 2023, at Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan. There were 19 male and 16 female participants (age range: 18-50 years; mean 33.66, SD 10.77 years). Participants answered multiple questionnaires covering depressive symptomatology and other cognitive variables before and after a CBT session. CBT was carried out using a virtual agent, who participants conversed with using a CBT dialogue scenario on the topic of automatic negative thoughts. Session 2 of the experiment took place 1 week after session 1. Changes in distress and state anxiety were analyzed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and t-test for paired samples. The relationships of motivation with cognitive changes and distress or anxiety changes were investigated via correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the potential predictive qualities of previous knowledge of CBT and automatic negative thoughts regarding outcome measures. Significant reductions in distress (all P<.001) and state anxiety (all P<.003) emerged throughout the first and second experimental sessions. The CBT intervention increased participants' recognition of their negative thinking and their intention to change it, namely their motivation to change it. However, no clear correlations of motivation with changes in distress or anxiety were found (all P>.04). Participants reported moderate subjective changes in their cognition, which were in part positively correlated with their motivation (all P<.007). Lastly, existing knowledge of CBT did not predict reductions in distress during the first session of the experiment (P=.02). CBT using a virtual agent and a CBT dialogue scenario was successful in reducing distress and anxiety when talking about automatic negative thoughts. The promotion of client motivation needs to be critically considered when designing interventions using CBT with a virtual agent, and further experimental investigations on the causal influences between motivation and outcome measures need to be conducted.

Tuning into musicians’ wellbeing: Research on music performance anxiety (MPA)

Tuning into musicians' wellbeing: Research on music performance anxiety (MPA) The Music and Mental Health Research Clinic (MMHRC) at the University of Ottawa's Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) at The Royal is investigating how to reduce music performance anxiety (MPA) and the benefits of specific coping strategies for musicians. The audience cheers, and smiles are on every face. The music performance was incredible; it emotionally moved the audience, got their toes tapping, and made them forget their worries. On the other hand, the musicians are thinking about the note they missed or their tempo not being quite perfect. The audience does not see the musicians worrying before the performance, the state of anxiety during the performance, or the negative rumination that will occur afterwards. Biologically wired with an innate tendency to default to negative assumptions to avoid dangerous situations, our bodies react to stressors as if our lives are at stake (Baumeister, 2001; Rozin &amp; Royzman, 2001; Ito &amp; Cacioppo, 2005). This negativity bias is a key reason why changing our habits, behaviours, and thought patterns is so challenging. It often results in automatic negative thoughts, such as underestimating available opportunities and resources, and increased sensitivity to perceived threats.

The Use of Social Media and Effect on the Mental Health of Students

Today Mostly students using social networking sites for interaction with one another have significantly increased. Due to this their daily routine of life has been changed. The use and gratification hypothesis looks at how social media use affects university students' sleep patterns as well as how it increases their anxiety and unhappiness. Social media users make and share content for a brief period of time, adding content that enables them to project the perfect image that has a significant impact on their mental health and life satisfaction.

The Use of Social Media and Effect on the Mental Health of Students

Today Mostly students using social networking sites for interaction with one another have significantly increased. Due to this their daily routine of life has been changed. The use and gratification hypothesis looks at how social media use affects university students' sleep patterns as well as how it increases their anxiety and unhappiness. Social media users make and share content for a brief period of time, adding content that enables them to project the perfect image that has a significant impact on their mental health and life satisfaction.

Longitudinal panel networks of risk and protective factors for early adolescent suicidality in the ABCD sample.

Rates of youth suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) are rising, and younger age at onset increases vulnerability to negative outcomes. However, few studies have investigated STBs in early adolescence (ages 10-13), and accurate prediction of youth STBs remains poor. Network analyses that can examine pairwise associations between many theoretically relevant variables may identify complex pathways of risk for early adolescent STBs. The present study applied longitudinal network analysis to examine interrelations between STBs and several previously identified risk and protective factors. Data came from 9,854 youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study cohort (Mage = 9.90 ± .62 years, 63% white, 53% female at baseline). Youth and their caregivers completed an annual measurement battery between ages 9-10 through 11-12 years. Panel Graphical Vector Autoregressive models evaluated associations between STBs and several mental health symptoms, socioenvironmental factors, life stressors, and substance use. In the contemporaneous and between-subjects networks, direct associations were observed between STBs and internalizing symptoms, substance use, family conflict, lower parental monitoring, and lower school protective factors. Potential indirect pathways of risk for STBs were also observed. Age-specific interventions may benefit from prioritizing internalizing symptoms and early substance use, as well as promoting positive school and family support.

The impact of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy on mental health outcomes and life in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy(ICBT) improves the impact of breast cancer through online platforms, modular learning, goal setting, relaxation exercises, and other techniques. Compared to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), ICBT offers advantages such as the convenience of flexible time and location choices and reduced manpower requirements. In recent years, research exploring the impact of ICBT on breast cancer patients has been increasing, with conflicting results across different studies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the impact of ICBT on the psychological health and quality of life of breast cancer patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched ten databases in both English and Chinese, with the search period extending from the inception of the databases to December 30, 2023. Literature screening, bias risk assessment, data extraction, and evidence level evaluation were independently conducted by two researchers. All the data were analyzed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0 software. A total of 2079 breast cancer patients were included in this study, of which 1171 patients received ICBT treatment. The results show that ICBT can reduce anxiety [SMD=-0.19, 95%CI (-0.37, -0.01), P=0.0008] and depression [SMD=-0.20, 95%CI (-0.37, -0.02), P=0.001], alleviate fatigue [SMD=-0.34, 95%CI (-0.67, -0.01), P=0.04], and improve quality of life [SMD=0.20, 95% CI (0.03, 0.38), P=0.02] in breast cancer patients. However, the intervention effects of ICBT on insomnia [SMD=-0.44, 95%CI (-0.93, 0.06), P=0.08] and sleep quality [SMD=-0.14, 95%CI (-0.30, 0.01), P=0.06] in breast cancer patients are not significant. The subgroup analysis showed that when the intervention period is longer than 8 weeks, the number of intervention modules exceeds 6, and a waitlist control group is included, there is a significant effect on reducing patients' anxiety and depression. However, the method of guidance and whether the intervention period exceeds 12 weeks are not related. ICBT can alleviate anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients, with the intervention effects being independent of the guidance method. Significant results were obtained when the intervention period was >8 weeks and the number of modules was >6. ICBT can reduce fatigue and improve quality of life in breast cancer patients, but its impact on sleep quality was not significant. More high-quality research is needed in the future. PROSPERO, identifier CRD42024494744.

Behavioral observation and assessment protocol for language and social-emotional development study in children aged 0–6: the Chinese baby connectome project

BackgroundThe global rise in developmental delays underscores the critical need for a thorough understanding and timely interventions during early childhood. Addressing this issue, the Chinese Baby Connectome Project (CBCP)’s behavior branch is dedicated to examining language acquisition, social-emotional development, and environmental factors affecting Chinese children. The research framework is built around three primary objectives: developing a 0–6 Child Development Assessment Toolkit, implementing an Intelligent Coding System, and investigating environmental influence.MethodsUtilizing an accelerated longitudinal design, the CBCP aims to enlist a minimum of 1000 typically developing Chinese children aged 0–6. The data collected in this branch constitutes parental questionnaires, behavioral assessments, and observational experiments to capture their developmental milestones and environmental influences holistically. The parental questionnaires will gauge children’s developmental levels in language and social-emotional domains, alongside parental mental well-being, life events, parenting stress, parenting styles, and family relationships. Behavioral assessments will involve neurofunctional developmental evaluations using tools such as the Griffiths Development Scales and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Additionally, the assessments will encompass measuring children’s executive functions (e.g., Head-Toe-Knee-Shoulder), social cognitive abilities (e.g., theory of mind), and language development (e.g., Early Chinese Vocabulary Test). A series of behavior observation. experiments will be conducted targeting children of different age groups, focusing primarily on aspects such as behavioral inhibition, compliance, self-control, and social-emotional regulation. To achieve the objectives, established international questionnaires will be adapted to suit local contexts and devise customized metrics for evaluating children’s language and social-emotional development; deep learning algorithms will be developed in the observational experiments to enable automated behavioral analysis; and statistical models will be built to factor in various environmental variables to comprehensively outline developmental trajectories and relationships.DiscussionThis study’s integration of diverse assessments and AI technology will offer a detailed analysis of early childhood development in China, particularly in the realms of language acquisition and social-emotional skills. The development of a comprehensive assessment toolkit and coding system will enhance our ability to understand and support the development of Chinese children, contributing significantly to the field of early childhood development research.Trial registrationThis study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov NCT05040542 on September 10, 2021.

A Study on How Social Media FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) Impacts the Gen Z Audience

Generation Z, or Gen Z, refers to people born between 1995 and 2010, often known as "zoomers," the first generation to fully embrace the internet. This paper focuses on the impact of socialmedia-induced Fear ofMissing Out (FOMO) on Generation Z, blending with the characteristics of digital nativity and extensive engagement with social media platforms. Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, was uniquely introduced in 2004 with the rise of social networking sites. It centers on anxiety and how, for Gen Z, this plays a pivotal role in making one feel absent from rewarding experiences. This study delves into the effects on mental health, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. It explores social media analytics regarding usage, compulsive checking, behavioural consequences, following trends, and real-life social interactions. The findings highlight the need for strategies to mitigate FOMO's adverse effects, promoting healthier social media habits and fostering a more balanced approach to digital consumption.

Exploring the Impact of Social Engagement on the Mental Health of Elderly Individuals in India

This study explores how social interaction plays a critical role in determining the mental health outcomes of older adults in India. Given the rapidly ageing population and changing societal dynamics, it is critical to understand how social relationships affect older persons’ well-being. This study intends to explain the complex relationship between older Indians’ mental health and social involvement through an exploratory approach. Data was gathered from a varied sample of senior citizens in various parts of Delhi the National Capital of India using a mixed-methods technique. The frequency and caliber of social encounters, feelings of loneliness, and mental health markers including anxiety and sadness were all assessed using quantitative questionnaires. By offering actual data on the importance of social engagement for senior people’s mental health outcomes in the Indian setting, this study adds to the expanding body of research on geriatrics. The results highlight the need for focused interventions and policies that support social inclusion, intergenerational relationships, and the particular difficulties faced by ageing populations in quickly evolving cultures such as India. Also, we have documented that by and large female elderly enjoy a healthy mental life as compared to males.

Effect of Mental Health on Level of Injury and Life Satisfaction among Young Elite Athletes-A Barrier or Augment: An Observational Study

Introduction: Sports injuries can have long-term psychological and physical ramifications. For instance, concussions can affect a person's quality of life by causing a variety of cognitive problems and emotional swings. Joint injuries can also make athletes more susceptible to musculoskeletal issues in the future, which could limit their capacity to exercise and lower their level of enjoyment and general well-being. Gaining a thorough grasp of the mental health and psychological well-being unique to top athletes may help to improve models of treatment and management for this group, which might ultimately lead to improved performance, lower risk of injuries and improve quality of life. Sport professionals, such as coaches, medical personnel, and sport psychologists, need to have this understanding in order to help elite athletes improve their mental wellness by helping them build coping mechanisms. Methods: The study was performed in NIMS University, in 2024. The survey contained information about the purpose and objectives of the study, informed consent, sociodemographic questions, questions related to mental health, life satisfaction and level of injury questionnaires concerning various aspects of well-being (stress level, depression, anxiety, satisfaction, and physical health, level of physical, mental and social functioning). Result: In this study, a total of 258 participants were included in the analysis. The average age of the participants was 19.5 years, with 52.7% of the sample being women and 47.3% men. Conclusion: A distinct set of pressures that elite athletes face might make them more susceptible to mental illness. Important elements include coping with continuous performance pressure from competition, the psychological effects of injuries, life satisfaction, overtraining, and burnout, and intensive public and media scrutiny.

Sosyal Kaygı Bozukluğunda Bilişsel Davranışçı Terapi Olgu Sunumu

In this study, the client's symptoms were characterized as social anxiety disorder based on dsm5 diagnostic criteria. The client is a 24-year-old female university student. The client stated that she had fears of failing, being stupid and being disgraced and mentioned physical symptoms such as hand and voice tremors, nausea and heart palpitations due to these fears. The client, who has beliefs such as inadequate, worthless and I must be successful, shows excessive anxiety and avoidance behaviors in situations such as eating in front of people, speaking in public, making presentations and mixing with people. The client realized that his academic success was jeopardized and his functionality was decreasing and applied for therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy was used with the client. First, the client was psychoeducated about the therapy and its progress and a therapeutic relationship was developed. In the first stage of the treatment, cognitive processes were emphasized, automatic negative thoughts and core beliefs were identified and questioned, and cognitive restructuring was performed. Then behavioral techniques were practiced. Key words: Social anxiety disorder, anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy.

The Impact of Life Skills Training (LST) on Emotional Intelligence of High School Students

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has a major role in one’s mental health and Life Skills Training (LST) (LST) could be viewed as a bridge relating Emotional Intelligence and mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Life Skills Training (LST) on the Emotional Intelligence and Life skills of adolescent students. Using a pretest posttest control group design this hypothesis was analyzed.

Sparks of Light, Sparks of Life

This article examines the critical issue of Indigenous mental health in Canada, focusing on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. It underscores the urgency in addressing Indigenous mental wellness challenges, particularly the high rates of suicide, amid their rapid population growth. The study centers on the role of frontline responders in managing mental health and suicidal distress in these communities, and their work to promote life and mental wellness. Through a synthesis of psychological, critical, and Indigenous perspectives, the article reviews Canadian literature on Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention. The article then highlights reflexive insights derived from a knowledge-sharing event with 33 Indigenous mental health professionals, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities in this field and the importance of life-affirming dialogues in suicide prevention. The article aims to integrate these insights into broader discussions on Indigenous mental wellness, health, and life promotion systems, proposing enhanced wellness and suicide prevention strategies and frameworks tailored to the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities.

A latent profile analysis on adolescents' Non-Suicidal Self-Injury related to intrapersonal and interpersonal factors

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents continues to be a significant public health concern worldwide. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that the global prevalence of NSSI in adolescents aged 12–18 years was 17.2%, with higher rates reported among females (19.7%) than males (14.8%). This behavior has been linked to several negative outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to classify adolescents based on intrapersonal and interpersonal factors associated with NSSI proposed in Nock’s (2009) integrated model of NSSI, to identify distinct clusters targeting specific risk factors. This encompassed negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skill, peer-victimization, family adaptability, and perceived stress. A total of 881 adolescents aged 11–16 years in South Korea completed self-reported questionnaires on automatic thoughts, depression, emotional regulation, peer victimization, family adaptability and perceived stress. Latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed three distinct classes: “the severe group”, “the moderate group”, “the mild group”. Class 3 (“severe group”: N = 127) exhibited greater severity related to NSSI, including negative cognition, emotional vulnerability, poor coping skills, peer victimization, and perceived stress, with weaker levels of factors that can prevent NSSI compared to class 1 (“mild group”: N = 416) and class 2 (“moderated group”: N = 338). The present study emphasizes the importance of considering both intrapersonal (e.g., negative automatic thoughts & emotional dysregulation) and interpersonal factors (i.e., peer victimization) when understanding NSSI - among adolescents. These findings can be utilized to develop interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence and severity of NSSI among adolescents.

Classification of suicidal ideation severity from Twitter messages using machine learning

Depression has become a major mental health problem in Thailand and can lead to suicidal ideation. As suicidal ideation may vary in intensity and lead to suicide attempts, early detection of suicidal ideation severity should be implemented. This research presents text classification models for the prediction of suicidal ideation severity. A dataset of Twitter messages in Thai was used to develop several classification models. A web application prototype was also developed to predict suicidal ideation severity and introduce self-therapy based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to its users for managing negative automatic thoughts. The application prototype received satisfactory feedback during the user experience assessment. The results of this research highlight the importance and need for socio-technical systems to help with early suicidal ideation detection and early therapy in the social environment where mental health support is inadequate.

Clinician actions in response to Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening

Background and ObjectiveAdverse Childhood Experiences(ACEs) have a powerful influence on mental health, physical health, and life expectancy. Screening for ACEs and the clinician response to ACEs are critical to addressing the health and well-being of children; however, little is known about the actions clinicians take in response to ACE screening. Therefore, we aimed to examine clinician responses to ACE screening at five California pediatric clinics in a large public health care system. MethodsPatient demographics, indicators of social and behavioral determinants of health (e.g., housing insecurity), the number of ACEs endorsed on a screening instrument, and the actions clinicians took in response to each ACE screen were collected. Data was collected from May to October 2021. These data were used to examine the association between number of ACEs reported and clinician response, controlling for patient demographics and their social and behavioral determinants of health using multiple logistic regression. ResultsFive participating pediatric clinics conducted 2,652 ACE screens in six-months. Clinicians documented an action twice as often when ACEs were present, after controlling for patient demographics and their social and behavioral determinants of health (odds ratio(OR) = 2.2, 95 % confidence interval(CI): 1.5–3.3, p-value < 0.0001). Clinicians were three times more likely to record referrals to mental health clinicians, social workers, and community organizations relative to anticipatory guidance when the number of ACEs increased from one to three to four or more (OR=3.2, 95 %CI: 1.6–6.5, p < 0.0001). ConclusionFindings provide early information that ACE screening results are associated with patient care.

Analytic Cognition in Kant

Abstract Kant refers to analytic cognition in several prominent places. The prevailing wisdom, however, denies the possibility of analytic cognition within his theory of cognition. I shall argue that this is mistaken. I show that we can account for analytic cognition’s possibility by appealing to variants of the more familiar conditions on the cognition of objects. I also highlight analytic cognition’s connection to insight and analytic knowledge. In the process, I provide a fuller account of Kant’s view of our mental lives than has been typically acknowledged.

Developing the Attentive Brain: Contribution of Cognitive Neuroscience to a Theory of Attentional Development

Attention is a fundamental cognitive mechanism whose primary function is to regulate and organize the flow of perceptions and actions shaping our mental life. Early cognitive models have highlighted aspects of sustained, selective, and executive control as essential components of attention. These three broad aspects can be further subdivided into subordinate operations, depending on whether the particular function is mostly driven by external stimulation (bottom-up attention) or relies on endogenous processes such as voluntary intentions or expectations (top-down attention). After several decades of cognitive neuroscience research, these different functions have been associated with specific circuits of brain regions. Based on the cognitive neuroscience framework, this paper presents a theory of attention development and discusses behavioral and brain evidence regarding the development of attention function during the first years of life.