Time Of Psychological Distress Research Articles

Samostigma med strokovnjaki na področju duševnega zdravja v Sloveniji

Public and self-stigma substantially hinder seeking of help during times of psychological distress. Stigma can occur during mental illness or be anticipated when mental illness is not yet present. An important and vulnerable group, but one that is often neglected, are professionals working in mental health field. Using a sample of mental health professionals from Slovenia (N = 93), we focused on the relationship between personal experiences of mental disorders and suicidal behavior and different types of anticipated self-stigma (mental illness and help-seeking self-stigma). About half of the participants (49%) had past or current experience of mental illness, and 56% of them sought help. One sixth of participants (16%) reported having had suicidal ideation in the past or currently, but only 20% sought help for this. Gender was not significantly related to any type of stigma. Age was negatively correlated with personal experience of mental illness and anticipated self-stigma of mental illness. Individuals with personal experiences of mental illness showed higher self-stigma of mental illness than individuals without such experiences. Self-stigma of mental illness correlated slightly with self-stigma in help-seeking. Based on the results we conclude that in mental health professionals, experiences with one’s own mental health issues are related to higher self-stigma of mental illness and this is related to higher self-stigma in help-seeking. Hence, specific interventions should be developed to destigmatize mental illness among professionals and promote help-seeking in this group. Further research is warranted.

Market reactions to drugs price reduction during COVID-19 distress in an emerging economy: value creation through CSR

PurposeThe coronavirus (COVID-19) is the worst pandemic in recent memory in terms of its economic and social impacts. Deadly second wave of COVID-19 in India shook the country and reshaped the ways organizations functions and societies behave. Medical infrastructure was unaffordable and unsupportive which created high distress in the Indian society, especially for poor. At this juncture, some pharmaceutical firms made a unique social investment when they reduced price of drugs used to treat COVID-19 patients. This study aims to examine how the market and the society respond to the price reduction announcement during the psychological distress of COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachMarket reactions have been analyzed by conducting an event study on stock market data and visual analytics-based sentiment analysis on Twitter data.FindingsOverall, this study finds positive abnormal returns on the day and around the day of event. Interestingly, this study finds that returns during the time of high distress are significantly higher. Sentiment analysis conveys that net sentiment is favorable to the pharmaceutical firms around the day of event and it sustains more during the time of high distress.Originality/valueThis study is unique in contributing to the business and industrial management literature by highlighting market reactions to social responsibility of business during the time of psychological distress in emerging economies.

A Rising Endemic within a Pandemic: Impact of Inflation on Mental Health

Madam, Inflation describes the increment in the cost of living over a certain period, occurring in light of extreme events that impact the economy. The current wave of inflation results from the coalition of events mainly stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, producing a myriad of economic disruptions. Rising food insecurity, hikes in electricity prices, and fuel costs leave families facing an unprecedented financial crisis. Moreover, the turmoil created by the recent flooding due to record-breaking rainfall affecting Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has fuelled the current inflation wave in Pakistan. The impact of such issues can be devastating in multiple respects. The convulsion of the economy has given rise to mental health disorders nationwide, resulting in a decline in physical health. Those suffering from mental illnesses are more likely to suffer from chronic physical conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, and more1. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) illustrated that 9 in 10 individuals perceive financial hardships as a major source of stress – notably greater than the perception during the pre-pandemic era2. Furthermore, it is common for stressed individuals to resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as smoking3 – increasing the risk of pulmonary diseases and cancers, providing the evident association between mental and physical health. This shows the undeniable impact of the pandemic on financial constraints across the world. Pakistan’s overall disregard for mental health has recently been corroborated. The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the “Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020” to improve mental health globally. However, as per WHO’s “World Mental Health Report” analysis, most countries, including Pakistan, did not adhere to the plan, highlighting the lack of consideration towards mental health4. Moreover, Pakistan lacks sufficient resources to handle an endemic wave of mental disorders. Having one of the lowest psychiatrist-to-patient ratios worldwide – with only 500 psychiatrists serving a colossal population of 220 million. These statistics substantiate the urgency to emphasize the indispensability of psychiatry as a career opportunity5. Local authorities must invest in effective relief programs, especially for the impoverished disproportionately affected by the economic crisis. As a nation, it is paramount to possess readiness for intervention at times of psychological distress, and if left rampant, may enter a vicious cycle of deteriorating mental health, precipitating to deteriorating physical health, further crippling the economy.

Italian validation of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-10 (CORE-10): a short measure for routine outcome monitoring in clinical practice.

The customization of the intervention using patient feedback is an evidence-based practice aimed at the continuous evaluation, during treatment, of the patient's change at a clinical level. There are few easy-to-use tools for common assessment of psychological distress, designed to be used for screening and during treatment to monitor progress. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-10 (CORE-10) is definitely one of them. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the CORE-10. A sample of 548 participants (females, N=463, 84.5%; mean age 23.29±7.21 years) was recruited in the study and filled out a battery of measures. The internal validity of the CORE-10 was investigated through a confirmatory factor analysis which evidenced a good fit to the data, suggesting a unidimensional factorial structure of the measure. Further, the scale had a good internal reliability and was significantly associated with other measures of distress, interpersonal problems, well-being, and insecure attachment. Finally, it showed excellent diagnostic accuracy, as well as intrinsic and post-test diagnostics. Given its validity and reliability, the CORE-10 may be adopted by Italian-speaking psychotherapists and researchers to evaluate the outcomes of mental health interventions as well as to track the session-to-session changes over time in psychological distress among patients.

Changes in sexual activities, function, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Little is known about the impact of the coronavirus on sexual behavior, function, and satisfaction. The aim of the present study was to systematically review people's sexual function and behaviors and their changes in sexual activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comprehensive searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were conducted with keywords in accordance with MeSH terms: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, sexual health, sexual function, sexual dysfunctions, sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual activities, and premarital sex. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria: original design, English studies, and investigating either the general population or sexual minorities. Risk of bias in the studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and data were pooled via random effects meta-analyses. We utilized the standardized mean difference to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual activity, functioning, and satisfaction. We included 19 studies in the analysis and 11 studies in the meta-analysis, with a sample size of 12 350. To investigate sexual activity changes, a sample size of 8838 was entered into the subgroup analysis, which showed a significant decrease in both genders (5821 women, P < .033;3017 men, P < .008). A subgroup meta-analysis showed that the sexual function of men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly declined (3974 women, P < .001; 1427 men, P < .001). Sexual desire and arousal decreased in both genders, though mainly in women. In investigating sexual satisfaction changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, a meta-analysis with a sample size of 2711 showed a significant decrease (P < .001). The most indicative changes in sexual behaviors during the pandemic were the increase in masturbating and usage of sex toys. Greater COVID-19 knowledge was associated with lower masturbation, oral sex, and vaginal sex. The more protective behaviors were associated with less hugging, kissing, cuddling, genital touching, watching porn with a partner, and vaginal sex. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased challenges and changes for individuals' sexual behaviors. Efforts for preventive strategies should therefore be concentrated between pandemics, while ensuring that there is information available to the population during a pandemic for help in times of psychological distress or crisis.

Pilot service evaluation of a brief psychological therapy for self-harm in an emergency department: Hospital Outpatient Psychotherapy Engagement Service.

Brief psychological therapies may be helpful for people who have recently self-harmed. The current paper reports on a service evaluation of a novel brief therapy service based within an Emergency Department, Hospital Outpatient Psychotherapy Engagement (HOPE) Service. This service combines elements of psychodynamic interpersonal and cognitive analytic therapy to help people who present with self-harm-related difficulties. The primary aim of this service evaluation was to ascertain the feasibility of HOPE in terms of attendance rates. The study also examined variables associated with engagement, and change over time in psychological distress for those attending the service. The HOPE service was evaluated over a ten-month period. Consenting patients completed measures of psychological distress and working alliance across four therapy sessions and one follow-up session. Measures of emotion regulation style and self-harm function were also completed at the point of referral. Eight-nine patients were referred to the service (83 eligible referrals). Fifty-three (64%) attended at least one therapy session. Baseline variables did not distinguish people who attended and people who did not. Psychological distress decreased significantly across the sessions. Most people reported a good working alliance with their therapist. The results of this service evaluation support the feasibility of the HOPE service, demonstrating good engagement rates given the complexity of the population and context. Whilst there was evidence of reductions in distress, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if HOPE has clinical efficacy. Rates of engagement with HOPE suggest the service is feasible in an Emergency Department context Working alliance scores were positive for the majority of patients The HOPE service shows promise as a brief intervention for people who self-harm but requires further evaluation Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the clinical efficacy of the HOPE service.

Social Media and Change in Psychological Distress Over Time: The Role of Social Causation

Abstract This article tests the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICT), such as the Internet, cell phones, and social media, and change over time in psychological distress (PD) and risk of serious psychological distress (SPD) associated with depression and anxiety disorders. Using a longitudinal panel design, survey data from a representative sample of American adults, findings revealed that home Internet and social network site (SNS) use are associated with decreased PD over time. Having extended family who are also Internet users further decreases PD. PD increased or decreased in relation to change in the PD of extended family who also use SNSs. For most people, ICT substantively reduce PD; in rare cases, an extreme spike in PD of extended family also on SNSs, there was a trivial increase to the risk of SPD. PD did not change when extended family not on social media experienced a change in their PD.

Les traits d'identité culturelle en lien avec le statut d'immigrant et l'ethnicité : quel lien avec les symptômes de détresse psychologique et les symptômes dépressifs dans la main-d'œuvre canadienne? Résultats des neuf cycles de l'ENSP.

This study investigated variations over time of psychological distress and depressive symptoms among working Canadians according to two cultural identity traits: ethnicity and immigration status. Data came from the nine cycles of the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) conducted by Statistics Canada. Based on a sample of 7069 workers, multiple regressions analyses and multilevel regressions models were carried out. Analyses were adjusted for confounders such as age, gender, marital status, household income, social support outside the workplace, level of education, presence of children between 0 and 5years of age and presence of children from 6 to 11years of age. Over time, and after accounting for potential confounders, immigration status is not associated with psychological distress or depressive symptoms. Ethnicity is associated with depressive symptoms, but not with psychological distress symptoms. Visible minorities have less depressive symptoms compared to Caucasians. Unlike immigration status, ethnicity seems to explain a portion of mental health inequities among workers. One area to be explored in future researches is whether in the Canadian workforce, work conditions could explain ethnic inequalities in mental health.

Negotiating Gender Norms to Support Men in Psychological Distress.

Underpinning a general pattern of higher suicide rates in men is the assumption that men do not ask for help or utilize the health-care system during times of psychological distress. There has been a failure to grapple with the dynamic of when, how and from whom men might ask for help during times of psychological distress, and what key barriers or enabling factors are likely to influence potential help-givers’ capacity or willingness to offer help to men in psychological distress. The aim of this study was to investigate how masculine norms impact men’s help-seeking as well as care givers’ behaviors and willingness to support men in need of psychological help or perceived to be at risk of suicide. Focus groups (n = 13) were used with “high-risk suicide” groups of men and community gatekeepers. The principles of grounded theory were used for data analysis. Three themes emerged: “negotiating ways to ask for, offer and accept help without compromising masculinity”; “making and sustaining contact with men in psychological distress”; and “navigating roles responsibilities and boundaries to support men in psychological distress.” Approaches to suicide prevention need to take account of how masculine norms shape men’s willingness to ask for and accept help during times of psychological distress as well as care givers willingness to offer help. The findings address a gap in the literature by looking beyond men’s help-seeking as a passive, one dimensional construct, to a more dynamic triad of help-seeking/giving/taking behaviors that are embedded in the sociocultural context of men’s lives.

Screening and treatment of psychological distress in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: study protocol of the TES trial.

Background/IntroductionPsychological distress occurs frequently in patients with cancer. Psychological distress includes mild and severe forms of both anxious and depressive mood states. Literature indicates that effective management of psychological distress seems to require targeted selection of patients (T), followed by enhanced care (E), and the application of evidence based interventions. Besides, it is hypothesized that delivering care according to the stepped care (S) approach results in an affordable program. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the (cost)-effectiveness of the TES program compared to usual care in reducing psychological distress in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).MethodsThis study is designed as a cluster randomized trial with 2 treatment arms: TES program for screening and treatment of psychological distress versus usual care. Sixteen hospitals participate in this study, recruiting patients with mCRC. Outcomes are evaluated at the beginning of chemotherapy and after 3, 10, 24, and 48 weeks. Primary outcome is the difference in treatment effect over time in psychological distress, assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, patient evaluation of care, recognition and management of psychological distress, and societal costs.DiscussionWe created optimal conditions for an effective screening and treatment program for psychological distress in patients with mCRC. This involves targeted selection of patients, followed by enhanced and stepped care. Our approach will be thoroughly evaluated in this study. We expect that our results will contribute to the continuing debate on the (cost-) effectiveness of screening for and treatment of psychological distress in patients with cancer.Trial RegistrationThis trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register NTR4034

Effects of community-based meditative Tai Chi programme on improving quality of life, physical and mental health in chronic heart-failure participants

Background: There is increasing evidence that coronary heart disease is linked with a number of psychosocial risk factors and biophysiological risk factors such as metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to compare Tai Chi programme heart-failure participants between the pre-intervention phase and six month after intervention time in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including physical health, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional and mental health. In addition, the difference between pre-intervention and post-intervention time in psychological distress and resilience, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were compared.Methods: A prospective intervention study was conducted in 2012 to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based meditation Tai Chi intervention programme to improve heart-failure patients’ health. Measures included the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ30), resilience scale, BMI, blood pressure and waist circumference. Univariate analysis of variance was used to compare the difference between pre- and post-intervention in Tai Chi participants.Results: Outcomes differed in significance and magnitude across four HRQoL measures, psychological distress and resilience between the pre- and post-intervention time in heart-failure patients who participated in the Tai Chi exercise. The participants in the post-intervention time also reduced BMI, SBP, and waist circumference.Conclusions: Regular and more than six months Tai Chi exercises had a beneficial effect to HRQoL, reducing psychological distress, promoting resilience, and reducing the BMI and blood pressure level in heart-failure patients.

Military Psychology- Need, Scope and Challenges

The history of military psychology dates back to the times of World War I and World War II when army Alpha and army beta tests were constructed by psychologists. The army Alpha test was constructed by Robert Yerkes along with his colleagues in the year 1917 to evaluate The US military recruits during World War I. The aim of this research is to understand, evaluate the need of military psychology and its scope and challenges face by the armed forces of India. With this research article, the aim is also to highlight the qualitative relationship of psychology and military culture. With this paper the author aims to analyze how the Indian military culture functions and what role psychology plays in its functioning. The armed forces have always displayed its zeal, sheer wit and courage in strengthening the structure of Democratic country like India. The attempt is to explore in depth, the need of military psychology and how military psychologists or psychologists in general can help the military personnel during times of psychological distress. This research also provides ways in which the mental health professionals can strengthen this relationship with the armed forces of India.

SEEKING HELP FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN URBAN CHINA

Based on data gathered through a household survey of 1,474 urban residents in Beijing, this study examines Chinese help‐seeking behaviors in times of psychological distress and perceived barriers to seeking professional help. The results demonstrate that most respondents rely on informal means of seeking help whereas mental health and medical services are underused. The Internet has become a preferred alternative help‐seeking approach, particularly among the young educated migrant population. Respondents with higher socioeconomic status are more likely to utilize professional services. The tendency to seek help informally is associated with refusal to recognize the need of professional help, whereas embarrassment and stigma are significant factors in the use of alternative services, particularly the Internet. In addition to showing a general lack of trust in professional mental health services, the more psychologically distressed subgroup also expressed concerns about the affordability of professional treatment.

Demonstration of an expedited breast care (EBC) clinic

16023 Background: Women report waiting for a breast biopsy result as a time of psychological distress. Waiting also delays entry into definitive oncology care, and patients in underserved communities may be lost to follow up. In this proof-of-concept demonstration, an Expedited Breast Care (EBC) clinic was developed to give patients the opportunity to receive same-day biopsy results. Methods: Patients requiring core breast biopsy at a community hospital were approached sequentially to participate. Following surgical biopsy, tissue underwent ultra-rapid fixation and processing. After paraffin sections were prepared and stained, the glass histopathology slides were imaged with a virtual slide scanner. Digital images were stored on a server and viewed on the Internet by a telepathologist at a tertiary care center. Light microscopy review was concurrently performed as the gold standard. After telepathology review and light microscopy confirmation, patients presented to the telemedicine suite to receive biopsy results. A teleoncologist at the tertiary care center presented all pathology results to the patient, whether benign or malignant. Time and patient satisfaction data were collected. Results: Nine patients have participated. Within 2 hours from the time the tissue arrived at the laboratory, digital images were available to the telepathologist. The teleoncologist presented results to patients within 3–5 hours after the biopsy procedure. Patients reported satisfaction with the same-day service, and stated they would seek EBC again in the event of a future breast biopsy. Many patients expressed relief at receiving results so promptly and felt they had avoided the stress of waiting longer for results. The elapsed time from mammogram to definitive oncology care was shorter for EBC patients compared to a control group of patients at a clinic not offering EBC, although the results did not reach statistical significance (Mann-Whitney U: Z = −1.804, p = 0.0713). Conclusions: These data indicate EBC can be successfully accomplished. Current studies to assess EBC’s role in facilitating prompt entry into definitive oncology care are underway. By incorporating rapid tissue processing with telepathology and teleoncology, EBC can improve access to breast care in underserved areas. [Table: see text]

Cross-national study of attitudes towards seeking professional help: Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Arabs in Israel.

Help-seeking processes provide critical links between the onset of mental health problems and the provision of professional care. But little is known about these processes in the Arab world, and still less in transnational, comparative terms. This is the first study to compare help-seeking processes among Muslim Arab female students in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The present study compares the attitudes of Arab Muslim female students from Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards mental health treatment. A convenience sample of 262 female Muslim-Arab undergraduate university students from Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Arab students in Israel completed a modified Orientation for Seeking Professional Help (OSPH) Questionnaire. Data revealed that nationality was not statistically significant as a variable in a positive attitude towards seeking professional help; year of study, marital status and age were found to be significant predictors of a positive attitude towards seeking help. High proportions of respondents among the nationalities referred to God through prayer during times of psychological distress. The discussion considers implications for professional service delivery and programme development. Future research could extrapolate findings to other Arab countries and to Arab peoples living in the non-Arab world.

Depression and Affect Among Law Students During Law School

ABSTRACT Law students report a variety of negative emotional states and indicate that they experience humiliation, a lack of control, and isolation during their legal training. However, it is unclear whether their distress increases after entry into law school, and how their levels of distress compare to other populations. We collected self-report data on a cohort of students at a major law school before and throughout their training to investigate changes over time in psychological distress. Compared to their responses before starting law school, the students' depression levels were elevated during their law school careers. At the end of both the first and third years of law school, approximately half the students attained symptom scores suggestive of clinical depression. Comparisons were also made between the present sample and other groups for whom aggregate data were available. The law students appeared comparably distressed to unemployed people or individuals experiencing marital separation, for exam...

Change over time in psychological distress of inpatients with severe mental disorders

Change over time in psychological distress of inpatients with severe mental disorders

Change in job conditions, change in psychological distress, and gender: a longitudinal study of dual-earner couples

Building on the Job-Strain Theory, we estimated three relationships in a random sample of 201 full-time employed men and women in dual-earner couples interviewed three times over a 2-year period. We first estimated the main effects relationships between change over time in employees' experiences of job demands and job control and change over time in psychological distress. Then we estimated the interaction effects relationship of change in job demands on the relationship between change in job control and change in distress. Finally, we estimated the interaction effects of gender on these relationships. Job control was disaggregated into two conceptually distinct job conditions: skill discretion and decision authority. Controlling for other potentially stressful job conditions such as pay adequacy, job security, and relations with supervisor, as well as trait anxiety (an indicator of negative affectivity), change over time in job demands and skill discretion, but not decision authority, was related to change over time in psychological distress. Equally, for full-time employed women and men in dual-earner couples, if concerns about having to do dull, monotonous work increase over time, distress increases; if concerns about having to work under pressure of time and conflicting demands increase over time, distress increases. Finally, neither average skill discretion nor change over time in skill discretion moderated the relationship between job demands and psychological distress. Thus, at every level of skill discretion, high job demands were related to high distress. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Attitudes toward Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Illness in the Central Eastern Cape of South Africa

A survey of attitudes held by a large sample of university students as well as by smaller samples of psychologists, general medical practitioners, members of the public, psychiatric hospital staff and patients in the central eastern Cape toward mental illness and mental health-care service providers was conducted during the early part of 1994. It was found that marked differences existed between the different samples and that the extent of a person's knowledge about mental illness, as well as the degree of contact with mental-health professionals and their services, were important influences on the attitudes of respondents. In particular, third-year psychology students tended to be more negatively disposed to psychiatric treatment than those students in their first year of study. Conversely, the attitudes of final-year students toward the discipline of psychology were more positive than those held by students in their first year of studying psychology. Within both the student and the patient samples, only a small minority indicated that they would first seek help from general medical practitioners if they were ever to contemplate taking their own lives or if they were seriously mentally ill. Psychiatric patients and service providers indicated their confidence in psychiatric treatment and the psychiatrist was considered to be the most appropriate professional to deal with mental illness. Members of the general public were found to be more optimistic than psychologists about the efficacy of psychological and psychiatric treatment, but less so than general medical practitioners. Although mental health-care professionals were viewed in a favourable light, most respondents indicated that they would nevertheless prefer to approach a friend in times of psychological distress.

Menopause: Salient Issues for Counselors

Counselors are in ideal positions to help change attitudes toward viewing menopause as a time of positive change, rather than a time of psychological distress. Following definitions and a review of historical, sociological, psychological, and attitudinal factors that account for negative responses associated with menopause, recommendations for counselor interventions are proposed.