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BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary evaluation of treatment outcomes, retention and client satisfaction following a 12-week combined cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational enhancement therapy (MET) group treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD) delivered in an outpatient setting. Implementation of the program is also described. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted using data collected from medical records and self-report assessments. Participants were treatment-seeking cannabis users at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto. Cannabis use, cannabis-related problems, craving, withdrawal symptoms, self-efficacy for remaining abstinent, depression and anxiety were assessed pre- and post-treatment. Treatment retention was calculated by inspecting clinic attendance records, and client satisfaction was evaluated using an anonymous feedback survey. Potential predictors of treatment outcomes and retention were investigated in exploratory analyses. RESULTS: Cannabis use was lower and days of abstinence higher post-treatment (vs pre-treatment). Post-treatment improvements in can-nabis-related problems, craving, withdrawal symptoms, self-efficacy and mood were also observed. Completion of group treatment (≥75% of sessions attended) was 57% and moderate levels of treatment satisfaction were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence that a 12-week combined CBT and MET treatment for cannabis use disorder delivered in a novel group setting improves cannabis use outcomes. Potential predictors of reduced cannabis use and retention were identified. Future controlled studies are warranted, and strategies for increasing retention should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders are among the major public health issues. Therefore, identifying predictors of symptoms of depression and anxiety holds fundamental importance to avoid the aggravation of these conditions. Muscle strength and function (e.g., handgrip strength and timed-stands test) are widely recognized predictors of health outcomes; however, their association with symptoms of depression and anxiety is still not completely understood. This study investigated the associations between handgrip strength and timed-stands test scores with symptoms of depression and anxiety. In addition, we examined whether individuals exhibiting greater strength levels demonstrate reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to those with lower levels of strength. This is a community-based, cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited through social media and underwent a semi-structured interview to record sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, use of tobacco and medication, and symptoms of anxiety (Beck's Anxiety Inventory [BAI]) and depression (Beck's Depressive Inventory [BDI]). Subsequently, anthropometric characteristics, handgrip strength, and functionality (i.e., timed-stands test) were assessed. In all, 216 individuals were evaluated. The adjusted regression model showed an inverse association between handgrip strength and anxiety (β = −0.22; 95% CI [−0.38, −0.07]; R 2 = 0.07, p =.005) and depression symptoms (β = −0.25; 95% CI [−0.42, −0.07]; R 2 = 0.05, p =.006). Similarly, timed-stands test scores were associated with anxiety (β = −0.33; 95% CI [−0.54, −0.13]; R 2 = 0.09, p =.002) and depression (β = −0.32; 95% CI [−0.56, −0.09]; R 2 = 0.06, p =.008). Furthermore, the low-strength group showed higher values on the BAI (9.5 vs. 5.9 arbitrary units; p =.0008) and BDI than the high-strength group (10.8 vs. 7.9 arbitrary units; p =.0214). When individuals were stratified by the timed-stands test, the low timed-stands group demonstrated higher values on the BAI (9.9 vs. 5.5 arbitrary units; p =.0030) and BDI than the high timed-stands group (11.2 vs. 7.5 arbitrary units; p <.0001). The results highlight muscular parameters as significant predictors associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Previous research indicates that foreign-born populations experience more psychological distress than general populations. However, it remains unclear how prevalence varies between regions of origin. The role of socio-demographic and migration-related factors also needs to be further investigated. We aimed to (a) compare the prevalence of psychological distress in foreign-born and general Finnish populations, (b) investigate differences in prevalence between nine regions of origin and (c) examine which socio-demographic and migration-related factors are associated with distress among foreign-born populations. Methods: The study used data from the Survey on Well-Being among Foreign Born Population (FinMonik), a population-based survey (n =6312) of foreign-born populations living in Finland collected between 2018 and 2019 by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Psychological distress was measured using the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5), with a cut-off point of 52. Logistic regression was used to adjust analyses by age and sex to determine the prevalence of psychological distress and the associated socio-demographic factors. Results: Psychological distress was more prevalent among those who were foreign born (17.4%) than among the general population (12.9%). Migrants from the Middle East and North Africa had the highest prevalence (29.7%) compared to other regions of origin. Unemployment or economic inactivity, international protection as a reason for migration and beginner-level language proficiency were the main factors increasing the odds for distress among foreign-born populations. Conclusions: Foreign-born populations experience more psychological distress than the general population, but prevalence varies between regions of origin. Future efforts should aim at a better understanding of the mental health risk factors and the development of targeted interventions for these subpopulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been related to brain alterations in female survivors. Nonetheless, few studies have used an exploratory approach, focusing on brain regions that are traditionally studied in other populations with post-traumatic stress. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), strangulation, and childhood trauma are highly prevalent among this population, and have also been associated with brain alterations and functional deterioration. As such, it is difficult to determine how different brain regions are affected by the complex interplay of these factors in female survivors. The aim of this study is to assess (a) brain alterations in female survivors of IPV as compared to non-victim females and (b) the potential causal mechanisms associated with such alterations. We hypothesized that structural brain differences would be found between female survivors of IPV and non-victims, and that these differences would be related to IPV-related TBI, strangulation, IPV severity, depression, post-traumatic stress, generalized anxiety, and childhood adverse experiences. A total of 27 non-victims and 28 survivors completed structural magnetic resonance imaging and questionnaires to measure the potential causal mechanisms for brain alterations. Structural brain differences were found between groups, principally in volumetric analyses. The brain regions in which between-group differences were found were related to attempted strangulation, IPV-related TBI, severity of IPV, adverse childhood experiences, and post-traumatic stress. These results demonstrate that a wider range of brain regions may be impacted by IPV and that various factors are implicated in the structural brain alterations found in female survivors. This study demonstrates the importance of post-traumatic stress, childhood and adult trauma, and physical violence in assessing brain alterations in IPV survivors. Further, it serves as a critical first step in assessing an extensive list of potential causal mechanisms for structural brain alterations, using a more comprehensive a whole-brain structural analysis of IPV female victims, a largely understudied and vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The literature on mental health in the workplace largely focuses on the negative impacts of work and how work may contribute to the development of mental disorders. The potential mental health benefits of employment have received less attention.Method: A systematic search of reviews or meta-analyses that consider the benefits of work in regards to mental health was undertaken using academic databases. All relevant reviews were subjected to a quality appraisal.Results: Eleven reviews were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria, with four deemed to be of at least moderate quality. The available evidence supports the proposition that work can be beneficial for an employee's well-being, particularly if good-quality supervision is present and there are favourable workplace conditions. The benefits of work are most apparent when compared with the well-documented detrimental mental health effects of unemployment.Conclusions: The potential positive effects of good work and the role work can play in facilitating recovery from an illness and enhancing mental well-being need to be highlighted and promoted more widely. Future research should aim to further investigate what constitutes a 'good' workplace or a 'good' job in terms of mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The regular use of ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA) has been associated with depressed mood, anxiety and hostility, but it is not known whether such effects persist after people stop using the drug. Furthermore, little is known about what factors might influence the decision to quit using MDMA. The aim of the present study was to examine the reasons why ex-users had stopped using this drug and to assess their current levels of depression, anxiety, anger and aggression. Telephone interviews were conducted with people who used to take MDMA on a regular basis but who no longer used the drug. The participants comprised sixty-six ex-users who used to take MDMA regularly (at least once every 2 months over a period of at least 1 year), but who had not taken MDMA for at least 1 year (average 3 years). Participants were asked about why they had quit MDMA. They also completed questionnaires to assess trait mood. Ex-users could be divided into two groups based on their reason for quitting: (i) those who had quit for mental health reasons and (ii) those who had quit for circumstantial reasons. Approximately half of those in the mental health group scored in the range for clinical depression. In that group, current levels of depression and anxiety correlated significantly with the cumulative amount of MDMA that they had taken several years previously. These findings suggest that some users may either be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of MDMA or have pre-existing mental health problems for which they self-medicate by using ecstasy. The present study shows that some ex-users experience an impairment to mental health that persists for years after they stop using this drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]