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Dementia Day Care Centres (DDCCs) are defined as services providing care and rehabilitation to people with dementia associated with behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) in a semi-residential setting. According to available evidence, DDCCs may decrease BPSD, depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. The present position paper reports a consensus of Italian experts of different disciplines regarding DDCCs and includes recommendations about architectural features, requirements of personnel, psychosocial interventions, management of psychoactive drug treatment, prevention and care of geriatric syndromes, and support to family caregivers. DDCCs architectural features should follow specific criteria and address specific needs of people with dementia, supporting independence, safety, and comfort. Staffing should be adequate in size and competence and should be able to implement psychosocial interventions, especially focused on BPSD. Individualized care plan should include prevention and treatment of geriatric syndromes, a targeted vaccination plan for infectious diseases including COVID-19, and adjustment of psychotropic drug treatment, all in cooperation with the general practitioner. Informal caregivers should be involved in the focus of intervention, with the aim of reducing assistance burden and promoting the adaptation to the ever-changing relationship with the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: People who seek psychotherapy often have problems tolerating distress. The purpose of the current systematic review was to understand whether treatments successfully reduce distress intolerance. We intentionally focused both on treatments developed specifically to target distress intolerance and we also evaluated whether any type of treatment resulted in reduced distress intolerance. Methods: We reviewed 106 papers covering (a) interventions specific to improving distress intolerance, and (b) pre-post reductions in distress intolerance over the course of any intervention, with a transdiagnostic and trans-intervention lens. Intervention was broadly construed to include laboratory single-session experimental treatments. Included studies required a measure of distress intolerance, and both self-report and behavioral measures were examined. Results: Across all papers reviewed, there were a variety of samples (people with psychopathology, non-clinical samples, etc.) and treatments (mindfulness-and-acceptance based treatment, cognitive-behavioral treatments, one-time workshops, etc.) relevant for distress intolerance. Findings generally support the notion that self-reported distress intolerance declines as a function of treatment across modalities, while studies that included behavioral measures were less consistent. Specifically, mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches appear to be at the core of most successful treatments for distress intolerance. Conclusion: Distress intolerance may be a useful transdiagnostic treatment target, with reductions in distress intolerance indicating decreased avoidance and greater psychological flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychoanalysis brings some specific aspects of treatment technique to the field of mental health practice today, such as highlighting the dynamics within therapeutic relationship (especially regarding emotional and unconscious elements), the role of defense mechanisms etc. Moreover, by means of taking a particular therapeutic stance, psychoanalysis offers some shared mental space for patients. The present paper argues that this stance is characterized by the capacity to "not act", that is: by passive receptivity. To view this as some specific "negative skill" in psychotherapy in general means to align common elements of effective psychotherapy with the capacity to explore the uncommon, unfamiliar or unforeseen in particular psychotherapeutic processes. The paper sketches how this can be employed in psychotherapy training as well as in psychotherapy integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Psyche Awards were developed to recognize the best journal articles published during the previous year. Each award confronts a specific topic within the field of mental health care, identifying articles that integrate the science and practice of psychology. For the current awards, 161 journals were screened, and 223 relevant articles were identified. The papers were then narrowed down to 46 papers distributed across 11 award categories. A panel of four expert judges read each article and rated all papers for their contribution to the field. The current award categories highlight some of the best articles published during 2021, capturing important information about psychological assessment, treatment of depression, working with suicidal clients, technology-assisted psychotherapy, the impact of Covid-19 on mental health, lessons from a review of history, recent innovations in the field, and strategies to expand the integration of science and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many useful articles are published every year, and these scholarly works can help to improve and advance the field of psychotherapy. However, as the field has grown and the number of academic journals has expanded, it has become difficult for the average mental health professional to remain abreast of the best publications in the field. The present article provides a concise review of the published literature that is relevant to the field of psychotherapy. The rationale behind the 12 criteria that were used for selecting the most valuable papers are described. The nomination process initially identified 48 of the most useful articles distributed across 12 award categories. A panel of judges, recruited from the Journal's editorial board, voted for the most valuable contribution in each category. Due to a lack of consensus across the judges, awards are given in eight of the 12 topical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper benchmarks the recognition performance on the provided dataset using three state-of-the-art Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) recognition systems. A deep convolutional-recurrent network is first trained on a set of existing face datasets, and then fine-tuned on the TBI dataset via transfer learning. Recent advances in technology have boosted the development and release of active assistive living devices, based on wearable and/or non-obtrusive visual and multi-modal signals for e-health and welfare support. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Pädiatrie & Pädologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a mental health crisis in the United States that shows no signs of abating. Prevalence rates of mental disorders among both adults and children are rising and there are simply not enough mental health professionals to meet the growing demand. To address this problem, digital programs are being designed to diagnose and treat mental health conditions either adjunctively to a human clinician or as stand-alone treatments. Such developments hold great promise in ameliorating the mental health professional supply shortage. However, certain limitations of digital programs may prevent many users from desiring a digital psychotherapist. This paper surveys both the promise, and limitations, of digital psychotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern world, psychological well-being and disease prevention have become important aspects of human health and life. This paper describes a study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of dance therapy, Taoist dance, and jazz-funk in reducing stress and anxiety in Chinese adults. It enrolled 432 volunteers living in Beijing and used psychometric tools such as the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. The methodology involved a comparative analysis of changes in perceived stress and anxiety among participants attending different dance programs over one year. The results confirmed the effectiveness of all three types of dance interventions compared to the control group. However, dance therapy showed the most significant reduction in stress levels. These findings have practical implications for the implementation of dance methods in health support and stress management programs. This paper discusses the prospect of integrating dance therapy into the healthcare system taking into account its positive effect on reducing anxiety and stress. It may attract the attention of various specialists and researchers in psychology, medicine, and politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at exploring existing literature on substance use prevention programs, focusing on refugee youth. A comprehensive search for relevant articles was conducted on Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCOhost Megafile databases including Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL with Full Text, E-Journals, Humanities Source Ultimate, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Sociology Source Ultimate. Initially, a total of 485 studies were retrieved; nine papers were retained for quality assessment after removing duplicates. Of the nine studies that met the inclusion criteria, only three are found to partially addressed substance use prevention programs. The two substance use prevention programs that emerge from the study are Adelante Social and Marketing Campaign (ASMC), and Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI). Six others explored protective factors and strategies for preventing substance use. The study findings show that refugee youth held negative attitudes toward institutions that provide substance use prevention programs. This review concluded that refugee youth often experience persistent substance use as they are not aware of prevention programs that may reduce the prevalence and/or severity of such misuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotherapy relies on a strong integration of theory, empirical research, and clinical experience. Furthermore, publishing journal articles on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness requires creativity, persistence and a scientific approach. The present article examines recent publications on assessment and diagnosis, case conceptualization and treatment planning and generic issues related to the therapeutic alliance. The article includes a review of papers on common diagnostic problems including anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, addictions, and personality pathology. In each of ten categories, the best papers are identified that were published during the past year, and the top article is highlighted as an award winner that should be read by all mental health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing deployment of network representation to comprehend psychological phenomena, the question of whether and how networks can effectively describe the effects of psychological interventions remains elusive. Network control theory, the engineering study of networked interventions, has recently emerged as a viable methodology to characterize and guide interventions. However, there is a scarcity of empirical studies testing the extent to which it can be useful within a psychological context. In this paper, we investigate a representative psychological intervention experiment, use network control theory to model the intervention and predict its effect. Using this data, we showed that: (1) the observed psychological effect, in terms of sensitivity and specificity, relates to the regional network control theoretic metrics (average and modal controllability), (2) the size of change following intervention negatively correlates with a whole-network topology that quantifies the "ease" of change as described by control theory (control energy), and (3) responses after intervention can be predicted based on formal results from control theory. These insights assert that network control theory has significant potential as a tool for investigating psychological interventions. Drawing on this specific example and the overarching framework of network control theory, we further elaborate on the conceptualization of psychological interventions, methodological considerations, and future directions in this burgeoning field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the essential non-pharmacological treatments for patients with chronic diseases are psychosocial supports and counselling services such as spiritual psychotherapy. Although several preliminary studies represent the effects of counselling and spiritual psychotherapy on anxiety in patients with chronic diseases, there are various contradictions among the findings. The present meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of counselling and spiritual care programs on anxiety in patients with chronic diseases. For data collection, various databases were searched regarding no time limitation until May 2021, including SID, MagIran, Embase, ProQuest, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (WoS) using Google Scholar search engine. Inclusion criteria were original research articles, interventional studies, and exclusion criteria were irrelevant assessments, systematic review and meta-analysis studies, case reports, letters to the editor, and duplicate papers. I2 test was used to calculate heterogeneity of studies, and the Egger's test was applied to examine the publication bias. According to the inclusion criteria, 26 articles were selected among 612 initial papers with a sample size of 1040 individuals. The mean anxiety scores before and after the interventions were 33.02 ± 3.77 and 25.27 ± 3.66, respectively. The significant (P < 0.05) mean difference before and after the interventions was 1.74 ± 0.23. Counselling and psychotherapy can reduce anxiety in patients with chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious medical disputes have been causing a wide range of negative impacts. Medical staff may undergo a variety of psychological crises after encountering or witnessing serious medical disputes. This paper first found through qualitative research that the main cause of psychological crises among medical staff was a decreased sense of security. As a result, the key to solving the psychological crises of medical staff is to analyze the factors affecting their psychological security and propose specific measures to protect their psychological security. Using empirical research, this paper revealed that the security risk of serious medical disputes was negatively correlated with factors such as security check equipment, security staff coping ability, the hospital's external environment, medical staff training, patient qualification, and medical feedback channels. After probing into the antecedents and consequences of serious medical disputes in hospitals, this paper proposes comprehensive measures to reduce the negative impacts of serious medical disputes, as well as to intervene and prevent the psychological crises of medical staff under the influence of serious medical disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar disorder (BD) can be especially challenging to treat due to the dynamic nature of its presentation; there is a critical need for a multimodal approach to adequately address patients' symptoms and quality of life concerns. However, most mental health professionals have not implemented a multimodal approach due to limited dissemination of evidence-based psychosocial interventions for BD and bias towards psychopharmacology-centered treatment. This is despite clear findings from numerous studies that medication alone fails to fully address most patients' needs and that psychosocial interventions lead to fewer relapses and a higher quality of life. This paper aims to review the evidence in support of psychosocial interventions as a key component of the treatment of BD and to highlight obstacles to the implementation of psychosocial treatment approaches. Additionally, we aim to make a case for an increase in the utilization of psychosocial interventions to improve quality of life and functioning for individuals with BD and their families, and to mitigate societal costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopted children are often at a risk of experiencing several neurobiological and psychosocial difficulties. Adoptive parents must support these difficulties whilst managing their own idiosyncratic challenges. Family-based psychotherapeutic interventions which promote adoptive family functioning, environments and relationships can mediate these difficulties for adopted families. This review synthesises evidence exploring family-based psychological interventions for adoptive families, appraises the literature's strengths and weaknesses, and reports characteristics of promising interventions. Included studies recruited domestically adoptive families receiving psychotherapeutic interventions delivered to at least one adoptive parent and child. The authors searched seven electronic information databases, four grey literature databases, two journals and five relevant websites up to 12.12.2022. The quantitative Risk of Bias in Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions tool and the qualitative Critical Skills Appraisal Programme checklist assessed risk of bias. The narrative synthesis presents 20 papers detailing 18 studies involving at least 729 adopted children and 829 adoptive parents. Findings provide preliminary support for integrative interventions which include aspects of sensory activities, attachment-based play, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing with Therapeutic Input provided to adopted children and adoptive parents separately, alongside the adoptive family. However, risk of bias was high, limiting the conclusions. Future research should examine the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of integrative therapeutic approaches for adoptive families to further direct clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comment paper reviews Fossa (2022) from the perspective of the semiotics of inner speech. The syntactic and semantic features of inner speech described in Vygotsky, Thinking and Speech, Chap. 7, are, on the one hand, a source of creativity through the affective dimension of inner spech and, on the other hand, a therapeutic function of psychoanalysis and other forms of psychotherapy. The function of inner speech in the pre-reflective dimension is the focus of Fossa's edited volume. In order to reinforce this argument, the present paper takes as its cue the internal forms of words discussed by Potebnya and examines them. The internal form of words has certain primordial features and evokes a figure (образ; picture). Internal forms have figurative properties. Through this context-independent figuration (phonological, visual image, experiential sense of meaning), semantics causes a unit with other words in a loose semantic linkage. As they are not bound by the external form of segmented speech, they bring about a sense of reification, as if the internal form repeats itself in the proximity of semantic sense, even if the manifested expressive content is different. The internal form of words, in which the form conveys meaning as it is, reveals the semiotic character of dreams and free association, which psychoanalysis uses as clinical material. Many psychotherapies actively use pre-linguistic mediating effects, because surrendering to the internal forms that are repeated in inner speech allows the subject to return to a pre-reflective dimension from which a new subject can be recovered. From the above, this paper has shown that in the boundary zone of the transition from inner speech to outer speech situations, exposure to alterity, to intimate unknown, is involved in the constitution of the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic alliance has a robust association with positive outcome in psychotherapy. It is considered a common factor of change independent of the diagnosis and type of therapy. The alliance is commonly defined phenomenologically as a relationship between a client and a therapist characterized by such attributes as agreement on the goals of the treatment, agreement on the tasks, and a personal bond made up of reciprocal positive feelings. There is no commonly accepted mechanistic model of the alliance. In this paper, we present the alliance in active inference terms as an affiliative behavioral strategy meant to decrease the free energy of the participants' generative models of each other and of their social exchange. In this view, the initial apprehension of affiliation with a stranger is a normative reaction in the therapeutic (or any social) encounter. We identify trust and self-efficacy as processes central to the development of the alliance and suggest an active inference model of the alliance based on their interaction and dynamics. The paper concludes with suggestions for the model's practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based walking interventions represent a low-cost, eco-friendly activity, designed to assist people in maintaining physical well-being and improving their mental-health status. This systematic review aims to evaluate the evidence regarding the effectiveness of nature-based walking interventions in the improvement of mental health outcomes in adults. This paper draws upon Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA), PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Web of Science Core Collection, Doctoral thesis databases (ProQuest), and manual searches. Due to the heterogeneity of the eligible studies, a narrative synthesis was employed. The present review includes 1,209 adult participants, of whom 336 were female; it also involves 17 discrete studies. The evidence from this systematic review suggests that nature-based walking interventions can indeed improve adults' moods, sense of optimism, mental well-being, and nature connectedness. They simultaneously mitigate stress, anxiety, and negative rumination. In addition, compared with urban walking, nature-based walking interventions may bring greater benefits vis-à-vis anxiety and rumination. This review contributes to the synthesis of evidence for nature-based walking interventions, and identifies several research gaps around the topic. In clinical practice, nature-based interventions may be used to relieve one's negative mood, stress, and anxiety. To enhance treatment efficacy, however, they should be combined with formal modes of psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotherapy research identifies alliance ruptures and their resolutions as significant events in psychotherapy, influencing outcome. However, we know little about the process how such events influence outcomes, only assuming if clients stay in therapy that the rupture was resolved, and the outcome will be positive. The purpose of this paper is to problematize this assumption against the backdrop of self-determination theory, introducing motivation and relational positioning as relevant theoretical concepts for understanding rupture resolution and the effect on outcome. A therapeutic transcript demonstrating best practice for alliance rupture resolution in a brief integrative therapy is critically examined, calling the attention of both clinicians and researchers to the risk of prescribing and blindly following techniques during therapeutic impasses. Our analysis of metacommunication demonstrates how the therapist's use of a certain technique for resolving threats to the therapeutic alliance can lead to the client's external motivation and compliance, negatively influencing therapeutic outcome. Focusing on the therapist's relational positioning we present two alternative courses of therapeutic action, 'mindfulness in action' and 'embracing the patient's ambivalence', for supporting the client's autonomous motivation for the therapy process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between psychology and religion has been widely debated in the field of psychology from its foundation as an empirical science to the present day. One author who was interested in the relationship between psychology and religion, the place of the latter in human nature, and its role in psychotherapy was the Viennese neurologist, psychiatrist, and philosopher Viktor Emil Frankl (1905–1997), the founder of logotherapy. This paper presents Frankl's main ideas about religion, the religious nature of the human being, and the relationship between religiosity, psychotherapy, and logotherapy, as well as a review of the main criticisms he has received in this regard. Frankl always defended the differences and limits between religion and psychotherapy, between the priestly cure of souls and the medical cure of souls, and between the salvific objective of religion and the hygienic objective of psychotherapy. In our opinion, critical authors have failed to appreciate Frankl's efforts to expose this distinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review examined studies on interventions for parents and their children with learning disabilities to offer an overview of interventions (psychological and psychosocial therapies) for mental health problems associated with learning disabilities and the risk factors for mental health problems in children with learning disabilities and their parents. CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, MEDLINE, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, APA PsycArticles, ProQuest, Embase, Social Sciences Citation (Web of Science) were searched for scholarly studies published between 2010 and 2021 on psychosocial interventions, and psychological therapies for learning disabilities, and related developmental disorders. Ten papers involving parents and their child with a learning disability were relevant to the review question and the objective of the review as they looked at a variety of interventions namely, cognitive behaviour therapy, problem solving and assertiveness training, individual and group counselling, emotion regulation, stress management, resilience training, and relaxation therapy. These studies demonstrated support for the assertion that parents and their children with learning disabilities present mental health problems including anxiety and depression. Yet, the review revealed that there are few interventional studies addressing the risk factors for mental health problems among parents and their children with learning disabilities. As such, adopting a socio-ecological or contextual approach to identifying the risk and protective factors for psychopathology in families of children with learning disabilities is especially important to the development of interventions to improve behavioural control as well as the motivational and socio-emotional aspects of challenging behaviours exhibited by children with learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the questionnaire survey, this paper developed a theoretical model of the factors influencing consumers' purchase behavior for new energy hybrid vehicles using the theory of planned behavior and structural equation modeling techniques. It then used SPSS and AMOS to perform factor analysis, model fitness, and path analysis to reach the following conclusions: perceived behavioral control, behavioral attitude, and subjective norm have a significant positive influence on behavioral intention, and behavioral intention has a significant influence on actual behavior. However, there is no significant effect of perceived behavioral control on actual purchase behavior, but rather an indirect effect on actual behavior through the mediating variable of behavioral intention. The analysis of the multi-group model based on the individual characteristics of consumers showed that the coefficient of subjective norm on behavioral intention was higher for extroverted consumers than for introverted consumers; the influence of behavioral attitude on behavioral intention was significantly higher for introverted consumers than for subjective norm on behavioral intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document introduces a special issue on technological applications in mental health and mental health services research. The advancements in computer technology have allowed for innovative applications in collecting and analyzing data related to mental health. The use of personal electronic devices and the internet provides a rich stream of data that can offer insights into individuals' mental health. The special issue includes papers on topics such as video therapy, measurements in daily life, and automated coding of psychotherapy sessions. These papers highlight the potential of technology in improving mental health outcomes and expanding the accessibility of mental health services. [Extracted from the article]

The transition to parenthood is a high-risk time in a person's mental health and requires significant psychological adaptation to incorporate the parental role and creates a unique opportunity for intervention. This period has critical significance for infant development and for the emerging attachment relationship. The aim of this review was to identify and describe the effects of psychological interventions delivered in pregnancy which support the transition to parenthood and prepare parents for early parenting. A search of four key databases for papers published since 2000 identified only 13 eligible publications describing seven interventions. The included interventions involved variable treatment approaches, target outcomes and measures, and while they showed important applications of theoretical knowledge in empirical form, the results were highly mixed and aside from one intervention, were not replicated with a variety of samples over time. There are only a limited number of studies available despite strong theoretical and clinical knowledge which suggests these types of interventions would likely to beneficial and extremely important in preventing significant long-term issues. Significantly more research is needed to determine effective interventions which can be implemented in the antenatal period to prepare first-time parents for parenting and to avoid early relational trauma and attachment difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In: 26th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), pp. 1279-1284 (2017) 11 Martins GS, Santos L, Dias J. User-adaptive interaction in social robots: a survey focusing on non-physical interaction. However, when dealing with robots, to make the interaction socially acceptable, legible, and natural from the user's point of view additional challenges arise due to the physical presence of the robot and the required multi-modal interaction and perception capabilities (Rossi et al. [12]). The role of user-adaptive interfaces and interaction is widely recognized in the human-computer interaction (HCI) community to improve the acceptance and naturalness in comparison with non-adaptive ones (Martins et al. [10]). [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents findings of a second trial evaluating telephone-based motivational enhancement therapy (MET) to motivate untreated and unadjudicated men who abuse their intimate partners to explore treatment options. Participants' perceptions of how their abuse is negatively affecting them personally are a highlight of the paper. One hundred forty-one adult men were recruited through social marketing and randomly assigned to the intervention (MET) or comparison (Mail) group. The MET condition consisted of two feedback sessions guided by a personalized feedback report on participants' intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use. The Mail condition included a mailed educational brochure on IPV and substance use. Results supported the likely effectiveness of MET in short-term reduction of IPV behavior, marijuana use, and increasing motivation for treatment seeking particularly for participants who reported more adverse consequences of IPV to themselves. Findings emphasize the importance of including a focus in interventions on IPV's impact on the abusers themselves. The study's virtual participation and success in reaching and retaining a diverse population of male abusers can contribute to transformative justice and communities looking for alternative early interventions for men of color prior to encountering the criminal justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to spark the dialogue between affective neuroscience and psychotherapy are underway. A biopsychosocial and contextual approach may work as a framework to integrate environmental and genetic pressures regarding neurobiology, affective experiences, and interpersonal motivations. Contemporary conceptual and empirical findings suggest that underlying primary emotional brain processes may be several affective neurobiological systems (e.g., SEEKING/desire system or DISTRESS/separation system) associated with the human affective experience. Also, is suggested that it is through internal narrative processes that experience-based reflections lead to the higher-order symbolic meaning of specific life themes. Several theoretical models and psychotherapeutic approaches describe emotional needs and interpersonal motivational systems as essential to psychological well-being and mental health. Despite conceptual similarities between these constructs, theoretical approximations of emotional needs, interpersonal motivational systems and life themes are still lacking. Thus, a clear rationale for the underlying neural basis for emotional needs has not been made. In this sense, the present paper aims to make a brief theoretical approximation between neurobiology, needs, motivations and life themes. Several theoretical considerations are described along with empirical directions and future proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Attachment Mapping Protocol (AMP), which is an assessment and treatment tool for use in individual psychotherapy, systemic family therapy and multifaith spiritual care, using a bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of care. Attachment theory has a long and significant history in psychology, with an evolving relationship within the above clinical domains. A central aim of this paper will be to recognize and affirm the extension of attachment theory beyond the traditional parameters of nascent parental, guardianship bonds and individual, developmental psychology, to reveal a much broader spectrum of valid attachment considerations for mental health and spiritual well-being. A case study will be applied to the interviewing instrument to demonstrate its utility for broadening assessment beyond attachment figures to include surrogate attachments of other persons, places and things. A model of spiritual discernment derived from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola will undergird this larger worldview of attachment considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hope is known to be a crucial factor that can facilitate recovery from psychosis. In contrast, hopelessness has been associated with a variety of poor outcomes for people with psychosis, such as low self-esteem, depression, and suicide. While hope is central to recovery, the concept of hope can be challenging to identify and define. Furthermore, little is known about how psychotherapists can help people with psychosis reawaken a sense of hope that enables them to recover and lead meaningful lives with a severe mental illness. In this paper, the concept of hope is explored based on a selective review of the psychological and philosophical literature and through engagement with first-person accounts of psychosis. Following the review, key principles and interventions are described, including the importance of reckoning with therapist's hope, processing hopelessness, facilitating a sense of belonging, fostering agency, and making meaning of the psychosis and promoting spirituality, that can rekindle a sense of hope. These principles and interventions are transtheoretical and can be applied to a variety of psychotherapeutic orientations. Finally, future directions are considered and possible factors that might enable the formation of hope for people living with psychosis are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To investigate the effectiveness of interventions that aim to improve the mental health of mothers of children with disabilities. Seven databases were searched. Interventions incorporated primarily cognitive-behavioural, psychoeducation, mindfulness or support-group approaches. The Template-for-Intervention-Description-and-Replication guided descriptions. Meta-analyses using a random effect model of randomized controlled trials assessed intervention effects on parenting stress and mental health. Of the 1591 retrieved papers, 31 met criteria to be appraised and 17 were included in the meta-analysis. Cognitive-behavioural approaches reduced parenting stress [2 studies, n = 64, pooled Standardized-Mean-Difference (SMD) = 0.86, 95% CI (0.43, 1.29)] and improved mental health [3 studies, n = 186, pooled SMD = 1.14, 95% CI (0.12, 2.17)], psychoeducation approaches improved mental health [2 studies, n = 165, SMD = 0.60, 95% CI (0.17, 1.03)]. Cognitive-behavioural and psychoeducation interventions are effective. Further research and clinical guidelines are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outcome measurement including data-informed decision support for therapists in psychological therapy has developed impressively over the past two decades. New technological developments such as computerized data assessment, and feedback tools have facilitated advanced implementation in several seetings. Recent developments try to improve the clinical decision-making process by connecting clinical practice better with empirical data. For example, psychometric data can be used by clinicians to personalize the selection of therapeutic programs, strategies or modules and to monitor a patient's response to therapy in real time. Furthermore, clinical support tools can be used to improve the treatment for patients at risk for a negative outcome. Therefore, measurement-based care can be seen as an important and integral part of clinical competence, practice, and training. This is comparable to many other areas in the healthcare system, where continuous monitoring of health indicators is common in day-to-day clinical practice (e.g., fever, blood pressure). In this paper, we present the basic concepts of a data-informed decision support system for tailoring individual psychological interventions to specific patient needs, and discuss the implications for implementing this form of precision mental health in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The route for the development, evaluation and dissemination of personalized psychological therapies is complex and challenging. In particular, the large sample sizes needed to provide adequately powered trials of newly-developed personalization approaches means that the traditional treatment development route is extremely inefficient. This paper outlines the promise of adaptive platform trials (APT) embedded within routine practice as a method to streamline development and testing of personalized psychological therapies, and close the gap to implementation in real-world settings. It focuses in particular on a recently-developed simplified APT design, the 'leapfrog' trial, illustrating via simulation how such a trial may proceed and the advantages it can bring, for example in terms of reduced sample sizes. Finally it discusses models of how such trials could be implemented in routine practice, including potential challenges and caveats, alongside a longer-term perspective on the development of personalized psychological treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the creation of legal requirements for advance directives by the legislator in 2009, special aspects of their application in the treatment of people with mental illnesses have been discussed. Goal of the paper: Important questions on dealing with advance directives in everyday life will be answered in a practice-oriented manner. Results: Among other things, this document answers the question of the conditions under which a patient can refuse or consent to hospitalization and treatment in advance, and in particular how to deal with advance directives whose implementation would also affect the rights of third parties. The German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) has addressed these and other questions in the present document and added practical advice on how to formulate advance directives for people with mental illnesses and how to deal with psychiatric advance directives. Discussion: The DGPPN has developed an advance directive for the area of mental health and published it on its website together with detailed explanations. With the help of this advance directive, people can decide on their treatment in phases of incapacity to consent in the context of a mental crisis or illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although childhood experiences are widely recognized for their potential impact on adult health and happiness, clinical practices apt to solicit and process such experiences with adult clients are often not described in sufficient detail to offer meaningful guidance. The present paper describes how to use the Important Childhood Events (ICE) scale to anchor psychotherapeutic work with parents of extremely high-risk youth in intensive home-based treatment, where childhood experiences may ultimately provide a salient port of entry into identifying and addressing parents' perceptions of their own children's difficulties. We aim to contribute to trauma-informed and mentalization-based clinical practices, particularly for clinicians who are working with families affected by complex, intergenerational trauma in the context of social marginalization. We do this by operationalizing steps in the therapeutic process to prepare both parent and clinician for such difficult conversations, and by describing clinical vignettes which illustrate interventions to foster mentalizing and repair in response to avoidance or dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1958, Apley and Naish authored a groundbreaking paper in Archives of Disease in Childhood, elucidating the epidemiology and risk factors of recurrent abdominal pain in children—a subject that had confounded clinicians of their time. Surprisingly, even after 65 years, there are several unanswered questions regarding the etiology, pathophysiology, and management of pediatric abdominal pain. Contrary to the prevailing notion that children naturally outgrow functional abdominal pain, compelling evidence suggests it's possible these children develop a number of clinically significant psychological issues that could profoundly impact their quality of life and, consequently, future health and educational outcomes. In this light, we aimed to comprehensively review the current literature to update the knowledge of practicing clinicians on functional abdominal pain, summarizing the evidence from the last 65 years. Conclusion: The enduring unanswered questions surrounding childhood abdominal pain continue to challenge clinicians, resulting in unnecessary investigations, thereby contributing to substantial healthcare expenditures. It is also evident that children with long-standing symptoms would progress to adulthood with the potential to develop irritable bowel syndrome and many psychological disturbances. Several key interventions using pharmacological agents, such as amitriptyline, showed that some of these drugs are no more effective than the placebo in clinical trials. Several research during the recent past suggest that psychological interventions such as gut-directed hypnotherapy alleviate symptoms and ensure better prognosis in the long run. Therefore, clinicians and researchers must join hands to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning functional abdominal pain and novel therapeutic strategies to ensure the well-being of these children. What is Known: • Functional abdominal pain disorders are common among children, with a worldwide prevalence of 13.5% of children suffering from at least one of these disorders • These disorders contribute to a significant reduction in the quality of life of affected children and their families and lead to an array of psychological problems What is New: • The biological basis of functional abdominal pain is becoming more explicit, including complex interactions between altered microbiome, deranged motility, and psychological dysfunction with gut-brain interactions • Novel approaches giving minimal emphasis on pharmacological interventions and exploring psychological interventions are showing promising results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper examines cognitive and body-based therapies through the lens of embodiment, framing treatments as constructed experiences shaped by individuals' subjective and intersubjective lived experiences. Embodiment is considered to have restorative qualities that have the potential to improve psychotherapy's success. We address some of the limitations associated with traditional brain-based reductionist approaches and treatments in clinical psychotherapy. An argument is made for the integration of an embodied approach, empowering clinicians and researchers to evaluate and integrate embodied therapeutic processes leading to successful treatment outcomes. Methods: This integrative review provides evidence-based practice initiatives and findings from a range of embodied research as it applies to body-based techniques in psychotherapy. It gathers and synthesizes both empirical and theoretical evidence relevant to impact the overall success of psychotherapeutic interventions. Data collection involved keyword searches of electronic databases, including PsycINFO, NCBI, PubMED, Frontiers, MEDLINE, EBM Reviews, and Google Scholar. Results: We present an array of cognitive and body-based methodologies that can be employed to enhance embodied and enactive therapeutic practices, offering a fresh and promising perspective on psychotherapy. Analyses provide insights into current body-based therapeutic applications, highlighting how a deeper understanding of recent advances in neuroscience can enrich both therapists' and clients' meta-awareness of mind–body-environment connections on mental health. Conclusions: We conclude that psychotherapy can benefit from the transformative process that occurs when individuals gain insights, skills, and self-awareness through embodied therapeutic experiences. In the context of embodied psychotherapy, learning to self-heal extends beyond the acquisition of information; it involves a deeper understanding of the connection between one's body, thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and the interconnectedness of these elements within the environment/context. Through this process, along with the therapist, clients acquire valuable insights into the root causes of challenges, develop coping strategies, and enhance emotional regulation. The learning extends to practical skills for managing stress, improving communication, and fostering healthier relationships. Embodiment in psychotherapy encourages a form of experiential learning, where individuals actively engage with and reflect upon their internal and external world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical data are usually analyzed with the assumption that knowledge gathered from group averages applies to the individual. Doing so potentially obscures patients with meaningfully different trajectories of therapeutic change. Needed are "idionomic" methods that first examine idiographic patterns before nomothetic generalizations are made. The objective of this paper is to test whether such an idionomic method leads to different clinical conclusions. Methods: 51 patients completed weekly process measures and symptom severity over a period of eight weeks. Change trajectories were analyzed using a nomothetic approach and an idiographic approach with bottom-up clustering of similar individuals. The outcome was patients' well-being at post-treatment. Results: Individuals differed in the extent that underlying processes were linked to symptoms. Average trend lines did not represent the intraindividual changes well. The idionomic approach readily identified subgroups of patients that differentially predicted distal outcomes (well-being). Conclusions: Relying exclusively on average results may lead to an oversight of intraindividual pathways. Characterizing data first using idiographic approaches led to more refined conclusions, which is clinically useful, scientifically rigorous, and may help advance individualized psychotherapy approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has emerged as a potential treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, including substance use disorders and depression. Current models of PAP emphasize the importance of psychotherapeutic support before, during, and after ingestion of a psychedelic to maximize safety and clinical benefit. Despite this ubiquitous assumption, there has been surprisingly little empirical investigation of the "psychotherapy" in PAP, leaving critical questions about the necessary and sufficient components of PAP unanswered. Objectives: As clinical trials for psychedelic compounds continue the transition from safety- and feasibility-testing to evaluating efficacy, the role of the accompanying psychotherapy must be better understood to enhance scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying therapeutic change, optimize clinical outcomes, and inform cost-effectiveness. Results: The present paper first reviews the current status of psychotherapy in the PAP literature, starting with recent debates regarding "psychotherapy" versus "psychological support" and then overviewing published clinical trial psychotherapy models and putative models informed by theory. We then delineate lessons that PAP researchers can leverage from traditional psychotherapy research regarding standardizing treatments (e.g., publish treatment manuals, establish eligibility criteria for providers), identifying mechanisms of change (e.g., measure established mechanisms in psychotherapy), and optimizing clinical trial designs (e.g., consider dismantling studies, comparative efficacy trials, and cross-lagged panel designs). Throughout this review, the need for increased research into the psychotherapeutic components of treatment in PAP is underscored. Conclusions: PAP is a distinct, integrative, and transdisciplinary intervention. Future research designs should consider transdisciplinary research methodologies to identify best practices and inform federal guidelines for PAP administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way we conceptualize and understand the human spirit has a direct bearing on how we design research and how we provide clinical interventions for those seeking help from mental health practitioners. Three disciplines contribute to ways we can understand the human spirit: philosophy, theology, and psychology. This paper takes a brief look at contributions made by each of these disciplines and to the two prominent models of human ontology, the two-dimensional (spirit being a component of psyche) and the three-dimensional (spirit being its own dimension, albeit interrelated with psyche and soma). Against this backdrop, the paper sketches the contours of the human spirit, proposing it to be a separate dimension that is interrelated with the other two ontological dimensions. The contours suggest its realm of experience, its functions, and its characteristics. Finally, clinical examples are given that demonstrate the clinical efficacy of using the three-dimensional model in psychotherapy settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between biology and the psy disciplines (psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy) is a complex one. Many scholars have criticized how these disciplines have been biologized in the 20th century, especially since the emergence of psychopharmacology, neuroscience, and genetic research. However, biology is not just a laboratory-based science of chemical compounds, scanners, and DNA sequencing, but also a field science based on observations of organisms in their milieus. In this paper, we draw a contrast between laboratory-based biology with a focus on brains and genes, and an ecology-based biology with a focus on lives and niches. Our argument is philosophical in nature – building partly on Wittgenstein as a "philosopher of life" – to the effect that the psy sciences need not just less biologization of the former kind, but also more biologization of the latter kind to avoid a prevalent mentalism. Not least when it comes to an understanding of psychological distress, which can favorably be viewed situationally and coupled to human lives in ecological niches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is limited information available regarding the use of trauma modalities within the transgender and gender diverse community (TGD) to address gender-based trauma, including discrimination and invalidation, particularly for adolescents and young adults (AYA). The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel treatment approach to addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms within TGD AYA, inclusive of gender-based trauma. Methods: Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) was implemented as a brief intervention for TGD AYA who had a positive screening for PTSD symptomatology. Measures were used to assess PTSD symptoms, as well as changes in self-perceived resilience and positive well-being. Two case vignettes are provided to demonstrate the adaptations made to be responsive to the unique needs of TGD AYA for trauma processing. Results: Preliminary outcomes from two case studies indicate the strength of NET when working with TGD AYA who face multiple traumatic events and continue to experience invalidation. Conclusion: NET shows promise as an effective brief intervention to reduce PTSD symptomology and increase resiliency in TGD AYA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urgent calls by the younger generation and the scientific community to approach sustainability only seem to scratch the surface of individuals' awareness while ecological destruction moves forward. In this regard, current dominant mindsets claiming a human–nature separation appear to hamper change by not granting nature dignity and her own voice. Therefore, the scientific community is inviting us to embrace Indigenous ontologies and an overall spiritual connectedness with nature in our lives. Yet, in times of crisis, it is unclear how individuals can overcome prevailing mind-action gaps—and instead turn towards sustainable caring human–nature relationships. Against this background, this conceptual paper elaborates, in a first step, individual human–nature resonance as a relational integrative framework to study psychological transformation processes and their supporting capabilities. In a second step, a ritual-based intervention is elaborated to nurture the quality of this relationship between human and nonhuman nature which is experientially enriched with insights from psychotherapy. Transdisciplinary research in the form of self-experience completes the research process. Eventually, we plead for openness in favor of adopting "lived wholeness" as a solution for sustainability transformations—of ourselves, science, and our relationship with nonhuman nature. Including icons (concept: Müller, design: Bongaerts; IOER 2022) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the "what and how" the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists' use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that "asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself" (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the moment of the therapeutic engagement with clients, and does so without denying the importance of therapists working to resolve personal issues of theirs that may interfere with the therapist's professional effectiveness. Therapists' use of self gives particular emphasis to the purposeful use of self as is in therapy's relationship, assessment and interventions whatever the therapy model (Aponte & Kissil, 2016). Thirdly, the use of self represents an aptitude that can be developed and refined through well elaborated structures for schooling therapists in the therapeutic use of all they bring of their personal selves to the therapy relationship including through the use of their human vulnerabilities as they exist at the moment of empathic engagement with clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socratic questioning is employed in therapeutic interventions when the beliefs that clients express are critically evaluated using reason and logic. In this paper, that critical lens is turned back on the use of Socratic questioning to examine problems in its philosophical grounding. This critique is informed by our historic and cultural understanding of the life of Socrates. The therapeutic value of a 'not knowing' position is observed, and the question of whether this position is genuine or feigned is explored. Socratic questioning and irony are thereby considered in relation to agency and veiled attacks. A problematic move towards stoicism is identified, in which emotional expression might be devalued in the promotion of a passive and indifferent attitude towards life-experiences. It is observed that, as a form of phenomenological enquiry, Socratic questioning enables an attunement to the facticity of the client's life and interpersonal existence. An ironic edge is valued in maintaining emotive understandings which enable the client to exercise agency. A form of Socratic questioning is recommended, in which the client can take a stance in relation to where it is that they find themselves. Helping them to move into possible and preferred futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter to the editor commends a research paper published in the Annals of Hematology titled "Long-term health-related quality of life and mental health in patients with immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura." The paper discusses the importance of integrating social support and health assessments in the treatment of immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP), a rare disease. The letter suggests improvements such as considering the appropriateness of psychological health assessment tools for all participants and taking into account socioeconomic status and support systems as confounding variables. The letter also emphasizes the need for collaboration between medical professionals and community workers to provide comprehensive care for patients with rare chronic diseases. [Extracted from the article]

LGBTQ+ youth experience higher rates of suicidal ideation and behavior than their cisgender, heterosexual peers, and these disparities have created a need for academic exploration of the risk factors and protective factors surrounding LGBTQ+ youth suicide (Taliaferro and Muehlenkamp in Acad Pediatr 17:715–722; Toomey et al. in J Youth Adolesc 48:788–801; Ybarra et al. in: Espelage et al. (eds) Youth suicide and bullying: challenges and strategies for prevention and intervention, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2014). This paper reviews the research that has been completed on these topics in the last 10 years. A variety of risk factors have contributed to higher rates of suicidal ideation, attempts, and completion: minority stress, interpersonal constructs, race, transgender identity, partner violence, homelessness, school victimization, and a lack of school support (Joiner in Why people die by suicide, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 2005; Meyer in Psychol Bull 129:674–697; Mustanski and Liu in Arch Sex Behav 42:437–448; Van Orden et al. in Psychol Rev 117:575–600). Furthermore, a range of protective factors have been connected with lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior: gender and sexuality alliances, LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum, LGBTQ+ affirming school policies, familial support, peer support, and mental health interventions (Poteat and Rivers in Youth suicide and bullying: challenges and strategies for prevention and intervention, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2014; Stone et al. in Suicide Life Threat Behav 45:415–430; Whitaker et al. in J Adolesc Health 58:63–68). Areas for future research are recommended, including examining diverse LGBTQ+ subpopulations and developing standard measurements for LGBTQ+ identities. The paper concludes with highlights from the past 10 years of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of CBT emphasize the interactions among cognition, emotion, and behavior. CBT's origins lie in Stoicism philosophy and share similarities with the ideas of Confucianism, Taoism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China. The idea of mind–body regulation in traditional Chinese culture has laid a cultural foundation for the promotion of CBT in China. This paper analyzes the applicability and challenges of CBT in China based on the current development of CBT in mainland China and the learning and practice of CBT therapists. It also explores the potential further development of CBT in China and the integration of CBT with the Chinese culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused concern regarding suicide risk mitigation while requiring many clinicians to transition to telehealth. We hypothesized that this transition would increase suicide intent, suicide desire, and depressive symptom ratings from pre-COVID-19 to peri-COVID-19. Patients at a southeastern US outpatient psychotherapy training clinic reported on suicide risk and depressive symptoms before and after the transition to telehealth treatment. Additionally, the effect of continuation of treatment on suicide risk was also analyzed. Suicide risk levels (n=39) and depressive symptoms (n=25) did not increase following the transition to telehealth. Self-reported suicide desire ratings significantly decreased from pre- to peri-pandemic assessments. Findings suggest that telehealth, among other sociocultural factors, became somewhat of a "port in a storm," such that it may have provided protections from exacerbations of mental health concerns and further vulnerabilities towards increased suicide risk. This paper concludes with relevant implications and suggestions for community health clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]