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The assessment of hopelessness plays a significant role in preventing various psychological disorders and major life events within the general population. However, the psychometric properties of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) have been a subject of controversy, primarily studied in clinical groups. The aim of the present study was to gain new psychometric insights and propose a new short version of the BHS for the general population using the Item Response Theory (IRT) approach. A total of 2164 Argentinean individuals completed the BHS alongside the Inventory of Suicide Orientation-30. We compared IRT models with two and three parameters for the original BHS version, exploring the removal of redundant and less informative items. Convergent and discriminant validity was also examined. Our results support the 2PL model for the BHS-19. In addition, the BHS-10 short version adequately depicted the same range of the measured trait as the original version, showing reasonable measurement accuracy in the middle-high levels of the trait (marginal reliability = 0.70, Cronbach's α = 0.86). Notably, a positive correlation was found between the factorial score of BHS-10, BHS-19, and suicide orientation. In conclusion, our findings support the use of a simplified version as a practical and valuable tool for both research and clinical practice in the future. • The Beck Hopelessness Scale is the most frequently utilized instrument for assessing hopelessness. • A 2PL model was the most suitable using the Item Response Theory Approach. • The BHS-10 short version showed reasonable measurement accuracy in the middle-high levels of trait. • Our findings extend the BHS application also to non-psychiatric groups. • A positive correlation was found between BHS-10 and suicide orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Examined within-person emotion dynamics and their relationship to suicidal ideation. • Anger variability moderated the association between anger intensity and ideation. • Anger intensity with higher variability was positively linked to suicide ideation. • Anger intensity together with its variability are risk states for suicidal ideation. Previous research has shown a relationship between proximal (i.e., close-in-time) emotion experiences and suicidal ideation (SI). Yet, it remains unclear which emotion processes (i.e., the level of the emotion [intensity], how much emotions vary [variability], emotional consistency [inertia], how specific emotions are [differentiation]) and which emotions (i.e., sadness, hopelessness, anger, nervousness, happiness) are most potent predictors of SI. Seventy-seven adolescents (67.5% assigned female at birth) completed daily diaries for 4 weeks after psychiatric hospitalization. Levels of the above-mentioned emotions and frequency of SI were recorded. For each week and each emotion, mean (intensity), standard deviation (variability), autocorrelation (inertia), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; negative emotion differentiation) were calculated (i.e., four observations/person). Multilevel models examined whether (a) mean intensity, variability, and their interaction; and (b) mean intensity, inertia, and their interaction, were related to mean weekly SI frequency. A separate model examined whether negative emotion differentiation was related to mean weekly SI frequency after adjusting for mean intensity. A significant interaction between mean intensity of anger and variability of anger emerged (B = 0.54, SE = 0.24, p =.023); a positive relationship between mean anger and mean SI frequency was present at moderate or high levels of anger variability but not at its low levels. Mean intensity of most emotions was related to SI frequency in the expected directions. No other statistically significant findings emerged. Results revealed the importance of considering multiple emotion features, their dynamic nature, and their combined effect. Future research should explore mechanisms accounting for anger being related to heightened proximal SI, along with an examination of effective intervention strategies to reduce anger intensity and variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What sense could it make to describe your life as 'unlivable'? What is it not only to be alive but to have a life that you live or lead? I answer by developing a social understanding of how we pursue meaning in life. True to other uses of 'meaning,' I propose, meaning in a life is communicative. If you experience your life as 'unlivable,' recovery can lie in this communicative dynamic: you regain the experience of leading your life by letting others remind you of meanings you've communicated to them in leading it. My argument works from a parallel between two dimensions in which you project an investment – a care, concern, love, or the like – when you form an intention or plan. Intrapersonally, you project your investment as communicatively intelligible to your own future self at 'plan's end.' Interpersonally, you project it as communicatively intelligible to others who might come to love this thing that you love simply because you love it, as an expression of love for you. The normativity of meaning in your life puts rational pressure on you not only to abandon investments that you cannot communicate but to experience the meaning in investments that you retain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper builds on (von Fircks, E. Integr. psych. Behav. Sci. 2023) article on mindfulness meditation analysed in a Meadian perspective. First, the selective appropriation of some concepts by hegemonic psychology is critically discussed. Then, the consequences of adopting the whole philosophical system of Eastern perspectives are envisaged. Finally, a proposal for a truly ecological shift in the study of self is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The experiences of living with Parkinson's disease (PD) from the perspective of newly diagnosed persons with PD (PwPD) have not been previously described. Aim: This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the impact of living with the early stages of PD. Methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted among nine persons, seven men and two women, from southern Sweden. Participants had a median age of 71 (min–max, 64–77) years and had been diagnosed with PD for a median of 5 (min–max, 2–12) months. Interviews were recorded and analysed using systematic text condensation. Results: The analysis resulted in one core category, Facing and dealing with emotional turbulence, and four categories with 2–3 subcategories each: Something is wrong (Vague signs of change; Losing control); The going gets tough (Recalling; Lack of motivation); Losing direction (Uncertainties; Frightened of disease progression) and Dealing with life (Avoiding social situations; Hope and despair; Ease worries). Conclusion: Newly diagnosed PwPD face emotional turbulence with increasing challenges in managing everyday basic needs. Impaired functioning affects self‐esteem and identity, which calls for strategies to overcome emotional reactions of embarrassment, frustration and worry. A sense of lost control and direction increased as the future became more uncertain. The participants' emotional burden and struggle to find a reason to go on or some solution to their new situation left them with both hope and despair. Our results suggest that a person‐centred needs‐based approach may help newly diagnosed PwPD deal with their new life situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the concepts of hope, despair and the radical imagination, driven by the following questions: Can we exist beyond the binaries of hope and despair, two key concepts that drive educational practices? What is the radical imagination and what are the conditions for it to be put to work in educational spaces? First, education is explored as a hyperobject that is owned, imagined and practiced collectively. The semiotic square is introduced as a heuristic tool to illustrate the limitations of the binary opposition between hope and despair, and allows for an exploration of what is possible when these binaries are being set aside. The radical imagination then, is described as a collective practice that is radical in the sense that alternative social forms can always be imagined once we acknowledge that every social form is the result of the collective imagination. Finally, the paper explores conceptual as well as practical ideas that underpin Education for Uprising which is understood as the emergence of micro-political, autonomous spaces of direct action where community, solidarity and self-organization are key principles. Education for Uprising allows us to radically reimagine how we view education and to actively engage in alternative world-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of devotion to God and its potential impact on personal well-being from a traditional Christian perspective. It discusses different attitudes and dimensions of devotion, including abnegation, adoration, and existential dependence. The article addresses objections to devotion, such as concerns about autonomy and self-abasement, and argues that devotion can lead to personal growth and fulfillment. It also examines the qualities that an object of devotion must possess and concludes that devotion can be beneficial to well-being when the object of devotion is seen as supremely reliable, good, and loving. The article acknowledges the role of divine grace but also suggests that individuals can actively participate in transforming their own motivational structure. [Extracted from the article]

The emotional system is one of the discourses that is examined in the frameworkof the sign semantic model. In this system, the flow of means production is linked to perceptual sensory conditions of the passoniate and the signs - meanings are transformed into dynamic and muitydimensional forms. In this regard, the purpose of the present study is to explain the role of the mentioned process in the style of the passoniateˈs presence and the evoluation of discours conditions, based on the method of the sign - semantic discourse,while explaining the emotional process of the story “Al -less va Al -kelb “. Findings show in the story of Al -less and Al -kelab the emotional system is based on passions. The emotions and passions in the novel, of which anger and despair are the most prominent, have created the emotional system of discourse based on a meaningful and logical flow. The occurrence of two events in a passionate life, betrayal of loved ones and failure to avenge betrayers, has played an important role in transforming the discourse by influencing emotions, as well as, fundamentally changing the text. In the initial partes of the text, the emotion of anger while causing a continuous and dynamic presence of passion, cause the value of revenge in the discourse. In the final partes, the feeling of despaire leads to isolation and passionate absence from the scene of events and the value funection of the text has changed from revenge to surrender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term encampment has become a reality for a large portion of the forcibly displaced population of the contemporary world, given the inadequacies and limitations of the conventional durable solutions to forced displacement. However, encampment is principally a temporary arrangement that prevents long-term programming in camps, making long-term encampment contradictory and an arena of uncertainty, misery, and despair for the camp dwellers. It is rather more rational to admit long-term encampment as a reality and act on it as it involves unjustifiable humanitarian costs. The paper calls for thinking beyond the conventional practices and focusing on the wellbeing of the encamped population from a life-course perspective. It proposes a framework for building welfare institutions in refugee camps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change loss and damage (L&D) due to both sudden and slow-onset events are a growing concern for vulnerable countries. Over the last decade, agricultural communities in Fiji have suffered a range of serious L&D from severe drought events. Through a grounded theoretical lens, qualitative research was used to gain in-depth insights into L&D from droughts in the Fijian sugar industry. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 68) were conducted in two Indo-Fijian sugarcane communities, Barotu and Toko settlements in Western Viti Levu, Fiji, and with key stakeholders from government ministries, academia, and climate change experts at the national level. Purposive sampling was initially used to identify smallholder sugarcane farmers and key stakeholders. Theoretical sampling further identified key stakeholders for the interview. Despite implementing various adaptation measures, the Fijian sugar industry has suffered severe L&D, including non-economic L&D (NELD) and associated cascading effects. L&D included reduced yields, loss of crops, and reduced income. NELD included deterioration of mental, physical, and emotional health, loss of hope, and uncertainty. Cascading effects included increased food insecurity risks and impacts on children’s education. Key policy interventions are recommended, such as removing adaptation constraints, developing drought risk profiles and early warning systems, investing in livelihood diversification, and engaging in new markets to facilitate social and ecological transformations that will promote livelihood resilience. Key Policy Highlights:Climatic and non-climatic stressors are inherently interconnected and interact in a complex and complicated manner to enhance social-ecological systems (SES) vulnerability.Inadequate drought adaptation measures further marginalise farmers and ultimately increase their vulnerability to drought risks and loss and damage (L&D).L&D presents itself in various ways, including non-economic L&D and cascading effects that are impacting upon future generations.With projected climate change and the likelihood of impacts worsening, there is an urgency to address L&D more coherently through crucial policy interventions.Climatic and non-climatic stressors are inherently interconnected and interact in a complex and complicated manner to enhance social-ecological systems (SES) vulnerability.Inadequate drought adaptation measures further marginalise farmers and ultimately increase their vulnerability to drought risks and loss and damage (L&D).L&D presents itself in various ways, including non-economic L&D and cascading effects that are impacting upon future generations.With projected climate change and the likelihood of impacts worsening, there is an urgency to address L&D more coherently through crucial policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of positive psychological interventions on quality of life, positive psychological outcomes and negative psychological outcomes in patients with cancer. Background: Patients with cancer often suffer from various psychological problems and have a poor quality of life. Positive psychological interventions have been increasingly applied to patients with cancer, but the results of these studies have not been synthesized. Design: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials according to PRISMA. Methods: Six English databases and four Chinese databases were searched from the inception to December 2022. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. RevMan was used for meta‐analysis. Results: Twenty‐nine randomized controlled trials examined the effects of positive psychological interventions including meaning therapy, dignity therapy, positive psychotherapy, mindfulness‐ based intervention, life review, expressive writing intervention, acceptance and commitment psychotherapy, attention and interpretation therapy, compassion training and spiritual therapy on patients with cancer. Positive psychological interventions significantly improved the quality of life, enhanced positive psychological outcomes including well‐being, meaning of life, self‐esteem, optimism, resilience and self‐efficacy and alleviated negative psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety and hopelessness. However, the heterogeneity of some outcomes was rather high, due to the wide diversity of the interventions included. Conclusion: Positive psychological interventions have potentially positive effects on improving quality of life, enhancing positive psychological outcomes and alleviating negative psychological outcomes in patients with cancer. However, due to the heterogeneity and the lack of follow‐up studies, more high‐quality studies are needed to confirm the results of our review and to clarify the long‐term effects of positive psychological interventions. Relevance to clinical practice: As feasible psychological interventions, healthcare professionals can consider applying appropriate positive psychological interventions according to the condition of cancer patients. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michael Lamb's recent book A Commonwealth of Hope presents an opportunity for bioethicists to engage in critical self-evaluation in order to consider anew why and how to engage difficult bioethical problems and questions with those who maintain diverse moral and metaphysical perspectives. Drawing on an account of the virtue of hope from Augustine of Hippo, Lamb develops a political theory in which hope provides common ground for political cooperation between diverse citizens of a commonwealth. The purpose of this introduction is to sketch out a framework by which to assess and evaluate whether bioethics demonstrates hope. This article provides a summary description of Lamb's presentation of Augustine's virtue of hope and his concept of politics. Then it considers implications of Lamb's politics of hope for bioethics, identifying three features of hopeful bioethics, with which bioethicists can engage in self-reflection and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adults with advanced cancer experience profound future uncertainty, reflected in elevated fear of cancer progression (FoP) and cancer-related trauma symptoms. These symptoms are associated with physical symptom burden and poorer quality of life, and few interventions exist to manage them. Objective: To develop and pilot a written exposure-based coping intervention (EASE) focused on worst-case scenarios among adults with advanced cancer reporting elevated cancer-related trauma symptoms or FoP. Design: A single-arm intervention development and pilot trial. Participants: The trial enrolled 29 U.S. adults with stage III or stage IV solid tumor cancer (n = 24) or incurable or higher-risk blood cancer (n = 5) reporting elevated cancer-related trauma symptoms or FoP. Among those screened, 74% were eligible, with an eligible-to-enrolled rate of 85%. Design/Measurements: EASE was delivered over five 1:1 videoconferencing sessions. Feasibility and acceptability were evaluated via attendance, surveys, and exit interviews. Outcomes were assessed at five time points through 3-month (FU1, main assessment of interest) and 4.5-month (FU2) follow-up. Results: Participant and interventionist feedback was used to iteratively refine EASE. Among participants, 86% (25/29) completed all five sessions and FU1; surveys and exit interviews indicated high acceptability. Primary outcomes of cancer-related trauma symptoms and FoP improved significantly from pre to both follow-ups by predominantly large effect sizes. Secondary outcomes of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, fear of death/dying, and fatigue, and most process measures improved significantly by FU1 or FU2. Conclusions: EASE, a novel adaptation of written exposure therapy, is a promising approach to reducing FoP and cancer-related trauma symptoms among adults with advanced cancer that warrants further study. Key message: Few interventions address fear of cancer progression (FoP) in advanced cancer. A novel adaptation of written exposure therapy in which adults with advanced cancer write in specific, structured ways about their worst-case future scenario regarding cancer shows strong feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy potential for reducing FoP and cancer-related trauma symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"When Conscience Calls: Moral Courage in Times of Confusion and Despair" by Kristen Monroe is a thought-provoking and inspiring book that explores the concept of moral courage in liberal democracy. Monroe presents a new conceptualization of moral courage that focuses on agency and intentionality, supported by interviews with nearly 100 individuals who have demonstrated moral courage. The book raises questions about risk perception, the role of support networks, and the social consequences of moral courage. While further empirical studies are needed, the book offers valuable insights into the conditions under which moral courage is displayed. [Extracted from the article]

This article investigates the experience of beauty and eco-sorrow with the aim of depicting some painful truths, as well as existential responses to eco-sorrow. The article begins by portraying the attributes of the experience of beauty, relying on an emended version of Christopher Bollas's notion of transformational objects and Buber's I–Thou experience. This lays the foundation for explicating the attendant experience of eco-sorrow, which entails the painful recognition of (1) the degradation of the Earth and a loss of beauty, (2) the extinction of other species, (3) human-caused climate disaster, and (4) existential insignificance and impermanence. The latter is further understood in terms of Giorgio Agamben's notion of the ontological rift, which is produced and maintained by the Abrahamic religious traditions and Western political philosophies. Recognition of the ontological rift, which is a defense against existential insignificance and impermanence, is a key part of the experience of eco-sorrow. The last section explores responses to beauty and eco-sorrow, such as despair, nihilism, forced hope/optimism, flights of fantasy, and, ideally, a categorical demand for inoperative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of mental health reform in Australia, new policies were introduced to support recovery‐oriented practice; however, little has changed in hospital settings focused on managing risk and remediating acute symptoms. Previous studies have indicated that patients' experiences of personal recovery, during a hospital admission, may not mirror that of people living in the community, with patients being more likely to experience disconnection, hopelessness and disempowerment. Using a Participatory Health Research approach, eight mental health professionals, a patient advocate and an external researcher formed a research partnership to answer the question: How can staff enhance recovery‐oriented practice in a hospital‐based mental health service? The COREQ checklist was used for reporting the methods, analysis and findings. The methods comprised patient focus groups (n = 16 participants), interviews with managers (n = 7) and an online survey for staff (n = 17). Researchers analysed the feedback from the consultations using inductive thematic analysis, identifying two themes: relational recovery and recovery interventions. The findings indicate that relational recovery is key to recovery during a hospital admission and interventions that increase connectedness or reduce the impact of symptoms enhance personal recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crisis is a recurrent motif in discussions of the environment in the Middle East. Concerns about water scarcity, food insecurity, climate disasters, and resource degradation play into common associations of the region with conflict, malfunction, and despair. Yet this single story obscures as much as it illuminates. In this paper, I draw examples from my work on Nile water politics, climate change, and bread in Egypt to illustrate the power of this dominant narrative and its limitations. I reflect on the multiple stories that emerge when we shift our starting point or scale of analysis. I argue for the need to move beyond thinking about the environment just as a problem space to consider it as the space in which people are living their daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between patient and physiotherapist increases in complexity when patients experience chronic disability and require caregiver assistance at home. Since relatives often support therapeutic activities, they too play an important role that may significantly influence therapy success. This study reconstructs the therapeutic relationship triangle of patients, caregivers and physiotherapists in neurorehabilitation and seeks to examine how these relationships influence the rehabilitation process. A qualitative triangulation study consisting of participant observations and group discussions with long-term affected patients, their family caregivers and physiotherapists were realised. Data were analysed and triangulated using the documentary method. Two patient types were identified: the optimistic, success-motivated patient type and the pessimistic type. Regarding relatives, a confident, hopeless and a sceptical type emerged. The types differ in their expectations, hopes and desires in therapy. This fundamentally affects the therapeutic relationship triangle. Differing expectations of patients and their relatives should be recognised and taken into account by physiotherapists, as a successful triadic relationship is a prerequisite for effective therapeutic measures. The involvement of relatives in the therapy process plays an important role in achieving therapy goals. More attention should be placed within the triad, in future research and in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, scholars and practitioners alike have devoted increased attention to the psychological well-being of student-athletes. However, to date, far less research has examined the role of virtues, religion, and spirituality in contributing to well-being in student-athlete populations. In this study, we attempt to address these gaps by (a) assessing the association between trait courage, an understudied virtue in the sporting realm, and mental well-being, and then (b) considering how student-athletes' attachment to God might moderate the association between trait courage and depressive symptoms. Drawing on a sample of 415 student-athletes from the USA, regression results illustrate that courage was not significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms among student-athletes. However, a secure attachment to God appeared to function as a compensatory resource for student-athletes lacking in courage. On the contrary, athletes with low trait courage but who reported greater avoidant attachment to God reported greater depressive symptoms. Taken together, a more positive relationship with God could help provide athletes with lower trait courage a way to find meaning and strength that helps them with emotion-regulation strategies to deal with the pressures within and beyond their sport. This study clearly shows that greater attention should be paid to the religious and spiritual development of student-athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Mental health recovery is acknowledged as a process of transformation and a way of living a meaningful life despite the presence of mental ill‐health.Experiencing hope has been articulated as intrinsic to service users experience of a meaningful life.The social construction of mental illness and stigma are recognised as barriers to experiencing hope.Mental health professionals have responsibility to positively influence the experience of hope. What this article adds to existing knowledge?: Individuals in mental health recovery experience hope as the embodiment of having a sense of possibility in life.Individuals' sense of possibility in life is underpinned by a belief and confidence that they will be ok. This belief is informed by 'feeling safe' and 'feeling connected'.This article generates an increased understanding of the dynamic relational processes that unpin hope generation. What are the implications for mental health nursing practice?: Mental health stakeholders need to be more explicit in exploring 'hope' and uncovering its therapeutic potential.Mental health practitioners need skill in enabling individuals to feel safe and connected while understanding its role in cultivating hope. Introduction: The experience of hope is widely acknowledged and empirically supported as a key catalyst of mental health recovery. Lived experience accounts of hope are critical in accessing data on what has been termed a nebulous concept. This article is the second presentation of data from this study and provides further context to improve understanding of hope and optimise its therapeutic potential. Aim: To explore how individuals describe and make sense of their experience of hope in mental health recovery. Method: A qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used. Results: This article explores the second of three experiential group themes: Hope as Having a sense of possibility 'I will be ok' which is informed by feeling safe and feeling connected. Discussion: Having a sense of possibility is easier when basic needs are met and people feel connected to self, others and the universe. The use of creativity as a pathway to the imagination is positively experienced. The role of family, friends and healthcare professionals as hope reservoirs is critical. Finally, the framing of medication use emerged as significant. Implications for Practice: It is important that all stakeholders appreciate the interpretation of hope and use the understanding and skill in harnessing its therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If you've listened to the news recently, you may have been struck by a sense of impending doom. This is perhaps especially true for adolescents, who have faced a global pandemic and the constant threat of school shootings and gun violence. Persistent feelings of hopelessness are experienced at alarming rates by adolescents. Hopelessness (defined as the negative expectation toward oneself or the future) has been widely reported to play a major role in the development of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and unsafe behaviors (Berardelli et al., 2022; Stoddard et al., 2011). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion regulation is important for psychological health and can be achieved by implementing various strategies. How one regulates emotions is critical for maximizing psychological health. Few studies, however, tested the psychological correlates of different emotion regulation strategies across multiple cultures. In a preregistered cross-cultural study (N = 3,960, 19 countries), conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed associations between the use of seven emotion regulation strategies (situation selection, distraction, rumination, cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, expressive suppression, and emotional support seeking) and four indices of psychological health (life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and loneliness). Model comparisons based on Bayesian information criteria provided support for cultural differences in 36% of associations, with very strong support for differences in 18% of associations. Strategies that were linked to worse psychological health in individualist countries (e.g., rumination, expressive suppression) were unrelated or linked to better psychological health in collectivist countries. Cultural differences in associations with psychological health were most prominent for expressive suppression and rumination and also found for distraction and acceptance. In addition, we found evidence for cultural similarities in 46% of associations between strategies and psychological health, but none of this evidence was very strong. Cultural similarities were most prominent in associations of psychological health with emotional support seeking. These findings highlight the importance of considering the cultural context to understand how individuals from diverse backgrounds manage unpleasant emotions. Public Significance Statement: This study assessed links between multiple emotion regulation strategies and indices of psychological health in diverse countries around the world as people coped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these links were similar across countries, but some were different, such that strategies that were positively related to psychological health in some countries were unrelated or negatively related to psychological health in other countries. These findings highlight the importance of a culturally sensitive approach to emotion regulation and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our separateness from the other is the 'basic agony', the 'original heartbreak' of the human condition, according to Frances Tustin's thinking. The ways we deal with this heartbreak form the foundation through which relationships, self-experience and wellbeing are built and developed. The following paper describes a child's journey, from omnipotent encapsulation, through the extremes of heartbreak – the child's, as well as his parents' and the therapist's – to liveliness and hope. Tustin teaches us the meaning and experience of encapsulation, the delicate balance between 'hard' and 'soft' needed in the therapeutic stance, the extremes of despair, hurt, cruelty and heartbreak that are met with along the way, as well as the possibility of hope even in dire situations. Holding on, survival and faith, as well as hope-against-hope, which is the resistance to despair in situations of hopelessness, are needed in order for this broken heart to be somewhat mended and allowed to flourish and to grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the current feelings of Finnish low-income working lone mothers and their views on what it means to be poor in the welfare state of Finland. This is done by analyzing written accounts of lone mothers through a qualitative content analysis. The data was collected in 2015 and 2021. The analysis reveals that mothers' feelings of poverty have similarities to those described in data collected in a different context over 20 years ago. The article is inspired by an article published in Affilia in the year 2003 by Lynn McIntyre, Suzanne Officer, and Lynne M. Robinson. In their paper, McIntyre et al. analyzed the feelings of poor Canadian lone mothers. While the welfare regime and services influence how life is organized, it is evident that self-sacrifice for the children caused by poverty is very much a part of the written accounts of Finnish mothers. We show that while there are a few cultural differences in the feelings that lone mothers undergo on account of their low-income status, feelings such as loneliness are persistent and often shared regardless of time or geographical location. Therefore, we suggest that low-income mothers should be given greater support by society and governments to be able to feel hopeful and empowered rather than poor and alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To explore the prevalence of Multiracial/ethnic identity and its association with mental health among high school students. Methods. The 2021 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N=17,232) data were used. Respondents were classified as monoracial/ethnic or Multiracial/ethnic. Results. Overall, 21.5% of students were Multiracial/ethnic. Multiracial/ethnic status was most prevalent among students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Hispanic or Latino. Logistic regression models showed Multiracial/ethnic classification was associated with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness among students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, and White. Multiracial/ethnic Asian students had significantly higher odds of all four indicators of poor mental health compared with monoracial/ethnic Asian students. Conclusion. Multiracial/ethnic students constitute a heterogenous group. This study found important subgroup differences in indicators of mental health that might be missed when Multiracial/ethnic groups are considered in aggregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women in heavily policed and incarcerated communities face extremely high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV)—but how criminal legal system contact affects such violence remains poorly understood. This study explores the social ecology of IPV by fitting structural equation models to longitudinal, dyadic data from households in contact with the criminal legal system (N = 2,224) and their local communities. Results suggest that a complex of factors at multiple social-ecological levels—including adverse local conditions, dysfunctional couple conflict, and men's behavioral health and perceptions of their neighborhoods—may put women at heightened risk of IPV victimization in a time of mass incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic pain’s influence on emotional well-being can be significant. It may evoke feelings of despair, frustration, nervousness, and melancholy in individuals, which often manifest as reactions to enduring pain and disruptions in their daily lives. In this study, we seek to perform Bootstrap Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) on the Persian Version of the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) in a cohort of people with chronic pain. Methods: The research concentrated on the population of individuals encountering chronic pain within Tehran province from 2022 to 2023. Ultimately, the analysis comprised information from 234 male participants (with a mean age of 30.59, SD = 6.84) and 307 female participants (with a mean age of 30.16, SD = 6.65). After data collection, statistical analysis was conducted using the EGAnet2.0.4 package in R.4.3.2 software. Results: The outcome of bootstrapped EGA unveiled a two-dimensional configuration of the PAQ comprising Factor 1 denoted as negative difficulty in describing and identifying feelings (N-DDIF) and Factor 2 characterized as general-externally orientated thinking (GEOT), representing robust structural integrity and item consistency (all items have stabilities > 0.70). Conclusion: These findings endorse the validity of the PAQ, as evidenced by its confirmation in a broader sample using a novel methodology consistent with existing literature on two-factor decentering models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2022 ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ protests in Iran have led to the escalation of state-sponsored online disinformation campaigns. This paper aims to examine how, amidst a growing legitimacy crisis, the Iranian regime has employed a ‘Big Lie’ to shatter hopes for change by discrediting influential dissidents and hindering the formation of an effective opposition movement. Three target groups have borne the brunt of this strategy: celebrities, political dissidents inside the country, and prominent opponents in the diaspora. By reviewing state-owned media content and tweets, this paper reveals a consistent pattern of character assassination against dissidents. The ruling regime’s ultimate goal is to foster a sense of public hopelessness for an alternative to the Islamic Republic. By conceptualizing the Big Lie online, the study engages with the mechanism of control in modern despotism in the age of the internet and social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study will seek to understand the lived experiences of birth trauma among African American women. Racial discrimination affects society and individuals, both physically and mentally. Racial discrimination has the capacity to affect birth outcomes (Alhusen et al., 2016). Overall, adverse pregnancy outcomes in general have been found to be higher in African Americans than in Caucasians (Christian et al., 2012). Reducing disparities in birth outcomes has been said to be a national priority in the U.S for some time (Sage MacDorman, 2011); yet, the problem still exists, with no known decreases in reporting. One important initiative to decrease the risk of further problems is to understand the lived experiences of birth trauma and racism. This study used a descriptive phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of birth trauma among African American women. There were six themes that consistently emerged from participants narratives: (1) feeling alone, (2) feeling misunderstood, (3) doubting oneself/feeling incapable, (4) loss of hope, (5) feeling angry, and (6) prompt to action. Understanding the lived experiences of birth trauma can contribute to greater empathy and understanding. It may also contribute to changing policies and/or changes in responses. By seeking to understand the lived experiences of a minority population, the study may impact initiatives aimed at reducing disparities in birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a sample of middle-aged and older adults, this research explores associations between generativity and two key risk factors for suicide: thwarted belonging (T.B.) and perceived burdensomeness (P.B.). These variables are typically studied as predictors of suicide; the current study is unique in examining their psychosocial correlates. Erikson described, generativity as a psychosocial construct that characterizes adult well-being in mid-life, conceptualized as the sense one has successfully guided and contributed to the younger generation through mentoring. Using the Midlife in the United States Survey (MIDUS), the current analyses indicate that generativity is associated with lower levels of P.B. and T.B., even after accounting for measures of hopelessness, depressive symptoms, financial stability, perceived neighborhood quality, chronic health conditions, and respondent's demographic characteristics including gender and age. Results are discussed in terms of applications for suicide-risk prevention, and with regard to the promotion of positive psychosocial development across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an existential-phenomenological perspective on the schizoid personality, its struggles, coping capacities, and creative strategies. The writings of Kierkegaard, particularly in terms of his exploration of the concept of 'shut-upness,' or 'inclosing reserve,' and its relationship to despair can be decisively instructive in facilitating and promoting the therapeutic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migration has challenged society. Most people who move do so for economic reasons, but others move for more tragic reasons. The proportion of female migrants was slightly higher than that of male migrants, partly due to the longer life expectancy of women and the higher demand for female migrants in care‐related Jobs. The process may affect migrants' health, particularly in countries where healthcare is associated with high economic costs or insurance availability. A global systematic review of qualitative studies with meta‐synthesis was conducted. The results can be used to support health policy and clinical practice. Objective: To describe how migrants perceive and experience the process of migrating and how it affects their health. Search strategy: Databases consulted were Medline, PsychInfo, Cuiden, Cinahl, WOS, Scopus, Social Science Database, and Epistemonikos. Thirty‐four articles were selected for final meta‐synthesis. Inclusion criteria: All qualitative primary studies were included that describe the experiences or perceptions of migrants and refugees over 18 years that talk about their migration process and the impact on their health; written in English or Spanish between 2016 and 2021. Articles referring to second generations and those dealing with pathologies that pre‐date the migration process were excluded. Data extraction and synthesis: The COREQ and JBI templates were used as quality criteria. Studies mostly used a phenomenological methodology and in‐depth interviews, both individual and group, were used for data collection and narrative synthesis. Main results: Uncertainty emerges as a main category. Three other interrelated themes have a direct impact on migrants' health: Language, Social Networks and Work. There are several conditions in each of these that have a positive or negative impact on health. The gender condition appears in both work and social networks, positively and negatively. Discussion and conclusions: Health would be improved by having a stable job, which would facilitate access to health resources. Social networks and language are facilitators of access to a better job, but not the only condition. From a gender perspective, social networks can become a source of health problems, especially for women. The process of migration places women in a position of vulnerability due to the difficulties of reconciling family and work life. Job insecurity, workload, loss of family life or social isolation increase hopelessness and anxiety, leading to health problems. Public or patient contribution: As an academic review study, no patient contribution was required, and this study serves as a theoretical framework for more in‐depth research that will work with migrant populations. As a public contribution, this work provides evidence of the need to improve access to health for some populations, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of youth with severe and enduring mental health problems (SEMHP) falls between the cracks of the child-and-adolescent psychiatry (CAP) system. An insufficient understanding of these youth's mental health problems results in a failure to accurately identify and provide support to these youth. To gain a deeper understanding, the aim of this study is to explore characteristics of youth with SEMHP in clinical practice based on the experiences of youth and clinicians in CAP. This qualitative study consisted of 20 semi-structured interviews with 10 youth with lived experience and 10 specialized clinicians in CAP. Both a thematic and content analysis was conducted to identify, assess, and report themes associated with youth with SEMHP. Themes were individual characteristics such as trauma, masking, self-destructive behavior, interpersonal distrust as well as environmental and systematic characteristics including parental stressors, social isolation and societal stressors, which go beyond the existing classifications. These characteristics profoundly impact youth's daily functioning across various life domains, creating an interactive process, ultimately leading to elusive mental health problems and overwhelming feelings of hopelessness. The authors recommend proper assessment of characteristics in all life domains affected and their perpetuating effect on SEMHP during diagnostics in CAP. Engaging in a dialogue with youth themselves is crucial due to the nature of youth's characteristics, which frequently transcend traditional classifications and may not be immediately discernible. It also requires an integrated care approach, entailing collaborations between educational institutions and mental healthcare providers, and attention to potential indicators of deficits in the healthcare system and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge and hope of ecumenism is to seek ways to see the reality of Christians who long for visible unity. Starting from the principle that this visible unity is already expressed in the unity of baptism, we aspire to the greatness of unity in the eucharist, the source of life. From every observable reality, the people of God earnestly seek an encounter with the sibling who suffers, despairs, and feels the desire for God. We believe in a God who wants and encourages the encounter, a God who has the initiative to see the face of humanity. We Christians live in many borderline situations—often at the limit of bloodshed, martyrdom, and suffering—for the simple desire to seek happiness and koinonia. The question would be: What do the rest of Christians do for those of my siblings who live in situations of death—borderline situations? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Expression of Muc13 is decreased in the intestines of stressed animals. • Mice lacking Muc13 show microbiome signatures like those found in stressed mice. • Muc13 deletion can induce despair and anxiety-like behaviors in mice. • The transcription factor HNF4 binds to and regulates Muc13 gene expression. Depression is a prevalent psychological condition with limited treatment options. While its etiology is multifactorial, both chronic stress and changes in microbiome composition are associated with disease pathology. Stress is known to induce microbiome dysbiosis, defined here as a change in microbial composition associated with a pathological condition. This state of dysbiosis is known to feedback on depressive symptoms. While studies have demonstrated that targeted restoration of the microbiome can alleviate depressive-like symptoms in mice, translating these findings to human patients has proven challenging due to the complexity of the human microbiome. As such, there is an urgent need to identify factors upstream of microbial dysbiosis. Here we investigate the role of mucin 13 as an upstream mediator of microbiome composition changes in the context of stress. Using a model of chronic stress, we show that the glycocalyx protein, mucin 13, is selectively reduced after psychological stress exposure. We further demonstrate that the reduction of Muc13 is mediated by the Hnf4 transcription factor family. Finally, we determine that deleting Muc13 is sufficient to drive microbiome shifts and despair behaviors. These findings shed light on the mechanisms behind stress-induced microbial changes and reveal a novel regulator of mucin 13 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate parents' preferences and motivations for receiving and discussing prognostic genetic test results. Method: We used a cross‐sectional, interpretive description qualitative study design. We collected data through semi‐structured interviews with Australian parents, which we analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Parents (n = 32) had a child or children with a genetic neurodevelopmental condition, such as fragile X syndrome, DiGeorge (22q11.2 deletion) syndrome, or Angelman syndrome. Parents of mildly impacted or older children were tolerant to prognostic uncertainty. Parents found conversations about their child's prognosis emotional and preferred to discuss their child's potential strengths and challenges. While most were enthusiastic about prognostic tests and described many motivations for testing, the potential for prognostic information to contribute to a loss of hope and stigmatizing societal views were also discussed. Interpretation: Parents had mixed preferences and motivations for acquiring prognostic genetic information about their child, contrasting evidence in other contexts such as cancer where parents typically have minimal tolerance of uncertainty. Health professionals should consider strength‐based framing of prognostic information gained from current and emerging technologies when returning results to families. What this paper adds: Parents had varied views about receiving prognostic information on their children's neurodevelopmental condition.Some parents preferred prognostic uncertainty about their children's genetic neurodevelopmental condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1960s, conservationist Aldo Leopold noted: "One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds." Decades later, activist Greta Thunberg interpellated world leaders: "I want you to act as if our house were on fire. Because it is." Together, these quotes capture two central features of environmental activism. First, despite growing public concern, environmental loss—including more-than-human deaths, species extinctions, devastated ecosystems—is grieved only by environmental scientists, activists, and witnesses. Second, they highlight the temporal gulf separating those who despair at mounting environmental degradation, and those who, trapped in a "business-as-usual" temporality, remain indifferent. While the environmental humanities and eco-psychology have analysed these phenomena, political theorists are lagging behind. This paper addresses this gap by bringing theories of representation and chronopolitics to bear on a flurry of recently published memoirs chronicling activists' emotional and temporal alienation. I read these as self-authorized representative claims aiming, first, to summon the already-grieving into a self-aware constituency and second, to bridge what P.J. Brendese has termed the "segregated temporalities" of hegemonic and environmentalists' time. I argue that these texts illuminate a key aspect of representation in the context of environmental crisis: that it can be primarily understood as grounded in a chronopolitical conflict over competing understandings of time. As concrete illustrations, I examine Daniel Sherrell's Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World and Danielle Celermajer's Summertime: Reflections on a Vanishing Future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the most relevant clinical characteristics of the nursing diagnosis frail elderly syndrome (FES) in hospitalized patients aged 65 or older and analyze their impact on 9‐month mortality and hospital readmission. Methods: A prospective and prognostic accuracy study was conducted in patients aged 65 or older, who were admitted to hospital more than 24 h. A consecutive convenience sampling process was used. Assessment included defining characteristics (DCs) of FES, clinical fraility scale (CFS), frail scale (FS), and 9‐month mortality and hospital readmission. Statistical tests were used to verify associations between variables. Binary logistic regression analysis and area under the curve were used, to identify significant predictors for the outcomes and evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the DCs. Findings: This study involved 150 patients. CFS scored 65 patients (43.3%, confidence interval 95% 35.2% a 51.6) as frail and proved a prognostic value of mortality at 9 month from pre‐frail state (p = 0.020). The mean number of DCs for FES nursing diagnosis was 6.35 (SD = 3.14). Validated tools for measuring frailty were associated with all DCs, excepting nutritional imbalance: below body needs. The hospital readmission during the following 9 months was only statistically related to memory impairment (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Clinical frailty scale showed good results as a predictor of mortality. The study suggests exploring including it, in clinical manifestations of elderly frail syndrome. This study found that only memory impairment defining characteristic was predictive of hospital readmission. Further research should identify other relevant and prognostic clinical manifestations. Implication for nursing practice: These findings highlight the importance of being vigilant on cognitive decline during hospital admissions. The most prevalent and determinant DCs identified in this study indicate that clinical should focus on preserving functional and mental abilities as well as mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In looking back over 3 decades since the development of his interest in developing a unitary conceptualization of despair, nurse scholar W. Richard Cowling, III, had new insights and revelations. The purpose of this dialogue article is to re-envision this journey as one of unfolding, seen with the gift of new eyes. Revisiting this journey allowed him to understand and appreciate it anew. Horizons of possibilities of this conceptual journey are explained in terms of conceptual-theoretical development, inquiry, and the advancement of discipline-specific knowledge, and improving the lives of women in despair. It is his sincere hope, as with all meaningful scholarly endeavors, that a wider discourse occurs with the persistent inclusion of women's voices and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many ecological studies examine health outcomes and disparities using administrative boundaries such as census tracts, counties, or states. These boundaries help us to understand the patterning of health by place, along with impacts of policies implemented at these levels. However, additional geopolitical units (units with both geographic and political meaning), such as congressional districts (CDs), present further opportunities to connect research with public policy. Here we provide a step-by-step guide on how to conduct disparities-focused analysis at the CD level. As an applied case study, we use geocoded vital statistics data from 2010-2015 to examine levels of and disparities in infant mortality and deaths of despair in the 19 US CDs of Pennsylvania for the 111th-112th (2009-2012) Congresses and 18 CDs for the 113th-114th (2013-2016) Congresses. We also provide recommendations for extending CD-level analysis to other outcomes, states, and geopolitical boundaries, such as state legislative districts. Increased surveillance of health outcomes at the CD level can help prompt policy action and advocacy and, hopefully, reduce rates of and disparities in adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actually, it all started with an article titled, "Alewite Organizations React Against Nurettin Topçu Being Introduced to Middle School Students" published on December 19, 2023, in a virtual newspaper called "Medyascope" (online newspaper). In the article signed by Gülseven Özkan, it was mentioned that in the course titled "Paving the Way for Our Culture and Civilization," a series of thinkers from Halil İnalcık to Nurettin Topçu, would be introduced to middle school students. However, it was expressed that objections were raised by Alewite organizations against Nurettin Topçu due to the author's anti-secular and targeting remarks towards Alewites. (Özkan, 2023) Some Alewite associations, expressed their reactions one after another after the publication in question, which then gained news value. Following this, the issue branched out and became more complex.Sometimes, stating the conclusion at the beginning can be meaningful if an opposing hypothesis is going to be argued: Nurettin Topçu is not a thinker whose words will be selectively plucked from his writings and misrepresented because; Topçu is a thinker of "anti-theses". It's clear from the continuation of the statement that Topçu is actually trying to associate Bektashism, which is often conflated with Janissary unrest and Kemalism here. Because Alewitesm and Bektashism are intertwined in society like a rhyme, one ends up targeting both, but the real aim is not Alewitesm but rather Bektashism. Even though Alewitesm admits that it originates from within Turkishness, namely Shamanism, it completely associates Bektashism with an external source, namely Zoroastrianism. Here, a typical Topçu indirect reference is observed. Additionally, Topçu harbors animosity towards Shia, which is why he somewhat burdens Alewites. However, following Kemalism, he emphasizes the necessity for the fundamental thought patterns of political Islamists to be purged from religion as well. So, the ultimate targets are political Islam and Kemalism. Just as seen in his general writings. What's important here is that, under the guise of the 'Opening' (referring to a government initiative), some socialist-communist-social democrat media outlets and parties have fallen into the illusion that they can manipulate Alewites.They believe they are their own vote banks, believing they can make Alewites do anything by being command by some small prties. Alewites, although they have often been subjected to unfair treatment in the past, have never left the Anatolian lands and have not given up their struggle or succumbed to despair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The prevalence of depressive symptoms and cognitive decline increases with age. We investigated their temporal dynamics in individuals aged 85 and older across a 5-year follow-up period. Methods Participants were selected from the Leiden 85-plus study and were eligible if at least three follow-up measurements were available (325 of 599 participants). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at yearly assessments during a follow-up period of up to 5 years, using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Cognitive decline was measured through various tests, including the Mini Mental State Exam, Stroop test, Letter Digit Coding test and immediate and delayed recall. A novel method, dynamic time warping analysis, was employed to model their temporal dynamics within individuals, in undirected and directed time-lag analyses, to ascertain whether depressive symptoms precede cognitive decline in group-level aggregated results or vice versa. Results The 325 participants were all 85 years of age at baseline; 68% were female, and 45% received intermediate to higher education. Depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning significantly covaried in time, and directed analyses showed that depressive symptoms preceded most of the constituents of cognitive impairment in the oldest old. Of the GDS-15 symptoms, those with the strongest outstrength, indicating changes in these symptoms preceded subsequent changes in other symptoms, were worthlessness, hopelessness, low happiness, dropping activities/interests, and low satisfaction with life (all P 's < 0.01). Conclusion Depressive symptoms preceded cognitive impairment in a population based sample of the oldest old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from 165 adult participants who enrolled in four studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for binge-spectrum eating disorders (EDs), this secondary analysis examined 1) whether pretreatment hopelessness predicted posttreatment eating pathology, loss-of-control (LOC) eating frequency, and purging frequency; 2) whether treatment had an indirect effect on those outcomes through change in hopelessness; and 3) whether treatment had an indirect effect on hopelessness through those ED measures. The Eating Disorder Examination was used to assess overall eating pathology, LOC frequency, and purging frequency. Hopelessness was measured with one item from the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Regression models showed that pretreatment hopelessness predicted posttreatment LOC eating frequency but not overall eating pathology or purging frequency. Single-group tests of indirect effects showed no effect of reduction in hopelessness on reduction in ED symptoms, but there was an effect of reduction in ED symptoms on reduction in hopelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of the Turkey 2023 earthquakes on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents residing in Hatay, Sanlıurfa, and Ankara provinces, encompassing the periods both before and after the Turkey 2023 earthquakes. This cross-sectional, multicenter study included 103 children and adolescents with ASD aged between 6 and 18. Participants were evaluated based on their residence in Ankara, Hatay, and Sanlıurfa, three cities affected differently by the earthquake. Parent-report questionnaires were utilized to assess the children's autism symptoms and behavioural problems. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale was used to determine autism severity. The psychiatric problems of mothers were also assessed with self-report scales. Significantly increased levels of core autism symptoms, irritability, and hyperactivity were found in Hatay and Sanlıurfa participants after the earthquakes compared to before, while no differences were detected in children from the Ankara group. Scale score increases in the Hatay group, which had to take a more extended break from special education, were higher than in the Sanlıurfa group. Participants with late-diagnosed ASD exhibited a more significant increase in their scale scores after the earthquake. Depression, stress and hopelessness scores were the highest, and the life satisfaction levels were the lowest in mothers of the Hatay and Sanlıurfa groups. More pronounced increases were observed in aberrant behaviours among children of mothers with low educational levels following the earthquake. Our findings demonstrate that the exacerbation of core ASD symptoms and behavioural deterioration after the earthquakes are associated with disruptions in specialized education services, exposure to earthquake-related trauma, and the educational level of mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 5 to 24 in the United States (US). However, the precursors to suicide often do not surface, making suicide prevention challenging. This study aims to develop a machine learning model for predicting suicide ideation (SI), suicide planning (SP), and suicide attempts (SA) among adolescents in the US during the coronavirus pandemic. We used the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey Data. Class imbalance was addressed using the proposed data augmentation method tailored for binary variables, Modified Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling Technique. Five different ML models were trained and compared. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis was conducted for explainability. The Logistic Regression model, identified as the most effective, showed superior performance across all targets, achieving high scores in recall: 0.82, accuracy: 0.80, and area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve: 0.88. Variables such as sad feelings, hopelessness, sexual behavior, and being overweight were noted as the most important predictors. Our model holds promise in helping health policymakers design effective public health interventions. By identifying vulnerable sub-groups within regions, our model can guide the implementation of tailored interventions that facilitate early identification and referral to medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated whether hope and its two components (agency and pathways) acted as protective factors by weakening the relations between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability for suicide and suicide risk among older adults. A community sample of 594 older Australians aged from 60 to 95 years (Mage = 68.72, SDage = 6.67) completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-Revised, Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale-Fearlessness about Death Scale, Adult Hope Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale-short form. After controlling for depressive symptoms and sociodemographic variables, hope and agency moderated the thwarted belongingness-suicide risk relation, and hope, agency, and pathways moderated the acquired capability for suicide-risk relation. Hope may play an important role in reducing suicide risk among older adults experiencing thwarted belongingness and who have acquired the capability for suicide. Research is required to identify ways of reducing suicide risk among older adults who experience perceived burdensomeness. Increasing hope may reduce suicide risk among older adults experiencing thwarted belongingness and who have acquired the capability for suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]