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Background: Mobile Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is increasingly used to gather intensive, longitudinal data on behavioral nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behavior and their underlying determinants. However, a relevant concern is the risk of non-random non-compliance with mobile EMA protocols, especially in older adults. This study aimed to examine older adults' compliance with mobile EMA in health behavior studies according to participant characteristics, and prompt timing, and to provide recommendations for future EMA research. Methods: Data of four intensive longitudinal observational studies employing mobile EMA to understand health behavior, involving 271 community-dwelling older adults (M = 71.8 years, SD = 6.8; 52% female) in Flanders, were pooled. EMA questionnaires were prompted by a smartphone application during specific time slots or events. Data on compliance (i.e. information whether a participant answered at least one item following the prompt), time slot (morning, afternoon or evening) and day (week or weekend day) of each prompt were extracted from the EMA applications. Participant characteristics, including demographics, body mass index, and smartphone ownership, were collected via self-report. Descriptive statistics of compliance were computed, and logistic mixed models were run to examine inter- and intrapersonal variability in compliance. Results: EMA compliance averaged 77.5%, varying from 70.0 to 86.1% across studies. Compliance differed among subgroups and throughout the day. Age was associated with lower compliance (OR = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.93–0.99), while marital/cohabiting status and smartphone ownership were associated with higher compliance (OR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.21–2.77, and OR = 4.43, 95%CI = 2.22–8.83, respectively). Compliance was lower in the evening than in the morning (OR = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.69–0.97), indicating non-random patterns that could impact study validity. Conclusions: The findings of this study shed light on the complexities surrounding compliance with mobile EMA protocols among older adults in health behavior studies. Our analysis revealed that non-compliance within our pooled dataset was not completely random. This non-randomness could introduce bias into study findings, potentially compromising the validity of research findings. To address these challenges, we recommend adopting tailored approaches that take into account individual characteristics and temporal dynamics. Additionally, the utilization of Directed Acyclic Graphs, and advanced statistical techniques can help mitigate the impact of non-compliance on study validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bender-Gestalt Test (BGT) is a psychological assessment used to understand the characteristics of a person by evaluating the drawings of the examinees when asked to copy provided shapes. The evaluation results in numerical scores for each shape, which describe the level of psychological issues. This test has been conducted using a pencil and a paper by a human counsellor traditionally, but the results can be contaminated by unconscious bias or mistakes. This paper proposed a digitalized BGT system which utilizes a stylus pen and a tablet to assist a human counsellor. The proposed system records the responses of examinees, and the responses were evaluated by computer algorithms. The proposed system was evaluated by comparing the scores of the proposed system and human experts, with the BGT responses of 28 participants. Both scores were similar in general, but it was found that the scores of the proposed system were more accurate for the ambiguous drawings. The results indicate that the proposed system can be utilized to assist counsellors for the diagnosis of the abnormalities precisely by accurately detecting small differences in the drawings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demystifying machine learning (ML) approaches through the synergy of psychology and artificial intelligence can achieve a balance between predictive and explanatory power in model development while enhancing rigor in validation and reporting standards. Accordingly, this study aimed to bridge this research gap by developing a subjective well‐being (SWB) prediction model on Weibo, serving as a psychological assessment instrument and explaining the model construction based on psychological knowledge. The model establishment involved the collection of SWB scores and posts from 1,427 valid Weibo users. Multiple machine learning algorithms were employed to train the model and fine‐tune its parameters. The optimal model was selected by comparing its criterion validity and split‐half reliability performance. Furthermore, SHAP values were calculated to rank the importance of features, which were then used for model interpretation. The criterion validity for the three dimensions of SWB ranged from 0.50 to 0.52 (P < 0.001), and the split‐half reliability ranged from 0.94 to 0.96 (P < 0.001). The identified relevant features were related to four main aspects: cultural values, emotions, morality, and time and space. This study expands the application scope of SWB‐related psychological theories from a data‐driven perspective and provides a theoretical reference for further well‐being prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological assessment is commonly conducted using either self‐report measures or clinical interviews; the former are quick and easy to administer, and the latter are more time‐consuming and require training. Self‐report measures have been criticized for producing higher estimates of symptom and disorder presence relative to clinical interviews, with the assumption being that self‐report measures are prone to Type 1 error. Here, we introduce the use of “clinical checks” within an existing self‐report measure. These are brief supplementary questions intended to clarify and confirm initial responses, similar to what occurs in a clinical interview. Clinical checks were developed for the items of the International Grief Questionnaire (IGQ), a self‐report measure of ICD‐11 prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Data were collected as part of a community survey of mental health in Ukraine. Individual symptom endorsements for the IGQ significantly decreased with the use of clinical checks, and the percentage of the sample that met the ICD‐11 diagnostic requirements for PGD fell from 13.6% to 10.2%, representing a 24.8% reduction in cases. The value and potential broader application of clinical checks are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro‐expressions are spontaneous and unconscious facial movements that reveal individuals' genuine inner emotions. They hold significant potential in various psychological testing fields. As the face is a 3D deformation object, the emergence of facial expression leads to spatial deformation of the face. However, existing databases primarily offer 2D video sequences, limiting descriptions of 3D spatial information related to micro‐expressions. Here, a new micro‐expression database is proposed, which contains 2D image sequences and corresponding 3D point cloud sequences. These samples were classified using both an objective method based on the facial action coding system and a non‐objective emotion classification method that considers video contents and participants' self‐reports. A variety of feature extraction techniques are applied to 2D data, including traditional algorithms and deep learning methods. Additionally, a novel local curvature‐based algorithm is developed to extract 3D spatio‐temporal deformation features from the 3D data. The authors evaluated the classification accuracies of these two features individually and their fusion results under leave‐one‐subject‐out (LOSO) and tenfold cross‐validation. The results demonstrate that fusing 3D features with 2D features results in improved recognition performance compared to using 2D features alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifactorial lifestyle approaches could be more effective than a single factor for maintaining cognitive function. This study investigated the association of combining cognitively stimulating leisure activities (CSLAs), including puzzles, quizzes, and cognitive training games, with intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and arachidonic acid (ARA), on cognitive function in the older Japanese individuals without dementia. Participants were community-dwelling Japanese individuals without a self-reported history of dementia (n = 906, aged 60-88 years) from datasets of a 2-year longitudinal study (baseline: 2006-2008 and follow-up: 2008-2010). CSLA engagement and LCPUFA intake were divided into high and low groups according to frequency (≥once/week and

Background and objectives: Cognitive reserve (CR) is a property of the brain that allows for better-than-expected cognitive performance relative to the degree of brain change over the course of life. However, neurophysiological markers of CR remain under-investigated. Electroencephalography (EEG) features may function as suitable neurophysiological markers of CR. To assess this, we investigated whether the dorsal attention network (DAN) and ventral attention network (VAN) activities, as measured during resting-state EEG, moderate the relationship between hippocampal volume and episodic memory. Methods: Participants were recruited as part of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Hippocampal volume was determined using magnetic MRI, and episodic memory was measured using word lists. After testing the effect of hippocampal volume on memory performance using multiple regression analysis, we evaluated the interactions between hippocampal volume and DAN and VAN network activities. We further used the Johnson-Neyman technique to quantify the moderating effects of DAN and VAN network activities on the relationship between hippocampal volume and word list memory, as well as to identify specific ranges of DAN and VAN network activity with significant hippocampal-memory association. Results: A total of 449 participants were included in this study. Our analysis revealed significant moderation of DAN with a slope of β = -0.00012 (95% CI: -0.00024; -0.00001, p = 0.040), and VAN with a slope of β = 0.00014 (95% CI: 0.00001; 0.00026, p = 0.031). Further, we found that a larger hippocampal volume was associated with improved memory performance, and that this association became stronger as the DAN activity decreased until a limit of DAN activity of 944.9, after which the hippocampal volume was no longer significantly related to word-list memory performance. For the VAN, we found that a higher hippocampal volume was more strongly associated with better memory performance when VAN activity was higher. However, when VAN activity extended beyond -914.6, the hippocampal volume was no longer significantly associated with word-list memory. Discussion: Our results suggest that attentional networks help to maintain memory performance in the face of age-related structural decline, meeting the criteria for the neural implementation of cognitive reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) holds tremendous potential to transform the field of education because GAI models can consider context and therefore can be trained to deliver quick and meaningful evaluation of student learning outcomes. However, current versions of GAI tools have considerable limitations, such as social biases often inherent in the data sets used to train the models. Moreover, the GAI revolution comes during a period of moving away from memorizationbased education systems toward supporting learners in developing the ability to apply knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems and explain real-world phenomena. A challenge in using GAI tools for scoring assessments aimed at fostering knowledge application is ensuring that these algorithms are scoring the same construct attributes (e.g., knowledge and skills) as a trained human scorer would score when evaluating student performance. Similarly, if using GAI tools to develop assessments, one needs to ensure that the goals of GAI-generated assessments are aligned with the vision and performance expectations of the learning environments for which these assessments are developed. Currently, no guidelines have been identified for assessing the validity of AI-based assessments and assessment results. This paper represents a conceptual analysis of issues related to developing and validating GAI-based assessments and assessment results to guide the learning process. Our primary focus is to investigate how to meaningfully leverage capabilities of GAI for developing assessments. We propose ways to evaluate the validity evidence of GAI-produced assessments and assessment scores based on existing validation approaches. We discuss future research avenues aimed at establishing guidelines and methodologies for assessing the validity of AI-based assessments and assessment results. We ground our discussion in the theory of validity outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing by the American Educational Research Association and discuss how we envision building on the standards for establishing the validity of inferences made from the test scores in the context of GAI-based assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood maltreatment (CM), including abuse and neglect, is a crucial factor that distorts child development. CM is associated with alterations in numerous brain regions, and may be associated with hormonal dysregulation. This study aimed to investigate differences in secretion patterns of cortisol (CT) and oxytocin (OT) among children who experienced CM, children living in residential care facilities and in unstable environments. Among 38 maltreated children, 23 (mean age = 12.2 years, SD = 3.0) were categorized as "Settled" and 15 (mean age = 13.1 years, SD = 2.2) as "Unsettled." Twenty-six age- and gender-matched (mean age = 12.6 years, SD = 2.1), typically developing (TD) children were also included. Clinical and psychological assessments, including IQ and trauma evaluations, were conducted for all participants. Age, gender, and full-scale IQ were used as covariates in hormone analysis. Two saliva samples were collected, one on awakening and the other at bedtime. There were significant differences in the awakening CT levels of the "Unsettled" group, and in bedtime OT levels in the "Settled" group as compared with TD children, and between CM groups. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in trauma-symptomatic depression scores between the "Settled" and "Unsettled" CM group. These results suggest that CT diurnal secretions tend to be reactive to current stress rather than previous experience. OT diurnal secretions are presumably hyper-regulated for coping with the environment to survive and thrive. By measuring salivary CT/OT diurnal patterns, hormonal dysregulation of CM children living in "Settled" environments and "Unsettled" environments was indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Methods Results and Discussion Affect recall is key to psychological assessment and decision‐making. However, self‐concepts (self‐beliefs) may bias retrospective affect reports such that they deviate from lived experiences. Does this experience‐memory gap apply to solitude experiences? We hypothesized that individuals misremember how they feel overall and when in solitude, in line with self‐concepts of introversion, self‐determined/not‐self‐determined solitude motivations, and independent/interdependent self‐construal. A pilot study comparing retrospective to daily affect reports captured over 2 weeks (N = 104 UK university students) provided preliminary evidence of introversion and not‐self‐determined solitude shaping affect recall.In the main pre‐registered study, participants aged 18–49 in the UK (N = 160) and Hong Kong (N = 159) reported their momentary affective states and social situations 5 times per day over 7 days, then recalled how they felt over the week.Individuals higher in self‐determined solitude were more prone to retrospectively overestimate their high‐ and low‐arousal positive affect in solitude and showed less overestimation/more underestimation of negative affect in solitude. Higher not‐self‐determined solitude was associated with overestimating loneliness, and higher interdependent self‐construal with overestimating loneliness and energy levels, in solitude. Comparisons based on residence/ethnicity suggest culture influences solitude‐seeking and affective memory. Implications for well‐being and affect measurement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the support needed for early-career measurement professionals in research and testing companies. It emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and the development of technical, statistical, and computational competencies, as well as understanding social and cultural contexts in educational measurement. The authors suggest strengthening partnerships between graduate training programs and research/testing organizations and highlight the significance of intellectual humility, interdisciplinary knowledge, and ethics in the field. The article also emphasizes the need for employers to create conditions that foster the development of critical thinking, creativity, and flexibility, and stresses the importance of modeling, mentorship, advocacy, and a sense of belonging in the field. Overall, the article calls for continued collaboration and support for early-career professionals in educational measurement. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Strict patient isolation in hospital is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, there is a lack of high‐quality evidence for effective interventions to improve safety and quality of care for these patients. Aims: To identify patient reported areas for improvement in the care of patients in hospital isolation and to determine the feasibility of collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools. Methods: Design: An exploratory mixed methods study. Setting: A major metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Participants: Patients in hospital isolation for transmissible infections. Data collection: Data were collected by (1) phone interviews with patients in isolation and (2) seven validated measurement tools to assess cognition, loneliness, nutritional status, quality of life, anxiety and depression and physical activity. Data were collected between September and December 2021. Data analysis: Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively including participant characteristics and outcome data. Results: Participants identified areas for improvement including activities to decrease boredom, more contact with staff to mitigate loneliness and increase comfort care, and formalised communication about clinical treatment and discharge plan. Patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were happier to be alone. There were operational challenges within the health service including delays and miscommunication. Only 70% of the participants completed all questionnaires. Conclusion: This study identified areas for improvement in care of patients in isolation and demonstrated that collecting patient reported outcomes using validated tools was feasible. The results of this research will inform development of an intervention to manage adverse effects. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Patients in hospital isolation require additional consideration to ensure that their needs are met to avoid adverse outcomes. The patient experience and comfort can be negatively affected when fundamental care is lacking. Reporting Method (EQUATOR): EQUATOR guidelines for Mixed Methods Reporting in Rehabilitation & Health Sciences (MMR‐RHS). Patient or Public Contribution: Thirteen patients in hospital isolation agreed to participate in this study, sharing their experiences through interviews and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Craving is a core feature of addiction. Rumination and depression play a crucial role in the process of methamphetamine addiction. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between rumination, depression and craving in methamphetamine patients, which has not been explored yet. A total of 778 patients with methamphetamine user disorder (MUD) at the Xinhua Drug Rehabilitation Center, located in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, China. We used a set of self-administered questionnaires that included socio-demographic, detailed drug use history, rumination, depression and craving information. The Rumination Response Scale (RRS) was used to measure rumination, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to measure depression and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure craving. There was a significant positive correlation between rumination and craving, or depression, and between depression and craving. Furthermore, depression mediated between rumination and craving, with a mediation effect of 160%. Our findings suggest that there is a close interrelationship between rumination, craving and depression in MUD patients, and that depression may play a mediating role between rumination and craving. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between rumination and craving during withdrawal in methamphetamine dependent patients and the mediating role of depression. Among methamphetamine patients, it was found that reflection was positively correlated with rumination and depression, depression and craving, rumination and craving, and depression plays the mediating role between rumination and craving. These findings suggest that interventions to reduce depression and rumination may also be effective for withdrawal and relapse reduction in methamphetamine patients, providing further rationale for the treatment of methamphetamine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the effect of Balint Group in improving stress, negative mood and empathy of psychiatric nurses. Method: In March 2022-March 2023, 150 psychiatric nurses from four hospitals in Lanzhou were selected for the study, randomly grouped into experimental group and control groups (75 per group), the experimental group participated the Balint Group activities biweekly, the control group only attended mental health knowledge lectures. Job stress, negative emotion and empathy of the two groups before and after the intervention were evaluated and compared by using job stressor Scale, coping style Assessment Scale, self-assessment scale for depression, self-assessment Scale for anxiety and Jefferson Empathy Scale. Results: After intervention, the job stressor scale and coping style evaluation of nurses in the two groups were significantly decreased, and the experimental group was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The depression and anxiety of nurses in the two groups were significantly improved, and the experimental group was better than the control group (P < 0.05). The differences in the total score and dimensions of Jefferson Empathy scale in the experimental group after intervention were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Balint group activities can effectively relieve the stress, depression and anxiety of psychiatric nurses, and improve the ability of empathy at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, people spend a lot of time in the information space, communicating within various social platforms. Content of those platforms can influence people’s feelings and personalities, which is especially relevant for young people. In this research, we made an attempt to prove this hypothesis. For the experiment, we selected the VKontakte social network and analysed users profiles together with the results of the psychological tests passed by them. The goal of the experiment was to find correlations between the information provided within the social network communities and the users’ personalities. Moreover, in this paper, we made an attempt to enhance the results of the classifier accuracy using the sentiment analysis. The experiments were conducted to test the sentiment analysis models, to analyse the proposed feature based on posts’ sentiment, and test the classifier for the detection of the potentially destructive impacts. The analysis of the correlation of the proposed feature with the communities that have potentially destructive impacts on anxiety is conducted. The analysis of the obtained results is provided. During the experiments, the authors found out that consideration of the posts’ sentiment allows increasing accuracy of the classifier for anxiety destructive impacts on 12.24 %. Additionally, we analysed the relationship between the user sentiments metric and destructiveness. We confirmed that the assessment of the user’s posts’ sentiment can be used to compile his psychological characteristics and determine possibility of destructiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Escalating street violence and criminal homicides have an adverse impact on psychological well-being. However, these consequences have been difficult to evaluate. Using a recently validated scale, we aimed to assess the impact of fear of crime on the psychological status of middle-aged and older adults living in a rural setting afflicted by endemic violence. Methods: Participants were selected from Atahualpa residents included in previous studies targeting psychological distress in the population. A validated scale was used to objectively quantify fear of crime in participants. Differences in symptoms of depression and anxiety between baseline and follow-up were used as distinct dependent variables and the continuous score of the fear of crime scale was used as the independent variable. Linear regression models were fitted to assess the association between the exposure and the outcomes, after adjusting for relevant confounders. Results: A total of 653 participants (mean age = 53.2 ± 11.5 years; 57% women) completed the requested tests. We found a 13% increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety during the peak of violence in the village compared with previous years. Linear regression models showed a significant association between the total score on the fear of crime questionnaire and worsening symptoms of depression (β =.24; 95% CI = 0.14-0.35) and anxiety (β =.31; 95% CI = 0.24-0.37), after adjustment for relevant confounders. Conclusions: This study shows a significant aggravating effect of fear of crime on pre-existing symptoms of depression and anxiety and a deleterious effect of these conditions on overall well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to precisely model the nonlinear relationship between university students' literature reading preferences (LRP) and their levels of anxiety and depression using a multilayer perceptron (MLP) to identify reading-related risk factors affecting anxiety and depression among university students. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an internet-based questionnaire was conducted among 2,092 undergraduate students (aged 18-22, 62.7% female, from seven provinces in China). Participants completed a customized questionnaire on their LRP, followed by standardized assessments of anxiety and depression using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. An MLP with residual connections was employed to establish the nonlinear relationship between LRP and anxiety and depression. Results: The MLP model achieved an average accuracy of 86.8% for predicting non-anxious individuals and 81.4% for anxious individuals. In the case of depression, the model's accuracy was 90.1% for non-depressed individuals and 84.1% for those with depression. SHAP value analysis identified "Tense/ Suspenseful-Emotional Tone," "War and Peace-Thematic Content," and "Infrequent Reading-Reading Habits" as the top contributors to anxiety prediction accuracy. Similarly, "Sad-Emotional Tone Preference," "Emotional Depictions-Thematic Content," and "Thought-Provoking-Emotional Tone" were the primary contributors to depression prediction accuracy. Conclusion: The MLP accurately models the nonlinear relationship between LRP and mental health in university students, indicating the significance of specific reading preferences as risk factors. The study underscores the importance of literature emotional tone and themes in mental health. LRP should be integrated into psychological assessments to help prevent anxiety and depression among university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a usual neurological complication, often leading to poor prognoses. Early identification of high-risk patients is crucial for preventing POD. Sarcopenia is an age-related geriatric syndrome characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, and previous studies indicated that preoperative low muscle mass might be a predictor for POD. However, the association between preoperative sarcopenia and POD remains to be fully elucidated. This study was to explore the correlation between preoperative sarcopenia and POD following gastrointestinal cancer surgery in older patients. Methods: Older patients (≥60 years) undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery were enrolled. Sarcopenia was defined based on the Special Interest Group on sarcopenia of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISarcoPRM), which combined the loss of muscle mass (evaluated by ultrasound) and function (assessed by chair stand test and handgrip strength) before surgery. POD assessment was performed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) or CAM for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU) during the first 7 days after surgery or before discharge. Multivariate logistic regression analysis examined the correlation between preoperative sarcopenia and POD. Moreover, the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to analyze the predictive effect of the preoperative sarcopenia in POD. Results: One hundred and thirty patients were finally included, of which 43 patients presented with sarcopenia before surgery. Twenty-four patients ultimately developed POD, and the incidence was 18.5%. The results of the multivariate analyses demonstrated that preoperative sarcopenia was still independently associated with POD after adjusting for age ≥70 years, preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination score, and intraoperative blood transfusion. The area under the ROC curve of preoperative sarcopenia in predicting POD was 0.680 (95% confidence interval 0.557-0.804). Conclusion: Preoperative sarcopenia defined by ISarcoPRM criteria was independently associated with POD in geriatric patients after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vestibular Activities and Participation Measure (VAP) subscales assess the effect of vestibular disorders on activity and participation. This study aimed to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and assess the validity, internal consistency, reliability, and measurement error of the Brazilian version of VAP subscales. Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation followed the translation, synthesis, back-translation, review by a committee of experts, and pretesting phases. Structural validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while Spearman's correlation between VAP subscales and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) was used to assess construct validity. Cronbach's alpha measured internal consistency. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) assessed intra- and inter-rater reliability, and measurement error was calculated by using the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC). Results: Additional information was included in the Brazilian version of the Vestibular Activities and Participation measure (VAP-BR) after approval by one of the developers of the instrument to improve the understanding among individuals. One factor was found in the EFA for each subscale with 50% explained variance. Regarding CFA, the subscales 1 (S1) and 2 (S2) presented, respectively, adequate model fit indices (ie, comparative fit index of 0.99 and 0.97, and standardized root mean square residual of 0.04 for both subscales), but a very low factor load in item 6 of S1 (0.08). Chronbach's alpha was 0.80 (S1) and 0.82 (S2). For intra-rater assessment, the S1 and S2 presented an ICC of 0.87 and 0.90, SEM of 0.01 and 1.16, and MDC of 0.39 and 0.46, respectively. When assessed by 2 different raters, SEM values were 1.03 and 1.53, and MDC values were 2.85 and 4.23 for S1 and S2, respectively; both subscales showed an ICC of 0.92. Correlations between DHI and VAP subscales presented coefficients above 0.57. Conclusion: The Brazilian version of VAP subscales presents good measurement properties and may assist health professionals in identifying activity limitations and participation restrictions in individuals with vestibular disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Method Results Conclusions Individuals with intellectual disability, including people with Down syndrome (DS), often exhibit restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs). However, RRBs have not been deeply characterised in children and adolescents with DS.The study encompassed a cohort of 151 participants aged 4 to 18 years with DS. RRBs were assessed utilising the Repetitive Behaviour Scale‐Revised. Additionally, data pertaining to cognitive and adaptive functioning, linguistic abilities, sleep patterns and emotional/behavioural issues were gathered.Self‐injurious behaviours were reported less frequently whereas parents most commonly endorsed items related to behaviours associated with the need for sameness and ritualistic behaviours. We observed very few gender differences, whereas some age‐related differences emerged, with adolescents exhibiting higher scores in items related with higher‐level RRBs. The analysis of the association between RRBs and clinical features revealed that RRBs were associated with parent‐reported sleep difficulties, as well as with internalising and externalising problems. We also observed a negative correlation with IQ whereas associations with adaptive skills emerged mainly for lower‐level RRBs, such as motor stereotypies. Finally, RRBs were negatively associated with linguistic abilities, both expressive and receptive.RRBs in children and adolescents with DS are of significant clinical interest due to their associations with various clinical dimensions. Therefore, psychological and neuropsychiatric assessment should include an accurate evaluation of RRBs for young people with DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood inflammatory biomarkers have emerged as important tools for diagnosing, assessing treatment responses, and predicting neurodegenerative diseases. This study evaluated the associations between blood inflammatory biomarkers and brain tissue volume loss in elderly people. Methods: This study included 111 participants (age 67.86 ± 8.29 years; 32 men and 79 women). A battery of the following blood inflammatory biomarkers was measured, including interleukin 1-beta (IL1β), NACHT, LRR, and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), monomer Aβ42 (mAβ), oligomeric Aβ42 (oAβ), miR155, neurite outgrowth inhibitor A (nogo-A), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), and total tau (T-tau). Three-dimensional T1-weight images (3D T1WI) of all participants were prospectively obtained and segmented into gray matter and white matter to measure the gray matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), and gray-white matter boundary tissue volume (gwBTV). The association between blood biomarkers and tissue volumes was assessed using voxel-based and region-of-interest analyses. Results: GMV and gwBTV significantly decreased as the levels of IL1β and T-tau increased, while no significant association was found between the level of P-tau and the three brain tissue volumes. Three brain tissue volumes were negatively correlated with the levels of IL1β, P-tau, and T-tau in the hippocampus. Specifically, IL1β and T-tau levels showed a distinct negative association with the three brain tissue volume losses in the hippocampus. In addition, gwBTV was negatively associated with the level of NLRP3. Conclusion: The observed association between brain tissue volume loss and elevated levels of IL1β and T-tau suggests that these biomarkers in the blood may serve as potential biomarkers of cognitive impairment in elderly people. Thus, IL1β and T-tau could be used to assess disease severity and monitor treatment response after diagnosis in elderly people who are at risk of cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, young adults worldwide showed signs of distress as they were affected in their specific developmental tasks, including the construction of personal and professional futures. Methods: The present study aimed to assess the situational future time perspective of Italian university students during the second pandemic wave, as measured by an ad hoc constructed instrument, to explore its interaction with some dispositional traits relevant in future construction, such as optimism, sense of life, aggression, and dispositional future time perspective, and to test their effect on psychological well-being. The total sample consisted of 389 subjects (18-35 years, M = 23.5, SD = 4.4). Results and discussion: The results indicated that the pandemic experience, assessed by surveying specific indicators, negatively affected the future time perspective of students, particularly those dispositionally optimistic and convinced that life has meaning. However, awareness of the negative impact that the pandemic brought to the vision of the future seems to have dampened the levels of depression and stress, while anxiety was found to be related only to dispositional traits. The results also suggested the need for educational and economic policies that help young adults develop confidence in the future and in their ability to build it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the relationship between sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in mid-life adults and cognitive function, focusing on executive functions. Given the projected rise in dementia cases, identifying modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline is imperative. SNHL has emerged as a potential risk factor, with hearing loss accounting for a substantial portion of dementia cases. However, the cognitive implications of SNHL in mid-life adults are not well understood. Method: The study examined 50 participants, 25 with bilateral unaided mild SNHL (AHL) and 25 with normal hearing (ANH). A battery of audiological assessments and cognitive tests, including the Trail Making Test (TMT), was administered. TMT measures included direct scores (completion time and errors) and derived scores (difference, ratio, proportion, sum, and multiplication scores). Results: The AHL group displayed significantly poorer peripheral hearing compared to the ANH group, as reflected in pure-tone audiometry, speech reception thresholds, and speech identification scores. Significant differences were observed in all direct and derived TMT measures except for the ratio and proportion scores. This suggests that while overall cognitive disturbances were evident in the AHL group, they were not exclusive to executive function deficits. Notably, we did not identify any statistically significant effects of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, or physical activity on TMT scores. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential impact of SNHL on cognitive function in mid-life adults. Mid-life SNHL is associated with cognitive differences, emphasizing its role as a modifiable risk factor for future cognitive decline. This research underlines the need for further investigation into the cognitive effects of aided hearing and a multidisciplinary approach to understanding these alterations in cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multimorbidity is common in elderly people, and one of the major consequences of multimorbidity is low health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of comorbid diseases in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and to analyze their relative importance in HRQoL. The aim was also to examine agreement between the generic 15D questionnaire and the PD-specific Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8) to further validate 15D in the evaluation of HRQoL in patients with PD. Methods: Patients with PD (N = 551) filled a questionnaire on comorbid diseases, and the 15D questionnaire yielding a 15-dimensional health profile and a score representing the overall HRQoL. Self-organizing map was used for an unsupervised pattern recognition of the health profiles. Relative importance analysis was used to evaluate the contribution of 16 comorbid diseases to the 15D score. The agreement between 15D and PDQ-8 questionnaires was studied in a subset of 81 patients that were examined clinically. Results: 533 patients (96.7%) reported comorbid diseases. The most affected dimensions in the 15D questionnaire were secretion, usual activities, discomfort and symptoms, and sexual activity. Self-organizing map identified three patterns of health profiles that included patients with high, low or transition HRQoL. The transition subgroup was similar to low HRQoL subgroup in non-motor dimensions. Sixteen comorbid diseases explained 33.7% of the variance in the 15D score. Memory deficit, depression, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation had the highest relative importance. The intraclass correlation coefficient between the generic 15D and the PD-specific PDQ-8 was 0.642 suggesting moderate reliability. Conclusions: The most marked differences in HRQoL were in the dimensions of secretion, usual activities, and sexual activity. Pattern detection of 15D health dimensions enabled the detection of a subgroup with disproportionately poor HRQoL in non-motor dimensions. The comorbid diseases affecting most to HRQoL were memory deficit and depression. The generic 15D questionnaire can be used in the evaluation of HRQoL in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although literature implicates feeling fat in the maintenance of binge‐spectrum eating disorders (EDs; e.g., bulimia nervosa, binge‐ED), research in this area is small, nascent, and relies on retrospective self‐report. The current study sought to understand the temporal pattern of feeling fat and its role as a precipitant and consequence of ED behaviors. Methods: Totally 106 treatment‐seeking adults with binge‐spectrum EDs completed 7–14‐day ecological momentary assessments. They rated feeling fat, negative affect states, and reported on ED behaviors six times per day. Multilevel models evaluated whether feeling fat mediates prospective links between negative affect states and ED behaviors, assessed if negative affect states mediate the prospective association of feeling fat on ED behaviors, and examined the bidirectional prospective association between feeling fat and ED behaviors. Results: Feeling fat was highest in the early morning (6–8:59 a.m.). Individuals with binge‐ED‐spectrum EDs demonstrated greater variability in feeling fat than those with bulimia nervosa‐spectrum EDs who had stable and high levels of feeling fat. Guilt, sadness, anxiety, and the overall NA at Time 2 mediated the prospective associations between at Time 1 feeling fat and Time 3 dietary restraint, actual dietary restriction, and compensatory exercise. There was a bidirectional prospective association between feeling fat and binge eating. Discussion: Feeling fat serves as a proximal predictor and mediator of the prospective association between guilt and binge eating. Feeling fat and binge eating mutually reinforce each other. Public Significance: Little is understood regarding the experience of feeling fat in natural environments among individuals with binge‐spectrum eating disorders. We found that the risk for having the experience of feeling fat is high in the morning and evening. Feeling fat triggers guilt, anxiety, and sadness which in turn, increases engagement in dietary restraint/restriction and compensatory exercise. Feeling fat also triggers binge eating, and binge eating leads to feelings of fatness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate different aspects of transition outcomes in groups of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people based on their transition status. We divided the 70 TGD participants (19 individuals assigned male at birth and 51 assigned female at birth) into two groups: those who had completed their psychiatric and psychological evaluation (PPE), which is mandatory in Croatia, and those who had undergone gender-affirming medical treatment (GAMT) (both gender-affirming hormone treatment and gender-affirming surgery). The online survey included sociodemographic questions and a custom-designed nine-item scale. The items were specifically designed based on the DSM-5-TR criteria for gender dysphoria to assess subjectively perceived transition outcomes. We conducted a factor analysis of the scale followed by structural equation modeling for confirmation. Chi-squared and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare group differences. The following three-factor structure was confirmed: better functioning, reduced body dysphoria, and satisfaction with decision. A positive influence of better functioning on satisfaction with the decision was found. In addition, our results showed that TGD individuals who had undergone GAMT scored higher on better functioning than those who had just completed PPE. Both groups consistently scored high on satisfaction with the decision, with no statistically significant differences between them. Our findings suggest that TGD individuals view gender-affirming medical care as beneficial to their overall functioning. [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]

The association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive impairment and emotional disorder in patients with cerebral small vessel disease is unknown. This retrospective study included, 504 Chinese patients with cerebral small vessel disease admitted to the Department of Neurology of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University between June 2019 and October 2021. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (14 items) scores were utilized to divide the patients into four groups. The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D, high homocysteine, hyperuricemia, severity of white matter lesions, and a history of hypertension were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment among patients with cerebral small vessel disease. However, a high level of education is a protective factor. Furthermore, the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was significantly associated with the changes in brain functional regions. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is a promising biomarker for predicting cognitive and emotional disorders in patients with cerebral small vessel disease and is highly associated with alterations in brain functional regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The postpartum period is a critical phase in which postpartum women experience dynamic changes in their physiology, psychology, and family status. Objective: This study investigated the changes in women's quality of life (QoL) during the first, third, and sixth months of the postpartum period and their associated factors. Methods: A single-group repeated-measure design was used to collect data from 282 postpartum women recruited from a regional hospital in Taiwan. We used the brief World Health Organization Quality of Life scale, Social Support Scale, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to assess postpartum women's quality of life, social support, and postpartum depressive symptoms, respectively. The data were analyzed using trajectory analysis and generalized estimating equations. Results: The trajectory analysis indicated that postpartum women could be categorized into low, medium, and high QoL groups. Although the medium and high QoL groups maintained stable QoL levels, the low QoL group experienced a linear decrease in QoL over time. Moreover, the determinants of postpartum women's QoL were immigrant status, employment status, family type, social support, and postpartum depression. Conclusions: Health care providers should assess these determinants of postpartum QoL in perinatal women to identify those at risk of low postpartum quality of life. Early assessment and intervention by health care providers could significantly improve the health status of women after childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: There is a need to elucidate intermittent Theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as a novel treatment in persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD). Methods: Twenty patients were randomly allocated to active iTBS (n = 11) and sham iTBS (n = 9) and received 10 iTBS sessions, 2 sessions per day, sequentially to primary motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices for 5 days in a week. Each iTBS session comprised of 2 sec. per train of 10 bursts (3 pulses per burst at 50 Hz; total 30 pulses) and were given with a gap of 5 Hz, total of 20 trains, and 600 pulses. Visual Analogue Scale, Brief Pain Inventory and Global Pain Scale (GPS), Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale - Anxiety, World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-brief, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were applied at baseline, after last session, and at 2 weeks after last TBS session. Intention to treat analysis was conducted. Results: Both groups were comparable for baseline psychopathology scores including clinical variables like age (t = 0.865; P = 0.398), duration of illness (t = 1.600; P = 0.127), and motor threshold (t = 0.304; P = 0.765). On repeated measures ANOVA, a significant within-group time effect for VAS, BPI-Severity, BPI-Interference, BDI - II, MADRS, HAM-A, and WHOQOL- BREF was found for active and sham TBS groups, respectively. GPS scores had significant within-group (active) * time interaction (F = 11.651; P = .001; ηp2 = 0.538) and between-group * time interaction (F = 3.407; P = 0.044; ηp2 = 0.159). However, between-group * time effect interaction was lost after covariance (F = 1.726; P = 0.196; ηp2 = 0.110). Conclusion: No major adverse effects were reported. Our pilot trial concludes that safe therapeutic efficacy of iTBS in PSPD is inconclusive. Lower total number of sessions along with small sample size may limit the study findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Many adults in the United States struggle with mild, moderate, or severe dental anxiety (DA). Understanding the perspectives of patients with DA may help oral health professionals gain greater insight into their needs and learn how to provide an improved experience for these patients. The purpose of this study was to identify patients' perspectives on factors that impact anxiety in a dental practice setting. Methods A qualitative, descriptive case study design was used to identify patients' perspectives on factors impacting anxiety in a dental practice setting. Potential participants were screened using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and needed a moderate DA score to qualify for the study. An interview guide focused on obtaining information about the etiology, contributing factors, management strategies, and participant experiences of DA was used for the semi-structured virtual interviews. Responses were coded using a qualitative research analytic platform (Dedoose; Los Angeles, CA, USA). The co-investigators systematically reviewed the codes using the classic qualitative analysis strategies and journal notes to identify themes and subthemes. Results Twenty-two individuals qualified for participation in this study. Most participants reported having DA beginning in early childhood and throughout their adult life. Seven themes, including Avoidance, Supportive Behaviors, Confidence in Provider, Diversion, Enduring, Adaptations, and Benevolence emerged. Participants reported their primary method for managing DA was to avoid attending their dental appointments. Conclusion Participants in this study expressed various coping mechanisms and management strategies to alleviate the symptoms of DA. Multiple opportunities exist for increasing patient-provider trust and patient comfort to reduce DA, and ultimately improve the oral health status of individuals with DA. Keywords dental anxiety, coping mechanisms, triggers, dental practice setting, communication, patient-provider relationship [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ultra-trail running races pose appreciable physiological challenges, particularly for glucose metabolism. Previous studies that yielded divergent results only measured glycaemia at isolated times. Objectives: We aimed to explore the impact of an ultra-endurance race on continuously measured glycaemia and to understand potential physiological mechanisms, as well as the consequences for performance and behavioural alertness. Methods: Fifty-five athletes (78% men, 43.7 ± 9.6 years) ran a 156-km ultra-trail race (six 26-km laps, total elevation 6000 m). Participants wore a masked continuous glucose monitoring sensor from the day before the race until 10 days post-race. Blood was taken at rest, during refuelling stops after each lap, and after 24-h recovery. Running intensity (% heart rate reserve), performance (lap times), psychological stress, and behavioural alertness were explored. Linear mixed models and logistic regressions were carried out. Results: No higher risk of hypo- or hyperglycaemia was observed during the exercise phases of the race (i.e. excluding stops for scientific measurements and refuelling) compared with resting values. Laps comprising a greater proportion of time spent at maximal aerobic intensity were nevertheless associated with more time > 180 mg/dL (P = 0.021). A major risk of hyperglycaemia appeared during the 48-h post-race period compared with pre-race (P < 0.05), with 31.9% of the participants spending time with values > 180 mg/dL during recovery versus 5.5% during resting. Changes in circulating insulin, cortisol, and free fatty acids followed profiles comparable with those usually observed during traditional aerobic exercise. However, creatine phosphokinase, and to a lesser extent lactate dehydrogenase, increased exponentially during the race (P < 0.001) and remained high at 24-h post-race (P < 0.001; respectively 43.6 and 1.8 times higher vs. resting). Glycaemic metrics did not influence physical performance or behavioural alertness. Conclusion: Ultra-endurance athletes were exposed to hyperglycaemia during the 48-h post-race period, possibly linked to muscle damage and inflammation. Strategies to mitigate muscle damage or subsequent inflammation before or after ultra-trail races could limit recovery hyperglycaemia and hence its related adverse health consequences. Trial Registration Number: NCT05538442 2022–09-21 retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Income inequality, a pivotal determinant of general and mental health, operates through intricate mechanisms at various geographical scales. While established at country or region levels, the impact of lower-level (municipal or neighborhood) inequality remains inconsistent. This study explores the influence of regional- and municipal-level income inequality on individual psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, employing a multilevel data analysis. Materials and methods: In a post hoc analysis of data from the first wave of the pandemic (March to April 2020), three hierarchical levels were considered: individual participants, municipalities, and regions. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales, while the Gini coefficient gauged income inequality at municipal and regional levels. The analysis incorporated demographic variables as potential confounders. Results: The study encompassed 21 regions, 3,900 municipalities, and 21,477 subjects. Income inequality at both regional and municipal levels exhibited associations with distress scores, suggesting independent effects. Notably, higher distress scores were identified in southern regions with elevated inequality, despite a more substantial COVID-19 impact in the north. Discussion: Findings contribute to existing literature by emphasizing the independent impact of lower-level (municipal) and higher-level (regional) income inequality on population psychopathology. The study supports theories suggesting diverse pathways through which inequality at different levels influences health, such as potential associations with healthcare system dysfunction at the regional level and welfare dysfunction at the municipal level. The observed north-south gradient in distress scores highlights the need for psychosocial interventions to alleviate income inequality, especially in historically disadvantaged southern regions. Future research should explore the nuanced interplay between income inequality and various ecological variables to provide a comprehensive understanding of its health impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of religious attitude on death anxiety among patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment. This cross-sectional study included 77 patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment. The religious attitude scale (RAS) and the death anxiety scale (DAS) were used to collect data. The results revealed a moderately strong negative relationship between the mean RAS total score and the mean DAS total score (r = − 0.350, p < 0.05). Additionally, religious attitude accounted for 12% of the variance in death anxiety (R2 = 0.12). Accordingly, the levels of religious attitude exhibited by patients may negatively affect their death anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of infant gaze has long been a key tool for understanding the developing mind. However, labor-intensive data collection and processing limit the speed at which this understanding can be advanced. Here, we demonstrate an asynchronous workflow for conducting violation-of-expectation (VoE) experiments, which is fully "hands-off" for the experimenter. We first replicate four classic VoE experiments in a synchronous online setting, and show that VoE can generate highly replicable effects through remote testing. We then confirm the accuracy of a state-of-the-art gaze annotation software, iCatcher+ in a new setting. Third, we train parents to control the experiment flow based on the infant's gaze. Combining all three innovations, we then conduct an asynchronous automated infant-contingent VoE experiment. The hands-off workflow successfully replicates a classic VoE effect: infants look longer at inefficient actions than efficient ones. We compare the resulting effect size and statistical power to the same study run in-lab and synchronously via Zoom. The hands-off workflow significantly reduces the marginal cost and time per participant, enabling larger sample sizes. By enhancing the reproducibility and robustness of findings relying on infant looking, this workflow could help support a cumulative science of infant cognition. Tools to implement the workflow are openly available. Public Significance Statement: Infant looking time experiments have provided critical insights into early cognition, but traditionally very time-consuming and expensive. We run a classical violation-of-expectation experiment through a workflow in which data collection and analysis are automated and compare the results to the same study run in the lab and on Zoom. The automated workflow shows a small reduction in effect size and power, while allowing for significantly larger sample sizes, thereby enabling a more robust developmental science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective was to identify clinically meaningful groups of adolescents based on self-reported mental health and wellbeing data in a population sample of New Zealand secondary school students. Methods: We conducted a cluster analysis of six variables from the Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey (n = 7721, ages 13–18 years, 2019): wellbeing (World Health Organization Well-Being Index), possible anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item, adapted), depression symptoms (short form of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale) and past-year self-harm, suicide ideation and suicide attempt. Demographic, contextual and behavioural predictors of cluster membership were determined through multiple discriminant function analysis. We performed cross-validation analyses using holdout samples. Results: We identified five clusters (n = 7083). The healthy cluster (n = 2855, 40.31%) reported positive mental health across indicators; the anxious cluster (n = 1994, 28.15%) reported high possible anxiety symptoms and otherwise generally positive results; the stressed and hurting cluster (n = 667, 9.42%) reported sub-clinical depression and possible anxiety symptoms and some self-harm; the distressed and ideating cluster (n = 1116, 15.76%) reported above-cutoff depression and possible anxiety symptoms and high suicide ideation; and the severe cluster (n = 451; 6.37%) reported the least positive mental health across indicators. Female, rainbow, Māori and Pacific students and those in higher deprivation areas were overrepresented in higher severity clusters. Factors including exposure to sexual harm and discrimination were associated with increasing cluster severity. Conclusion: We identified high prevalence of mental health challenges among adolescents, with distinct clusters of need. Youth mental health is not 'one size fits all'. Future research should explore youth behaviour and preferences in accessing support and consider how to best support the mental health of each cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrimination because of one's stigmatized identities and personal characteristics can thwart healthy adolescent development. Little is known about the role of disclosure, including whether adolescents talk about their discrimination experiences with close relational partners (i.e., parents, siblings, friends) and whether disclosure mitigates the negative effects of discrimination. Addressing this gap, this study investigated links between adolescents' perceptions of discrimination in multiple settings (from teachers at school, from peers at school, and online) and indicators of adolescent well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, positive identity/values, school trouble, and school bonding), and tested whether disclosure of discrimination experiences moderated these associations. Survey data from 395 parent-adolescent dyads (33% African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and White, respectively) were analyzed using mixed model ANOVAs and multiple regression. Perceived discrimination was generally associated with less positive identity/values, more trouble at school and less school bonding; however, disclosure of discrimination mitigated some of these deleterious links. Adolescents' close relationships that promote disclosure therefore represent an important context that can provide protective benefits and ensure youth garner the resources and support they need for optimal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are two gastrointestinal (GI) conditions known to be exacerbated by traumatic life experiences. One way in which these experiences might influence individuals' susceptibility to GI pathology, is by reducing their ability to deal with adversities effectively and predisposing them to passive coping styles that leave them vulnerable to the somatic effects of trauma. To validate this hypothesis, the present cross‐sectional study assessed the mediating effect of coping dispositions on the association between trauma and GI disease activity in an adult sample of 189 bowel patients (94 IBD, 95 IBS) and 92 controls. Results confirmed that GI patients exhibit significantly more cumulative trauma, pervasive feelings of uncontrollability and passive coping strategies than controls. Moreover, the use of passive coping styles was positively associated with the accumulation of trauma and the expression of GI symptoms. Using hierarchical regression and mediation analyses, we found support for the sequential model postulating passive coping styles as (partial) mediators of trauma‐induced (GI) disease manifestations. Specifically, out of all coping styles associated with cumulative trauma, behavioural disengagement most powerfully mediated the effect of trauma on GI symptom severity, accounting for 12% (IBD) to 14% (IBS) of its total effect. A somewhat smaller mediating role was observed for social support coping, the reduced reliance on which explained 7% (IBS) to 10% (IBD) of trauma's total effect. Finally, neuroticism acted as a channel through which past traumatization affected subjects' proneness to behavioural disengagement and, consequently, their GI disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depression are highly prevalent and tied to significant psychological, physiological, social and economic consequences. Their co‐occurrence presents a complex clinical challenge, as the impact of antidepressant medication on AUD outcomes remains equivocal. In this multicenter, longitudinal study we investigated the relationship between antidepressant medication and changes in depression symptoms and alcohol use in AUD patients. Methods: We analyzed data from 153 detoxified AUD patients who attended a 12‐week residential treatment program between 2015 and 2019. Within a mediation analysis, adopting a bootstrapping approach and a quasi‐Bayesian framework, we estimated the total, direct, and mediated effects of antidepressants on the percentage of days abstinent to assess the role of changes in depression symptoms as a mediating factor. Results: The mediation analysis revealed a dual impact pathway model with a negative direct effect of antidepressants on abstinence (p = 0.004) and a positive indirect effect, mediated through the reduction of depression symptoms (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The findings of the mediation analysis show that patients treated with antidepressants and whose depression symptoms do not improve over time show more relapses, while patients treated with antidepressants who achieve a reduction in depression symptoms show fewer relapses over time. Thus, to optimize treatment outcome, depression symptoms should be vigilantly monitored when antidepressants are prescribed during AUD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Few studies have examined the associations of intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure during pregnancy and types of IPV with antenatal depression among underserved pregnant women. Methods: Data came from participants from a Healthy Start program in South Carolina between 2015 and 2019 (n = 1,629). The first two questions in the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) were used to measure IPV exposure, that is, having a problematic relationship with their partner. Those who had IPV exposure were assessed with six additional questions of the WAST. Principal component analysis was conducted on the 8-item WAST data to identify underlying types of IPV exposure. Antenatal depression was defined as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scores ≥16. Results: Participants were racially diverse (71% black, 21% white) with 85% Medicaid recipients. Nearly 12% of participants reported IPV exposure and 30% reported antenatal depression. The odds of having IPV exposure were higher among unmarried women, those with less than a high school education, and those who lacked family support. The odds of having antenatal depression were 2.5 times higher (95% CI: 1.9–3.5) among women with IPV exposure. After controlling for covariates, a one-point increase in the scores for psychological IPV (Factor 1) or a problematic relationship (Factor 3) was associated with increased odds of antenatal depression. Conclusion: This is one of the first studies to estimate the prevalence of IPV exposure using a proxy measure (a problematic relationship) among underserved U.S. pregnant women. Its positive association with antenatal depression suggests the utility of screening for a problematic relationship using a two-item WAST and providing assistance to those with IPV exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the relationships between dietary patterns and perceived stress with memory deficits in 291 patients with heart failure aged 45–85 years. A total of 142 (48.8%) patients reported memory deficit. Three dietary patterns were identified by K-means clustering: nut-fruit-dairy, meat-processed, and traditional (high intake of cereals) diets. Compared to the traditional diet, the nut-fruit-dairy diet and meat-processed diet were associated with lower levels of deficits in short-term memory, delayed memory, and overall memory. What's more, perceived stress was positively associated with deficits in short-term memory and overall memory, but the association was only found in patients adhering to the traditional diet using stratified analyses. Our findings suggest that adhering to a healthy diet may be conducive to improving deficits in short-term memory, delayed memory, and overall memory, while also buffering the adverse association between perceived stress and deficits in short-term memory and overall memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The given document is a collection of abstracts from the International Journal of Psychology, covering various topics related to psychology in Latin America, wellbeing, mental health, and performance. The abstracts highlight the efforts of national associations in Latin America to provide mental health care and support their communities, as well as the role of the Federal Council of Psychology of Brazil in advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights. The abstracts also discuss the Latin American model of psychology training, the relationship between wellbeing, health, and performance, and the challenges for European psychology in influencing policy. The text explores the role of psychology in addressing global challenges, including mental health in the workplace, engagement with international organizations, and the contributions of psychology associations to the work of the United Nations. It also showcases the contributions of psychology to the development and growth of Malaysia, including clinical psychology, industrial psychology, and cognitive psychology. The text addresses the future of psychology, emphasizing the need to transform knowledge into action, align research for sustainable development goals, and promote the psychologist profession. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides concise summaries of various research studies published in the International Journal of Psychology. The studies cover a range of topics, including the psychometric properties of assessment tools, dynamics of empathy in adolescents, assessment of social anxiety, translation and validation of assessment scales, estimation of regression-based norms, automatic item generation using artificial intelligence, relationships between learning effectiveness patterns and person-fit indices, and bias in statistics. These summaries provide library patrons with an overview of the studies and their findings, allowing them to determine if they are relevant to their research interests. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a collection of abstracts from the International Journal of Psychology and various research studies. The abstracts cover a range of topics including the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in clinical settings, the classification and diagnosis of anxiety and fear-related disorders, the new approach to diagnosing personality disorders, and the integrated model of sexual dysfunctions. Other abstracts discuss psychology education, teacher-parent communication, foundational competences for undergraduate psychology, and the impact of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document also includes studies on the effectiveness of virtual reality videos for improving social skills, algorithm acceptance and trust, intensive teaching practicum programs, goal-free problem-posing activities in mathematics education, career decision-making self-efficacy, early identification of dyslexia, and mental health challenges faced by students in South African universities. [Extracted from the article]

This document summarizes an article titled "The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Moral Injury Nexus: A Challenge for Military Psychology" published in the International Journal of Psychology. The article explores the complex relationship between moral injury and posttraumatic stress disorder in the military. It discusses the challenges faced by mental health professionals in diagnosing and treating these conditions, as well as the impact of moral injury on military leaders and the importance of teamwork. The document also includes several studies on topics such as resilience, training effectiveness, coping resources, and the utilization of virtual behavioral healthcare among military personnel. Additionally, it examines the link between radicalization and violence in the Philippines and the social and psychological dimensions of the Russo-Ukrainian war. [Extracted from the article]

This document contains summaries of various presentations and studies related to the field of psychology. The first presentation discusses the need to reintegrate a higher purpose and meaning into psychology to address the increasing rates of mental illness. The second presentation focuses on the institutional and political organization of psychology in Brazil, highlighting the role of the Federal Council of Psychology in guiding and monitoring the profession. The third presentation examines the development of psychological science in Kazakhstan, identifying different periods and stages of growth. The fourth presentation explores the second generation of Japanese psychologists studying abroad and their contributions to the field. The fifth presentation discusses the development of protective and preventive mental health services in Turkey, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach. The final presentation examines the interplay between child welfare legislation and the use of psychological testing for infants in Japan. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: Previous studies shed light on the potential role of secure parental attachment in mitigating the effects of child sexual abuse (CSA) on the survivors' long-term psychological distress. However, few studies have explored both approach and avoidance coping strategies as mediators of the link between parental attachment and psychological distress in a nonclinical sample. The purpose of this study was to examine the respective mediating effects of approach coping and avoidance coping on the relationship between perceived parental attachment, CSA severity, and psychological distress. Method: Our sample included 427 adults with a history of CSA. Participants were recruited from various social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Craigslist, discussion board, university announcement board). We conducted a mediation analysis with bootstrapping. Results: We found that parental attachment significantly predicted CSA survivors' psychological distress. Additionally, both approach coping and avoidance coping mediated the effect of perceived parental attachment on psychological distress. CSA severity was found to be a nonsignificant predictor of psychological distress. Conclusion: These findings may help develop interventions that enhance CSA survivors' effective copings strategies to ultimately reduce psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a visual cognitive additional task on balance performance in young adults with hearing aids (HAs). Method: Twenty young adult HA users and 20 controls were recruited for the study. Participants were asked to stand on a force plate using computerized dynamic posturography and perform a Sensory Organization Test (SOT) as a balance task under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions. The DT condition involved performing a visual cognitive task (Backward Digit Recall) while maintaining balance. Balance performance was measured using equilibrium scores under four different conditions. Results: The results showed that SOT scores of HA users decreased significantly in the DT compared to the ST (p of Condition 1: < .001; p of Condition 4: < .001; p of Condition 6: = .001). HA users' SOT scores in the DT condition were statistically significantly lower than controls (p of Condition 1: < .003; p of Condition 4: < .009; p of Condition 6: = .004). This suggests that the presence of a visual cognitive additional task has a negative impact on balance performance in young adults with HAs. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of considering the impact of cognitive tasks on balance performance in young adults with HAs. Further studies should investigate the specific needs of hearing loss patients in multitasking conditions, including age, degree of hearing loss, and cognitive ability, to develop effective interventions to reduce the risk of falls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]