Search

The best medical care for female football athletes should be evidence-based, and patient- and context-specific. A 2019 scoping review identified key knowledge gaps relating to the health of female footballers. Since then, research in women’s football has been intensifying. To aid in the direction of future research, this study aims to scope peer-reviewed, illness-related research in women’s football. Five databases were searched in July 2023. In combination with identified studies from the 2019 review, 72 studies were included for data extraction of sample characteristics (age, playing level, geography), illness characteristics according to IOC guidance, and broader research themes. Results reveal an overall lack of quantity and variety in illnesses investigated, with a growing popularity in mental health research. Minimal female athlete-specific illnesses were identified. Future research must address urgent female-specific illness topics, and also consider where knowledge from adjacent populations might be safe to adapt into women’s football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Method Consumer and community involvement Findings Conclusion Driving a motor vehicle is an important activity for people living with a mental health condition, as it can support engagement in the community as part of recovery. There is little research exploring mental health consumers' experiences with driving and no found research on the role of mental health lived experience staff in assisting consumers with safe driving. It is essential to learn about consumers' experiences of driving to know the supports they find useful in understanding their driver responsibilities and self‐regulating their driving through periods of changing health and wellness. This study explored the personal and professional experiences of lived experience consumer staff related to driving a motor vehicle while also living with a mental health condition.The research was guided by the interpretive paradigm and codesign principles. Qualitative data were derived from semi‐structured interviews with (n = 9) lived experience consumers working in a public mental health service. Data were thematically analysed.Our research team involved consumer and occupational therapy coresearchers.Five main themes were identified: (1) Driving means freedom and independence, (2) A nuanced understanding about the impact of mental health on driving, (3) I/we can manage: A range of strategies, (4) Driving is not something mental health staff tend to discuss, and (5) Do not beat around the bush, just talk about it.Consumers want support and direct conversations about driving and their mental health, medication side effects, and strategies to gain their licence, maintain, or return to driving. Alongside mental health clinicians, consumer lived experience staff could play a vital role in supporting safe driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionWomen have always played a crucial role in agriculture through their work on the farm, caring for the family and the household, and off-farm employment. Yet, like their essential contributions to agriculture, their mental health and well-being have largely been invisible since much of the focus of the mental health in agriculture research has been on older, male farmers. This paper seeks to address this knowledge gap by focusing on the emotional consequences stemming from the expectations of juggling childcare responsibilities, farm work and managing the household whilst keeping children safe.The data were collected via focus groups and photovoice activity with, respectively, 68 and 33 farm women from Ohio, Wisconsin, and Vermont.The content thematic analysis first indicates that the juggling of multiple roles along with limited support deeply impacted farm women’s wellbeing. Worries that the children could get hurt was a major source of stress. Stress and mental health issues connected to children do not lessen as they age but rather shift and become more complex.This article highlights the implications of the lack of investment in farm women’s mental wellbeing and their lived realities of caring for children on the farm. Future research should address supply chain and affordability issues, particularly for rural childcare provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Data Sources and Study Setting Study Design Data Collection/Extraction Methods Principal Findings Conclusions To investigate provider and administrators' perspectives about the impact of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Community Care program on acute and residential mental health treatment of rural Veterans.Primary data were collected from participants via interviews. Participants were employees of VA Healthcare Systems located in Northern New England, or employees of non‐VA mental health treatment settings affiliated with VA in Northern New England.This study was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), with Community Care as the implemented program. Individual, semi‐structured interviews were conducted.Individual interviews were transcribed, coded deductively using the CFIR, and inductively coded by locating themes.Twenty‐one people completed interviews. Commonly reported challenges included community programs not focused on Veterans' needs, poor coordination of care, communication challenges, and problems tracking Veteran care. Facilitators included increased access to care and strengthening coordination of care.The VA's Community Care program can address the acute or residential mental health needs of Veterans in rural settings in some circumstances, however there are challenges to successful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AI-enabled chatbots intended to build social relations with humans are becoming increasingly common in the marketplace, with millions of registered users using these chatbots as virtual companions or therapists. These chatbots make use of what is often called the "Eliza effect"—the tendency of human users to attribute human-like knowledge and understanding to a computer program. A common interpretation of this phenomenon is to consider this form of relating in terms of delusion, error, or deception, where the user misunderstands or forgets they are talking to a computer. As an alternative, we draw on the work of feminist Science and Technology Studies scholars as providing a robust and capacious tradition of thinking and engaging with human–nonhuman relationships in non-reductive ways. We closely analyze two different stories about encounters with chatbots, taking up the feminist STS challenge to attend to the agency of significant otherness in the encounter. The first is Joseph Weizenbaum's story about rejecting the ELIZA chatbot technology he designed to mimic a therapist as a monstrosity, based on his experiences watching others engage with it. The second is a story about Julie, who experiences a mental health crisis, and her chatbot Navi, as told through her descriptions of her experiences with Navi in the recent podcast Radiotopia presents: Bot Love. We argue that a reactionary humanist narrative, as presented by Weizenbaum, is incapable of attending to the possibilities of pleasure, play, or even healing that might occur in human–chatbot relatings. Other forms of engaging with, understanding, and making sense of this new technology and its potentialities are needed both in research and mental health practice, particularly as more and more patients will begin to use these technologies alongside engaging in traditional human-led psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of disorders of the brain and mind. The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships. Methods: This study was led and conducted by lived experience researchers. We used a mixed-method approach to data collection for data triangulation. An environmental scan of peer-reviewed and grey literature on mental health research partnerships was conducted, followed by a three-part data collection with members of both organisations. Data collection comprised an online survey, in-depth interviews, and a roundtable discussion to integrate findings and formulate recommendations. Results and Conclusion: This case study explores and describes a missed opportunity of a consumer led mental health research organisation to work successfully with an established mental health research organisation. Poor communication and unclear processes led to unmet expectations on both sides. Findings suggest the use of reflective practice by team members of both partner organisations may have been helpful in identifying further improvements to inclusive research practice, empowering consumers in inclusive mental health research. Plain English summary: Background: Involving people in research who have used mental health services improves research outcomes. The Consumer Led Research Network (CLRN) was formed to progress this in Australia and entered into a partnership with the Brain and Mind Centre (BMC), a large, established, research centre. A short, written agreement was made to guide the partnership. Aim: This study explored the principles and practices used to work together. The paper suggests a framework to guide similar work. Methods: Independent consumer researchers worked with CLRN and BMC to carry out the study. People from both groups took part in a survey and individual interviews. The findings of the survey and interviews were analysed and discussed at a group meeting. Results and Conclusion: The study found that the partnership was not well set up to allow success. A better start may have been made if both parties had outlined at the outset what they wanted to result from the partnership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated studies published in high-impact psychiatry journals to assess (1) the proportion that reported in articles whether they engaged people with lived experience; (2) the proportion that likely engaged people with lived experience; and, if engagement occurred, (3) stages of research (planning, conduct, interpretation, dissemination); and (4) engagement level (consult, involve, partner). Methods: We searched PubMed on December 14, 2022, for articles in psychiatry journals with impact factor ≥ 10 and reviewed articles in reverse chronological order until 141 were included, based on pre-study precision estimation. We contacted authors to obtain information on engagement. Results: Three of 141 (2%) studies reported engagement of people with lived experience in articles. Of the other 138 studies, 74 authors responded to follow-up emails and 22 reported they engaged people with lived experience but did not report in the article. Depending on assumptions about engagement by non-responders, we estimated, overall, 18-31% of studies may have engaged people with lived experience. Engagement occurred in research planning (70%) and rarely interpretation (35%). Most involved consultation (providing opinions or perspectives, 53%) and few involved partnership (11%). Conclusions: Engagement of people with lived experience in psychiatry research is uncommon, and when it does occur people are typically consulted but not engaged in roles with influence on decision-making. Funding agencies, ethics committees, journals, and academic institutions should take steps to support engagement of people with lived experience in psychiatry research. Plain English summary: Engaging people with lived experience in research is important to ensure research is relevant to people's needs. We do not know, however, how often people with lived experience are engaged in psychiatry research and whether engagement is reported in journal articles. We evaluated studies published in top psychiatry journals and assessed the (1) percentage that reported in the articles whether they engaged people with lived experience and (2) percentage that likely engaged people with lived experience based on author queries. Additionally, if people with lived experience were engaged in the studies, we also evaluated (3) the stages of research that people with lived experience were involved in (planning, conduct, interpretation, dissemination); and (4) their level of influence on decision-making (consult, involve, partner). Articles published in psychiatry journals with impact factor greater than or equal to 10 were eligible. We searched for studies on PubMed, a popular database of medical research, and reviewed articles from most to least recent until 141 were included. We calculated that we needed to review 141 articles to have enough to make reasonably precise estimates (confidence intervals around estimates of 10% or less) of how many studies engaged people with lived experience. We found that 3 of 141 (2%) studies reported on engagement in articles. We contacted authors of studies that did not report on engagement in their articles and asked whether they engaged people with lived experience. Of the 138 articles that did not report on engagement, 74 authors responded to email queries, and 22 reported they engaged people with lived experience. We estimated, overall, 18-31% of studies may have engaged people with lived experience, depending on whether we assumed that non-responders did or did not engage. Among all studies that engaged people with lived experience, both those reported and unreported in the articles, engagement commonly occurred in research planning (N = 14 of 20 studies, 70%) but rarely in the interpretation of results (N = 7 of 20 studies, 35%). Engagement mostly involved consultation, where people with lived experience provided perspectives to researchers (N = 10 of 19 studies, 53%). Few involved partnership, where they worked with researchers to make decisions (N = 2 of 19 studies, 11%). Funding agencies, ethics committees, academic journals, and universities should take steps to support engagement of people with lived experience in psychiatry research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High prevalence rates of mental disorders are reported in refugees due to experiencing substantial pre-, peri-, and post-migration stress. While long-term studies indicated that emotional distress of refugees either stagnates or ameliorates over time, long-term research on refugees' integration and its' interaction with emotional distress is limited. The examined long-term predictors for refugees' emotional distress and integration in this study were, amongst others, severe physical abuse in childhood, residence status and length of stay. Methods: The sample included 46 refugees, 91.3% male, mean age 20.8 years. Trained psychologists screened for emotional distress with the use of the Refugee Health Screener in a semi-structured interview. Integration progress was screened using the Integration Index with the subdimensions psychological, economic, political, social, linguistic and navigational integration. Longitudinal differences for emotional distress and integration sub-dimensions were evaluated by sign tests and t-tests. The longitudinal course of integration was evaluated with a Mixed ANOVA. Further, two hierarchical regression analyses were performed to analyze longitudinal predictors of emotional distress and integration. Results: Overall, emotional distress decreased, and integration increased over time. In particular, the sub-dimensions of social, economic, and linguistic integration increased significantly over time. Two regression analyses determined significant predictors of (a) emotional distresst1 (adjusted R2 = 0.46): psychotherapy (ß = 0.35, p = 0.020), emotional distresst0 (ß = 0.34, p = 0.031), and integrationt0 (ß = −0.29, p = 0.043), and one significant predictor of (b) integrationt1 (adjusted R2 = 0.70): integrationt0 (ß = 0.89, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first study to longitudinally examine the Integration Index with all subdimensions. Over the course of 9 months refugees' overall integration, and the sub-dimensions of social, economic, and linguistic integration increased. Whilst the emotional distress of initially highly distressed refugees ameliorated over the course of nine months, their symptom severity remained clinically significant. Results emphasize the importance of early integration for the long-term development of mental health and integration in refugees. Refugees' emotional distress and integration are intertwined and need to be addressed promptly after refugees' entry into the host country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review article embarks on an extensive exploration of anxiety research, navigating a multifaceted landscape that incorporates various disciplines, such as molecular genetics, hormonal influences, implant science, regenerative engineering, and real‐time cardiac signal analysis, all while harnessing the transformative potential of medical intelligence [medical + artificial intelligence (AI)]. By addressing fundamental research questions, this study investigated the molecular and hormonal foundations underlying anxiety disorders, shedding light on the intricate interplay of genetic and hormonal factors contributing to the etiology and progression of anxiety. Furthermore, this review delves into the emerging implications of biomaterials, defibrillators, and state‐of‐the‐art devices for anxiety research, elucidating their potential roles in diagnosis, treatment, and patient management. A pivotal contribution of this review is the development and exploration of an AI‐driven model for real‐time cardiac signal analysis. This innovative approach offers a promising avenue for enhancing the precision and timeliness of anxiety diagnosis and monitoring. Leveraging machine learning and AI techniques enables the accurate classification of persons with anxiety based on real‐time cardiac data, thereby ushering in a new era of personalized and data‐driven mental health care. Identifying emerging themes and knowledge gaps lays the foundation for future research directions and offers a roadmap for scholars and practitioners to navigate this intricate field. In conclusion, this comprehensive review serves as a vital resource, consolidating diverse perspectives and fostering a deeper understanding of anxiety disorders from biological, engineering, and technological standpoints, ultimately contributing to advancing mental health research and clinical practice. This article is categorized under:Application Areas > Health CareApplication Areas > Science and TechnologyTechnologies > Classification [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical heterogeneity is a significant factor to contend with when seeking to organize, understand, and treat psychopathology. In recent years, the field has prioritized efforts to minimize nonmeaningful heterogeneity and leverage meaningful heterogeneity to improve assessment and diagnostics, inform mechanistic understanding, and facilitate the development of novel treatments. Indeed, exciting developments such as the National Institute for Mental Health Research Domain Criteria and the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology have provided powerful frameworks for facing clinical complexity. While these developments have spurred many advancements, the movement has yet to effectively harness the tremendous potential provided by the brain. Initial work incorporating brain data has focused on validating clinical observations with a biomarker rather than leveraging the brain to provide unique insight into meaningful clinical heterogeneity. To provide future guidance and examples of innovation in the area, we solicited articles from teams seeking to utilize brain research to manage clinical heterogeneity. The search resulted in a diverse illustration of how best to leverage brain data to greater mechanistic understanding and clinical utility. In this introduction, we consider this work and discuss strategies through which brain data can best be used to provide unique insight into clinical heterogeneity. As the science of psychopathology continues to grapple with the promise and costs inherent in utilizing this powerful and complex array of methodologies, it will be important to leverage unique insights from brain science. This special issue provides a useful guide for new and upcoming work and a catalyst for moving the field forward. General Scientific Summary: Clinical heterogeneity presents a significant scientific barrier to identifying mechanisms within disorders, within symptom dimensions across disorders, and in risk or etiology of a disorder, but advancements in brain research have significant potential to supplement and improve ongoing efforts to address heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand adolescents' perception about the relationship between Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction and Emotional and Behavioral Problems in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The qualitative research was conducted in Brazil with 16 adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years old classified with smartphone addiction by Smartphone Addiction Inventory scale. Data were collected through focus group meetings and prepared by means of Bardin's content analysis. The findings resulted in two categories that describe how adolescents escape from the reality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic using smartphones and how they perceive the emotional and behavioral changes caused by this addiction. They develop this behavior seeking to alleviate negative emotions and to escape from reality, but this relief is momentary and ineffective, as this addictive relationship proves to accentuate emotional distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsActors face a demanding entertainment industry characterised by understaffing, precarious working conditions, temporary contracts, intense work pressure, and rigorous performance expectations. These challenges create barriers in their workday and influence their health and well-being.This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 14 actors from across Norway with diverse backgrounds and acting experiences.Through a reflective lifeworld research analysis, the essential phrase “to always be relevant” was identified. This essence consists of four components: understanding informal professional structures, being available for the industry, maintaining a good reputation, and always being in motion.The mantra “always be relevant” serves actors as both a necessary guide to sustaining themselves in an insecure and unpredictable industry and as a source of detriment due to its potential to blur the boundaries between work and leisure. This blurriness is also a core to chronic stress that might promote ill health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope and burdens of mental health challenges in today's world are staggering. Among the available psychological treatment approaches, cognitive and behavioral therapies, and their combinations, have garnered the strongest evidence base. That said, progress has not always been linear and most of the work is still ahead of us. Against this backdrop, Behavior Therapy has launched its State of the Science series—an exciting new journal feature offering a curated set of authoritative reviews of research in major areas of relevance to applied cognitive-behavioral science, written by distinguished scientists in each area and peer-reviewed. The vision for the Behavior Therapy State of the Science series is to launch with an initial set of articles that make up this special journal issue, with continued publication of additional State of the Science articles in future journal issues. The current article launches the State of the Science series, providing a brief summary of progress in cognitive and behavioral practice and related areas, as well as various missteps and harmful legacies that remind us that the state of the science for research focused on mental health and the alleviation of human suffering is always in flux and evolving. The 16 inaugural reviews in this special issue are then introduced one by one. Collectively, these State of the Science reviews take stock of what has been learned across key areas in the field, highlight critical knowledge gaps in need of research, and provide expert guidance for improving the effectiveness and reach of care, particularly for marginalized and underserved populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the complex nature of heterogeneous psychiatric disorders, scientists and clinicians are required to employ a wide range of clinical, endophenotypic, neuroimaging, genomic, and environmental data to understand the biological mechanisms of psychiatric illness before this knowledge is applied into clinical setting. Machine learning (ML) is an automated process that can detect patterns from large multidimensional datasets and can supersede conventional statistical methods as it can detect both linear and non-linear relationships. Due to this advantage, ML has potential to enhance our understanding, improve diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. The current review provides an in-depth examination of, and offers practical guidance for, the challenges encountered in the application of ML models in psychiatric research and clinical practice. These challenges include the curse of dimensionality, data quality, the 'black box' problem, hyperparameter tuning, external validation, class imbalance, and data representativeness. These challenges are particularly critical in the context of psychiatry as it is expected that researchers will encounter them during the stages of ML model development and deployment. We detail practical solutions and best practices to effectively mitigate the outlined challenges. These recommendations have the potential to improve reliability and interpretability of ML models in psychiatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the progress being made in perinatal mental health research. It emphasizes the importance of addressing perinatal psychiatric and substance use disorders, as they can have negative effects on maternal functioning, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes, and child socioemotional regulation. The special issue highlights the interdisciplinary nature of perinatal psychiatry, which involves various specialties such as obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, and neuroscience. The studies in the issue cover topics such as the risks associated with perinatal psychiatric disorders, the effects of treatments, the role of Mother-Baby units, and the biological aspects of perinatal depression. The research aims to improve treatment strategies, identify risk factors and biomarkers, and understand the underlying pathophysiology of perinatal mental health disorders. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: This systematic review aimed to summarise and synthesise research conducted in psychiatric mother‐baby units (MBUs) in relation to patients, their families, or staff, published from 1st January 2016 to 1st May 2024. Method: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐method studies were included for review if they were published in peer‐review journals in English and reported research on MBUs between January 2016 and May 2024. From the initial yield of 10,007 unique studies, 53 studies were included for review. Results: MBU research was found to more frequently investigate maternal characteristics rather than the benefits of MBU treatment compared to studies conducted prior to 2016. Most studies that did investigate impact of admission showed favourable results, however few follow‐up studies and studies comparing MBU outcomes to other clinical settings were undertaken. Little research has been conducted to investigate the differential impacts of MBU admission on different diagnoses and long‐term (>1 year) patient outcomes. There was a dearth of research investigating partners of women in MBUs and few studies conducted on infant outcomes. Conclusions: MBUs were consistently found to improve mental health systems and mother‐infant attachment in patients after admission. More research investigating patient support networks and child health, impact of diagnosis on outcomes, and studies with adequate follow‐up are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christopher J. Patrick, a renowned researcher in the field of psychophysiology, has been honored for his contributions to the study of psychopathy. His research has focused on understanding the construct of psychopathy and its manifestations in both criminal and noncriminal contexts. Patrick's work has shed light on the emotional deficits associated with psychopathy, identified different pathways to the disorder, and explored its dimensional nature. He has also integrated psychopathy research with mainstream psychopathology research, linking it to externalizing and internalizing psychopathology factors. Patrick's influential triarchic model of psychopathy proposes three distinct trait-dispositional characteristics and has led to the development of purpose-built scales for assessing psychopathy traits. [Extracted from the article]

Justice-involved people with mental illness are at increased risk for failure while on community supervision. Probation and parole officers (POs) have significant influence on the outcomes of these individuals through various supervision tactics and approaches. Prior research on specialty mental health supervision has helped identify a number of specific tactics that are both necessary and effective for supervising people with mental illness. This study builds upon this evidence base to offer POs additional insight and guidance that can help them promote the success of people with mental illness on community supervision. Toward this purpose, this study centers the voices and lived experiences of both individuals with mental illness on probation and parole and the POs who supervise them. Using qualitative data collected from focus groups with specialized probation and parole officers and responses to semi-structured interviews conducted with people with mental illness on community supervision, this study describes the unique experiences and challenges faced by people with mental illness and identifies specific strategies POs can use to be more helpful, impactful, and effective in their supervision of people with mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise during the postpartum period positively influences mothers’ mental health, including body image, which is critical for a successful postpartum experience. Ultra-Orthodox women, subject to strict religious laws governing their bodies, strongly adhere to the commandment to procreate, resulting in a higher birth rate compared to the general population. These unique characteristics may find expression in the way religion shapes their postpartum body image and exercise experience. This study aims to explore these elements, addressing the scarcity of research on this population, to better understand unique cultural sensitivities during this critical period of mothers’ health. Semi-structured interviews with ultra-Orthodox postpartum women following 12 weeks of exercise, revealed: (1) The perception of the body among postpartum ultra-Orthodox women, including the body (1.1) perceived as a means, not a goal, (1.2) disrupted by pregnancy, and (1.3) healing through exercise. The second theme found (2) Exercise raises cultural conflicts, and participants (2.1) provided justification for exercise and (2.2) hiding participation. The discussion focuses on the interplay between religious beliefs, the postpartum female body, and internal conflicts arising in relation to the postpartum exercise experience. This qualitative study highlights the ways that these cultural nuances may advance or hinder postpartum wellbeing of ultra-Orthodox women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the increased prevalence of sedentary behavior and insufficient physical activity constitutes a global public health concern, there is limited research on their effects on mental health. We investigated the combined association of sedentary behavior (daily sitting or reclining ≥10 h/day) and physical activity domains (evaluated using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, including occupational physical activity, leisure-time physical activity, and transportation-related physical activity) with depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, cutoff score: 10). This cross-sectional study utilized biennial data of 21,416 adults (age >20 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey waves 7–9 (2016–2022). Joint associations were explored by combining sedentary behavior and each physical activity domain into four levels. Sedentary behavior and occupational physical activity increased the risk of depression, leisure-time physical activity decreased the risk only in men, and transportation-related physical activity showed no significant association. Logistic regression each physical activity domain revealed, for men and women, a significantly higher risk of depression in the sedentary behavior (+)/occupational physical activity (+) group than in the sedentary behavior (–)/occupational physical activity (–) group (odds ratio: 3.05 and 2.66, respectively). The sedentary-behavior (+)/leisure-time physical-activity (–) group showed a significantly higher risk of depression than the sedentary behavior (–)/leisure-time physical activity (+) group (odds ratio: 2.50 and 2.14), and sedentary behavior (+)/transportation-related physical activity (–) group also showed a significantly higher risk of depression compared to the sedentary behavior (–)/transportation-related physical activity (+) group (odds ratio: 1.83 and 1.61). With concurrent exposure to sedentary behavior, the occupational physical activity and lack of leisure time and transportation-related physical activity synergistically increased the risk of depression. Encouraging leisure-time physical activity, minimizing rigorous occupational physical activity, and reducing sedentary behavior may reduce depressive symptoms, and research into specific domains of sedentary behavior and the quantity and quality of transportation-related physical activity is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document discusses the fundamentals of quantitative research methods in mental health nursing, emphasizing the importance of positivism and quantitative research in the field. It explores the philosophical underpinnings of positivism and the hypothetico-deductive model of science, which guide quantitative research methodologies and methods. The paper aims to provide a better understanding of quantitative research and promote its usage in mental health nursing. It also includes a practical example of hypotheses generation to illustrate the application of quantitative research principles. [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT Due to the humanistic paradigm shift in recent years, mental health recovery has been approached through personal recovery beyond the limits of the biomedical perspective, emphasising the subjective perception and uniqueness of the individual. Therefore, approaching recovery perceptions from patients' perspectives has gained importance. This study aimed to examine in depth the recovery perceptions of individuals with chronic mental illness. It is a qualitative study conducted using a phenomenological design. The study group consisted of 12 patients who had been undergoing treatment for mental illness for at least 1 year and were selected by purposive sampling method. Data were collected face‐to‐face using a semi‐structured interview form and analysed using the content analysis technique. The content analysis revealed three main themes and seven sub‐themes. The themes were journey (a meaningful life, optimal functioning, new identity), journey ticket (resilience, support systems) and stones on the road (traditional perspective, barriers). In conclusion, the study results revealed that individuals in the recovery process required support and counselling to make sense of the process and adapt their identity. Employment should be used more effectively in the recovery process of individuals with chronic mental illness. Recovery can only be achieved by breaking away from the traditional perspective of healing and combating the perception of society towards patients. Accordingly, psychiatric nurses should provide effective guidance and counselling to show that individuals can create and live a meaningful life alongside their illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schools are a prime setting for the delivery of universal and targeted mental health interventions. Current school-based mental health interventions may not be developed to fully meet student mental health needs and co-production is needed to understand what young people really want. Despite this, research on school-based mental health interventions does not consistently engage in co-production, involving stakeholders, such as young people and schools, in the decision-making, development, evaluation and/or implementation stages. This highlights that transforming the development of school-based mental health interventions is crucial to meeting all stakeholders' needs. In this paper, we aim to briefly review an approach to co-production that can be used when conducting research on school-based mental health interventions that centre stakeholder voices to drive meaningful change. We describe a case study to showcase this approach. Main body: We highlight recommendations and important elements to consider for each stakeholder when engaging in different levels of co-production, including young people, teachers, and schools. We provide practical examples of how this may look like in practice, theoretical underpinnings, and impact on outcomes. Our case study of co-producing a talk to improve mental health literacy in secondary school students is highlighted to demonstrate how a group of young people, teachers, epidemiologist, psychiatrist, and researchers can work together to develop school-based mental health interventions. Conclusion: Co-production can be successfully conducted amongst researchers and stakeholders to develop school-based mental health interventions. Changes made to the talk were guided by synthesis of feedback that aligned with the balanced needs, perspectives, and opinions of all stakeholders. The use of this co-production approach in research on school-based mental health interventions with young people, teachers, and schools has important implications for research, service provision, and stakeholder empowerment. Plain English Summary: The aim of our project is to improve knowledge and awareness of mental health problems among young people by developing an interactive workshop and talk, which will be delivered in secondary schools. Our focus is on depression, anxiety and self-harm. These are the most common mental health problems experienced by young people, rates are rising, and they are leading causes of suicide. Evidence suggests that co-production needs to be at the core of the development of school-based mental health interventions. We recommend how and why we should work together with young people, teachers, and schools to co-produce school-based mental health interventions. For our project, we worked together with groups of young people, teachers, schools, clinicians, and researchers to develop the interactive talk. We met with them regularly to discuss what they think is important to include in the talk, how we present it in the talk, and any ways to improve it. Our experience was a successful one but as a field, we need to consider critically how we can carefully and productively engage in co-production to improve mental health research and young people's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research is sparse on the relatively new but highly relevant topic of mental disorders in video games. This scoping review aimed to map the existing research on portrayal of mental illness in video games. PubMed, PsychInfo, PsycArticles, Medline, Scopus and the ACM Digital Library were searched, resulting in the final inclusion of seven records. Prevalences for the representation of mental illness ranged from 12 to 24%. Findings indicate that video games' portrayal of mental illness is predominantly stigmatizing and negatively connoted. Mental illness frequently serves as a reason for violent behavior and is portrayed in line with paranormal experiences. Yet, some games portray mental illness in a more neutral way, using game mechanics to elicit empathy. While this review emphasizes the need for non-stigmatizing depiction, potentially through the inclusion of experts in the development process, future research should examine how much consumers are affected by the negative or positive portrayal of mental illnesses in video games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most personality science is conducted with samples from wealthy Western countries, home to only 11% of the world's population. Longitudinal studies have been particularly informative for psychology, but they are virtually absent from the rest of the world. The Africa Long Life Study (ALLS) brings African perspectives to lifespan research in personality and mental health. Large (N = ∼1000), relatively-representative samples of 18-year-olds were recruited from throughout Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa in 2022. Participants complete two surveys each year. At the time of the fifth wave, we describe here the goals of the ALLS with emphasis on personality psychology, and the contextualized measurement and methodological approaches we have developed, including the process of finding participants again at later waves. Sample characteristics and retention and attrition over the first three waves are reported. Initial lessons learned and reflections on conducting longitudinal research and personality science in Africa are discussed. Plain language summary: Most personality science is conducted with samples from wealthy Western countries, home to only 11% of the world's population. Longitudinal studies have been particularly informative for psychology, but they are virtually absent from the rest of the world. The Africa Long Life Study, a new longitudinal study in Sub-Saharan Africa, brings African perspectives to lifespan research in personality, mental health, and cultural mindset. Large (N = ∼1000), relatively-representative samples of 18-year-olds were recruited from throughout Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa in 2022. Participants complete two surveys each year, allowing us to test findings in personality psychology for cross-cultural relevance. We describe here the goals of the ALLS and the contextualized approach we have taken, including the process of finding participants again for later waves. Details about the particpants and how many stayed with the project into the second and third surveys are reported. We reflect on what it is like to conducting longitudinal research in Africa today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe present review explored the prevalence and factors of mental health conditions among lesbian, bisexual, and other sexual minority women (LBSW) in Southeast Asia. It found that the rates of significant depression and depressive symptoms range from 10% to 93.2%, with a median of 27.7%. This wide range can be due to a study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which found elevated depression, stress, and anxiety rates. Studies also highlight high levels of sadness, hopelessness, sleep and eating problems, fatigue, and suicidal thoughts among LBSW. Suicide rates indicate that LBSW have higher odds of suicidal ideations and attempts than their heterosexual peers in the region. Additionally, bisexual and polysexual women report higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors than lesbian women, necessitating tailored mental health interventions. Substance use among LBSW is also notable, including smoking and heavy drinking, though some rates are below the global average. Factors influencing mental health include openness about sexuality, coping styles, and discrimination. Discrimination is linked to various mental health issues, supporting the minority stress model’s applicability in the region. Aging-related factors also affect mental health among LBSW, with older age being possibly protective against depression. Overall, this review highlights the urgent need for more inclusive mental health research and interventions in the region. Recommendations include training healthcare providers, developing tailored mental health programs, adopting suicide prevention initiatives, enacting anti-discrimination laws, and addressing substance use. Future research should focus on underrepresented regions and older LBSW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to validate the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4-J). People in Japan, especially healthcare workers (HCWs) suffer from high rates of mental health symptoms. The PHQ-4 is an established ultra-brief mental health measure used in various settings, populations and languages. The Japanese version of the PHQ-4 has not been validated. Methods: Two hundred eighty people in Japan (142 HCWs and 138 from the general public) responded to the PHQ-4-J. Internal consistency, and factorial validity were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models. Results: Internal consistency was high (α = 0.70–0.86). CFA yielded very good fit indices for a two-factor solution (RMSEA = 0.04, 95% CI 0.00–0.17) and MIMIC models indicated the performance differed between HCWs and the general population. Conclusions: The PHQ-4-J is a reliable ultra-brief scale for depression and anxiety in Japanese, which can be used to meet current needs in mental health research and practice in Japan. Disaster research and gerontology research can benefit from this scale, enabling mental health assessment with little participant burden. In practice, early detection and personalised care can be facilitated by using the scale. Future research should target specific populations in Japan during a non-emergency time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Findings Discussion The adolescent borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis has been widely debated for many years. Strikingly, young people's experiences of both receiving a diagnosis of BPD, and of living with BPD, are largely under‐explored. The current study seeks to address these gaps in the literature in a multi‐perspectival design utilising young people–parent dyads.Young people (aged 16–18 years) with a diagnosis of BPD (n = 5) and their mothers (n = 5) were recruited from two NHS Community Mental Health Services in the West Midlands and participated in semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis [IPA].Analysis identified two superordinate themes with five subthemes: (1) The “ugly” reality of living with BPD (providing a stark insight into what it is like to live with the unpredictable nature of experiences labelled as BPD), and (2) The diagnosis that dare not speak its name (highlighting the complexities of how the diagnosis itself is experienced by participants as a symbol of personal and permanent defectiveness and danger).Findings highlight a clear commonality of experience centred around the intensity of the young people's emotional distress and the accompanying pressure on parents to keep young people safe, both of which services must strive to do more to contain. Ultimately, the costs of receiving a BPD diagnosis appear to outweigh the benefits, and this paper adds support to calls for change in respect to how we conceptualise difficulties labelled as BPD and how we communicate about these difficulties, in order to avoid causing harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCurrent literature on student mental health offers ample evidence of a worldwide increase in the prevalence of mental health issues among university students. However, there is limited literature from a social constructionist approach within Pakistan examining the student perception of mental illness, stigma, stigma management, and barriers to help-seeking. This study attempts to bridge the gap by conducting a descriptive qualitative study using the social constructionist framework to understand the perception of mental illness and its corresponding stigma in a fluid, non-canonical fashion. Semi-structured interviews with 11 university students reveal the personalized meanings given to the critical terms within the study. Intersectional dimensions of gender, class, and level of education are extensively explored, considering the student’s perceptions. The reflexive thematic analysis identifies perceived determinants of mental illnesses, the perceived relationship between mental illness and stigma, stigma management strategies employed by respondents, and perceived coping mechanisms. In Pakistan, where mental illness is not only prevalent but highly stigmatized, this research hopes to be a valuable addition to scholarly research on mental health and illness among young people in higher education institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 Ethnic Inequalities in Mental health and Multimorbidities (COVEIMM) is a mixed methods study to explore whether COVID-19 exacerbated ethnic health inequalities in adults with serious mental and physical health conditions. We analysed data from electronic health records for England and conducted interviews in Birmingham and Solihull, Manchester, and South London. Sites were selected because they were pilot sites for the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework being introduced by NHS England to tackle race inequalities in mental health. Prior to the pandemic people in England with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) faced an 11–17-year reduction in life expectancy, mostly due to preventable, long-term, physical health conditions. During the pandemic there was a marked increase in deaths of those living with an SMI. Aims: This qualitative interview study aimed to understand the reasons underlying ethnic inequalities in mortality and service use during the COVID-19 pandemic for adult service users and carers of Black African, Black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi backgrounds living with serious multiple long-term mental and physical health conditions. Methods: We took a participatory action research approach and qualitative interviews undertaken by experts-by-experience and university researchers Participants were purposively sampled by ethnicity, diagnoses, and comorbidities across three geographically distinct sites in England. Transcriptions were coded inductively and deductively and analysed thematically. Results: Findings indicated multiple points along primary and secondary health pathways for mental and physical health that have the potential to exacerbate the unjust gap in mortality that exists for Black and Asian people with SMIs. Issues such as timely access to care (face-to-face and remote), being treated in a culturally appropriate manner with empathy, dignity and respect, and being able to use services without experiencing undue force, racism or other forms of intersectional discrimination were important themes arising from interviews. Conclusion: These poor experiences create systemic and enduring healthcare harms for racialised groups with SMIs that need to be addressed. Our findings suggest a need to address these, not only in mental health providers, but across the whole health and care system and a need to ensure more equitable healthcare partnerships with service users, carers, and communities from racialised backgrounds who are often excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental disorders account for a significant proportion of the world's disease burden and are more significant among females than males. However, most global mental health research is sex neutral, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study, therefore, estimated the prevalence of mental disorders and investigated the sociodemographic correlates, sex disadvantage factors, and treatment-seeking in Saudi women concerning lifetime and 12-month mental disorders. Method: The Saudi National Mental Health Survey is a stratified multistage clustered area probability design. Lifetime and 12-month mental disorders were assessed through the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). The correlates considered for this study included age-at-interview, education, marital status, employment status, socioeconomic status (SES), any chronic condition and household characteristics (region, urbanicity, and income), as well as domestic violence, age at marriage and in a polygamous marriage. Data was analysed using PROC SURVEYFREQ procedure as well as logistic regression in SAS 9.2. Results: Overall, 24.7% and 35.9% of Saudi women experienced at least one of the disorders in the prior 12 months and at least once in their lifetime, respectively. Anxiety disorders were the most frequently reported 12-month and lifetime disorders, followed by mood disorders. The region, urbanicity, chronic conditions, employment status, as well as certain sex disadvantage factors were significantly associated with both 12-month and lifetime disorders. Most women did not seek treatment for 12-month mental disorders (86.2%) and lifetime disorders (73.8%). Conclusion: Our study confirms that mental health issues, particularly anxiety and mood disorders, are highly prevalent among Saudi women, influenced by chronic conditions and sex-related factors like domestic violence and polygamy. Future research should focus on improving mental health literacy, using rigorous study designs to explore female-specific variables, and investigating genetic and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance and value of Clinical Psychologists being research-active – the why – have become a truism. The barriers are well-known. Conducting research is typically, and understandably, deprioritised in day-to-day NHS and private practice in favour of clinical duties. Relatively little attention has been given to how to promote greater staff research activity. Culture change is neither simple nor easy: embedding a research culture in routine clinical practice is a complex, long-term goal. This article discusses how we are attempting to cause a step-change in staff enthusiasm, confidence, and competence to conduct mental health research in one Health Board in Scotland. I outline how we have attempted to establish the conditions for staff to consistently add conducting research to the varied duties and responsibilities that they engage in each week. Rather than focusing exclusively on Clinical Psychologists, efforts to promote greater research activity have been pursued equally across the entire Psychological Services workforce irrespective of profession or position. We believe that our workforce becoming more research-active and explicitly focused on innovation will be stimulating and rewarding for individual staff members – contributing to joy at work – and beneficial for the services we work in. The progress that has been made to date would not have been possible without funded research-focused time and explicit support from the Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire and the Director of Psychological Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss qualitative findings drawn from a larger community-engaged project in a predominantly Black Midwestern city. Data collection for the project, which focused on the effects of policing on the city's African American community, was carried out in collaboration with Black community organizations and an independent police oversight board. Using an intersectional queer politics lens, we present findings from a thematic analysis of field observations that focused on the city's LGBTQI+ community. Major themes that emerged include the social context of Black LGBTQI+ oppression, the criminalization of the Black LGBTQI+ body, and mental health impact of policing experiences. Overall, we found that transgender and gender non-conforming experiences with police were particularly harmful. We conclude with insights into the strategies of resilience and resistance used by the community to navigate the impact police work has on their lived experience. Policy implications of our findings and the importance of queer politics to enable Black LGBTQI+ populations to access services and thrive, rather than survive are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The wellbeing of college students today is at risk because of rising occurrences of mental health issues in higher education. Concurrently, undergraduate students perceive engineering courses and programs to be among the most arduous, and least welcoming and accommodating, in higher education. Although research related to mental health and wellbeing (MHW) in engineering is growing, a systematic review of this research has yet to be conducted. Purpose: This systematic literature review identifies and synthesizes empirical scholarship related to the MHW of undergraduate engineering students. Scope/Method: Specified search terms and inclusion criteria were used to identify 34 empirical studies related to engineering undergraduates' MHW. Content and qualitative thematic analyses were conducted to characterize and synthesize trends in research quality and outcomes across studies. Results: Undergraduate engineering students experience a variety of mental health issues that negatively affect their experiences in engineering education. Stress is the most prevalent mental health issue identified; anxiety, depression, and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also reported. Heavy academic workloads, sleep issues, and the nature of engineering education culture are identified as impediments to MHW in engineering education. Conclusions: Although MHW in engineering is a growing area of research internationally, current MHW research in engineering is nascent and focused on the characterization of student mental health issues. Researchers underutilize qualitative and mixed‐methods approaches, longitudinal and experimental designs, guiding frameworks, and robust sampling techniques. Academic and mindfulness interventions, as well as the use of mental wellness constructs from positive psychology, show promise for supporting MHW in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental disorders during young adulthood can significantly impair functioning in daily activities. Non‐clinical support services aim to improve functioning by helping people to build social and life skills, participate in education and employment and improve physical health. This study aims to examine and synthesise the evidence for non‐clinical services on improving functional outcomes for young adults with mental disorders. Methods: A systematic search was undertaken to identify quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on a non‐clinical service component (vocational support, peer support, youth development, lifestyle interventions, family and network support) and examining functional outcomes (e.g., outcomes focussed on work and education, life skills, relationships and healthy behaviours). Results: Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. Identified studies focussed on vocational support services (n = 9), lifestyle interventions (n = 6) and family and network support services (n = 2). No studies on peer‐support services or youth development services were found. More than half of the vocational support service studies reported increased employment rates among young adults (n = 6). Studies focussing on lifestyle interventions included a combination of physical activity, nutrition education, health coaching and motivation and behaviour change. However, the measures of functioning used across studies were too varied to determine whether lifestyle interventions may be useful in improving functional outcomes for young adults. Conclusion: Further research is needed to understand the impact of non‐clinical services on functioning. This evidence will provide pragmatic guidance for service planners to invest in supports and interventions that make a meaningful difference to the lives of young adults living with mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We found a rapid decrease in the number of scientific publications on mirror neurons and their implication in high-level processes of action understanding (empathy, mind-reading, and action understanding) after a wave of criticisms especially since 2010. • We did not find any time lag between the peaks of publication on high-level processes of action understanding in the field of psychiatry compared to other fields. • Our findings indicate effective knowledge dissemination between psychiatric research and other research fields. For more than thirty years, a huge stream of research has enlightened the functions of Mirror Neurons (MNs) in humans and animals. Criticisms have been published, especially since 2010, targeting neuropsychological hypotheses of the MNs which refer to empathy and mind-reading (i.e., high-level processes of action understanding), as well as the extrapolation of the MNs in an attempt to explain the etiology of psychiatric disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. One would expect that these criticisms be considered with a time lag in the field of psychiatry because they were not originally formulated in that field, that these hypotheses have gained significant popularity, and that criticism of the "broken mirror theory" of ASD emerged at a later stage. We conducted an analysis of publications on MNs on PubMed. We identified 2,595 publications on "Mirror Neuron" from January 1995 until the 27th of May 2023; 443 concerned psychiatric disorders and another 550 publications were related to high-level processes of action understanding. We found no time lag in publications on high-level processes of action understanding of MNs between the peaks of publications on psychiatric disorders and all the other publications (both peaks in June 2014). Our findings indicate effective knowledge dissemination between psychiatric research and other research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeatedly, peer support (PS) research in mental health settings has indicated the influential impact of PS on recovery outcomes, including community reintegration and overall quality of life. Despite these findings, and the bolstering of PS in UK healthcare policy, PS remains underdeveloped in UK mental health settings. This is particularly pronounced in forensic mental health settings where the development of PS has remained heavily restricted by application difficulties in secure care models. The current study aims to provide one of the first in-depth explorations of PS experiences for both service users (SUs) and peer support workers (PSWs) in UK forensic mental health services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants (ten SUs, three PSWs) and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four primary themes were identified detailing the experiences and challenges of forensic-based PS: Experiences of PS from SU perspective; Experiences of PS from PSW perspective; Contrasting care: Addressing the "Us and them" divide, and Further service development. Recommendations identified for progressing PS center on integration improvements, increasing the variety of peer-led interventions, and incorporating PS's "flexible" nature into traditional models of care. Further action is needed to develop and embed PS in forensic care, including guidance for the development of strategies and policy, and direction for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical mental health researchers may understandably struggle with how to incorporate biological assessments in clinical research. The options are numerous and are described in a vast and complex body of literature. Here we provide guidelines to assist mental health researchers seeking to include biological measures in their studies. Apart from a focus on behavioral outcomes as measured via interviews or questionnaires, we advocate for a focus on biological pathways in clinical trials and epidemiological studies that may help clarify pathophysiology and mechanisms of action, delineate biological subgroups of participants, mediate treatment effects, and inform personalized treatment strategies. With this paper we aim to bridge the gap between clinical and biological mental health research by (1) discussing the clinical relevance, measurement reliability, and feasibility of relevant peripheral biomarkers; (2) addressing five types of biological tissues, namely blood, saliva, urine, stool and hair; and (3) providing information on how to control sources of measurement variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive longitudinal research—including experience sampling and smartphone sensor monitoring—has potential for identifying proximal risk factors for psychopathology, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB). Yet, missing data can complicate analysis and interpretation. This study aimed to address whether clinical and study design factors are associated with missing data and whether missingness predicts changes in symptom severity or STB. Adolescents ages 13- to 18 years old (N = 179) reporting depressive, anxiety, and/or substance use disorders were enrolled; 65% reported current suicidal ideation and 29% indicated a past-year attempt. Passively acquired smartphone sensor data (e.g., global positioning system, accelerometer, and keyboard inputs), daily mood surveys, and weekly suicidal ideation surveys were collected during the 6-month study period using the effortless assessment research system smartphone app. First, acquisition of passive smartphone sensor data (with data on ∼80% of days across the whole sample) was strongly associated with survey data acquisition on the same day (∼44% of days). Second, STB and psychiatric symptoms were largely not associated with missing data. Rather, temporal features (e.g., length of time in study, weekends, and summer) explained more missingness of survey and passive smartphone sensor data. Last, within-participant changes in missing data over time neither followed nor predicted subsequent change in suicidal ideation and psychiatric symptoms. Findings indicate that considering technical and study design factors impacting missingness is critical and highlight several factors that should be addressed to maximize the validity of clinical interpretations in intensive longitudinal research. General Scientific Summary: Missing data poses substantial challenges to longitudinal research on mental health. This study worked to characterize patterns of missing data among adolescents with psychiatric disorders and at risk for suicide, in particular missingness of smartphone-based surveys and measurements passively collected from participants' smartphones (e.g., global positioning system, accelerometer, and keyboard). Findings highlight key technical and study design factors that should be considered to minimize missing data and maximize the validity of results in future longitudinal studies using smartphones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puberty is a time of intense reorganization of brain structure and a high-risk period for the onset of mental health problems, with variations in pubertal timing and tempo intensifying this risk. We conducted 2 systematic reviews of articles published up to February 1, 2024, focusing on 1) the role of brain structure in the relationship between puberty and mental health, and 2) precision psychiatry research evaluating the utility of puberty in making individualized predictions of mental health outcomes in young people. The first review provides inconsistent evidence about whether and how pubertal and psychopathological processes may interact in relation to brain development. While most studies found an association between early puberty and mental health difficulties in adolescents, evidence on whether brain structure mediates this relationship is mixed. The pituitary gland was found to be associated with mental health status during this time, possibly through its central role in regulating puberty and its function in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. In the second review, the design of studies that have explored puberty in predictive models did not allow for a quantification of its predictive power. However, when puberty was evaluated through physically observable characteristics rather than hormonal measures, it was more commonly identified as a predictor of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in adolescence. Social processes may be more relevant than biological ones to the link between puberty and mental health problems and represent an important target for educational strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University study is a period of psychological vulnerability for many individuals. International college students may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing distress and developing a mental illness due to challenges of relocation and acculturation. The aim of this meta-analytic review was to synthesize the literature on the mental health correlates and outcomes of domestic and international tertiary students. A total of 35 studies were identified via search PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Results showed that, among 283,412 participants, very small but non-significant effects were found between domestic and international students on anxiety: r = .04; depression: r = -.01; psychological distress: r = -.01; and wellbeing: r = -.01. Most studies were of relatively poor quality. Among high-quality studies, international students reported fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress than domestic students. On the other hand, domestic students declared higher wellbeing scores on quality-of-life measures. Despite these mixed findings, many students in the included studies reported poor mental health and wellbeing. Further research examining the mental health and wellbeing of domestic and international students is needed, with particular attention to the underlying needs and stressors that affect each subgroup to develop effective supports and countermeasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees in enterprises face numerous challenges due to the severe employment situation and job pressure. Sales personnel and research and development (R&D) personnel in companies are particularly susceptible to mental health issues due to the unique nature and complexity of their work. This study aims to explore the psychological health issues among sales personnel and R&D personnel in high-tech enterprises. Twenty-four R&D personnel (23 males and 1 female) and twenty-six sales personnel (25 males and 1 female) were recruited. The participants' psychological health conditions were assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and verbal fluency tasks combined with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (VFT-fNIRS), while their work stress level was evaluated using the Personal Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ). The results indicated significantly higher brain activities in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral Broca's areas of the R&D group compared to the sales group. The R&D group had significantly lower scores in the total score and multiple dimensions of SCL-90, such as somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, hostility, and paranoia. In addition, the R&D group exhibited significantly lower psychological and physical tension reactions compared to the sales group in PSQ. Based on the PRQ, the R&D group obtained significantly higher scores in self-care compared to the sales group. In conclusion, the mental health status of the R&D group is better than that of the sales group, the difference in self-care may be the most important factor leading to the difference in work stress and mental health of the two groups, VFT-fNIRS might be used to assist in detecting the mental health status of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health is a vital aspect of health and wellbeing that supports our capacity as individuals and as a society to make choices, form bonds with one another, and influence the world we live in. This review aims to identify and synthesize research on mental health and its associated factors among educators in Malaysia. Given the rise in mental health issues among educators, it is crucial to understand the risk factors and develop supportive environments to promote mental well-being. By investigating the causes of poor mental health among educators, this review seeks to provide recommendations based on evidence for future research priorities, policy, and practice, particularly in Malaysia. Methods: This systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. A total of 488 studies were identified from five databases namely Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and PsycINFO with 30 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Covidence tool is used for screening and data extraction. Results: The findings highlighted six major themes as significant predictors of poor mental health among educators in Malaysia were work-family conflict and demands, pandemic impact, work environment, physical health, personality traits, and workload. Conclusions: The outcomes of this review support future policy research on academic well-being, aiming to improve work-life balance for educators. Stakeholders can work towards creating a more supportive, productive, and sustainable academic environment in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human rights, recovery, and value-based approaches are integral to strategic changes and development in mental health care. Successfully integrating such person-centred values in mental health services requires a paradigm shift from traditional biomedical models of care to a more human rights-based approach. An important aspect of this is shared decision making (SDM) between mental health staff and service users. Whilst it is widely acknowledged SDM leads to improved outcomes, there are barriers and challenges to implementing this approach effectively in clinical practice. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to assess existing empirical research exploring mental health service users and/or staff's attitudes towards and experiences of SDM in adult mental health care settings. Methods: The review and protocol were registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023369472). Systematic searches were run on four databases. Search terms pertained to studies reporting on mental health staff or service users' experiences of SDM in adult mental health care. Initial searches yielded 721 results. Included studies were analysed using a meta-ethnographic approach. Results: Thirteen articles were included. Data were synthesised using meta ethnographic synthesis, which produced four higher order themes with related subthemes; the role of service user ownership, the influence of fluctuating capacity, the importance of therapeutic alliance and changing clinicians' behaviours and attitudes. Implications: Both staff and service users found SDM to be an important factor in delivering high quality, effective mental health care. Despite this, participants had very little experience of implementing SDM in practice due to several personal, professional, and organisational challenges. This suggests that differences exist between what services strive towards achieving, and the experience of those implementing this in practice. These findings suggest that further research needs to be conducted to fully understand the barriers of implementing SDM in mental health services with training delivered to staff and service users about SDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT For patients with mental illnesses (MIs), emergency departments (EDs) are often the entry point into the healthcare system, or their only resort for quickly accessing mental health treatment. A better understanding of the various barriers justifying high ED use among patients with MIs may help recommend targeted interventions that better meet their needs. This explorative qualitative study aimed to identify such barriers and the solutions brought forth to reduce ED use based on the perspectives of clinicians and managers working in EDs, other hospital departments or the community sector. Interviews were conducted between April 2021 and February 2022; 86 mental health professionals (22% were nurses) from four large urban ED sites in Quebec (Canada) were interviewed. Barriers were identified in relation to patient profiles, healthcare system and organisational features and professional characteristics. The key barriers that were found to explain high ED use were patients having serious MIs (e.g., psychotic disorders) or social issues (e.g., poverty), lack of coordination and patient referrals between EDs and other health services, insufficient access to mental health and addiction services and inadequacy of care. Very few solutions were implemented to improve care for high ED users. Better deployment of ED interventions in collaboration with outpatient care may be prioritised to reduce high ED use for patients with MIs. Improvements to the referral and transfer processes to outpatient care, particularly through care plans and case management programs, may be implemented to reduce high ED use and improve outpatient care among patients with multiple health and social needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study have shown that the burden of mental and substance use disorders is considerable, and unevenly distributed across demographic groups in the population. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how this burden differs by socioeconomic position. The aim of this study was to examine educational differences in years lived with disability (YLDs) from mental and substance use disorders among males and females in two high-income countries, taking comorbidity with other diseases into account. Methods: The study included all registered residents in Denmark and Norway from 2011 to 2021. Diagnostic information was retrieved from records in the Norwegian National Patient Registry (NPR) and the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register (PCRR) and used as proxy measures for disorder prevalence. Demographical and educational information was taken from administrative registries. The YLD is a measure of the non-fatal health loss in the population and was calculated by multiplying the duration of a disorder with a disability weight (DW), scaled between 0 and 1. Information on remission and DWs were retrieved from the GBD study and other sources, and disorder specific DWs were averaged by severity levels and adjusted for comorbidity. Results: Educational gradients in YLD rates were found for mental and substance disorders overall, and for most of the specific disorders. The educational gradient was more pronounced for schizophrenia, intellectual disability and substance use disorders than for eating, anxiety, and affective disorders. Both higher YLD rates, and a larger attributed proportion of the total YLDs, were found for schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders in the groups with low versus high education. YLD rates for eating, anxiety, and affective disorders were more equal across educational levels, but constituted a smaller proportion of the total YLDs among the groups with low versus the groups with high educational level. Conclusion: Most of the disease burden related to mental and substance use disorders falls on those with the fewest years of education. This should be taken into consideration when public health targets aimed at improving mental health and reducing social inequalities in health are developed and implemented. Key message: • The disease burden of mental and substance use disorder is unequally distributed by educational levels in both Denmark and Norway. • The educational gradient in disease burden from mental and substance use disorders is more pronounced for schizophrenia, intellectual disability and substance use disorders, than for eating, anxiety, and affective disorders. • Use of disease burden methodology on individually linked registry data extends the knowledge on the distribution of important causes of non-fatal health loss in different groups of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis focused on investigating the bidirectional relationships between major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety and stress-related disorder (ASRD), and dental caries as well as periodontitis. We used summary statistics from two studies: an MDD genome-wide association study (GWAS) including 135,458 cases with 344,901 controls and a Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH) GWAS based on 12,655 ASRD individuals and 19,225 controls from Denmark. GWASs on dental caries and periodontitis were based on the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints (GLIDE) consortium. We employed different MR approaches, such as inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR–Egger, weighted median, and MR-PRESSO, to calculate causal effects. Single-variable MR analysis revealed that ASRD was potentially significantly associated with decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) (β = 0.056; 95 % CI: 0.009, 0.103; p = 0.018). Periodontitis was suggested to be causally related to increased ASRD risk (OR = 1.143, 95 % CI: 1.008, 1.298; p = 0.038). According to the multivariable MR analysis, no significant associations were detected between MDD and ASRD with dental caries and periodontitis, and vice versa. ASRD demonstrated a potential association with DMFS, and periodontitis was found to potentially impact ASRD according to single-variable MR analysis. Nevertheless, no significant associations were identified between MDD, ASRD, dental caries, or periodontitis after adjusting for smoking status and education level. Hence, more robust genetic instruments are required to validate and reinforce our findings. • The causal relationships between depression or stress-related disorders, dental caries, and periodontitis remain unclear. • SVMR analysis identified potential causal relationships between anxiety, stress-related disorders, and dental caries. • Potential causal effects of anxiety and stress-related disorders on periodontitis were observed in SVMR analysis. • Refining exposures and outcomes definitions to enhance the precision of identifying significant associations is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the experiences of a lived experience researcher working in a mental health ward. The researcher, who has personal experience with mental health issues, highlights the challenges of being in a hospital setting where they were previously a patient. They observed the treatment of patients, including being detained in seclusion rooms and given medication. The article emphasizes the value of listening to and valuing the expertise of lived experience researchers, while also acknowledging the diverse experiences and perspectives within the mental health system. It underscores the need for collaboration and ongoing support for lived experience researchers in mental health nursing. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionPediatric cancer is associated with stressors that increase the risk for distress across family members. Psychosocial support varies and may not meet family needs and preferences. This study investigated family members’ points of view regarding psychosocial service needs, as a first step of a large participative research project aiming to develop interventions grounded in key stakeholders’ perspectives.This study documented the perceptions of 370 parents, 11 siblings, and 60 individuals who themselves had received a cancer diagnosis as a child and employed a mixed-methods design through an online survey.Respondents indicated their key concerns were coping with intense emotions, accepting their feelings toward the diagnosis, and managing the psychological burden that accompanies cancer, its treatment, and associated life changes.The results suggest that an intervention program should address emotion management as well as interventions focusing on the entire family system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Having traditionally received limited attention in empirical research and safety improvement agendas, issues of patient safety in mental healthcare increasingly feature in healthcare quality improvement discourses. Dominant approaches to safety stem from narrow clinical risk management perspectives, yet existing evidence points to the limitations of this characterisation. Although mental healthcare is increasingly delivered in community-based settings, narratives of safety pertain primarily to hospital-based mental healthcare. Therefore, through exploratory qualitative interviews and one focus group, we aimed to examine how service users, carers, and healthcare providers conceptualise 'patient safety' in community-based mental healthcare. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and a single focus group were conducted with users of UK community-based mental healthcare provision for adults (n = 13), their carers (n = 12), and providers (n = 18), who were diverse in characteristics and experiences. Study data were analysed in accordance with a reflexive approach to thematic analysis. Findings: Four key themes were developed, reflecting contrasting conceptualisations of safety in this care context, where participant thinking evolved throughout discussions. 'Systemic inertia: threats to safety' characterises the entrenched, systemic challenges which rendered participants powerless to advocate for or deliver safe care. 'Managing the risks service users present' equates 'safe care' to the mitigation of risks service users may pose to themselves or others when unwell, or risks from those around them. 'More than responding to risks: everyone plays a role in creating safety' recognises providers' agency in causing or proactively preventing patient harm. Finally, 'The goals of 'safety': our destination is not yet in sight' positions safety as a work in progress, calling for ambitious safety agendas, giving primacy to goals which meaningfully improve service users' lives. Conclusions: Our findings have implications for the understanding and improvement of patient safety in community-based mental healthcare settings, where improvement objectives should transcend beyond management of risks and preventing deterioration to address patient and carer-centred concerns, including practices that make people feel unsafe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]