Search

Aims The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of nurses’ stress situation coping levels on somatization symptoms, the mediating effect of depression, and the moderating effect of perceived social support. Background As a core part of the global healthcare system, nurses are crucial to patient health and rehabilitation outcomes. However, due to heavy workloads, unreasonable staffing structures, and constant exposure to occupational risks in their workplaces, these factors often place nurses in a high-intensity, high-stress environment, which directly affects their physical and mental health and professional burnout. Coping with stress situations is an important means to help individuals effectively manage stress, reduce negative impacts, and maintain mental health. However, research on the impact of nurses’ stress situation coping methods on somatization symptoms is limited. Methods This study conducted a cross-sectional survey from December 2022 to April 2023, and finally included 293 nurses working on the front line of tertiary hospitals. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and the SPSS macro program’s Models 7 and 14. This study is an observational study, strictly prepared and presented according to the STROBE checklist. Results The somatization symptom scores of the nurses were (27.27 ± 7.33) points, the stress situation coping scores were (59.90 ± 9.64) points, the perceived social support scores were (65.64 ± 12.90) points, and the depression scores were (4.42 ± 4.12) points. The somatization symptom scores of the nurses were positively correlated with the stress situation coping scores and depression scores, and negatively correlated with the perceived social support scores, with correlation coefficients of 0.200, 0.851, and −0.302, respectively. The stress coping level of the nurses had a direct positive impact on somatization symptoms (β = 0.081, p = 0.009), and a direct positive impact on nurse depression (β = 0.202, p = 0.001). Depression had a significant positive impact on somatization symptoms (β = 0.823, p = 0.000), and depression played a mediating role. Perceived social support had a significant negative impact on depression (β = −0.383, p = 0.000). Perceived social support had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the stress situation coping level and depression (β = −0.121, p = 0.003). Conclusion In this study, the stress situation coping methods of nurses had a positive impact on somatization symptoms, had a complete mediating effect on the depression level of nurses, and perceived social support had a significant moderating effect in the pathway from the stress situation coping methods of nurses to depression-mediated somatization symptoms.

Abstract To explore the moderating effect of mindfulness on the relationship between anxiety and somatization symptoms in middle‐aged and elderly female patients with hypertension and provide a foundation for the development of more effective mindfulness intervention strategies. A total of 109 middle‐aged and elderly female patients with hypertension participated in this cross‐sectional study from April to July 2022 and provided valid responses to the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Somatization Symptom Self‐rating Scale (SSS). The moderating effect of mindfulness was determined using multiple linear regression. The participants’ average scores were as follows: mindfulness: 123.86 ± 10.49; anxiety: 7.41 ± 3.62; and somatization symptoms: 41.2 ± 9.44. The anxiety (P = .000) and somatization symptoms (P = .001) of participants with high mindfulness were significantly reduced. Anxiety was positively correlated with somatization symptoms (r = 0.606, P = .000), while mindfulness was negatively correlated with both anxiety (r = ‐0.468, P = .000) and somatization symptoms (r = ‐0.439, P = .000). Moreover, mindfulness had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between anxiety and somatization symptoms (n = 109) (B = ‐0.166, t = ‐2.125, P = .036). The effect of mindfulness on anxiety and somatization symptoms was more significant in participants with low mindfulness levels (n = 56) (B = 0.144, t = 2.805, P = .008) than in participants with high mindfulness levels (n = 53) (B = ‐0.037, t = ‐0.864, P = .393). The moderating effect analysis based on regression analysis showed that mindfulness had a significant moderating effect on anxiety and somatization symptoms, especially in participants with low mindfulness levels.

Abstract Background: Resilience resources are predispositions that promote individuals’ abilities to cope with stress. Objective: The current cross-sectional study used path analysis with parallel multiple mediators to test whether coping behaviors mediated associations between resilience resources and somatic, depression, and anxiety symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: Undergraduates at a small Northeastern college (n = 193) completed online surveys assessing resilience resources, coping, and symptoms. Results: Results support significant indirect effects from resilience resources to somatic symptoms through positive reinterpretation and growth, mental disengagement, and substance use. Total indirect effects for depressive symptoms were driven by mental disengagement and substance use, with a direct effect of resilience resources. The effect of resilience resources on anxiety symptoms was mediated by mental disengagement, and there was a direct effect of resilience resources. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that some coping strategies link resilience resources to better outcomes, potentially informing interventions for adaptive coping during public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the moderating effect of mindfulness on the relationship between anxiety and somatization symptoms in middle‐aged and elderly female patients with hypertension and provide a foundation for the development of more effective mindfulness intervention strategies. A total of 109 middle‐aged and elderly female patients with hypertension participated in this cross‐sectional study from April to July 2022 and provided valid responses to the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Somatization Symptom Self‐rating Scale (SSS). The moderating effect of mindfulness was determined using multiple linear regression. The participants' average scores were as follows: mindfulness: 123.86 ± 10.49; anxiety: 7.41 ± 3.62; and somatization symptoms: 41.2 ± 9.44. The anxiety (P =.000) and somatization symptoms (P =.001) of participants with high mindfulness were significantly reduced. Anxiety was positively correlated with somatization symptoms (r = 0.606, P =.000), while mindfulness was negatively correlated with both anxiety (r = ‐0.468, P =.000) and somatization symptoms (r = ‐0.439, P =.000). Moreover, mindfulness had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between anxiety and somatization symptoms (n = 109) (B = ‐0.166, t = ‐2.125, P =.036). The effect of mindfulness on anxiety and somatization symptoms was more significant in participants with low mindfulness levels (n = 56) (B = 0.144, t = 2.805, P =.008) than in participants with high mindfulness levels (n = 53) (B = ‐0.037, t = ‐0.864, P =.393). The moderating effect analysis based on regression analysis showed that mindfulness had a significant moderating effect on anxiety and somatization symptoms, especially in participants with low mindfulness levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are concerning exposures that may have detrimental effects on mental health. Much of the prior evidence on ACEs comes from the U.S and western developed countries. In light of the limited knowledge of ACEs in other social contexts and the interconnection among adversities, this study aims to identify distinct patterns of co-occurring ACEs and examines the associations between those adversities and mental health in South Korea. We used data from a national sample of Korean college students recruited via non-probability quota sampling in 2019 (N = 1037). The dependent variables included three measures of mental health assessed by the Brief Symptom Inventory depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and somatization symptoms. The independent variable was the patterns of ACEs identified using 14 indicators of childhood adversity. We conducted a Latent Class Analysis with a distal outcome, using the Bolck, Croons, and Hagenaars method. The analysis found four patterns of ACEs: extreme adversity (8%), family violence (20.3%), economic adversity (10.4%), and low adversity (61.3%). The extreme adversity group exhibited multiple exposures, including interpersonal violence in home environments, economic hardship, and bullying victimization by peers. The results suggest that the extreme adversity and family violence groups showed significantly worse mental health symptoms than the economic adversity and low adversity groups. Also, the extreme adversity group reported significantly higher levels of depression symptoms and somatization symptoms than the family violence group. This study expands the current understanding of ACEs and their harmful effects on mental health in young adulthood specific to Korea while comparing them with other social contexts. Researchers and practitioners should recognize the co-occurrence of child adversities, rather than overestimating sole adversity, to develop effective strategies for promoting mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of nurses' stress situation coping levels on somatization symptoms, the mediating effect of depression, and the moderating effect of perceived social support., Background: As a core part of the global healthcare system, nurses are crucial to patient health and rehabilitation outcomes. However, due to heavy workloads, unreasonable staffing structures, and constant exposure to occupational risks in their workplaces, these factors often place nurses in a high-intensity, high-stress environment, which directly affects their physical and mental health and professional burnout. Coping with stress situations is an important means to help individuals effectively manage stress, reduce negative impacts, and maintain mental health. However, research on the impact of nurses' stress situation coping methods on somatization symptoms is limited., Methods: This study conducted a cross-sectional survey from December 2022 to April 2023, and finally included 293 nurses working on the front line of tertiary hospitals. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and the SPSS macro program's Models 7 and 14. This study is an observational study, strictly prepared and presented according to the STROBE checklist., Results: The somatization symptom scores of the nurses were (27.27 ± 7.33) points, the stress situation coping scores were (59.90 ± 9.64) points, the perceived social support scores were (65.64 ± 12.90) points, and the depression scores were (4.42 ± 4.12) points. The somatization symptom scores of the nurses were positively correlated with the stress situation coping scores and depression scores, and negatively correlated with the perceived social support scores, with correlation coefficients of 0.200, 0.851, and -0.302, respectively. The stress coping level of the nurses had a direct positive impact on somatization symptoms (β = 0.081, p = 0.009), and a direct positive impact on nurse depression (β = 0.202, p = 0.001). Depression had a significant positive impact on somatization symptoms (β = 0.823, p = 0.000), and depression played a mediating role. Perceived social support had a significant negative impact on depression (β = -0.383, p = 0.000). Perceived social support had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the stress situation coping level and depression (β = -0.121, p = 0.003)., Conclusion: In this study, the stress situation coping methods of nurses had a positive impact on somatization symptoms, had a complete mediating effect on the depression level of nurses, and perceived social support had a significant moderating effect in the pathway from the stress situation coping methods of nurses to depression-mediated somatization symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests, (© 2024 Qi and Xu.)

Background and objective Lung cancer is a serious threat to human health and its morbidity and mortality in recent years has always been ranked first in the country. Lung cancer patients are often associated with anxiety, depression and other emotional problems, and anxiety, depression and other emotional problems will further lead to a series of somatic symptoms. At present, we lack the clinical understanding of somatization symptoms in patients with lung cancer and related clinical studies are not too much. This research is to study the features of clinical manifestation of lung cancer patients with somatization symptoms and correlative analysis between anxiety, depression and somatization symptoms in medical oncology department of general hospital. Methods Lung cancer patients who met somatization symptoms diagnostic standard were assessed with the self-constructed somatic symptoms investigation questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and anxiety and depression were recorded by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). The detection rate of the anxiety, depression and the number of patients with different severity somatization symptoms were calculated, the relationship between the PHQ-15 scores and anxiety and/or depression and the distribution of the different frequency somatization symptoms were analyzed. Results There were 43 patients with anxiety and/or depression in the 50 lung cancer patients with somatization symptoms. Prevalence rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety combined with depression were 10%, 10% and 66% respectively. The more severity the somatization symptoms are, the higher detection rates of anxiety combined with depression are. Significant positive correlations were observed between PHQ-15 scores, PHQ-15 positive symptom numbers and HAMA scores (r=0.752, P0.05). Conclusion Symptoms of anxiety or depression were very common in lung cancer patients with somatization symptoms and there was a close relationship between anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms. The most common symptoms of these patients were nonspecific generalized symptoms.

Abstract Background Depression, anxiety and somatoform disorders are all more prevalent in women than in men. However, specific biological mechanisms contributing to such sex differences remain unknown. Serotonergic pathways are involved in mood and behavior regulation and thus have been suggested to be altered in several psychiatric disorders. The serotonin transporter (SERT), encoded by SLC6A4 gene, has received major attention due to its crucial role in serotonergic transmission. Methods 148 monozygotic twin subjects were assessed for (i) lifetime categorical diagnosis of anxious-depressive disorders, following SCID-I-based DSM-IV criteria, and (ii) current psychiatric symptomatology, from a dimensional approach, by means of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). SLC6A4 gene methylation was analyzed by means of Infinium HumanMethylation450 in a subset of the sample. CpG-specific methylation at the promoter region of SLC6A4 gene was further analyzed by means of pyrosequencing technology in the total sample. Results SLC6A4 methylation was found to be significantly higher in women when compared to men independent of DSM-IV diagnosis. SLC6A4 methylation was further associated with the BSI-derived somatization dimension. Conclusions Female hypermethylation of a discrete region located within SLC6A4 promoter region could underlie differential SERT expression in women when compared to men and could be one of the causative mechanisms by which women exhibit increased prevalence of somatic symptoms. Highlights • The SLC6A4 gene contains differentially methylated CpG sites as a function of sex. • These sex-based methylation signatures are independent of either age or tissue. • DNA methylation at this region is positively associated with somatization symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The current study aimed to identify the predictive values of psychological factors that are evaluated by the Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90) for acute mountain sickness (AMS). Methods The subjects (n = 285, non-acclimatized young Chinese men), who were recruited in July 2013, completed a case report questionnaire. In addition, their vital signs (heart rate [HR], blood pressure and pulse oxygen saturation) were measured, and their psychological factors were examined using the SCL-90 at sea level. AMS was diagnosed using the Lake Louise self-assessment scoring system in the morning of the second day after their arrival at 3450 m. Results Of the nine factors of the SCL-90, the AMS patients (AMS score ≥ 3) were characterized by significantly higher scores for baseline somatization [14.0 (5.0) vs. 13.0 (3.0), p < 0.001], obsession–compulsion, depression, anxiety and hostility compared with the non-AMS group (all p values < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analyses revealed associations between AMS scores and somatization (r = 0.316, p < 0.001), depression, anxiety, obsession–compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism scores (all p values < 0.001). Although all nine factors were associated with AMS in a univariate regression (all p < 0.05), a further adjusted logistic regression analysis indicated that only baseline somatization score (odds ratio = 1.129, p = 0.001) was an independent predictor of AMS. Furthermore, some non-AMS often-occurred symptoms (paresthesia, shortness of breath, reduced activity and tinnitus) were also found to be associated with the baseline SCL-90 scores. Conclusion AMS is correlated with the baseline somatization score at sea level, which was measured using the SCL-90. A higher baseline somatization score is also an independent predictor of AMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThere is considerable evidence that immediate and long-term stress reactions are associated with increased somatic symptomatology. However, because of the scarcity of long-term longitudinal studies, the trend of mutual change of these factors has not been assessed. This study examined the chronological inter-relationships between post-traumatic stress reactions and somatization symptoms among combatants over a 20-year period.MethodTwo groups of veterans were assessed 1, 2, 3 and 20 years after their participation in the 1982 Lebanon War: a clinical group of veterans who had been diagnosed with combat stress reaction (CSR) on the battlefield (n=363), and a matched control group of veterans (n=301).ResultsThe CSR veterans reported higher initial levels of intrusion and avoidance and a steeper decline in those symptoms over time in comparison to the control group. The former also reported higher initial levels of somatization symptoms than the latter. In addition, over the years, stress reactions were positively associated with somatization symptoms. For both study groups, in the first years after the war, stress reaction symptoms predicted somatization symptoms. However, with time, the trend was reversed and somatization symptoms predicted stress reactions.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that CSR is a marker for future stress reactions and somatization symptoms, and indicate a long-term role for these symptoms in veterans' psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the second leading cause of death among Korean women, and its incidence is dramatically elevated in middle-aged women. This study aimed to identify the predictors of sleep quality, a CVD risk factor, in middle-aged women with CVD risk factors to provide foundational data for developing intervention strategies for the prevention of CVD. The subjects, 203 middle-aged women (40–65 years old) with one or more CVD risk factors were selected through convenience sampling and included in this descriptive correlational study. The effects of somatic symptoms, depression symptoms, and sedentary time on sleep quality were examined. CVD-related characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics, whereas the mean values of the independent variables were analyzed using t-tests and analysis of variance. Predictors of sleep quality were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results showed that sleep quality increased with decreasing somatic symptoms (β = −0.36, p < 0.001), depression symptom score (β = −0.17, p = 0.023), and daily sedentary time (β = −0.13, p = 0.041), and the regression model was significant (F = 19.80, p < 0.001). Somatic symptoms are the most potent predictors of sleep quality in middle-aged women. Thus, intervention strategies that improve somatic symptoms are crucial for the enhancement of sleep quality, which deteriorates with advancing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological resilience is characterized as the ability to respond to extreme stress or trauma or adverse experience successfully. While the relation between public emergencies and psychological distress is well known, research on therelationship between psychological resilience and mental health is very limited during the outbreak of public health emergencies. This research investigated the relationship between psychological resilience and mental health (depression, anxiety, somatization symptoms) among the general population in China. Psychological resilience, depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms of 1770 Chinese citizens were investigated during the epidemic peak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (23rd February 2020 to 2nd March 2020). The analyses were done through the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) scale. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatization symptoms was found to be 47.1%, 31.9%, 45.9%, respectively, among all participants. From them, 18.2% showed moderate to severe symptoms of depression, 8.8% showed moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety, and 16.6% showed moderate to severe symptoms of somatization. Psychological resilience was negatively correlated with depression (standardized β = −0.490, P < 0.001), anxiety (standardized β = −0.443, P < 0.001), and somatization symptom scores (standardized β = −0.358, P < 0.001), while controlling for confounding factors. Analysis of the three-factor resilience structure showed that strength and tenacity were correlated with depression (standardized β = −0.256, P < 0.001; standardized β = −0.217, P < 0.001), anxiety (standardized β = −0.268, P < 0.001; standardized β = −0.147, P < 0.001), and somatization symptoms (standardized β = −0.236, P < 0.001; standardized β = −0.126, P < 0.01). Our results suggest that there is a high prevalence of psychological distresses among the general population at the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic in China, which is negatively correlated with resilience. Psychological resilience represents an essential target for psychological intervention in a public health emergency. • Investigated mental health and resilience in response to COVID-19. • The study took place at the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic in China. • In total, 18.2% had depression, 8.8% had anxiety, and 16.6% had somatic symptoms. • Resilience negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. • Resilience represents an essential target for psychological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been reported to influence interoceptive sensibility. This study focused on adaptive and maladaptive aspects of interoceptive sensibility and examined how each aspect of interoceptive sensibility affects depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms under the mild lockdown in Japan, which was not enforceable and a non-punitive lockdown. We used data from 10,672 participants who lived in prefectures where the emergency declaration was first applied in Japan. Interoceptive sensibility was measured by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). The findings show that Noticing, a subscale of the MAIA, significantly contributed to the worsening of psychological and somatic symptoms (all p s < 0.001). Conversely, Not-Distracting, Not-Worrying, Self-Regulation, and Trusting significantly contributed to the decrease of these symptoms (all p s < 0.05). The findings suggest that two aspects of interoceptive sensibility affected mental health in different ways during the mild lockdown. Mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions would be effective in terms of enhancing adaptive aspects of interoceptive sensibility.

Introduction: Secondary traumatic stress is a disorder which occurs in spouses and people with close relation to someone with posttraumatic stress disorder. Like PTSD, it seems that STS also occurs with other psychiatric problems like somatization and dissociation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between STS and somatization and dissociation symptoms., Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in 2015 and lasted for one year. Self-report questionnaires assessing secondary traumatic stress symptoms, dissociation symptoms and somatization symptoms were distributed among spouses of veterans with PTSD in Zahedan, Iran. The relationship between STS symptoms and somatization symptoms and also between STS symptoms and dissociation symptoms were determined by Pearson correlation test. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis., Results: Occurrence of secondary traumatic stress symptoms were correlated with dissociation symptoms and also with somatization symptoms., Conclusions: As the rate of secondary traumatic stress rose, the rate of somatization and dissociation symptoms in spouses of veterans increased., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: There is no conflict of interest to be declared.