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PloS One 2024As theoretical models suggest, work addiction has several adverse correlates and consequences, such as unfavorable personality traits, physical and psychological... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
As theoretical models suggest, work addiction has several adverse correlates and consequences, such as unfavorable personality traits, physical and psychological symptoms, and social conflicts. Both early and recent concepts emphasize that individuals with work addiction have more problematic social life due to obsessive overwork. This includes negative impacts on family, workplace, and other relationships. The present study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze all the empirical studies that examined the association between work addiction and any dimension of social life, as such an analysis has never been conducted before. Studies published from 1995 to 2022 were identified through a systematic search. 102 eligible studies were included in the review, with 75 studies contributing to five different meta-analyses. The results indicated significant associations between work addiction and: (1) lower work-life balance, (2) reduced social functioning, and increased difficulties in (3) family relationships, (4) intimate relationships, and (5) relationships with the community, friends, and colleagues. The associations were found to be independent of gender and age. The meta-analytic study highlights research gaps in the field and suggests future directions, including exploring attachment styles and early social relationships in work addiction, investigating the association between social and emotional competencies and work addiction, examining the role of escape motivation, and exploring the characteristics of the partners (spouses) of workaholics. Since the quality of social relationships and social support are crucial factors in physical and mental health, the prevention and intervention of work addiction should be prioritized in organizational and clinical settings.
Topics: Humans; Behavior, Addictive; Interpersonal Relations; Work-Life Balance; Social Support; Workplace
PubMed: 38833505
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303563 -
International Journal of Mental Health... Jun 2021Mental health issues and disorders are major public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia, where chronic shortages in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Mental health issues and disorders are major public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries in Southeast Asia, where chronic shortages in mental health services and human resources exist. The development of effective and accessible mental health systems in Southeast Asia will require evidence based psychological and social interventions. This systematic review provides a narrative synthesis of the evidence on the effectiveness of such interventions for mental health issues and disorders in Southeast Asia.
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search of 7 electronic databases (PsycINFO, Medline (Ovid), Cochrane library, EMBASE, SCOPUS, APA PsycArticles, and Social Care Online) was undertaken.
RESULTS
Thirty two studies employing RCT designs to evaluate the effectiveness of a range of psychological and social mental health interventions on a number of different mental health outcomes were included in this review. The disparate intervention programmes reviewed were categorised as: lay delivered, yoga, aerobic and/or meditation based, cognitive behavioural therapy oriented, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing based (EMDR), health worker delivered, and hybrid programmes. The majority of the studies included in this review were of low to moderate quality due to the variability in the quality of the study design. The highest quality, and most promising evidence came from the evaluations of lay delivered interventions. This evidence demonstrates the feasibility and potential sustainability of implementing such interventions in resource constrained contexts.
CONCLUSIONS
The review findings indicate that a disparate array of mental health interventions can be implemented effectively in a range of Southeast Asian mental health and health settings. There is a clear need for significantly more research however, through higher quality and larger scale RCTs before it will be known more definitively, if these interventions are effective, and for whom they are most effective in different Southeast Asian contexts.
PubMed: 34090491
DOI: 10.1186/s13033-021-00482-y -
Women's Health (London, England) 2023Studies suggest female Veterans are under-identified as homeless in the VA healthcare system, which may impact their ability to access necessary services. In addition,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Studies suggest female Veterans are under-identified as homeless in the VA healthcare system, which may impact their ability to access necessary services. In addition, the increasing number of female Veterans experiencing homelessness requires a better understanding of their access to necessary healthcare and social care.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the barriers and facilitators for access to healthcare and social care among women Veterans experiencing homelessness.
DESIGN
A mixed methods systematic review was conducted and includes quantitative and qualitative primary research studies.
DATA SOURCES AND METHODS
Seven databases were searched for quantitative or qualitative research studies. Studies which addressed access or use of healthcare or social services, which were focused on female Veterans or allowed for comparison between male and female Veterans were included. Data were synthesized using a convergent integrated approach.
RESULTS
Thirty-five studies met inclusion criteria; 27 quantitative, 6 qualitative and 2 mixed methods studies. Three main themes resulted: (1) the comparison of access and use of healthcare and social services between women and men; (2) female specific barriers to access or use of social and health services; (3) female specific facilitators to access or use of social and health services.
CONCLUSIONS
Results showed although women Veterans had similar or better outcomes with permanent housing programming compared to men, gaps remain in the provision of emergency and short-term housing accommodations. In addition, many studies found that homeless women Veterans were unaware of the healthcare and social services available through the VA. Programs and policies need to ensure they are maximizing their reach to women Veterans experiencing homelessness by providing outreach and education, so they understand the benefits available when they discharge from the military and to understand the unique healthcare and social needs of women Veterans.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Veterans; Ill-Housed Persons; Social Work; Housing; Health Services Accessibility
PubMed: 37522527
DOI: 10.1177/17455057231189550 -
PloS One 2023Social work plays an important role in the assessment and treatment of people with acquired brain injury. Acquired brain injury is a complex and highly prevalent...
Social work plays an important role in the assessment and treatment of people with acquired brain injury. Acquired brain injury is a complex and highly prevalent condition which can impact on cognitive, emotional and social domains. As acquired brain injury is a hidden disability it can be misdiagnosed or classified as another condition entirely. We sought to systematically explore the evidence base to examine how social workers have been prepared to work with their clients with brain injury. Employing six electronic databases (Social Policy & Practice, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus) we reviewed 1071 papers. After applying eligibility criteria 17 papers were included in this review. We utilised standardised data extraction and quality appraisal tools to assess all included papers. Following appraisal, 9 papers were judged as possessing high methodological quality whilst 8 were judged as medium. Employing narrative synthesis, we identified four themes which captured the key findings of these papers. Themes were named as (i) advocacy and social work (ii) training and multidisciplinary team working (iii) inclusion of social networks and (iv) societal barriers. In order to meet their statutory responsibilities to practice safely, social workers must receive training in how to identify ABI and develop understanding of its consequences and subsequent need for provision. Social workers are also in a unique position to advocate for their clients and should make every effort to ensure their needs are met.
Topics: Humans; Social Workers; Social Work; Employment; Brain Injuries
PubMed: 37948455
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292128 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2023Against the background of an arguable dearth of scholarship on the sociocultural dimensions of Nigeria's solid waste management strategies and practices, this rapid... (Review)
Review
Against the background of an arguable dearth of scholarship on the sociocultural dimensions of Nigeria's solid waste management strategies and practices, this rapid review searched for evidence in the literature. A rapid evidence review and qualitative meta-summary procedure were implemented to utilize the rigor of systematic literature review that met the timelines and limited funding available for this study. It is more appropriate to identify, extract, and synthesize a mixture of qualitative and/or quantitative empirical evidence in the literature. This rapid review found little substantive evidence of scholarly sociocultural approaches in Nigeria's solid waste management. It also discovered constant factors of inadequate and weak multidisciplinary or non-holistic approaches to driving innovation and effective social impact in Nigeria's solid waste management practices. The results were interpreted vis-à-vis the need to leverage the social sciences, particularly the range and scope of social work practice configurations and possibilities, to scientifically advance and substantially accelerate the implementation of evidence-based policy and practice in Nigeria's solid waste management system. This rapid review concluded that the negative results are due to the insufficient conceptual and theoretical bases for Nigeria's solid waste management strategies and/or practices.
Topics: Solid Waste; Nigeria; Waste Management; Social Sciences
PubMed: 37444093
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20136245 -
BMJ Open Apr 2017Social prescribing is a way of linking patients in primary care with sources of support within the community to help improve their health and well-being. Social... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Social prescribing is a way of linking patients in primary care with sources of support within the community to help improve their health and well-being. Social prescribing programmes are being widely promoted and adopted in the UK National Health Service and so we conducted a systematic review to assess the evidence for their effectiveness.
SETTING/DATA SOURCES
Nine databases were searched from 2000 to January 2016 for studies conducted in the UK. Relevant reports and guidelines, websites and reference lists of retrieved articles were scanned to identify additional studies. All the searches were restricted to English language only.
PARTICIPANTS
Systematic reviews and any published evaluation of programmes where patient referral was made from a primary care setting to a link worker or facilitator of social prescribing were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias for included studies was undertaken independently by two reviewers and a narrative synthesis was performed.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES
Primary outcomes of interest were any measures of health and well-being and/or usage of health services.
RESULTS
We included a total of 15 evaluations of social prescribing programmes. Most were small scale and limited by poor design and reporting. All were rated as a having a high risk of bias. Common design issues included a lack of comparative controls, short follow-up durations, a lack of standardised and validated measuring tools, missing data and a failure to consider potential confounding factors. Despite clear methodological shortcomings, most evaluations presented positive conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS
Social prescribing is being widely advocated and implemented but current evidence fails to provide sufficient detail to judge either success or value for money. If social prescribing is to realise its potential, future evaluations must be comparative by design and consider when, by whom, for whom, how well and at what cost.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
PROSPERO Registration: CRD42015023501.
Topics: Exercise; Humans; Prescriptions; Primary Health Care; Social Support; Social Welfare; Social Work; State Medicine; United Kingdom
PubMed: 28389486
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013384 -
The Australian and New Zealand Journal... Jul 2015Acute and/or severe social withdrawal behavior among youth was seen as a culture-bound psychiatric syndrome in Japan, but more youth social withdrawal cases in different... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Acute and/or severe social withdrawal behavior among youth was seen as a culture-bound psychiatric syndrome in Japan, but more youth social withdrawal cases in different countries have been discovered recently. However, due to the lack of a formal definition and diagnostic tool for youth social withdrawal, cross-cultural observational and intervention studies are limited. We aimed to consolidate existing knowledge in order to understand youth social withdrawal from diverse perspectives and suggest different interventions for different trajectories of youth social withdrawal.
METHOD
This review examined the current available scientific information on youth social withdrawal in the academic databases: ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and PubMed. We included quantitative and qualitative studies of socially withdrawn youths published in English and academic peer-reviewed journals.
RESULTS
We synthesized the information into the following categories: (1) definitions of youth social withdrawal, (2) developmental theories, (3) factors associated with youth social withdrawal and (4) interventions for socially withdrawn youths. Accordingly, there are diverse and controversial definitions for youth social withdrawal. Studies of youth social withdrawal are based on models that lead to quite different conclusions. Researchers with an attachment perspective view youth social withdrawal as a negative phenomenon, whereas those who adopt Erikson's developmental theory view it more positively as a process of seeking self-knowledge. Different interventions for socially withdrawn youths have been developed, mainly in Japan, but evidence-based practice is almost non-existent.
CONCLUSION
We propose a theoretical framework that views youth social withdrawal as resulting from the interplay between psychological, social and behavioral factors. Future validation of the framework will help drive forward advances in theory and interventions for youth social withdrawal as an emerging issue in developed countries.
Topics: Humans; Models, Psychological; Social Behavior Disorders; Social Isolation
PubMed: 25861794
DOI: 10.1177/0004867415581179 -
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD Jun 2021Prior research indicates that deficits in emotional abilities are key predictors of the onset and maintenance of eating disorders (ED). As a relatively new... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Prior research indicates that deficits in emotional abilities are key predictors of the onset and maintenance of eating disorders (ED). As a relatively new emotion-related construct, emotional intelligence (EI) comprises a set of basic emotional abilities. Preliminary research suggests that deficits in EI are linked with disordered eating and other impulsive behaviours. Also, previous research reveals that emotional and socio-cognitive abilities, as well as ED symptomatology, varies across lifespan development. However, while the findings suggest promising results for the development of potential effective treatments for emotional deficits and disordered eating, it is difficult to summarise the relationship between EI and ED due to the diversity of theoretical approaches and variety of EI and ED measures.
OBJECTIVE
Our study, therefore, aimed to systematically review the current evidence on EI and ED in both the general and clinical populations and across different developmental stages.
METHODS
The databases examined were Medline, PsycInfo and Scopus, and 15 eligible articles were identified. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used.
RESULTS
All the studies reviewed indicated negative associations between EI and the dimensions of ED. Additionally, several mechanisms involved, namely adaptability, stress tolerance and emotional regulation were highlighted.
CONCLUSION
The systematic review suggests promising but challenging preliminary evidence of the associations between EI and the dimensions of ED across diverse stages of development. In addition, future research, practical implications and limitations are discussed.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I
Systematic review.
Topics: Emotional Intelligence; Emotional Regulation; Emotions; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Humans; Impulsive Behavior
PubMed: 32734465
DOI: 10.1007/s40519-020-00968-7 -
Journal of Advanced Nursing Oct 2023To describe dyadic psycho-social intervention measures and to evaluate their influence on stroke survivors and caregiver's functional independence, quality of life,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To describe dyadic psycho-social intervention measures and to evaluate their influence on stroke survivors and caregiver's functional independence, quality of life, depression, anxiety, self-efficacy and coping ability.
BACKGROUND
Because of the importance of dyadic intervention and the seriousness of the psycho-social problems of stroke survivors and caregivers, understanding the influence of dyadic psycho-social interventions is vital.
DESIGN
A systematic review and meta-analysis based on PRISMA guidelines.
DATA SOURCES
Nine databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials submitted from 1910 to 4 July 2022.
METHODS
The included papers were evaluated for quality, and quantitative data were standardly extracted and analysed by meta-analysis, followed by synthesis. The meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager 5.4 software.
RESULTS
Fifteen randomized controlled trials were included (n = 2190 for patients, and n = 1933 for caregivers). Study results showed that dyadic psycho-social interventions significantly alleviated the depressive symptoms of patients, obviously improved the ability to function independently of patients and more quickly alleviated the care burden of caregivers.
CONCLUSIONS
This study provided moderate support for the benefits of dyadic psycho-social intervention in improving survivor and caregiver's functional independence, quality of life, depression, anxiety, self-efficacy and care burden. Nevertheless, due to limitations of the study, it was deemed necessary that this topic is studied further.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
This review suggests that dyadic psycho-social interventions should be considered as effective strategies for decreasing psycho-social problems of stroke survivors and caregivers, and provides evidence for the formulation of targeted intervention programs. The personalized implementation of such interventions should be the focus of clinical practice.
NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
There was no patient or public contribution.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Caregivers; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stroke; Survivors; Social Work
PubMed: 37439492
DOI: 10.1111/jan.15781