-
Translational Psychiatry Oct 2023In many individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia social functioning is impaired across the lifespan. Social cognition has emerged as one of the possible factors... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
In many individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia social functioning is impaired across the lifespan. Social cognition has emerged as one of the possible factors that may contribute to these challenges. Neuroimaging research can give further insights into the underlying mechanisms of social (cognitive) difficulties. This review summarises the evidence on the associations between social cognition in the domains of theory of mind and emotion perception and processing, and individuals' social functioning and social skills, as well as associated neural mechanisms. Eighteen behavioural studies were conducted since the last major review and meta-analysis in the field (inclusion between 7/2017 and 1/2022). No major review has investigated the link between the neural mechanisms of social cognition and their association with social functioning in schizophrenia. Fourteen relevant studies were included (from 1/2000 to 1/2022). The findings of the behavioural studies showed that associations with social outcomes were slightly stronger for theory of mind than for emotion perception and processing. Moreover, performance in both social cognitive domains was more strongly associated with performance on social skill measures than questionnaire-based assessment of social functioning in the community. Studies on the underlying neural substrate of these associations presented mixed findings. In general, higher activation in various regions of the social brain was associated with better social functioning. The available evidence suggests some shared regions that might underlie the social cognition-social outcome link between different domains. However, due to the heterogeneity in approaches and findings, the current knowledge base will need to be expanded before firm conclusions can be drawn.
Topics: Humans; Schizophrenia; Social Cognition; Social Interaction; Social Perception; Cognition
PubMed: 37865631
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02593-1 -
BMC Public Health Oct 2023Healthcare workers' (HCWs) compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial to reduce the infection transmission risk. However, HCWs' compliance with...
Psychosocial determinants associated with healthcare workers' self-reported compliance with infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Dutch residential care facilities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
BACKGROUND
Healthcare workers' (HCWs) compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial to reduce the infection transmission risk. However, HCWs' compliance with IPC in residential care facilities (RCFs) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) is known to be suboptimal. Therefore, this study examined sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants associated with IPC non-compliance in this setting, to inform IPC policy and promotion programmes for adequate IPC behaviour.
METHODS
An online questionnaire was administered to 285 HCWs from 16 RCFs between March 2021 and March 2022. Determinants associated with IPC non-compliance were assessed using logistic regression analyses.
RESULTS
Being a woman (OR: 3.57; 1.73-7.37), and being a non-medical professional were associated with increased odds of non-compliance (social workers, OR: 2.83; 1.65-4.85; behavioural specialists, OR: 6.09; 1.98-18.72). Perceived inadequate education/training (aOR: 1.62; 1.15-2.27) and perceived time constraints/competing priorities (aOR: 1.43; 1.03-1.98) were also associated with increased odds of non-compliance, independent of sociodemographic variables. In contrast, the belief that the supervisor complies with IPC (descriptive norm supervisor) was associated with decreased odds of non-compliance (aOR: 0.60; 0.41-0.88).
CONCLUSIONS
To improve IPC in disability care settings, the implementation of tailored and structural IPC education and training programmes (e.g., on-the-job training) is recommended to increase HCWs' capabilities and bridge the IPC compliance gap between medical and non-medical professionals. In addition, role models, particularly supervisors, are crucial for promoting IPC behaviour. Facilities should create a culture of IPC compliance by norm setting, acting on, and modelling IPC behaviours at all levels of the organisation (management, medical, and non-medical staff).
Topics: Female; Child; Humans; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cross Infection; Self Report; Pandemics; Developmental Disabilities; Infection Control; Health Personnel
PubMed: 37858182
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16912-0 -
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna,... Sep 2023The early postnatal period represents an exceptionally vulnerable phase for the development of neurobiological alterations, aberrant behavior, and psychiatric disorders....
The early postnatal period represents an exceptionally vulnerable phase for the development of neurobiological alterations, aberrant behavior, and psychiatric disorders. Altered GABAergic activity in the hippocampus and the amygdala have been identified in humans diagnosed with depression or anxiety disorders, as well as in respective animal models. Changes in GABAergic activity can be visualized by immunohistochemical staining of parvalbumin (PV) protein. Therewith, alterations in PV intensity as well as in the integrity of the perineural net surrounding PV positive (PV+) interneurons have been reported as consequences of early stress. In the current study, maternal separation (MS) was used to induce early life stress. Female and male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to MS over 4 h from postnatal days 2-20. Then, anxiety behavior and PV+ interneurons in the amygdala were analyzed using immunohistochemistry in adolescence or adulthood. MS induced increased anxiety behavior in the marble-burying test in adolescence as well as in the elevated plus maze in adulthood. No effect of sex was found. Concerning alterations of parvalbumin expression in the amygdala, a trend towards a lower number of parvalbumin-positive inhibitory interneurons was shown in the amygdala after MS in adolescence, with no differences in the total number of cells. The current study offers a developmental perspective, suggesting that the kind of anxiety behavior expressed by rats following MS changes over time from active to passive avoidance, indicating that effects of MS are highly dependent on developmental state. Moreover, a cell-type-specific effect of MS on the cellular composition of the amygdala is discussed. The presented study demonstrates the long-lasting consequences of early stress on behavior, offers a possible neurobiological correlate, and discusses possible mediators in the development of these alterations.
Topics: Humans; Rats; Male; Female; Animals; Parvalbumins; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Maternal Deprivation; Anxiety; Amygdala; Interneurons; Anxiety Disorders
PubMed: 37294327
DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02657-y -
Biological Psychiatry Jun 2024Research in machine-learning (ML) algorithms using natural behavior (i.e., text, audio, and video data) suggests that these techniques could contribute to... (Review)
Review
Use of Machine-Learning Algorithms Based on Text, Audio and Video Data in the Prediction of Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress in General and Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review.
Research in machine-learning (ML) algorithms using natural behavior (i.e., text, audio, and video data) suggests that these techniques could contribute to personalization in psychology and psychiatry. However, a systematic review of the current state-of-the-art is missing. Moreover, individual studies often target ML experts, and may overlook potential clinical implications of their findings. In a narrative accessible to mental health professionals, we present a systematic review, conducted in 5 psychology and 2 computer-science databases. We included 128 studies assessing the predictive power of ML algorithms using text, audio, and/or video data in the prediction of anxiety and post-traumatic stress (PTSD). Most studies (n = 87) aimed at predicting anxiety, the remainder (n = 41) focused on PTSD. They were mostly published since 2019, in computer science journals, and tested algorithms using text (n = 72), as opposed to audio or video. They focused mainly on general populations (n = 92), less on laboratory experiments (n = 23) or clinical populations (n = 13). Methodological quality varied, as did reported metrics of the predictive power, hampering comparison across studies. Two thirds of studies, focusing on both disorders, reported acceptable to very good predictive power (including high-quality studies only). Results of 33 studies were uninterpretable, mainly due to missing information. Research into ML algorithms using natural behavior is in its infancy, but shows potential to contribute to diagnostics of mental disorders, such as anxiety and PTSD, in the future, if standardization of methods, reporting of results, and research in clinical populations are improved.
PubMed: 38866173
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.002 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023How do migrants create a sense of home in the context of migration? What does it mean for a person to physically move away from one home and psychologically move toward...
How do migrants create a sense of home in the context of migration? What does it mean for a person to physically move away from one home and psychologically move toward another one somewhere else? How do migrants create a sense of continuity between the home that is no longer there and the home that is not yet here? This theoretical article is an invitation to address these questions from a semiotic cultural psychology perspective. The article emphasizes the importance of both geographical and semiotic movements in understanding the migration process. It shifts the focus away from tangible aspects of migration and toward the imagined and desired aspects of the process of homemaking. The concept of home is explored as a semiotic construction that guides human meaning-making processes, emphasizing its affective value and highlighting the dynamic dialectics of home and non-home. This alternative conceptualization offers new ways of understanding homemaking and being at home, beyond the commonly celebrated ideals of being settled or always being on the move. Finally, the article discusses the dynamic and developmental nature of migration, which can both threaten and open up opportunities for transformation and development, and suggests some general methodological principles that could guide research concerning the interplay between homemaking, migration, and culture.
PubMed: 38144976
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1215654 -
Cognition Oct 2023Turn-transition timing in childhood has been examined by measuring response latency - that aggregates gap and overlap duration - in turn-transitions contingent to...
Turn-transition timing in childhood has been examined by measuring response latency - that aggregates gap and overlap duration - in turn-transitions contingent to specific semantic categories. This contrasts with studies in infancy where the whole spectrum of temporal contingent vocalizations are examined, and gap and overlap duration is analyzed independently. We propose using the latter approach to investigate the continuities between infancy and childhood. In a cross-sectional design, we analyzed the vocalizations of 44 mother-child free-play interactions, ranging from three to five years of age. Frequency and duration were measured for gaps and overlaps, independently, and as an aggregated measure - floor-transfer offset (FTO). The effects of child's age and direction of turn-transition (child, mother) were assessed using generalized linear mixed modeling for each dependent variable (DV: FTO, gaps, overlaps). Although there was a slight increase in FTO and gap duration across ages, no significant effect of age was found for any of the DVs. There was an effect of turn-transition direction, for FTO and gap durations, but not for overlap duration. Specifically, mother-to-child turn-transitions produced significantly longer FTO and gap durations than child-to-mother turn-transitions, but had similarly timed overlaps. Results suggest that gaps and overlaps still have different developmental trajectories throughout childhood, and that overlap duration converges to adult standards, at least, by 3-years of age. Methodologically, we demonstrated the relevance of using complementary metrics (FTO, gap, overlap) to understand the developmental trajectories of turn-taking, and that examining all temporally contingent vocalizations can provide a valid and more inclusive measure of turn-transition duration in childhood.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Reaction Time; Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO
PubMed: 37506517
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105568 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023
PubMed: 37790223
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1282163 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023
PubMed: 37928586
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1296472 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Sep 2023Across many cultural contexts, the majority of women conduct the majority of their household labor. This gendered distribution of labor is often unequal, and thus...
Across many cultural contexts, the majority of women conduct the majority of their household labor. This gendered distribution of labor is often unequal, and thus represents one of the most frequently experienced forms of daily inequality because it occurs within one's own home. Young children are often passive observers of their family's distribution of labor, and yet little is known about the developmental onset of their perceptions of it. By the preschool age, children also show strong normative feelings about both equal resource distribution and gender stereotypes. To investigate the developmental onset of children's recognition of the (in)equality of household labor, we interviewed 3 to 10-y-old children in two distinct cultural contexts (US and China) and surveyed their caregivers about who does more household labor across a variety of tasks. Even at the youngest ages and in both cultural contexts, children's reports largely matched their parents', with both populations reporting that mothers do the majority of household labor. Both children and parents judged this to be generally fair, suggesting that children are observant of the gendered distribution of labor within their households, and show normalization of inequality from a young age. Our results point to preschool age as a critical developmental time period during which it is important to have parent-child discussions about structural constraints surrounding gender norms and household labor.
Topics: Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Asian People; China; East Asian People; Emotions; Child; United States; Gender Equity; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Social Norms; Work; Household Work; Family Characteristics; Gender Role
PubMed: 37695896
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301781120 -
European Journal of Pediatrics Nov 2023Children who experience adversities in the pre-perinatal period are at increased risk of developing impairment later in life, despite the absence of overt brain and...
Children who experience adversities in the pre-perinatal period are at increased risk of developing impairment later in life, despite the absence of overt brain and neurological abnormalities. However, many of these children exhibit sequelae several years after a period of normal appearance. As a result, the need for reliable developmental assessments for the early detection of infants at high risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes has emerged. The Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales have a promising but poorly explored prognostic ability. This longitudinal study evaluated the predictive power of the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales at 12 and 24 months on the cognitive and neuropsychological profile at 6 years of age in a sample of 70 children with a history of prematurity or perinatal asphyxia but without brain and neurological abnormalities. We found that the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales at 24 months had good predictive ability on the intelligence quotient at 6 years and the capacity to predict some neuropsychological performances. On the other hand, the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale at 12 months was not associated with the performance at 6 years or 24 months. Conclusion: Data on brain development converge to indicate that the first two years of age represent a critical stage of development, particularly for children experiencing mild pre-perinatal adversities who are thought to exhibit white matter dysmaturity. For this reason, this age is crucial for identifying which children are at major risk, leaving enough time to intervene before overt deficits become apparent. Brain development in the first 2 years could explain the limited reliability of early neurodevelopmental testing. What is Known: • Pre-perinatal adversities increase the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. • The predictive ability of the Griffith scale is poorly explored in low-grade conditions. What is New: • The predictive ability of the Griffith scale has been investigated in low-risk children. • A complete neuropsychological profile could offer a more accurate prediction than the intellectual quotient.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Infant; Child; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Prospective Studies; Reproducibility of Results; Infant, Premature; Brain; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Developmental Disabilities
PubMed: 37707588
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05182-y