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BMC Public Health Jun 2024A person's sense of coherence (SoC) is likely to affect coping when exposed to a life changing event like the COVID -19 pandemic, which impacted the older population...
BACKGROUND
A person's sense of coherence (SoC) is likely to affect coping when exposed to a life changing event like the COVID -19 pandemic, which impacted the older population especially hard, an age group that already suffers from a lot of mental illness. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between SoC and mental health in older adults using both screening scales and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC).
METHOD
A cross-sectional design studying a cohort of 70-80 years old, N = 260, set in Swedish primary care during the pandemic years 2021-2022. Instruments used are sense of coherence 13 (SoC-13), EQ-5D-3L, Geriatric depression scale 20 (GDS-20), Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and Perceived stress scale 10 (PSS-10). Sociodemography and factors concerning SoC, and mental health are explored. HCC are measured using radioimmunoassay. Outcome measures are factors independently associated with SoC. Linear regression models were performed with SoC as dependent variable, and priory path analyses explored whether associations with SoC were direct, or indirect via anxiety.
RESULTS
SoC was significantly associated with anxiety (p < 0.001), perceived economic status (p = 0.003), belief in the future (p = 0.001), and perceived negative mental effect from the COVID -19 pandemic (p = 0.002). The latter was 96% indirectly associated with SoC (p < 0.001), whereas perceived economic status together with belief in the future was 82% directly associated with SoC (p = 0.17). HCC and sex were not significantly associated with SoC, but, noticeably, high HCC was equally distributed between women and men. Women reported significantly lower quality of life (p = 0.03), and more symptoms of anxiety (p = 0.001) and depression (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Anxiety, belief in the future, perceived negative effect on mental health due to the pandemic, and perceived economic status were significantly associated with SoC. Anxiety is suggested to be important in explaining the association between perceived negative mental effect from the COVID-19 pandemic and SoC. Women reported significantly poorer mental health and life quality than men.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Aged; Hair; Female; Hydrocortisone; Aged, 80 and over; Sense of Coherence; Sweden; Mental Health; Anxiety; Depression
PubMed: 38840150
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19034-3 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Jun 2024Age at first onset of depression as a clinical factor affecting cognitive improvement in late life depression was investigated.
Cognitive improvement in late-life depression treated with vortioxetine and duloxetine in an eight-week randomized controlled trial: The role of age at first onset and change in depressive symptoms.
BACKGROUND
Age at first onset of depression as a clinical factor affecting cognitive improvement in late life depression was investigated.
METHODS
This is a secondary analysis of an eight-week randomized controlled trial involving 452 elderly patients treated by vortioxetine, duloxetine or placebo (1:1:1). Patients were subcategorized into early-onset (LLD-EO) and late-onset (LLD-LO) groups divided by onset age of 50. Cognitive performance was assessed by composite score of Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) tasks, while depressive symptoms were assessed by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).
RESULTS
Vortioxetine and duloxetine exhibited advantages versus placebo in improving cognitive performance in the LLD-LO group, yet not in the LLD-EO group after eight weeks. Patients in the LLD-EO group showed overall advantage to placebo in depressive symptoms before endpoint (week 8) of treatment, while patients in the LLO-LO group showed no advantage until endpoint. Path analysis suggested a direct effect of vortioxetine (B = 0.656, p = .036) and duloxetine (B = 0.726, p = .028) on improving cognition in the LLD-LO group, yet in all-patients treated set both medications improved cognition indirectly through changes of depressive symptoms.
LIMITATION
Reliability of clinical history could raise caution as it was collected by subjective recall of patients.
CONCLUSION
Age at first onset might affect cognitive improvement as well as change in depressive symptoms and its mediation towards cognitive improvement in late life depression treated with vortioxetine and duloxetine.
PubMed: 38838790
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.003 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Apr 2024Current research on personality disorders strives to identify key behavioural and cognitive facets of patient functioning, to unravel the underlying root causes and...
Current research on personality disorders strives to identify key behavioural and cognitive facets of patient functioning, to unravel the underlying root causes and maintenance mechanisms. This process often involves the application of social paradigms - however, these often only include momentary affective depictions rather than unfolding interactions. This constitutes a limitation in our capacity to probe core symptoms, and leaves potential findings uncovered which could help those who are in close relationships with affected individuals. Here, we deployed a novel task in which subjects interact with four unknown virtual partners in a turn-taking paradigm akin to a dance, and report on their experience with each. The virtual partners embody four combinations of low/high expressivity of positive/negative mood. Higher scores on our symptomatic measures of attachment anxiety, avoidance, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) were all linked to a general negative appraisal of all the interpersonal experiences. Moreover, the negative appraisal of the partner who displayed a high negative/low positive mood was tied with attachment anxiety and BPD symptoms. The extent to which subjects felt responsible for causing partners' distress was most strongly linked to attachment anxiety. Finally, we provide a fully-fledged exploration of move-by-move action latencies and click distances from partners. This analysis underscored slower movement initiation from anxiously attached individuals throughout all virtual interactions. In summary, we describe a novel paradigm for second-person neuroscience, which allowed both the replication of established results and the capture of new behavioural signatures associated with attachment anxiety, and discuss its limitations.
PubMed: 38823203
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.03.046 -
American Journal of Health Promotion :... May 2024To examine the relative importance of social cognitive predictors (ie, performance accomplishment, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion, affective state) on health...
PURPOSE
To examine the relative importance of social cognitive predictors (ie, performance accomplishment, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion, affective state) on health promotion self-efficacy among older adults during COVID-19.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional.
SETTING
Data collected online from participants in British Columbia (BC), Canada.
SUBJECTS
Seventy-five adults (n = 75) aged ≥65 years.
MEASURES
Health promotion self-efficacy was measured using the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices Scale. Performance accomplishment was assessed using the health directed behavior subscale of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire; vicarious learning was measured using the positive social interaction subscale of the Medical Outcomes Survey - Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS); verbal persuasion was assessed using the informational support subscale from the MOS-SSS; and affective state was assessed using the depression subscale from the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21).
ANALYSIS
Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the relative importance of each social cognitive predictor on self-efficacy, after controlling for age.
RESULTS
Our analyses revealed statistically significant associations between self-efficacy and performance accomplishment (health-directed behavior; β = .20), verbal persuasion (informational support; β = .41), and affective state (depressive symptoms; β = -.44) at < .05. Vicarious learning (β = -.15) did not significantly predict self-efficacy. The model was statistically significant ( < .001) explaining 43% of the self-efficacy variance.
CONCLUSION
Performance accomplishment experiences, verbal persuasion strategies, and affective states may be the target of interventions to modify health promotion self-efficacy among older adults, in environments that require physical and social distancing.
PubMed: 38816954
DOI: 10.1177/08901171241256703 -
Italian Journal of Pediatrics May 2024The aim of the study was to explore the clinical significance of school refusal behavior, its negative impact on psychological well-being of children and adolescents and... (Review)
Review
The aim of the study was to explore the clinical significance of school refusal behavior, its negative impact on psychological well-being of children and adolescents and its relationship with the most common psychopathological conditions during childhood and adolescence (e.g. neurodevelopmental disorders, psychiatric disorders). School refusal behavior refers to a distressing condition experienced by children and adolescents that compromise regular school attendance and determine negative consequences on mental health and adaptive functioning. A narrative review of the literature published between January 2019 and March 2023 was conducted. Ten studies (n = 10) were included from a literature search of the electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, MedLine, and Cochrane Library. The results indicate that school refusal is highly present in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder due to the presence of behavioral problems and deficits in communication skills. As for psychiatric disorders, school refusal appears to be highly common in anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and somatic symptoms. We also found that school refusal behavior may be associated with various emotional and behavioral conditions that act as risk factors. Especially, but are not limited to, it may be associated with a diminished self-concept, exposure to cyberbullying, specific affective profiles and excessive technology usage. Our results indicate that school refusal is a condition with many clinical facets. It can be attributed to both vulnerability factors, both temperamental and relational, and to various psychopathological conditions that differ significantly from each other, such as neurodevelopmental disorders and psychiatric disorders. Recognizing these aspects can improve the implementation of patient-tailored therapeutic interventions that are consequently more likely to produce effective outcomes. The therapeutic intervention should facilitate the recognition of cognitive biases regarding school as a threatening environment, while regulating negative emotions associated with school attendance. Additionally, therapeutic intervention programs linked to social skill training and problem-solving training, conducted directly within the school setting, can enhance children's abilities to cope with academic performance and social relationships, ultimately preventing school refusal.
Topics: Humans; Child; Adolescent; Schools; Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Adolescent Behavior; Clinical Relevance
PubMed: 38816858
DOI: 10.1186/s13052-024-01667-0 -
BMC Psychiatry May 2024Childhood psychological abuse (CPA) are highly correlated with depression among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further...
BACKGROUND
Childhood psychological abuse (CPA) are highly correlated with depression among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. This study aims to investigate internet addiction as a mediating factor and alexithymia as a moderating factor, in order to further elucidate the potential risk factors between CPA and depression among college students.
METHODS
A self-report survey was conducted among 1196 college students from four universities in three provinces in China. The survey included measures of CPA, internet addiction, alexithymia, and depression. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed on these variables, and a moderated mediation model was constructed.
RESULTS
CPA was positively correlated with depression among college students, as well as internet addiction with alexithymia. Internet addiction partially mediated the relationship between CPA and depression among college students, while alexithymia strengthened the relationships among the paths in the moderated mediation model.
CONCLUSION
This study provides further insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between CPA and depression among college students. Internet addiction serves as a mediating factor in this relationship, while alexithymia may enhance the strength of the relationships among the three variables.
Topics: Humans; Male; Students; Female; Young Adult; Universities; China; Depression; Internet Addiction Disorder; Adult; Affective Symptoms; Adolescent; Mediation Analysis; Self Report; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38816793
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05809-w -
BMC Psychiatry May 2024Motor alterations and lowered physical activity are common in affective disorders. Previous research has indicated a link between depressive symptoms and declining... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
The association between maximal muscle strength, disease severity and psychopharmacotherapy among young to middle-aged inpatients with affective disorders - a prospective pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Motor alterations and lowered physical activity are common in affective disorders. Previous research has indicated a link between depressive symptoms and declining muscle strength primarily focusing on the elderly but not younger individuals. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between mood and muscle strength in a sample of N = 73 young to middle-aged hospitalized patients (18-49 years, mean age 30.7 years) diagnosed with major depressive, bipolar and schizoaffective disorder, with a focus on moderating effects of psychopharmacotherapy. The study was carried out as a prospective observational study at a German psychiatric university hospital between September 2021 and March 2022.
METHODS
Employing a standardized strength circuit consisting of computerized strength training devices, we measured the maximal muscle strength (F) using three repetitions maximum across four muscle regions (abdomen, arm, back, leg) at three time points (t-t) over four weeks accompanied by psychometric testing (MADRS, BPRS, YRMS) and blood lipid profiling in a clinical setting. For analysis of psychopharmacotherapy, medication was split into activating (AM) and inhibiting (IM) medication and dosages were normalized by the respective WHO defined daily dose.
RESULTS
While we observed a significant decrease of the MADRS score and increase of the relative total F (rTF) in the first two weeks (t-t) but not later (both p < .001), we did not reveal a significant bivariate correlation between disease severity (MADRS) and muscle strength (rTF) at any of the timepoints. Individuals with longer disease history displayed reduced rTF (p = .048). IM was significantly associated with decreased rTF (p = .032). Regression models provide a more substantial effect of gender, age, and IM on muscle strength than the depressive episode itself (p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study indicate that disease severity and muscle strength are not associated in young to middle-aged inpatients with affective disorders using a strength circuit as observational measurement. Future research will be needed to differentiate the effect of medication, gender, and age on muscle strength and to develop interventions for prevention of muscle weakness, especially in younger patients with chronic affective illnesses.
Topics: Humans; Muscle Strength; Male; Pilot Projects; Adult; Female; Prospective Studies; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Adolescent; Inpatients; Bipolar Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major; Psychotic Disorders; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 38811916
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05849-2 -
Psychiatry Investigation May 2024
PubMed: 38811004
DOI: 10.30773/pi.2021.0072e -
Medical Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024In clinical practice, the implementation of tailored treatment is crucial for assessing the patient's emotional processing profile. Here, we investigate all three levels... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
In clinical practice, the implementation of tailored treatment is crucial for assessing the patient's emotional processing profile. Here, we investigate all three levels of analysis characterizing emotion processing, i.e., recognition, representation, and regulation, in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP).
METHODS
Sixty-two patients and forty-eight healthy controls underwent quantitative sensory testing, i.e., psychophysical tests to assess somatosensory functions such as perception of cold (CDT), heat-induced pain (HPT), and vibration (VDT), as well as three standardized tasks to assess emotional processing: (1) the Ekman 60-Faces Test (EK-60F) to assess recognition of basic facial emotions, (2) the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RME) to assess the ability to represent the feelings of another person by observing their eyes, and (3) the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to assess emotional dysregulation, i.e., alexithymia.
RESULTS
General Linear Model analysis revealed a significant relationship between left index finger VDT z-scores in PNP patients with alexithymia. The RME correlated with VDT z-scores of the left little finger and overall score for the EK-60F.
CONCLUSIONS
In patients with PNP, emotion processing is impaired, which emphasizes the importance of assessing these abilities appropriately in these patients. In this way, clinicians can tailor treatment to the needs of individual patients.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Neuralgia; Emotions; Aged; Adult; Affective Symptoms; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 38804383
DOI: 10.3390/medsci12020027 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024Individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis experience subtle emotional disturbances that are traditionally difficult to assess, but natural language...
BACKGROUND
Individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis experience subtle emotional disturbances that are traditionally difficult to assess, but natural language processing (NLP) methods may provide novel insight into these symptoms. We predicted that CHR individuals would express more negative emotionality and less emotional language when compared to controls. We also examined associations with symptomatology.
METHODS
Participants included 49 CHR individuals and 42 healthy controls who completed a semi-structured narrative interview. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) to assess the emotional tone of the language (tone -the ratio of negative to positive language) and count positive/negative words used. Participants also completed clinical symptom assessments to determine CHR status and characterize symptoms (i.e., positive and negative symptom domains).
RESULTS
The CHR group had more negative emotional tone compared to healthy controls (=2.676, =.009), which related to more severe positive symptoms (=.323, =.013). The percentages of positive and negative words did not differ between groups ('s>.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Language analyses provided accessible, ecologically valid insight into affective dysfunction and psychosis risk symptoms. Natural language processing analyses unmasked differences in language for CHR that captured language tendencies that were more nuanced than the words that are chosen.
PubMed: 38803678
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1389597