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Trials Jun 2024Mental health literacy is a promising avenue of intervention for addressing the development of psychopathology, as well as its associated consequences, such as a...
BACKGROUND
Mental health literacy is a promising avenue of intervention for addressing the development of psychopathology, as well as its associated consequences, such as a decrease in academic performance. The current study aims to test the effectiveness of such an intervention in high school students, focusing on two main formats of delivery: (1) automated and (2) blended.
METHODS
To achieve this aim, a randomized clinical trial with direct comparisons at three time points between three conditions (automated, blended, and waitlist) was designed. Power analyses yielded a necessary sample size of 264 high school students. The participants will be selected from Romanian high schools.
DISCUSSION
The current study aims to contribute to the mental health literacy literature by testing the effectiveness of an educational intervention concerning mental health in terms of its benefits for reducing psychopathology and increasing academic performance. The success of such an intervention bears important implications for addressing mental health in the educational system.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT06217744, version 1, 22 January 2024.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Mental Health; Health Literacy; Students; Academic Performance; Romania; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Female; Male; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
PubMed: 38937769
DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08270-y -
BMC Psychiatry Jun 2024There is conflicting evidence on impulsivity and its potential relationship with inhibitory control in schizophrenia. This study therefore aimed to identify differences...
BACKGROUND
There is conflicting evidence on impulsivity and its potential relationship with inhibitory control in schizophrenia. This study therefore aimed to identify differences in impulsivity and cognitive and motor inhibition between patients with deficit (DS) and non-deficit (NDS) schizophrenia and healthy controls (HC). We also explored the relationships between impulsivity and different dimensions of inhibitory control in all studied groups.
METHODS
The sample comprised 28 DS patients, 45 NDS patients, and 39 age-matched HC. A neuropsychological battery was used.
RESULTS
DS patients scored lower in venturesomeness, while those with NDS scored higher in impulsiveness compared to HC. In addition, both groups of patients scored higher on measures of cognitive and motor inhibition, including those relatively independent of information processing speed (although the results were slightly different after adjusting for IQ and/or years of education). Correlations between impulsivity and cognitive inhibition emerged in DS patients, while links between impulsivity and motor inhibition were observed in HC.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest the presence of deficits in experimentally assessed inhibitory control in schizophrenia patients, with predominant impulsivity in the NDS population. In addition, impulsivity may affect the cognitive control of inhibition in deficit schizophrenia. Nevertheless, due to the preliminary nature of these findings, they require further empirical verification in future research.
Topics: Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Male; Inhibition, Psychological; Female; Adult; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology; Neuropsychological Tests; Middle Aged; Case-Control Studies
PubMed: 38937731
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05918-6 -
Behavior Therapy Jul 2024Prior research suggests that the effects of specific cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) modules on symptom outcomes can be estimated. We conducted a study utilizing...
Prior research suggests that the effects of specific cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) modules on symptom outcomes can be estimated. We conducted a study utilizing idiographic and nomothetic methods to clarify which CBT modules are most effective for youth depression, and for whom they are most effective. Thirty-five youths received modular CBT for depression. Interrupted time series models estimated whether the introduction of each module was associated with changes in internalizing symptoms, whereby significant symptom reduction would suggest a therapeutic response to the module. Regression models were used to explore whether participant characteristics predicted subgroups of youths based on their estimated response to certain types (e.g., cognitive) of modules, and whether group membership was associated with posttreatment outcomes. Thirty youths (86%) had at least one module associated with a significant change in internalizing symptoms from premodule delivery to postmodule delivery. The specific modules associated with these changes varied across youths. Behavioral activation was most frequently associated with symptom decreases (34% of youths). No participant characteristics predicted estimated response to module type, and group membership was not significantly associated with posttreatment outcomes. Youths display highly heterogeneous responses to treatment modules, indicating multiple pathways to symptom improvement for depressed youths.
Topics: Humans; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Female; Male; Adolescent; Treatment Outcome; Child; Depression; Depressive Disorder
PubMed: 38937058
DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2024.01.004 -
Behavior Therapy Jul 2024Many people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) experience profound amotivation, which is strongly related to anticipatory anhedonia. Yet, the...
Many people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) experience profound amotivation, which is strongly related to anticipatory anhedonia. Yet, the neuropsychological fundamentals of anticipatory anhedonia and amotivation are barely understood, resulting in a lack of effective treatments for these patients. Aberrancies in positive mental imagery may interfere with the anticipation of pleasure and could thus explain anticipatory anhedonia and amotivation. However, the nature of mental imagery and its relationship with amotivational psychopathology in SSD is largely unknown. In this preregistered study, we therefore examined mental imagery characteristics and their relation to anticipatory anhedonia, amotivation, and daily life activity in SSD. TheN = 86 participants included individuals with SSD (n = 43) and demographically matched healthy controls (n = 43). Mental imagery, anticipatory pleasure, amotivation, and activity engagement were assessed with structured interviews and self-report questionnaires. Ecological momentary assessment was used to measure state anticipatory pleasure and activity engagement in daily life (n = 81). Compared to the control group, the SSD group showed comparable quantity, but less vividness of mental imagery. Reduced vividness of mental imagery in SSD was significantly associated with higher anticipatory anhedonia, amotivation, and low activity engagement in cross-sectional and prospective analyses. Reduced mental imagery vividness may cause a lack of internal incentive to seek pleasurable experiences and could explain amotivation. Interventions aiming to improve mental imagery vividness and related anticipatory pleasure responses in SSD may be effective in targeting amotivation.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Adult; Anhedonia; Imagination; Motivation; Schizophrenia; Middle Aged; Schizophrenic Psychology; Pleasure; Ecological Momentary Assessment; Case-Control Studies; Young Adult; Anticipation, Psychological
PubMed: 38937057
DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2024.01.009 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Jun 2024This short communication explores the interrelationships between depressed mood and sleep disturbances in one-year postpartum period.
BACKGROUND
This short communication explores the interrelationships between depressed mood and sleep disturbances in one-year postpartum period.
METHODS
Utilizing data from the Interaction of Gene and Environment of Depression during PostPartum Cohort (IGEDEPP) involving 3310 French postpartum women, we employed a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) to analyze the relationships between these two symptoms, across three time points (immediate postpartum [<1 week after delivery], early postpartum [<2 months after delivery], and late postpartum [2 months to 1 years after delivery]).
RESULTS
Depressed mood significantly influences sleep disturbances in late postpartum (β = 0.096, z-value = 7.4; p < 0.001) but not in early postpartum (p-value = 0.9). We found no cross-lagged influence of sleep disturbances on depressed mood in early (p = 0.066) or in late postpartum (p = 0.060). Moreover, depressed mood and sleep disturbances in immediate postpartum are predictive of similar symptoms in the two other postpartum periods (between each of the three periods, p = 0.006 and p < 0.001 for depressed mood, and p = 0.039 and p < 0.001 for sleep disturbances), thus demonstrating the stability of these symptoms over time.
LIMITATIONS
Although conducted with a prospectively assessed cohort, this study faces limitations due to potential methodological biases.
CONCLUSIONS
This study is a pioneering analysis of mutual causal interactions between depressed mood and sleep disturbances in the postpartum period, highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring, early detection, prevention of worsen outcomes and intervention on these symptoms.
PubMed: 38936702
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.089 -
Journal of Counseling Psychology Jun 2024College students with psychiatric disabilities, particularly those with severe distress, have an increased risk of attrition from higher education. Highly distressed...
College students with psychiatric disabilities, particularly those with severe distress, have an increased risk of attrition from higher education. Highly distressed students may be hospitalized for psychiatric crises if there is a potential risk to their safety. Although college students' psychopathology has increased in severity over the last decade, hospitalized students remain an underresearched group at risk for attrition, trauma, suicide, and disconnection from their universities. The present study explored demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics of 880 undergraduate and graduate students hospitalized between Spring 2016 and Spring 2021 at a large public university in the southwestern United States. Study aims were addressed by testing proportional differences in (a) demographics of the hospitalized sample versus the student body and (b) cross-tabulations of demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics by hospital admission status (voluntary or involuntary). Results indicate that African American/Black and multiracial students; female, transgender, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or other nonheterosexual orientations students; undergraduates; and liberal arts, fine arts, and undeclared majors may be at increased risk for psychiatric hospitalization. Gender identity, sexual orientation, semester hospitalized, initiating entity, university counseling center utilization, and the presence of high-priority symptoms and suicidality were significantly associated with hospital admission status. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
PubMed: 38934901
DOI: 10.1037/cou0000744 -
The International Journal of Eating... Jun 2024Food insecurity is associated with eating disorder psychopathology. This Spotlight describes why food pantries could be promising partners for disseminating and...
OBJECTIVE
Food insecurity is associated with eating disorder psychopathology. This Spotlight describes why food pantries could be promising partners for disseminating and implementing eating disorder interventions.
METHOD
Researchers are increasingly collaborating with community-based organizations to improve access to health interventions, because community-based organizations overcome structural barriers to traditional healthcare by being embedded physically in the communities they serve, convenient to visit, regularly frequented, and led by trusted community members.
RESULTS
We describe strategies we have identified with our partner to disseminate and implement our digital intervention for binge eating; we also discuss ways we support the pantry's needs to improve the mutuality of the partnership.
DISCUSSION
The potential benefits of partnerships with food pantries make this an area to explore further. Future research directions include deeply engaging with food pantries to determine how pantries benefit from disseminating and implementing eating disorder interventions and how to intervene in non-stigmatizing ways, what resources they need to sustainably support these efforts, what eating disorder intervention modalities guests are willing and able to engage with, what intervention adaptations are needed so individuals with food insecurity can meaningfully engage in eating disorder intervention, and what implementation strategies facilitate uptake to intervention sustainably over time.
PubMed: 38934652
DOI: 10.1002/eat.24240 -
Development and Psychopathology Jun 2024This study examines associations between early childhood attachment security and adolescent personality functioning in a high-risk sample within a developmental...
This study examines associations between early childhood attachment security and adolescent personality functioning in a high-risk sample within a developmental psychopathology framework. Data from 2,268 children (1165 male; 1103 female) and caregivers participating in Future of Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCWS) were used to examine (1) effects of genetic polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) genes and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on attachment security and emotional and behavioral dysregulation in early childhood and (2) longitudinal associations and transactional relationships among attachment security, dysregulation, negative parenting attitudes and behaviors, social competence, and adolescent personality functioning. Results revealed that ACEs predicted attachment security over and above sex or the genetic risk, and gene × environment interactions did not increment prediction. Results of cascade models showed that greater early childhood attachment security predicted higher adolescent level of personality functioning via pathways through intermediary variables. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.
PubMed: 38934483
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579424001044 -
Psychopathology Jun 2024Considering the importance of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), peripheral blood biomarkers are...
Exploring the Association between Depression, Suicidality, and Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, FAM19A5, Total Antioxidant Status, Total Oxidant Status, Oxidative Stress Index, and Cytokine Levels: A Case-Control Study of Drug-Naive Adolescents with First-Episode Major Depressive Disorder.
INTRODUCTION
Considering the importance of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), peripheral blood biomarkers are promising for the prediction of diagnosis and treatment outcomes. We aimed to elucidate the neuroinflammatory pathophysiology of depression by evaluating serum levels of FAM19A5 as a new biomarker of inflammatory activation, proinflammatory cytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and oxidative stress parameters.
METHODS
Adolescents diagnosed with first-episode drug-naive MDD (n = 35) were compared neurobiologically healthy control group (n = 33). Serum FAM19A5 levels, cytokine levels, BDNF and oxidative stress parameters were evaluated using the enzyme-linked immunoassay method. All participants were assessed with the Level-2 Depression Severity Scale, Sleep Disturbance Scale, Somatic Symptom Scale.
RESULTS
BDNF levels were significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group. While BDNF showed a positive correlation with all scale scores; BDNF was significantly higher in the suicide risk groups than the control group. IL-1β levels displayed a negative correlation with the severity of sleep disturbances.
CONCLUSIONS
In adolescents with MDD, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were not raised in peripheral blood, unlike in adults. However, BDNF levels, which typically decrease in neurodegenerative conditions, were higher in those with MDD.
PubMed: 38934178
DOI: 10.1159/000539695 -
The British Journal of Clinical... Jun 2024Research in adults suggests that intrusive memories and intrusive thoughts (often referred to as intrusive cognitions) are common in members of the general population...
OBJECTIVES
Research in adults suggests that intrusive memories and intrusive thoughts (often referred to as intrusive cognitions) are common in members of the general population and are often seen in clinical disorders. However, little is known about the experience of intrusive cognitions in adolescents, particularly in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study sought to gather fundamental data on these phenomena (i.e., frequency, characteristics and appraisals of intrusive cognitions) in adolescents with MDD and PTSD.
METHODS
Adolescents aged 11-18 with MDD (n = 11), PTSD (n = 13) and a non-clinical control group (n = 25) completed structured interviews concerning their intrusive memories and thoughts.
RESULTS
Intrusive thoughts were common in all three groups but were particularly frequently experienced in the MDD group. Intrusive memories were expectedly very common in the PTSD group but also experienced by over half of the adolescents with MDD. Both clinical groups reported more negative emotions in response to their intrusive thoughts or memories and appraised these cognitions more negatively than the non-clinical group.
CONCLUSION
Intrusive memories and thoughts are common experiences in adolescents with MDD and PTSD. Emotions and appraisals relating to these cognitions may be targets for psychological intervention in this age group. However, small sample sizes limit the conclusions that can be drawn. Replication is needed with larger numbers of clinical participants.
PubMed: 38934114
DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12488