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Scientific Reports Jun 2024Gratitude is pivotal in promoting and maintaining prosocial interactions in human society. However, it is unclear whether the prosocial function of gratitude can be...
Gratitude is pivotal in promoting and maintaining prosocial interactions in human society. However, it is unclear whether the prosocial function of gratitude can be observed even in situations of uncertainty about whether one can provide benefits to others. Here, we examined whether gratitude promotes prosocial behavior in uncertain situations. Participants (N = 60) were randomly assigned to either a gratitude or neutral group. Following the emotion-induced manipulation, we examined whether participants would choose a non-unique resource when selecting one of four resources (one unique and three non-unique) to leave the choice to the follower. This represented an uncertain situation in which choosing a non-unique resource does not necessarily mean the follower will choose the unique one. Results showed that participants in the gratitude group were more likely to choose non-unique resources than those in the neutral group, suggesting that gratitude promotes prosocial behavior even in uncertain situations. Our findings indicate that gratitude is widely prevalent as a lubricant for interpersonal and cooperative relationships in human society.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Social Behavior; Uncertainty; Young Adult; Interpersonal Relations; Emotions; Adult; Cooperative Behavior
PubMed: 38909154
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65460-z -
BMC Rheumatology Jun 2024Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, complex autoimmune rheumatic disease with multiple factors that contribute to pain. People with SSc emphasize the effect pain has on...
Protocol for the development of a tool to map systemic sclerosis pain sources, patterns, and management experiences: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network patient-researcher partnership.
INTRODUCTION
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, complex autoimmune rheumatic disease with multiple factors that contribute to pain. People with SSc emphasize the effect pain has on their quality of life, but no studies have systematically examined the frequency and relative importance of different SSc pain sources, patterns of pain from different sources, and pain management experiences. Our objectives are to (1) develop a tool, jointly with researchers, health care providers, and patients, to map sources of pain in SSc, determine patterns of pain from different sources, and understand pain management experiences; and (2) administer the final tool version to participants in the large multinational Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort.
METHODS
First, we will use validated pain assessment tools as templates to develop an initial version of our pain assessment tool, and we will obtain input from patient advisors to adapt it for SSc. The tool will include questions on pain sources, pain patterns, pain intensity, pain management techniques, and barriers to pain management in SSc. Second, we will conduct nominal group technique sessions with people living with SSc and health care providers who care for people with SSc to further refine the tool. Third, we will conduct individual usability testing sessions with SPIN Cohort participants. Once the tool has been finalized, we will administer it to individuals in the multinational SPIN Cohort, which currently includes over 1,300 active participants from 54 sites in 7 countries. We will perform unsupervised clustering using the KAy-Means for MIxed LArge data (KAMILA) method to identify participant subgroups with similar profiles of pain sources (present or absent) and to evaluate predictors of subgroup membership. We will use latent profile analysis to identify subgroups of participants with similar profiles based on pain intensity scores for each pain source and evaluate predictors.
DISCUSSION
Once completed, our pain assessment tool will allow our team and other researchers to map sources of pain in SSc and to understand pain management experiences of people living with SSc. This knowledge will provide avenues for studies on the pathophysiology of pain in SSc and studies of interventions to improve pain management.
PubMed: 38907303
DOI: 10.1186/s41927-024-00398-3 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Jun 2024Nurse burnout leads to an increase in turnover, which is a serious problem in the health care system. Although there is ample evidence of nurse burnout, interventions...
BACKGROUND
Nurse burnout leads to an increase in turnover, which is a serious problem in the health care system. Although there is ample evidence of nurse burnout, interventions developed in previous studies were general and did not consider specific burnout dimensions and individual characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to develop and optimize the first tailored mobile intervention for nurse burnout, which recommends programs based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and to test its usability, effectiveness, and satisfaction.
METHODS
In this study, an AI-based mobile intervention, Nurse Healing Space, was developed to provide tailored programs for nurse burnout. The 4-week program included mindfulness meditation, laughter therapy, storytelling, reflective writing, and acceptance and commitment therapy. The AI algorithm recommended one of these programs to participants by calculating similarity through a pretest consisting of participants' demographics, research variables, and burnout dimension scores measured with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. After completing a 4-week program, burnout, job stress, stress response using the Stress Response Inventory Modified Form, the usability of the app, coping strategy by the coping strategy indicator, and program satisfaction (1: very dissatisfied; 5: very satisfied) were measured. The AI recognized the recommended program as effective if the user's burnout score reduced after the 2-week program and updated the algorithm accordingly. After a pilot test (n=10), AI optimization was performed (n=300). A paired 2-tailed t test, ANOVA, and the Spearman correlation were used to test the effect of the intervention and algorithm optimization.
RESULTS
Nurse Healing Space was implemented as a mobile app equipped with a system that recommended 1 program out of 4 based on similarity between users through AI. The AI algorithm worked well in matching the program recommended to participants who were most similar using valid data. Users were satisfied with the convenience and visual quality but were dissatisfied with the absence of notifications and inability to customize the program. The overall usability score of the app was 3.4 out of 5 points. Nurses' burnout scores decreased significantly after the completion of the first 2-week program (t=7.012; P<.001) and reduced further after the second 2-week program (t=2.811; P=.01). After completing the Nurse Healing Space program, job stress (t=6.765; P<.001) and stress responses (t=5.864; P<.001) decreased significantly. During the second 2-week program, the burnout level reduced in the order of participation (r=-0.138; P=.04). User satisfaction increased for both the first (F=3.493; P=.03) and second programs (F=3.911; P=.02).
CONCLUSIONS
This program effectively reduced burnout, job stress, and stress responses. Nurse managers were able to prevent nurses from resigning and maintain the quality of medical services using this AI-based program to provide tailored interventions for nurse burnout. Thus, this app could improve qualitative health care, increase employee satisfaction, reduce costs, and ultimately improve the efficiency of the health care system.
Topics: Humans; Burnout, Professional; Artificial Intelligence; Female; Adult; Male; Middle Aged; Mobile Applications; Nurses; Adaptation, Psychological
PubMed: 38905631
DOI: 10.2196/54029 -
PloS One 2024This qualitative study explored the perceptions of adult clients participating in a new psychological treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattentive...
OBJECTIVES
This qualitative study explored the perceptions of adult clients participating in a new psychological treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder inattentive presentation (ADHD-I, also called "attention deficit disorder", ADD). The study aimed to explore (i) what aspects of treatment the participants found to be helpful, and (ii) if there were areas that ought to be developed to make the protocol more useful to clients with ADHD-I.
METHODS
Participants were recruited from treatment groups following the protocol of cognitive-behavioral therapy for ADHD-I (CADDI), at three psychiatric outpatient units in Stockholm, Sweden. Individual semi-structured interviews, lasting on average 44,6 minutes, were conducted with 14 adults after the completion of CADDI. Interviews explored participants' perceptions of CADDI, its usefulness, and asked for suggestions for improvement. Interviews were conducted by independent interviewers and were transcribed verbatim. The text was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
RESULTS
The analysis generated three themes: "Factors of importance for change", with the subthemes; the group, therapeutic components, structure of treatment, and motivation,"Gains in treatment", with the subthemes; insight and understanding, increased attention, and planning and acting, and "Challenges with ADHD-I and remaining needs", with the subthemes; ADHD as a lifelong condition, maintaining gains in treatment, and wish for further support.
CONCLUSIONS
Participants emphasized the importance of the group setting as a facilitator of therapeutic effects of increased understanding and self-acceptance. Further, they considered the practice of mindfulness to enhance attention and awareness of thoughts, feelings, and activities and considered the structure of treatment as supporting the work in therapy. These findings support the value of the group setting and confirm the usefulness of CADDI. However, participants were concerned about how to maintain gains of treatment after its termination and suggested follow-up sessions to improve the CADDI protocol.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Preregistered at Clinical Trials: NCT05037903.
Topics: Humans; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Male; Female; Adult; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Middle Aged; Sweden; Psychotherapy, Group; Young Adult; Qualitative Research; Motivation
PubMed: 38905212
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299060 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024Unexplained physical signs and symptoms represent a significant portion of patient presentations in acute care settings. Even in cases where a patient presents with a...
Optimizing outcomes when treating functional neurological disorder in acute care settings: case reports depicting the value of diagnostic precision and timely and appropriate psychological interventions using an interdisciplinary framework.
INTRODUCTION
Unexplained physical signs and symptoms represent a significant portion of patient presentations in acute care settings. Even in cases where a patient presents with a known medical condition, functional or somatic symptoms may complicate the diagnostic and treatment processes and prognostic outcome. One umbrella category for neurologically related somatic symptoms, functional neurological disorder (FND), presents as involuntary neurological symptoms incompatible with another medical condition. Symptoms may include weakness and/or paralysis, movement disorders, non-epileptic seizures, speech or visual impairment, swallowing difficulty, sensory disturbances, or cognitive symptoms (1). While FND presents as neuropsychiatric, providers commonly report feeling hesitant to diagnose these disorders. Inexperience or lack of appropriate education on relevant research regarding evidence-based practices or standard of practice (SOP) may result in over- or underperforming diagnostic workups and consultations, utilizing inappropriate medications, and failing to offer evidence-based psychological interventions. Being mindful of these challenges when treating patients presenting with functional symptoms in acute care settings can help to support and protect the patients and care team and appropriately control healthcare costs.
METHODS
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center identified cases representing categories of quality and safety problems that arise in treating FND in acute care settings. Patients signed a consent form to participate in the case report. The case information for each was presented without identifying information.
DISCUSSION
The cases highlight potential challenges when caring for patients presenting with FND in acute care settings. The challenges covered include over- or underutilization of diagnostic workups and consultation, over- or underutilization of psychopharmacological medications, and over- or undertreating a medical condition when a functional symptom is present. In each case, these lapses and errors caused the patient distress, additional treatments, care delays, and delayed symptom remission. Additionally, these challenges have direct and indirect fiscal costs, which can be mitigated with the appropriate education and training, resources, and protocols. Hospitals can benefit from system-wide SOP to improve the identification and management of FND to prevent harm to patients. An SOP commonly presents to specific specialties and ensures the appropriate diagnostic workup, consultations, and timely evidence-based interventions.
PubMed: 38903638
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1288828 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024The prevalence of cyberbullying has brought about many adverse effects on adolescents' mental health. Although current studies have shown that perceived chronic social...
BACKGROUNDS
The prevalence of cyberbullying has brought about many adverse effects on adolescents' mental health. Although current studies have shown that perceived chronic social adversity (PCSA) is closely related to cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents, the underlying mechanism of the relationship between the two remains relatively unclear. This study investigated the association of PCSA, rumination, mindfulness, and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents, building upon the general strain theory, the general aggressive model, and the limited resource of self-control theory.
METHODS
A sample of 477 Chinese high school students ( = 15.84 years, = 0.67, 49.69% female) completed the Perceived Chronic Social Adversity Questionnaire, the Ruminative Responses Scale, the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure, and the cyberbullying subscale of the Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory. The current study constructed a moderated mediation model to examine the relationship between PCSA and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents and assessed the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of mindfulness.
RESULTS
The results revealed a significant positive correlation between PCSA and cyberbullying perpetration. Rumination mediated the relationship between PCSA and cyberbullying perpetration, whereas mindfulness moderated the latter half of the mediation pathway. Specifically, compared to adolescents with higher mindfulness, the association between rumination and cyberbullying perpetration is greater for adolescents with lower mindfulness.
CONCLUSION
The results further deepen our understanding of the mechanisms linking subjective perception of negative life events and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents from the interaction of multiple factors, thus providing a basis for future interventions to encourage adolescents to properly cope with social adversity and promote positive mental health to reduce the risk of cyberbullying.
PubMed: 38903464
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1376347 -
Systematic Reviews Jun 2024Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) appear to be effective for improving the mental health of healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, the effectiveness of MBIs on...
BACKGROUND
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) appear to be effective for improving the mental health of healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, the effectiveness of MBIs on extreme psychological trauma caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is largely unknown. The aim of this paper was to systematically review empirical studies of MBIs for HCPs carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, to evaluate them and their effectiveness in different areas of mental health.
METHODS
The electronic databases searched were Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO. The date when each database was last searched was September 15, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs), and non-randomized non-controlled trials (NRNCTs) focused on MBIs for health care staff who were working in healthcare centers during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. All of them employed standardized measures of mental health. The review followed the best practices and reported using PRISMA guidelines. A data collection form, adapted from the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions, was used to extract and synthesize the results. The methods used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies were the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and the ROBINS-I Tool.
RESULTS
Twenty-eight studies were included in the systematic review. Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was moderate. The results showed the effectiveness of MBIs in improving levels of stress, mindfulness, and mental well-being. However, no conclusive results were found regarding the effectiveness of MBIs in improving the levels of burnout, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and resilience of HCPs.
CONCLUSIONS
The MBIs for HCPs carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic have mainly contributed to improving stress, mindfulness, and mental well-being at a time of serious health emergency. However, more robust studies at a methodological level would have been desirable.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42021267621.
Topics: Humans; Mindfulness; COVID-19; Health Personnel; Mental Health; SARS-CoV-2; Burnout, Professional; Pandemics
PubMed: 38902795
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02574-5 -
Clinical Neurophysiology : Official... Jun 2024This study investigated the efficacy of combining at-home anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left primary motor cortex (M1) with mindfulness...
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the efficacy of combining at-home anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left primary motor cortex (M1) with mindfulness meditation (MM) in fibromyalgia patients trained in mindfulness.
METHODS
Thirty-seven patients were allocated to receive ten daily sessions of MM paired with either anodal or sham tDCS over the primary motor cortex. Primary outcomes were pain intensity and quality of life. Secondary outcomes were psychological impairment, sleep quality, mood, affective pain, mindfulness level, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures of cortical excitability. Outcomes were analyzed pre- and post-treatment, with a one-month follow-up.
RESULTS
We found post-tDCS improvement in all clinical outcomes, including mindfulness level, except for positive affect and stress, in both groups without significant difference between active and sham conditions. No significant group*time interaction was found for all clinical and TMS outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate no synergistic or add-on efffect of anodal tDCS of the left M1 compared to the proper effect of MM in patients with fibromyalgia.
SIGNIFICANCE
Our findings challenge the potential of combining anodal tDCS of the left M1 and MM in fibromyalgia.
PubMed: 38901112
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.05.018 -
PloS One 2024Wild chimpanzees consume a variety of plants to meet their dietary needs and maintain wellbeing. While some plants have obvious value, others are nutritionally poor...
Wild chimpanzees consume a variety of plants to meet their dietary needs and maintain wellbeing. While some plants have obvious value, others are nutritionally poor and/or contain bioactive toxins which make ingestion costly. In some cases, these nutrient-poor resources are speculated to be medicinal, thought to help individuals combat illness. In this study, we observed two habituated chimpanzee communities living in the Budongo Forest, Uganda, and collected 17 botanical samples associated with putative self-medication behaviors (e.g., bark feeding, dead wood eating, and pith-stripping) or events (e.g., when consumer had elevated parasite load, abnormal urinalysis, or injury). In total, we selected plant parts from 13 species (nine trees and four herbaceous plants). Three extracts of different polarities were produced from each sample using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol/water (9/1, v/v) and introduced to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory in vitro models. Extracts were evaluated for growth inhibition against a panel of multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of bacteria, including ESKAPE strains and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition activity. Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several species with potent medicinal properties. In the antibacterial library screen, 45 out of 53 extracts (88%) exhibited ≥40% inhibition at a concentration of 256 μg/mL. Of these active extracts, 41 (91%) showed activity at ≤256μg/mL in subsequent dose-response antibacterial experiments. The strongest antibacterial activity was achieved by the n-hexane extract of Alstonia boonei dead wood against Staphylococcus aureus (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 32 μg/mL) and Enterococcus faecium (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: >256 μg/mL) and by the methanol-water extract of Khaya anthotheca bark and resin against E. faecium (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 32 μg/mL) and pathogenic Escherichia coli (IC50: 16 μg/mL; MIC: 256 μg/mL). We observed ingestion of both these species by highly parasitized individuals. K. anthotheca bark and resin were also targeted by individuals with indicators of infection and injuries. All plant species negatively affected growth of E. coli. In the anti-inflammatory COX-2 inhibition library screen, 17 out of 51 tested extracts (33%) showed ≥50% COX-2 inhibition at a concentration of 5 μg/mL. Several extracts also exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in COX-2 dose-response experiments. The K. anthotheca bark and resin methanol-water extract showed the most potent effects (IC50: 0.55 μg/mL), followed by the fern Christella parasitica methanol-water extract (IC50: 0.81 μg/mL). This fern species was consumed by an injured individual, a feeding behavior documented only once before in this population. These results, integrated with associated observations from eight months of behavioral data, provide further evidence for the presence of self-medicative resources in wild chimpanzee diets. This study addresses the challenge of distinguishing preventative medicinal food consumption from therapeutic self-medication by integrating pharmacological, observational, and health monitoring data-an essential interdisciplinary approach for advancing the field of zoopharmacognosy.
Topics: Animals; Pan troglodytes; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Uganda; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Diet; Behavior, Animal; Feeding Behavior
PubMed: 38900778
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305219 -
International Journal of Yoga 2024Depression has been expected to be the second-leading cause of disability, followed by autism, attention and hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorder. Yoga therapy... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Depression has been expected to be the second-leading cause of disability, followed by autism, attention and hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorder. Yoga therapy has found to be beneficial in managing psychiatric disorders.
AIM
The present study undertakes a scoping review of research on yoga therapy in psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents.
METHODS
Online database was used to identify papers published 2004-2023, from which we selected 11 publications from the United States, Canada, Iran, India, and Australia that used yoga therapy as a primary outcome variable among participants aged 3 years or older.
RESULTS
The papers reviewed were randomized controlled trials. All studies examined yoga therapy, but one study used mindfulness-based therapy and used few techniques of yoga therapy. The studies examined the effect of yoga therapy on early childhood and adolescence on various psychiatric symptoms such as stress, inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and many more.
CONCLUSION
While the quality of studies is generally high, research on yoga therapy among children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders would benefit from careful selection of methods and reference standards, suitability for yoga therapy, and prospective cohort studies linking early childhood exposures with yoga therapy outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence.
PubMed: 38899134
DOI: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_227_23