Domain-specific associations between social cognition and aggression in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Aggression in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) is rare but elevated relative to the general population. Existing studies have not identified reliable personal predictors of aggression in SSD. In line with social information processing models suggesting that difficulties interpreting social cues and others' intentions may lead to aggression, we evaluated whether social cognitive domains or global social cognition could be modifiable risk factors in SSD. We examined aggression and social cognition in 59 participants with SSD and 43 healthy volunteers (HV). Self-reported aggression was measured via the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPAQ). Social cognition was assessed using five tasks measuring emotion processing, theory of mind, and social perception. Group differences were analyzed using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests. Multiple regressions examined effects of social cognition on aggression, controlling for demographic and clinical covariates. Supplemental mediation analyses tested whether impairments in emotion processing, theory of mind, or overall social cognition explained the relationship between SSD diagnosis and increased aggression. Reported aggression was higher in the SSD group, and social cognitive abilities were impaired across domains (p < .001). Better emotion processing (β = -0.35, p = .03) and theory of mind (β = -0.32, p = .03) predicted lower aggression in SSD, even when accounting for demographic and neurocognitive variables. Exploratory models adjusting for overall psychiatric symptom severity showed that theory of mind remained significant, while emotion processing attenuated. However, social cognition did not mediate the relationship between diagnosis and aggression. Future studies should examine other social processing factors, such as attributional bias.

Assessment of facial pressure sensitivity of head-mounted displays based on practical application scenarios

With the development of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies, improving the comfort of head-mounted displays (HMDs) is crucial for optimizing user experience. Although pressure threshold measurements have been widely applied in the design of wearable devices, no studies have yet investigated pressure sensitivity specific to HMDs. This study developed a novel handheld electronic force gauge to measure subjective discomfort sensitivity at nine key contact points between the HMD and the face under varying applied forces. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the results, with discomfort levels classified through clustering. A new sensitivity map was created based on these classifications. The findings show higher pressure sensitivity around the periorbital and zygomatic regions, with gender differences becoming more pronounced as pressure increases. Designers can leverage these data to apply soft or pressure-relieving materials in highly sensitive areas and adjust the weight distribution of the HMD.

Heroes, villains, and everything in between: Children's assessment of morally ambiguous characters

Most research on the development of moral judgments has focused on children's assessment of all-good or all-bad characters with little attention to the gray areas of morality. Yet real people's behavior is often morally ambiguous, involving sometimes moral and sometimes immoral actions. In this study, we examined how 4-, 6-, and 8-year-old U.S. children (N = 72; 51% female) evaluate and respond to morally ambiguous characters. Children heard stories that each contained a purely moral character, a purely immoral character, and a morally ambiguous character. The 6- and 8-year-olds were more likely than the 4-year-olds to distinguish the ambiguous character from the moral and immoral characters. These age-related changes elucidate the development of children's assessments of the "gray areas" of morality.

From error to insight: Removing non-systematic responding data in the delay discounting task may introduce systematic bias

Delay discounting (DD), which reflects a tendency to devalue rewards as the time to their receipt increases, is associated with health behaviors such as sleep disturbances, obesity, and externalizing behavior among adolescents. Response patterns characterized by inconsistent or unexpected reward valuation, called non-systematic responding (NSR), may also predict health outcomes. Many researchers flag and exclude NSR trials prior to analysis, which could lead to systematic bias if NSR (a) varies by demographic characteristics or (b) predicts health outcomes. Thus, in this study we characterized NSR and examined its potential beyond error by comparing it against DD with a secondary data analysis of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study-a population-based study that tracked youths (N = 11,948) annually from 8 to 11 years of age over 4 years. We assessed DD and NSR using the Adjusting Delay Discounting Task when youths were approximately 9.48 years old (SD = 0.51). We also examined three maladaptive health outcomes annually: sleep disturbances, obesity, and externalizing psychopathology. Our analysis revealed variations in NSR across races, ethnicities, and body mass index categories, with no significant differences observed by sex or gender. Notably, NSR was a stronger predictor of obesity and externalizing psychopathology than DD and inversely predicted the growth trajectory of obesity. These findings suggest that removing NSR patterns could systematically bias analyses given that NSR may capture unexplored response variability. This study demonstrates the significance of NSR and underscores the necessity for further research on how to manage NSR in future DD studies.

The development of gross motor skills in children: Insights from the Motor Assessment Test for Children

This study investigated the gross motor skills (GMS) of 424 children aged 2.5 to 6 years with the Motor Assessment Test for Children (MATCH). Results from multivariate analysis of variance revealed (a) positive age effects in stability, locomotion, and object manipulation; (b) higher stability scores for girls than for boys and higher object manipulation scores for boys than for girls; and (c) GMS differences even within 6-month age intervals for some motor tasks. The positive age effect indicates that GMS proficiency changes with physical development, whereas gender effects may stem from genetic and/or environmental factors. We recommend that educators be aware of pronounced early childhood motor development and implement varied approaches that cater to diverse developmental levels. To facilitate ongoing monitoring, annual motor assessments are advised. Educators should acknowledge gender-type play behaviors with a naturalistic approach while advocating inclusive play opportunities.

Executive functions and mathematical ability in early elementary school children: The moderating role of family socioeconomic status

Children's executive functions (EFs) and family socioeconomic status (SES) play critical roles in the development of mathematical ability in early elementary education. However, the potential interplay between EFs and SES remains underexplored. This study addressed this gap by comprehensively investigating the moderating role of SES in the relationship between EF subcomponents (i.e., interference inhibition, response inhibition, and working memory) and children's concurrent and future mathematical abilities (i.e., arithmetic operations and logical-visuospatial skills). A total of 172 participants (Mage = 6.78 years; 107 boys) took part in the study at the beginning of first grade in elementary school (T1) and 20 months later (T2). We measured EFs, SES, and mathematical ability at T1 and mathematical ability at T2. Results from hierarchical linear regression models indicated that working memory was positively associated with T1 arithmetic operations and logical-visuospatial skills as well as with T2 arithmetic operations. Furthermore, family SES was positively associated with arithmetic operations at both T1 and T2. Notably, we found a significant interaction effect between interference inhibition and SES on T1 arithmetic operations and logical-visuospatial skills. Specifically, interference inhibition was positively related to T1 arithmetic operations and logical-visuospatial skills for children from low- and middle-SES families, but not for children from high-SES families. Our findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of how cognitive and environmental factors jointly influence mathematical development, underscoring the need for targeted interventions for children from different SES backgrounds to support their mathematical ability development.

Game-based cognitive training and its impact on executive functions and math performance: A randomized controlled trial

Executive functions (EFs) are the focus of interventions aimed at their development and subsequent improvement of indirectly trained skills such as academic performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of near-transfer effects (EFs improvement) and far-transfer effects (mathematics improvement) of the Cucca Curiosa intervention in Brazilian children aged 7 to 10 years, with 28 participants per age group. This stratified trial included 112 children randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG). Child Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Battery  (NEUPSILIN-Inf), Five-Digit Test (FDT), Day-Night Stroop task, and Mathematics Test (TEMA) were administered at pretest and posttest levels. The EG participated in the 1-week Cucca Curiosa program, consisting of five sessions (averaging 13 min, with a maximum of 26 min), whereas the CG remained in passive waiting. Data analysis revealed that the intervention significantly improved children's executive and mathematics performance in the short term. The mediation analysis identified that EFs are essential mediators that explain how the intervention improves mathematical performance, reinforcing the importance of focusing on the development of EFs as a strategy to improve academic performance. Further studies are necessary to assess long-term effects, transfer to other skills, and potential benefits in reducing psychopathological symptoms.

Orthographic knowledge in second language vocabulary knowledge: Examining mediation of morphological awareness

The nature of the relation between orthographic knowledge and vocabulary in second language (L2) English learners remains relatively unclear. The current study investigated how orthographic knowledge facets, as well as morphological awareness, were concurrently related to vocabulary knowledge. A group of 241 eighth-grade Chinese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) were administered measures of phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge (lexical and sublexical orthographic knowledge), morphological awareness (morpheme recognition and morpheme discrimination), and vocabulary knowledge. Drawing on structural equation modeling analyses with phonological awareness controlled, the study found that orthographic knowledge was associated with Chinese EFL vocabulary knowledge directly and indirectly through morphological awareness. It was also observed that lexical orthographic knowledge had a stronger indirect effect on vocabulary knowledge; however, sublexical orthographic knowledge had a more significant direct effect on vocabulary knowledge. These results inform current theories of reading development as applied to L2 English reading.

Peer problems and prosocial behaviours across development: Associations with anxiety and depression in emerging adulthood

Peer problems in childhood and adolescence are associated with anxiety and depression in emerging adulthood. However, it remains unclear whether prosocial behaviours reduce this risk and whether these associations remain after adjusting for familial factors, including genetics. The present study examined how the development of peer problems and prosocial behaviours across childhood and adolescence were associated with anxiety and depression in emerging adulthood, and whether these associations remained when using a monozygotic twin difference design. The study included up to 31,016 participants (50.4 % female) from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS; N = 19,758) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; N = 11,258), with sample sizes varying across analyses based on data availability. Repeated data were collected from ages 4 to 26/28 (TEDS/ALSPAC). Results from latent growth curve and path analyses showed that higher initial levels of peer problems and prosocial behaviours in childhood, as well as more persistent peer problems and prosocial behaviours during childhood, increased risk for anxiety and depression in emerging adulthood. Associations with peer problems remained significant after adjusting for familial factors using monozygotic twin difference scores, suggesting that individual-specific experiences, like children's responses to peer problems, may explain why peer problems increase risk for later anxiety and depression. In contrast, associations with prosocial behaviours did not remain significant after adjusting for familial factors, indicating that whilst prosocial behaviours in childhood were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression in emerging adulthood, this was largely explained by genetic or environmental factors shared within the family.

Dissociation as transdiagnostic mediator between trauma exposure and the post-traumatic stress disorder-psychosis symptom spectrum: A structural equation modelling meta-analysis

Trauma exposure is associated with dissociation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis; however, less is known about whether dissociation is a transdiagnostic mediator between trauma exposure and the PTSD-psychosis symptom spectrum. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis to elucidate the associations among trauma exposure, dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and psychotic symptoms. A total of 311 articles with 94,454 individuals were coded and a two-stage meta-analytical structural equation model was used to investigate the indirect effect of trauma exposure on PTSD symptoms and psychotic symptoms through dissociation. Subgroup analyses investigated the heterogeneity in indirect effects due to dissociation type (i.e., general dissociation versus traumatic dissociation), sample type, study design, study quality, and geographical differences. The indirect effect from trauma exposure to PTSD symptoms via dissociation was significant (β = 0.15, 95 % CI [0.13, 0.17]). The indirect effect from trauma exposure to psychotic symptoms via dissociation was significant (β = 0.14, 95 % CI [0.12, 0.17]). There was no statistical difference between both indirect effects. Subgroup analyses revealed larger indirect effects for traumatic dissociation, clinical samples, non-Western countries, and poor quality studies. The present meta-analytic results indicate that dissociation is a transdiagnostic mediator in the relationship between trauma exposure and the PTSD-psychosis symptom spectrum. Traumatic dissociation and clinical samples were associated with larger indirect effects. These findings inform clinical practice and future transdiagnostic research on PTSD and psychosis.

Validation of the state-brief-penn state worry questionnaire

Intensive longitudinal designs, made possible due to the ubiquitous nature of smartphones, improve the ability to measure state and trait components of psychological processes like anxious arousal simultaneously. To maximize the potential of these designs, reliable and valid measures must be developed. We report the psychometric properties of a state version of the Brief Penn State Worry Questionnaire (SB-PSWQ) in 90 participants (M age = 29.14, SD = 12.21; 61.1 % Female). Participants completed a diagnostic interview and a battery of self-report questionnaires in one session, a series of cognitive tasks while hooked up to EEG equipment in another session and then participants completed two weeks of surveys sent five times per day to their smartphone. During these daily surveys, participants were asked to report current anxious apprehension, anxious arousal, and stressful life events. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we found that a one-factor solution showed acceptable fit for the SB-PSWQ at both within- and between-persons levels. Further, between-person SB-PSWQ scores were positively associated with anxious arousal and anxious apprehension, but not symptoms of an alcohol use disorder, all measured at baseline. In addition, within-person SB-PSWQ scores were positively associated with within-person anxious arousal scores. The present study provides initial evidence for the validation of a brief measure of anxious apprehension to be used in intensive longitudinal designs.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on menopausal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Menopause, a crucial transitioning stage for women, can significantly impact mood and wellbeing. We aimed to systematically examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on health outcomes, including menopausal symptoms, quality of life (QOL), sleep quality, anxiety, depressive symptoms, stress, mindfulness levels, and female sexual function index.

METHODS

Eight databases were searched from inception to November 4, 2024 for randomized controlled trials. Two researchers independently selected, extracted, and appraised trials using the Cochrane Collaboration's 'risk of bias' tool. Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, leave-one-out sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were performed using Stata 18.0. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

A total of 19 studies (1670 participants) published between 2011 and 2024 were identified. Of these, 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with control group, The pooled analysis demonstrated that MBIs had statistically significant effects on menopausal symptoms (SMD, -2.10; 95 % CI, -3.49 to -0.70), QOL (SMD, -0.88; 95 % CI, -1.67 to -0.09), sleep quality (SMD, -0.92; 95 % CI, -1.65 to -0.20), anxiety (SMD, -1.03; 95 % CI, -1.42 to -0.66), depressive symptoms (SMD, -0.91; 95 % CI, -1.30 to -0.53), stress (SMD, -0.85; 95 % CI, -1.55 to -0.15), and mindfulness levels (SMD, 1.19; 95 % CI, 0.35 to 2.02). The overall quality of evidence for all pooled estimates were graded as low and moderate due to methodological limitations and small sample size. The low attrition rate (6 %) and relatively high adherence rate (79 %) highlight the acceptability of MBIs.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis support using of MBIs to improve health outcomes in menopausal women. Rigorous randomized controlled trials with extended follow-up are needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking MBIs to menopausal health and strengthen evidence for clinical application.

Suicidal ideation among youth: Examining the intersections of multiple social positions and bias-based bullying

OBJECTIVE

Suicidal ideation is prevalent among minoritized youth. This study identified disparities in suicidal ideation across youth with intersecting social positions-including race and ethnicity, sex assigned at birth, gender, and sexual orientation-and examined the role of bias-based bullying (based on race and ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation) related to these disparities.

METHOD

Data for this study were drawn from the 2017-2019 California Healthy Kids Survey, with a sample of 458,963 students in grades 9 through 12. Around half of the participants identified as Latina/x/o (50.4 %), 49 % were assigned female at birth, 93.7 % identified as cisgender, and 81.9 % identified as straight. Exhaustive Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection was used to analyze how rates of suicidal ideation vary among youth with intersecting social positions and multiple forms of bias-based bullying experiences.

RESULTS

Youth with intersecting minoritized social positions, particularly those with both minoritized sexual and gender identities, reported the highest rates of suicidal ideation in the past year (43.9 % to 63.3 %), three to four times higher than the overall sample rate (16.5 %). Furthermore, all youth in the highest prevalence groups of suicidal ideation experienced at least one form of bias-based bullying. Suicidal ideation rates were 26.3 % to 59.0 % higher among youth who experienced bias-based bullying compared to those with the same social positions who did not experience bullying.

CONCLUSION

Suicidal ideation is especially prevalent among youth with intersecting minoritized social positions who have also experienced multiple forms of bias-based bullying.

The association between C-reactive protein and neuroimaging findings in mood disorders: A review of structural and diffusion MRI studies

BACKGROUND

Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), often share structural brain alterations, which may be linked to peripheral inflammation. In this regard, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) has been associated with these alterations. This review explores the relationship between CRP levels and neuroimaging findings in mood disorders using structural and diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted through Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase before September 2024, focusing on studies evaluating associations between CRP levels and structural and/or microstructural brain alterations in mood disorders.

RESULTS

The present systematic review included 20 studies examining the associations between peripheral CRP levels or DNA methylation-based CRP (DNAm CRP) signatures and structural brain alterations in mood disorders. Findings showed considerable variability; however, consistent patterns emerged, linking higher CRP levels to reduced grey matter volumes and cortical thinning, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, insula, and caudate. Diffusion-based imaging consistently indicated reduced white matter integrity, with significant effects in key tracts such as the internal capsule, cingulum bundle, and corpus callosum (CC).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these findings suggest that systemic inflammation, reflected by elevated CRP or DNAm CRP, contributes to structural alterations indicative of neurodegeneration and compromised axonal integrity in mood disorders. Discrepancies among studies highlight potential influences of disease severity, treatment history, and distinct inflammatory mediators. Future research employing standardized imaging protocols and longitudinal designs is essential to clarify inflammation's mechanistic roles and identify reliable biomarkers of structural brain alterations in mood disorders.

Adaptive changes in infant emotion regulation persist three months following birthing parent receipt of cognitive behavioral therapy for postpartum depression

BACKGROUND

Infants exposed to postpartum depression (PPD) exhibit more emotion regulatory (ER) difficulties than infants who are not. While treatments for PPD that include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may adaptively alter infant ER immediately following treatment, it is unclear if these improvements persist.

METHODS

This study examined if adaptive changes in infant ER persisted three months after their birthing parent completed 9-weeks of CBT for PPD. We used data from n = 35 case infants (of birthing parents diagnosed with a postpartum major depressive disorder), and n = 33 healthy control infants (born to non-depressed birthing parents and matched to case infants on age, sex and family SES). A multimethod assessment of infant ER included resting-state frontal EEG asymmetry (FA), high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), and birthing parent- and partner-reported temperamental positive affect (PA). Infant ER was examined at three study visits (V1 occurred before CBT/at baseline for control infants, V2 took place immediately after CBT (9-weeks later), and V3 was three months after V2).

RESULTS

Three months after birthing parent CBT (V3), infants continued to exhibit greater left FA relative to pre-treatment [∆meanV1 to V3 = 0.19, [SE = 0.082], p = 0.02]-the pre-to-post treatment shift from right to left FA remained statistically significant at V3). HF-HRV at V3 also increased relative to pre-treatment [∆mV1 to V3 = 0.81, [0.19], p < 0.001], as did PA reported by birthing parents [∆mV1 to V3 = 0.64, [0.16], p < 0.001] and their partners [∆mV1 to V3 = 0.54, [0.18], p = 0.004]. No ER measures differed between case and control infants at the three-month visit.

CONCLUSIONS

Treating PPD may set infants on a persistent adaptive ER trajectory.

Identifying embodied risk and protective factors in mothers with postpartum depression and comorbidities using Parental Embodied Mentalizing Assessment™

BACKGROUND

Clinically, postpartum depression (PPD) is frequently diagnosed with maternal comorbid mental disorders (postpartum anxiety, PPA; personality disorders, PDs) in mothers. Its association with impaired Parental Embodied Mentalizing (PEM) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate embodied risk and protective factors of parental mentalizing in PPD-mothers. More risk factors and fewer protective factors were hypothesized as a function of comorbidities.

METHOD

Sixty-eight mothers with infants aged 3-10 months were examined using the Parental Embodied Mentalizing Assessment™ (PEMA™) on a 5-minute videotaped free-play interaction. Six subgroups were compared according to DSM-IV diagnoses: PPD; PPD and PPA; PPD and Borderline PD (BPD); PPD, PPA, and BPD; PPD and other PDs; and PPD, PPA, and other PDs.

RESULTS

Overall, variable subgroup differences were observed (d = 0.9-1.09): PPD-mothers demonstrated the highest and PPD-mothers with BPD the lowest protective factors, in particular Sustained Presence. PPD-mothers with PPA and other PDs showed the lowest interactive Repair, and PPD-mothers with other PDs the highest Connectivity. There were no substantial group differences in risk factors. However, PPD-mothers with BPD displayed the highest Teasing and Objectification, i.e., treating the infant as an inanimate object.

CONCLUSION

In the case of PPD, comorbidities must be taken into account, as they primarily impact the protective character of the mother's embodied communication during infancy. Comorbid BPD is associated with fewer protective and more risk factors, whereas comorbid PPA and/or other PDs are associated with increased over-control. Further research is needed to validate the PEMA™ factors, including a non-clinical control group.

Adverse childhood experiences with physical, depressive, and cognitive multimorbidity among Chinese adults and the mediating role of loneliness

Little is known about the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and physical, depressive, and cognitive (PDC) disorders and their multimorbidity. Moreover, no study has assessed whether loneliness mediates any such associations. Using a nationally population-based study in China, we aimed to investigate the associations between ACES and PDC disorders and their multimorbidity among 11,124 middle-aged and older adults. Eight categories of outcomes including no disorders, physical disorder, depressive symptoms, cognitive disorder, and their four combinations were assessed. Twelve ACES indicators were measured using a validated questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression and stratification analyses were performed to explore the association between ACES and PDC disorders and their multimorbidity, as well as potential modifiers. Mediate analyses were applied to examine the potential pathways via loneliness. Of the 11,124 individuals (45.8 % women, mean [SD] age: 60.1 [8.9] years), 79.3 % had at least one ACE. Compared with individuals without ACES, those who had four or more ACES had elevated risks of PDC disorders and their multimorbidity. The estimated odds ratios (OR) were 2.95 (95 % CI: 2.46-3.54) for physical-depressive multimorbidity, 1.59 (1.28-1.98) for physical-cognitive multimorbidity, 2.58 (2.01-3.31) for depressive-cognitive multimorbidity, and 2.91 (2.15-3.96) for PDC multimorbidity, respectively. There is an exposure-response relationship between cumulative ACES with different outcomes. These associations were mediated by loneliness, with a mediation proportion varying from 8.7 % to 32.5 %. However, no significant modification was observed by sex, age, educational level, and childhood economic status. Our findings provided important insights for reducing childhood adversity to prevent chronic multimorbidity.

Effects of postural loading during static posture holding on concurrent executive function task performance

This study investigated the effects of postural loading during static posture holding on the performance of concurrent executive function tasks. Three executive function tasks, the letter memory, number-letter, and Stroop tasks, were employed for updating, shifting, and inhibition, respectively. Static posture holding involved three levels of postural loading (PL1, PL2, and PL3), corresponding to OWAS classes 1, 2, and 4, respectively. Increased postural loading resulted in decreased performance across tasks. At PL2 and PL3, compared to PL1, total score in the letter memory task decreased by 4.56% and 13.68%, switch trial reaction time in the number-letter task increased by 1.47% and 15.63%, and incongruent trial reaction time in the Stroop task increased by 4.15% and 13.44%. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between postural loading and executive functions, and offer valuable insights into how managing postural demands may enhance cognitive task performance.

Factor Analytic Adaptation Study of the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS) in Senior Nursing Students

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Reflection is a cyclical and iterative learning process that incorporates critically analyzing experiences, deriving lessons, establishing learning objectives, and implementing newly acquired knowledge in similar situations. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS) among nursing students.

METHODS

This study is a factor analytic investigation with a nested cross-sectional design. This study included 252 fourth-year nursing students and was carried out between 10 March 2024 and 10 May 2024. Data analysis was conducted using the Content Validity Index (CVI), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and item-total score correlation.

RESULTS

The Turkish version of the GRAS consists of 23 items divided into three sub-dimensions: self-reflection, empathic reflection, and reflective communication. The internal consistency and reliability of the overall scale and its three sub-dimensions were acceptable. The three-factor construct validity of the Turkish version, identified through Exploratory Factor Analysis, was successfully confirmed with Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

CONCLUSION

The Turkish version of the GRAS is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating reflective practice skills among fourth-year nursing students in Türkiye.

IMPLICATIONS

Nursing Practice: Evaluating reflective practice skills plays an important role in enhancing nursing students' critical thinking and their ability to provide patient-centered care. Policy Development and Implementation: Institutional policies should prioritize the standardized evaluation of reflective abilities within nursing education to maintain consistency and effectiveness. Education: Integrating reflection-based strategies into nursing curricula promotes self-awareness and professional growth.

FUTURE RESEARCH

Further studies should investigate the long-term influence of structured reflection on clinical competence and patient outcomes.

Association of optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience with life engagement among middle-aged and older adults with severe climate anxiety: Sensitivity of a path model

BACKGROUND

Life engagement is an important proxy of successful ageing that may depend on psychological capital factors (e.g., optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience), especially among older adults with severe climate anxiety. This study aimed to assess the association of optimism with life engagement and ascertain whether this relationship is mediated by self-efficacy and resilience among older adults with severe climate anxiety.

METHODS

The data came from the Climate Psychology in Ageing Study 2024, a national survey involving 3994 middle-aged and older adults aged 50 years or over in Ghana. Multistage sampling was used to select the participants across Ghanaian cities, and the Climate Anxiety Scale was used to classify participants into severe, moderate, or mild climate anxiety. A path analysis (through structural equation modelling) was used to quantify the association. The sensitivity of the path model was investigated with data on moderate and mild climate anxiety.

RESULTS

Optimism was associated with higher life engagement among older adults with severe and moderate climate anxiety but not among those with mild climate anxiety. Self-efficacy and resilience partially mediated the association of optimism with life engagement among older adults with severe and moderate climate anxiety but fully mediated this relationship among older adults with mild climate anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Psychological capital may be more strongly associated with life engagement among older adults with severe climate anxiety, and policy-driven human development programmes enhancing this capital can facilitate life engagement.

Association between loneliness and suicidality among general populations and persons with depressive and bipolar disorders: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Loneliness and suicidality are interrelated phenomena. Several studies suggest that they often co-exist, but the magnitude is unclear. This systematic review aims to analyze this association in general population samples of varying age groups and persons with depressive and bipolar disorders.

METHODS

Search terms in this review included words related to loneliness and suicidality among general populations and depressive and bipolar disorders. Databases included PubMed, PsychINFO, and Web of Science. The search occurred up until May 27, 2024. Screening and data extraction were performed independently. Studies were categorized by age group or clinical diagnosis. Quality assessments were conducted using NIH tools.

RESULTS

Fifty-six studies met eligibility criteria: 52 involved general population samples and 4 involved patients with depressive or bipolar disorders. In healthy adults aged 18 to 64, loneliness mainly showed a moderate positive correlation with suicidality (r = 0.26 to 0.59), while correlations in older adults (aged 65+) (r = 0.498) and in adolescents aged 13-17 were weaker. In depressive and bipolar disorders, correlations ranged from weak to moderate (r = -0.06 to 0.40), with associations stronger in unadjusted models (UOR = 2.8 to 7.07). Furthermore, some studies suggested that depressive symptoms mediate the association between loneliness and suicidality.

CONCLUSION

A moderate and positive association was observed between loneliness and suicidality in healthy adults and patients with depressive disorders. However, the role of bipolar disorders in the association remains unclear. Practitioners should routinely evaluate persons living with depressive or bipolar disorders for loneliness as part of a comprehensive assessment.

Recent potential traumatic events and high PTSD-symptom levels are not associated with an increase in negative beliefs or expectations about oneself: A prospective, comparative, population-based study

BACKGROUND

Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself is one of the symptoms of PTSD (DSM-5), but the extent to which recent potential traumatic events (PTEs) increase these beliefs is largely unknown.

METHODS

To examine this effect, a two-wave prospective study design (T1-T2) was applied. We extracted data from the Victims in Modern Society (VICTIMS)-study assessing PTEs and PTSD-symptomatology and the Core study Personality assessing self-esteem (2018-2023), that were conducted with the population-based Dutch LISS panel. General Linear Models (GLM) were performed to compare the one-year course of self-esteem (T1-T2) among adult respondents exposed to PTEs (N = 754) between T1 and T2 and a non-exposed comparison group (N = 4918). Intercorrelations of self-esteem (T1-T2) within subgroups were compared using Fisher Z-Transformation.

LIMITATIONS

We did not examine potentially delayed effects of PTEs on self-esteem after T2.

RESULTS

The course of self-esteem did not differ between the comparison group and PTE groups with and without high PTSD-symptom levels (PTSS), although the last group had a lower self-esteem. Within the PTE group, those with higher levels of the PTSD-symptom 'negative beliefs about oneself' did not differ in the course of self-esteem, although they had a lower self-esteem. Intercorrelations of self-esteem were high and hardly differed between subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no evidence that PTEs and PTSS systematically increase negative beliefs about oneself. Affected adult respondents with PTSS already had lower pre-event self-esteem levels. Findings question the diagnostic utility of the DSM-5 criterion referring to negative beliefs or expectations about oneself.

Trans-Cending the Mononormativity of Relationship Therapy: An Intersectional Framework for Increasing Competency

According to disciplinary standards, therapists offering relationship and family therapy are ethically obligated to inform their work with published knowledge about specific client factors to practice competently. Relationship and family therapy research and resources, however, generally lack flexibility in their application to relationships that aren't captured by dominant discourses of relationship composition. The challenges many therapists face in working with clients who have multiple marginalized identities are most often located within the individuals and relationships (rather than within the lack of systemic support available to inform competent practice). In response, we propose an intentionally intersectional structure a therapist could follow to systemically analyze, synthesize, and utilize currently available research toward more ethically and responsively competent practice and apply it to transgender and nonbinary clients in consensually nonmonogamous relationships.

Dynamics of COVID-19 crisis management in hospitals and its long-term effects: An analysis using organizational resilience

This empirical and qualitative study focuses on COVID-19 crisis management in a French hospital, analyzing it from the perspective of organizational resilience to understand its evolution over time. The study identifies adaptation factors during pandemic management, supported by success factors, and it also identifies difficulty factors associated with resilience. These factors are analyzed at the different waves of the pandemic to understand the evolution of organizational resilience across various crisis management temporalities. The results highlight how certain factors initially considered as resilience capabilities, evolve to become vulnerability factors of the sociotechnical system, in particular due to their impacts on healthcare personnel.

From anxiety to depression: A longitudinal investigation into the role of anhedonia

Anxiety and depression are highly comorbid with each other, warranting a need to better understand transdiagnostic mechanisms. Anhedonia has been hypothesized as a transdiagnostic mechanism but has often been investigated as a unidimensional factor. Thus, the current study examined how anticipatory and consummatory anhedonia, including how they interact with anxiety, predict next-week depression. Participants (N = 101) completed weekly assessments of anxiety, depression, and anhedonia. Using an iterative approach, we constructed four models to investigate independent and interactive effects of prior-week anxiety and anhedonia on next-week depression, as well as the effects of depression and anhedonia on anxiety. Our results indicate that anticipatory anhedonia is associated with next-week depression, and the association between anxiety and depression is greater when anticipatory anhedonia is high. The current findings provide insight into the transdiagnostic nature of anticipatory anhedonia between anxiety and depression. Future work should investigate how these associations may unfold over shorter time periods.

'Nothing to lose or a world to win': Reconsidering efficacy, legitimacy, political trust and repression in confrontational collective action

Confrontational collective actions are neither uncontrolled outbursts of initially pacifist resistance nor mere reactions to helplessness and lack of viable political options. Instead, they serve strategically determined purposes within the group, making them perceived as both effective and legitimate. Regardless of whether it is more or less confrontational, examining the role of efficacy and legitimacy of actions that are committed to achieving group goals is crucial for understanding the appeal of collective action strategies. We examined the role of political trust and protest repression in predicting the legitimacy of protest violence and the perceived efficacy of confrontational and non-confrontational collective actions and, in turn, their role in confrontational collective action. Across three correlational studies conducted in Germany, Turkey and the United Kingdom (N = 3833), the legitimacy of protest violence and the efficacy of confrontational tactics were core determinants of confrontational collective actions. While low political trust did not directly predict confrontational action, it predicted heightened protest repression and the legitimacy of protest violence. Our findings challenge the nothing-to-lose hypothesis by demonstrating that confrontational actions are not driven by the low efficacy of non-confrontational strategies or low political trust, and people may perceive both confrontational and non-confrontational actions as similarly effective.

Unravelling the associations between dissociation and emotion (dys)regulation: A multidimensional meta-analytic review

BACKGROUND

The relationship between dissociation features, maladaptive regulation strategies, and emotional dysregulation is a controversial issue. This meta-analytic review provides a comprehensive and multidimensional overview of the association between aspects of dissociation and emotional (dys)regulation.

METHODS

We conducted systematic research on the main databases (Psycinfo, PsycARTICLES, Pubmed, MEDLINE, Scopus), collecting the literature of the last 20 years. A total of 120 studies were included in the meta-analytic review. The analyses were based on the Pearson coefficient as a measure of the size of the effect, using the random effect model and performing moderation analysis.

RESULTS

Results showed significant relationships between emotion (dys)regulation and the different facets of dissociation. Overall, we observed stronger associations between deficits in emotion regulation/maladaptive regulating strategies, rather than alexithymia, and dissociation, supporting the prior involvement of emotional dimensions in dissociative experiences.

CONCLUSIONS

This work confirms the connection between emotion (dys)regulation and dissociation, revealing differential patterns according to the specific assessed dimensions and, thus, providing a systematization of the associations between specific aspects of the examined constructs.

The empirical status of implicit emotion regulation in mood and anxiety disorders: A meta-analytic review

Strategies to successfully regulate negative emotions may be hindered by maladaptive implicit emotion processing tendencies. And while implicit emotion regulation is known to be impaired in many psychiatric disorders, contradictory findings exist within the empirical literature. Therefore, a meta-analysis of implicit emotion regulation in mood and anxiety disorders (major depressive disorder [MDD], bipolar disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) was performed. Systematic literature searches were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and BrainMap for articles published between 2011 and 2024, and inclusion criteria included internationally recognised diagnostic measures (i.e., DSM-5). A total of 23 clinical studies were identified, and using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, 21 studies were of excellent quality. Small to medium effect sizes were reported in patients across measures of accuracy (patients [n = 428] vs. controls [n = 412], standardised mean difference [SMD] -0.39, 95% CI [-0.57 to -0.21], p < .0001) and response latency (patients [n = 477] vs. controls [n = 428], SMD 0.38, 95% CI [0.22 to 0.54], p < .0001). The pooled effects of reduced accuracy and longer reaction times in patients were confirmed by separate sub-group analyses for mood and anxiety disorders, with MDD and PTSD reporting the largest effects. Regarding publication bias, Egger's regression test did not indicate funnel plot asymmetry. Recommendations for future research include investigation of dysfunctional implicit emotion regulation as a transdiagnostic characteristic of psychiatric disorders within the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework.

The role of perceived self-transcendence values in forming functional relationships with professionals

Existing research into values and relationship formation highlights the role of individuals' own values or value similarity between the parties. We consider the formation of functional relationships with professionals, which cannot be fully explained by documented value-based mechanisms. Instead, we examine the role of professionals' values as perceived by others. We study two occupations that require forming relationships yet are characterized by opposing value profiles: therapists and managers, who are prototypically high in self-transcendence and self-enhancement values, respectively. We show that: (a) client-therapist and employee-manager relationships are stronger the more the professional is perceived as prioritizing self-transcendence (Study 1, N = 191, USA); (b) perceived self-transcendence of managers contributes to relationship quality beyond employee personal values and employee-manager value similarity (Study 2, N = 177, IL); and (c) perceptions of warmth mediate the link between perceived self-transcendence and relationship formation (Study 3, N = 297, USA). Our discussion further highlights the importance of perceived values.

Cognitive benefits of music in aerobic exercise: Evidence from a Bayesian network meta-analysis in adults with mild cognitive impairment

Aerobic exercise improves cognitive functions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), while dance, combining music and synchronized movement, offers additional cognitive benefits. Despite music's potential role in enhancing cognitive outcomes, most research on aerobic exercise has not considered the impact of accompanying music. This review compared the effectiveness of aerobic exercise with music, aerobic exercise without music, and dance on cognitive function in adults with MCI. A total of 38 papers from 25 randomized controlled trials (N = 2048) were synthesized. The multilevel meta-analyses showed that compared to the control group, global cognition was improved by aerobic exercise with music (g = 1.2 [0.47, 1.94]), aerobic exercise without music (g = 0.48 [0.18, 0.79]), and dance (g = 0.55 [0.13, 0.96]). Dance also enhanced short-term memory (g = 0.41 [0.24, 0.59]), learning efficiency (g = 0.39 [0.14, 0.65]), and retrieval fluency (g = 0.7 [0.19, 1.22]). Bayesian network meta-analyses indicated that aerobic exercise with music had the highest probability of being the most effective for improving global cognition, executive function, and processing speed. Dance was likely to be the most beneficial for enhancing short-term memory, learning efficiency, and retrieval fluency. This study supports that incorporating music in exercise amplifies the cognitive benefits beyond exercise alone for individuals with MCI. The "Music Exercise Synergy Model" is proposed to explain the cognitive benefits of combining music with exercise. Dance strategically uses music for coordination, offering psychological, social, cognitive, and neurobiological benefits and contributing to the observed enhancements in memory functions.

MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder caused by exposure to severe traumatic life events. Currently, there are no validated biomarkers or laboratory tests that can distinguish between trauma survivors with and without post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, the heterogeneity of clinical presentations of post-traumatic stress disorder and the overlap of symptoms with other conditions can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Evidence suggests that this condition is a multisystem disorder that affects many biological systems, raising the possibility that peripheral markers of disease may be used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder. We performed a PubMed search for microRNAs (miRNAs) in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that could serve as diagnostic biomarkers and found 18 original research articles on studies performed with human patients and published January 2012 to December 2023. These included four studies with whole blood, seven with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, four with plasma extracellular vesicles/exosomes, and one with serum exosomes. One of these studies had also used whole plasma. Two studies were excluded as they did not involve microRNA biomarkers. Most of the studies had collected samples from adult male Veterans who had returned from deployment and been exposed to combat, and only two were from recently traumatized adult subjects. In measuring miRNA expression levels, many of the studies had used microarray miRNA analysis, miRNA Seq analysis, or NanoString panels. Only six studies had used real time polymerase chain reaction assay to determine/validate miRNA expression in PTSD subjects compared to controls. The miRNAs that were found/validated in these studies may be considered as potential candidate biomarkers for PTSD and include miR-3130-5p in whole blood; miR-193a-5p, -7113-5p, -125a, -181c, and -671-5p in peripheral blood mononuclear cells; miR-10b-5p, -203a-3p, -4488, -502-3p, -874-3p, -5100, and -7641 in plasma extracellular vesicles/exosomes; and miR-18a-3p and -7-1-5p in blood plasma. Several important limitations identified in the studies need to be taken into account in future studies. Further studies are warranted with war veterans and recently traumatized children, adolescents, and adults having PTSD and use of animal models subjected to various stressors and the effects of suppressing or overexpressing specific microRNAs.

Children's evaluations of direct and indirect bias justifications for same-race inclusion

Different forms of prejudice emerge in childhood, often referred to as direct and indirect bias. Little is known about children's evaluations of whether certain forms of bias are more okay than others, particularly in the context of peer and parental messages about interracial social inclusion. To address this gap, the current study investigated how Black and White American children aged 6 to 12 years (N = 219; Mage = 9.18 years, SD = 1.90; 51% female) evaluate vignettes in which a Black or White peer opted to include a same-race peer due to indirect bias (preferences for in-group similarity) or direct bias (expressions of out-group dislike). Data were collected in 2021 and 2022. Children evaluated same-race inclusion due to expressions of out-group dislike more negatively than same-race inclusion due to in-group similarity preference. They also evaluated same-race inclusion due to a preference for in-group similarity stated by peers more negatively than when stated by parents. Children evaluated same-race inclusion due to parental preference more positively when the child who included a same-race peer was Black than when the child who included a same-race peer was White. Participants who negatively evaluated same-race inclusion due to parental preference were more likely to use moral reasoning to justify their evaluations, whereas participants who positively evaluated this inclusion were more likely to use non-moral reasoning. This study revealed novel insights about how Black and White American children evaluate forms of direct and indirect bias as justifications for same-race inclusion and how their reasoning relates to their evaluations.

Moderate drinking benefits cognitive health in middle-aged and older Chinese: A latent class growth model analysis based on CHARLS

While alcohol use among older population is linked to various health risks, recent studies indicate potential benefits from moderate consumption, highlighting a contentious debate regarding its impact on health in this demographic. This study aims to identify distinct trajectories of alcohol use among middle-aged and older adults in China and examine their associations with multidimensional health outcomes, including cardiovascular, cognitive, and psychological health. This study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), tracking a sample of 10,927 participants (54.33 % female; mean age = 57.61, SD = 8.95) through five waves of data collection. Latent Class Growth Modeling (LCGM) was employed to analyze alcohol use trajectories. Health outcomes were assessed through self-reported health measures and clinical data including lipoprotein levels. Four distinct alcohol use trajectories were identified: Moderate (6.3 %), Decreasing (11.0 %), Increasing (6.9 %), and Constantly Low (75.8 %). The Moderate trajectory was associated with significant higher cognitive scores compared to Increasing (p = .027) and Constantly Low group (p = .012). Moreover, higher levels of high density lipoprotein were linked with the Increasing and Decreasing trajectories, suggesting a protective cardiovascular effect. The findings highlight the complexity of alcohol use behaviors among older adults in China and underscore the need for targeted health interventions. Understanding the nuanced impacts of different drinking patterns on multidimensional health outcomes can aid in developing more effective public health strategies and clinical practices tailored to the needs of aging populations. Further research is recommended to explore the causal relationships and long-term health impacts of these trajectories.

Day-to-day dynamics of facial emotion expressions in posttraumatic stress disorder

Facial expressions are an essential component of emotions that may reveal mechanisms maintaining posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, most research on emotions in PTSD has relied on self-reports, which only capture subjective affect. The few studies on outward emotion expressions have been hampered by methodological limitations, including low ecological validity and failure to capture the dynamic nature of emotions and symptoms. Our study addresses these limitations with an approach that has not been applied to psychopathology: person-specific models of day-to-day facial emotion expression and PTSD symptom dynamics. We studied a sample of World Trade Center responders (N = 112) with elevated PTSD pathology who recorded a daily video diary and self-reported symptoms for 90 days (8953 videos altogether). Facial expressions were detected from video recordings with a facial emotion recognition model. In data-driven, idiographic network models, most participants (80 %) had at least one, reliable expression-symptom link. Six expression-symptom dynamics were significant for >10 % of the sample. Each of these dynamics had statistically meaningful heterogeneity, with some people's symptoms related to over-expressivity and others to under-expressivity. Our results provide the foundation for a more complete understanding of emotions in PTSD that not only includes subjective feelings but also outward emotion expressions.

Sounds of Hidden Agents: The Development of Causal Reasoning About Musical Sounds

Listening to music activates representations of movement and social agents. Why? We test whether causal reasoning plays a role, and find that from childhood, people can intuitively reason about how musical sounds were generated, inferring the events and agents that caused the sounds. In Experiment 1 (N = 120, pre-registered), 6-year-old children and adults inferred the presence of an unobserved animate agent from hearing musical sounds, by integrating information from the sounds' timing with knowledge of the visual context. Thus, children inferred that an agent was present when the sounds would require self-propelled movement to produce, given the current visual context (e.g., unevenly-timed notes, from evenly-spaced xylophone bars). Consistent with Bayesian causal inference, this reasoning was flexible, allowing people to make inferences not only about unobserved agents, but also the structure of the visual environment in which sounds were produced (in Experiment 2, N = 114). Across experiments, we found evidence of developmental change: Younger children ages 4-5 years failed to integrate auditory and visual information, focusing solely on auditory features (Experiment 1) and failing to connect sounds to visual contexts that produced them (Experiment 2). Our findings support a developmental account in which before age 6, children's reasoning about the causes of musical sounds is limited by failure to integrate information from multiple modalities when engaging in causal reasoning. By age 6, children and adults integrate auditory information with other knowledge to reason about how musical sounds were generated, and thereby link musical sounds with the agents, contexts, and events that caused them.

Ultrasonographic and elastographic evaluation of the canine cervix across oestrous cycle stages

This study evaluated B-mode ultrasonography and ultrasound elastography (UEl) for detecting structural and consistency changes in the canine cervix across the oestrous cycle, as the use of ultrasonographic techniques for this purpose remains underexplored. The present study aims to assess cervical features via ultrasound, acknowledging the critical role of the cervix in the canine oestrus cycle. Thirty-five bitches were evaluated during pro-oestrus, pre-ovulatory oestrus, peri-ovulatory oestrus, dioestrus and anoestrus. Progesterone levels, clinical signs, vaginoscopy and cytology were used to define the oestrous cycle phase. Cervical length, diameter, and the elastographic index (ElI) were measured, and the elastographic ratio (ElR) was calculated to compare cervical stiffness to the surrounding tissue. Cervical length and diameter values were observed to be higher during the pre-ovulatory and peri-ovulatory phases of oestrus (p < 0.05). ElI values in anoestrus were similar to dioestrus and significantly higher than pro-oestrus and pre-ovulatory oestrus (p < 0.05), reflecting greater cervical stiffness in anoestrus and dioestrus, while pro-oestrus and pre-ovulatory phases showed softer tissues. These findings underscore the utility of elastography in quantifying cervical tissue consistency and its correlation with hormonal influences, providing a novel diagnostic perspective for a more comprehensive understanding of reproductive health.

On the relation between single word and multiple word processing during learning to read

The current study investigated the development of single word processing and multiple word processing skills in French-speaking children from Grade 2 to Grade 6. A total of 150 children participated in two tasks: a Lexical Decision Task (LDT) and a Grammatical Decision Task (GDT). The LDT was used to test single word processing abilities, whereas the GDT was used to test multiple word processing abilities, with stimuli presented at varying display times (LDT: 83-300 ms; GDT: 150-700 ms). Signal detection theory analysis revealed that all children performed well in the LDT, whereas only Grade 4 and Grade 6 children performed above chance in the GDT. A cluster analysis was used to investigate the different types of relation between sensitivity (d') in the LDT and GDT. The analysis revealed two clusters that differed in reading fluency and sensitivity in both tasks. Children from Cluster 2, who exhibited the highest sensitivity in the LDT, were the only ones to perform on average above the chance level in the GDT. Moreover, a strong correlation (r = .64) between LDT and GDT performance was found in this group. Finally, we found that a sensitivity of 1.95 in the LDT almost perfectly predicted cluster membership. Such sensitivity was achieved at Grade 3, suggesting that the ability to process multiple word sequences first requires sufficient efficiency in processing words in isolation. Once this turning point is reached, single word processing skills support the development of multiple word processing, which could take several years to mature fully.

Weight loss methods and risk of depression: Evidence from the NHANES 2005-2018 cohort

BACKGROUND

Weight loss behaviors are increasingly common worldwide. While healthy weight loss methods, such as calorie control and exercise, can improve both physical and mental health, harmful practices-such as extreme dieting and the misuse of diet pills-may contribute to depressive symptoms. Understanding the psychological impact of different weight loss strategies is essential for promoting overall well-being.

METHODOLOGY

Data from 9334 non-pregnant participants aged 20-79 years from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. The sample consisted of 60.72 % women and 39.28 % men, with a median age of 47 years and a median BMI of 28.84. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-9 scale. Weight loss methods were categorized into healthy practices (e.g., calorie control, exercise) and harmful practices (e.g., extreme dieting, diet pills). Logistic regression models were applied, adjusting for demographic and health factors.

RESULTS

Protective methods, including switching to lower-calorie foods (OR = 0.80, 95 % CI = 0.68-0.94), exercising (OR = 0.61, 95 % CI = 0.53-0.72), and eating more fruits and vegetables (OR = 0.78, 95 % CI = 0.66-0.92), were associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms. In contrast, harmful methods such as skipping meals (OR = 1.71, 95 % CI = 1.45-2.02), using diet pills (OR = 1.90, 95 % CI = 1.34-2.69), and vomiting (OR = 2.61, 95 % CI = 1.62-4.21) increased the risk of depressive symptoms. The number of harmful methods was positively correlated with increased depressive symptom risk (OR = 2.72, 95 % CI = 2.09-3.54), while a higher number of protective methods was linked to a decreased risk (OR = 0.50, 95 % CI = 0.37-0.68).

CONCLUSION

The emotional impact of weight loss practices is significant. Healthy weight loss strategies, such as exercise and calorie control, reduce the risk of depressive symptoms, whereas harmful methods increase the risk. These findings underscore the importance of promoting safe and sustainable weight loss methods to protect both physical and mental health.

Predicting time, shaping control: Unveiling age-related effects of temporal predictability on the dynamics of cognitive control in 5- to 14-year-old children

Understanding how individuals learn to synchronize actions with the temporal structure of their environment is crucial for understanding goal-directed behavior. This study investigated the effects of temporal predictability on cognitive control and action regulation in children aged 5 to 14 years. In our temporally cued version of the Simon task, children were explicitly informed that visual cues would either predict (temporal cues) or not predict (neutral cues) the onset of a target. They used this information to respond to lateralized targets when the target position was either compatible or incompatible with the response hand. Temporal cues speeded reaction times (RTs) to compatible targets in the older (11- to 14-year-old) children and induced a greater number of fast impulsive errors to incompatible targets across all age groups. This pattern replicates previous results in adults and demonstrates that knowing when an event is likely to occur induces a fast, although impulsive, response style. Surprisingly, in the youngest age group (5- and 6-year-olds), temporal cues speeded RTs to incompatible, as well as compatible, targets and helped children to inhibit fast impulsive errors to incompatible targets more efficiently. In summary, the youngest children appeared to effectively leverage the information conveyed by temporal cues to mitigate impulsive response tendencies. However, the benefits of temporal cues on impulse control started to diminish from 7 years of age, when children begin to show more mature inhibitory patterns. Nevertheless, by 11 years of age children achieve performance comparable to that of adults, with faster responses to compatible targets and impulsive responses to incompatible targets.

Exploring serotonergic psychedelics as a treatment for personality disorders

Both psychotherapeutic interventions and pharmacological agents have demonstrated limited efficacy in the treatment of personality disorders (PDs). Emerging evidence suggests that psychedelic therapy, already showing promise in treating various psychiatric conditions commonly comorbid with PDs, may exert therapeutic effects by promoting adaptive changes in personality. Thus, psychedelic therapy could hold potential for addressing core features of PDs through shared mechanisms of personality modulation. Although historical literature and observational studies suggest the potential clinical utility of psychedelics in treating PDs, rigorous research is lacking, and individuals with PDs are often excluded from modern psychedelic therapy trials. In the present review, we first discuss research on the effects of psychedelics in individuals with a PD through the conventional lens of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR) categorical model. Next, using the dimensional DSM Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (DSM-AMPD) as a framework, we examine how psychedelics may affect self-functioning, interpersonal functioning, and pathological personality traits. We conclude by discussing the clinical relevance of psychedelic therapy as a treatment for personality pathology, including safety considerations, gaps and limitations, and recommendations for approaching psychedelic therapy within these more complex clinical populations.

Does changing behavioral intentions engender actual behavior change? The context of coastal ecological engineering

Environmental communication effectively influences environmental intentions, yet its ability to translate these intentions into actual behavior changes remains understudied, especially in coastal ecological engineering contexts. This study investigates this potential inconsistency by employing the intention-behavior gap concept and examining the impact of four distinct informational interventions: social pressure, negative framing, positive framing, and emotion. Based on a between-subject experiment and the data from 5258 participants, our findings revealed that information conveying social pressure, positive framing, and emotional appeals significantly increased participants' intentions in comparison to the control group. However, none of the information interventions significantly affected actual behavior in support of ecological engineering. Consequently, social pressure, positive framing, and emotion information slightly yet significantly enlarge the intention-behavior gap. Additionally, our results suggest that positive framing surpasses negative framing in eliciting supportive intentions for ecological engineering. Finally, different types of past behaviors appear to influence subsequent actions through different mechanisms.

Strength development following a six-week risk reduction athletic development training program in men and women

This study retrospectively evaluated data from an athlete management system on the impact of a 6-week, 12-session risk-reduction athletic development training program on maximal isometric strength in post-rehabilitative and healthy men and women. Maximal isometric quadriceps and hamstrings strength were evaluated bilaterally before and after the training program. Out of 55 athletes that had participated in the program, a total of 37 athletes' (13-28 years old) recorded outcomes were utilized in analyses. Thirty-one athletes had undergone rehabilitation (post-rehabilitative athletes) after orthopedic knee surgeries. Six athletes with no previous surgeries performed (healthy athletes) also completed the 6-week program. Repeated measures analyses of variance (leg × time) assessed changes in quadriceps and hamstrings strength at an alpha of p ​≤ ​0.05. There was a main effect for time where the post-rehabilitative athletes' quadriceps and hamstrings strength increased by (mean difference ​± ​standard error) (4.2 ​± ​0.7) kg (p ​< ​0.01) and (4.5 ​± ​0.9) kg (p ​< ​0.01) respectively, with legs (operative [OP]) and non-operative [NOP]) combined. With time points combined, the OP limb was weaker than the NOP limb for quadriceps strength by (2.9 ​± ​0.7) kg (p ​< ​0.01) with no differences in hamstrings strength. For the healthy athletes, there were no changes for quadriceps strength and hamstring strength improved across time by (5.3 ​± ​1.4) kg (p ​= ​0.01) with legs combined. In conclusion, there were improvements in post-rehabilitative and healthy athletes' isometric strength after the training program. However, between-limb strength asymmetries were still apparent in the post-rehabilitation cohort.

Associations among screen time, depressive symptoms and sleep in early adolescents: A sex-disaggregated cross-lagged network analysis

BACKGROUND

Prior research has established associations among screen time, depressive symptoms, and sleep. However, the nuances of these associations, particularly regarding directionality and sex-specific differences among early adolescents, remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in the longitudinal associations among screen time, depressive symptoms, and sleep at the symptom level during early adolescence.

METHODS

Our cohort consisted of 2987 students (1451 boys at T1; Mage = 10.52 years), who were assessed twice over six-month intervals. Sex-stratified analyses in the network associations among screen time, depressive symptoms, and sleep were examined via a cross-lagged panel network modeling approach.

RESULTS

The results revealed that depressive symptoms such as "feeling unloved" for boys and "sadness" for girls were the most central symptoms with the greatest influence on other symptoms. Furthermore, depressive symptoms such as "crying" and "loneliness" for boys and "self-hatred" and "loneliness" for girls may act as bridge symptoms, significantly forecasting excessive screen time after six months.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings bolster the compensatory internet use theory by suggesting that screen time may function as a coping mechanism for managing depressive symptoms and sleep problems. These findings advance our comprehension of the evolving dynamics among screen time, depressive symptoms, and sleep across sexes over time. The development of targeted prevention and intervention strategies that accommodate these sex differences could be instrumental in curtailing the onset or intensification of problematic screen use among early adolescents.

Implementing depression treatment for cardiac populations in rapidly changing contexts: Design of the hybrid effectiveness-implementation IHEART DEPCARE trial

RATIONALE

Few coronary heart disease (CHD) patients engage in evidence-based depression treatments (ie, antidepressants, therapy, exercise). We present the protocol and analysis plan for a hybrid type II effectiveness-implementation trial evaluating the impact of a theory-informed, multilevel implementation strategy centered around an electronic shared decision making (eSDM)/patient activation tool.

DESIGN

The IHEART DEPCARE Trial uses a pre-post single group, open label design with 4 sites (each with a cluster of cardiology clinics and a cluster of primary care clinics, 8 clusters in total) introduced to the multilevel strategy (ie, single arm) in random order with patients (a pre-implementation cohort and nonoverlapping post-implementation cohort) nested within clinicians, nested within clusters. All primary care and cardiology clinicians at participating clinics are included. The patient sample includes English- and Spanish-speaking CHD patients ≥21 years of age with screen-detected elevated depressive symptoms (ie, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥10) and a scheduled visit during the relevant time period. In the pre-implementation period, CHD patients receive usual care. At the start of each implementation period, a site's behavioral health providers (BHPs) and clinic administrators are invited to problem solving meetings; patients receive an eSDM and patient activation tool that includes psychoeducation, patient activation, and treatment selection support; and clinicians/BHPs receive a summary report of patients' preferences (implementation strategy). During pre- and post-implementation periods, patients are assessed at baseline and 6 months for depressive symptoms, depression treatment intensification, health-related quality of life years, and (at baseline only) patient activation and decisional conflict. The primary effectiveness outcome is change in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up during the post-implementation period compared to pre-implementation period. Key trial design changes, relative to our initial pre-COVID-19 trial protocol, include transition from a stepped wedge design to a single pre- post design randomized to strategy timing, reduction of exclusion criteria, options to bypass clinicians for direct BHP referrals (vs reliance on referrals) and addressing multiplicity in our statistical analysis plan. The trial was launched in April 2019 and is estimated to conclude by July 2025.

DISCUSSION

The IHEART DEPCARE Trial is the first hybrid type II effectiveness-implementation trial to examine the effect of a brief, theory-informed eSDM and patient activation tool strategy on depression treatment uptake and symptoms in CHD patients. Our protocol advances the field of implementation science by incorporating a multilevel (vs single-level) implementation strategy to address depression, highlighting unique challenges of stepped wedge designs and hybrid effectiveness-implementation trials, and demonstrating alternative design approaches.

The mediating role of childhood maltreatment in the association between being left-behind and adolescent anxiety

BACKGROUNDS

Left-behind and separated from parents are common among Chinese adolescents and many developing countries, which may cause maltreatment and mental disorders, especially anxiety. Nevertheless, the comprehensive study in the prevalence of childhood maltreatment and its role in anxiety among left-behind adolescents is still insufficient.

METHODS

A nationally representative middle school sample of 32,620 adolescents participated the pen-paper survey regarding demographics, left-behind status and the source of abuse. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Chinese version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were used to assess anxiety symptoms and maltreatment experience. The analyses in prevalence, risk factors and mediating effects were preformed in SPSS 27.

RESULTS

30,174 valid questionnaires were collected, of which 2748 were left-behind adolescents. 46.4 % of left-behind and 35.6 % of non-left-behind adolescents reported anxiety, and left-behind increased risk of anxiety (OR = 1.180, 95%CI: 1.180-1.286, p < 0.001). In left-behind adolescents, female sex, older age, and maltreatment experience were risk factors of anxiety. Additionally, left-behind adolescents were more likely to suffer serious abuse and all abuse subtypes. The maltreatment almost completely mediated the association between left-behind and anxiety (0.857, 95%bootstrap CI = 0.743, 0.976), of which emotional abuse played the largest role (0.648, CI = 0.547, 0.751), followed by physical neglect, emotional neglect, and sexual abuse.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the prevalence of anxiety and maltreatment in Chinese left-behind adolescents, and suggested that the maltreatment might significantly mediate the anxiety of left-behind adolescents. This may shed a light on other developing countries where the phenomenon of left-behind adolescents exists.

A neural approach to the Turing Test: The role of emotions

As is well known, the Turing Test proposes the possibility of distinguishing the behavior of a machine from that of a human being through an experimental session. The Turing Test assesses whether a person asking questions to two different entities, can tell from their answers which of them is the human being and which is the machine. With the progress of Artificial Intelligence, the number of contexts in which the capacities of response of a machine will be indistinguishable from those of a human being is expected to increase rapidly. In order to configure a Turing Test in which it is possible to distinguish human behavior from machine behavior independently from the advances of Artificial Intelligence, at least in the short-medium term, it would be important to base it not on the differences between man and machine in terms of performance and dialogue capacity, but on some specific characteristic of the human mind that cannot be reproduced by the machine even in principle. We studied a new kind of test based on the hypothesis that such characteristic of the human mind exists and can be made experimentally evident. This peculiar characteristic is the emotional content of human cognition and, more specifically, its link with memory enhancement. To validate this hypothesis we recorded the EEG signals of 39 subjects that underwent a specific test and analyzed their signals with a neural network able to label similar signal patterns with similar binary codes. The results showed that, with a statistically significant difference, the test participants more easily recognized images associated in the past with an emotional reaction than those not associated with such a reaction. This distinction in our view is not accessible to a software system, even AI-based, and a Turing Test based on this feature of the mind may make distinguishable human versus machine responses.

Transformative Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training on the Dynamic Reconfiguration of Executive and Default Mode Networks in Internet Gaming Disorder

Background

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a pervasive global mental health issue, and finding effective treatments for the disorder has been challenging. Mindfulness meditation (MM), recognized for its holistic approach that involves integrating mental and physical facets, holds promise for addressing the multifaceted nature of addiction. Nevertheless, the effect of MM on IGD and its associated neural networks, particularly in terms of their dynamic characteristics, remains elusive.

Methods

A total of 61 eligible participants with IGD (30 in the MM group, 31 in the progressive muscle relaxation [PMR] group) completed the experimental protocol, which involved pretest, an 8-session MM/PMR training regimen, and posttests. The 142 brain regions of interest were categorized into 5 brain networks using dynamic network reconfiguration analysis based on Shen's functional template. A comparative analysis of network dynamic features, including recruitment and integration coefficients, was performed across different groups and tests using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

Results

While clinically nonspecific effects were observed in the PMR group, the MM group exhibited a significant reduction in addiction severity and cravings. In the dynamic brain network, MM training increased the recruitment coefficient within the frontoparietal network (FPN) and basal ganglia network (BGN) but decreased it within the default mode network (DMN). Furthermore, MM training increased the integration coefficient in the FPN-DMN and DMN-limbic network (LN).

Conclusions

MM has demonstrated pronounced efficacy in treating IGD. MM may enhance top-down control functions, cognitive and emotional functions, and reward-system processing, potentially through the reconfiguration of the FPN-DMN pathway, DMN-LN pathway, and BGN.

Adaptiveness of emotion regulation flexibility according to long-term implications

BACKGROUND

The ability to consider the long-term implications of emotional events is integral to mental health and adaptive psychological functioning. However, it remains unclear whether flexibly synchronizing emotion regulation strategies to the long-term implications of emotional events is associated with adaptive outcomes.

METHODS

This ecological momentary assessment study examined how emotion regulation flexibility concerning contextual long-term implications is linked to daily emotional experiences and mental health outcomes. Ninety-eight participants provided 1705 real-time assessments of their perceived long-term implications of ongoing emotional events and reported their use of cognitive change (i.e., reappraisal, benefit-finding, perspective-taking) and attentional deployment strategies (i.e., distraction, refocusing, cognitive avoidance). The adaptiveness of adjusting these strategies based on contextual long-term implications was examined using momentary emotional experiences and measures of psychopathology and well-being as outcomes.

RESULTS

Consistent with models of emotion regulation flexibility, participants who aligned their use of cognitive change and attentional deployment strategies with the perceived long-term significance of events reported more positive daily emotional experiences and lower levels of psychopathology.

LIMITATIONS

Future work should use experimental and longitudinal designs to establish causal pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of accounting for situational long-term implications when evaluating the adaptiveness of regulatory strategies, thereby adding to the growing body of evidence supporting the contextual nature of emotion regulation.

The underlying dynamics of a suicidal ideation latent network model: The role of hopelessness, psychopathology, emotion regulation, and behavioral coping skills in adolescents from the general population

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major cause of death among adolescents, with suicidal ideation (SI) being a common symptom in this group. SI arises from a complex mix of biological, environmental, and psychological factors, however, the specific relationships between them is not yet fully understood. Network theory has been proposed as a promising framework to analyze these relationships, with latent network models (LNM) offering a novel approach to capture their complex underlying dynamics.

METHODS

We examined a SI-based LNM in a sample of 1539 students from secondary public schools (M = 15.336; SD = 1.022; female = 52.39 %). The model included depressive and anxiety symptoms, feelings of hopelessness, emotion regulation strategies, and cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills. Strength and expected influence indices were calculated for each variable.

RESULTS

Hopelessness and depressive symptoms showed the highest strength and expected influence values within the model, respectively. Our findings suggest that hopelessness might play a crucial mediating role linking common mental disorders and emotion regulation strategies with SI in adolescents. Expressive suppression had a direct and negative association with SI, showing its underlying regulatory role when other factors are controlled. Cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills showed weak links with SI.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care- and school-based interventions should center on hopelessness as a relevant direct predictor for SI, and potential mediator in the course of SI. A combination of research and intervention efforts directed at reducing hopelessness in youths may prove to be essential for reducing suicide-related behaviors altogether.

Inflammation molecular network alterations in a depressive-like primate model

At present, there are no definitive biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD). Previous studies prompted that neuroimmunoinflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of depression and its factors become potential diagnostic biomarkers. Non-human primates exhibit depression-like behavior similar to humans in chronically stressed environments. Therefore, in the present study, after completing Whole transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood, neurology-related and inflammatory molecules in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid were measured by Olink proximity extension assay technology simultaneously in 4 natural depressive-like (DL) cynomolgus monkeys and 4 normal controls to screen potential biological markers. Further, postmortem brain tissues and peripheral blood RNA sequencing data from MDD patients available in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used for cross-species validation. Compared to control monkeys, depressive-like monkeys exhibited elevated levels of neurocan (NCAN). RNA sequencing revealed Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the interacting S100 calcium-binding protein A family as key molecules in the inflammatory gene network. GEO brain tissue data showed up-regulation of S100A8 and S100A9 in the anterior cingulate cortex of MDD patients. These findings suggest that depressive-like monkeys are in a state of chronic low-grade inflammation and identify NCAN and TLR4 inflammatory network molecules as potential biomarkers of MDD.