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Tang NKY, McEnery KAM, Chandler L, Toro C, Walasek L, Friend H, Gu S, Singh SP, Meyer C. Pandemic and student mental health: mental health symptoms among university students and young adults after the first cycle of lockdown in the UK. BJPsych Open 2022; 8:e138. [PMID: 35880308 PMCID: PMC9345288 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2022.523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early COVID-19 research suggests a detrimental impact of the initial lockdown on young people's mental health. AIMS We investigated mental health among university students and young adults after the first UK lockdown and changes in symptoms over 6 months. METHOD In total, 895 university students and 547 young adults not in higher education completed an online survey at T1 (July-September 2020). A subset of 201 university students also completed a 6 month follow-up survey at T2 (January-March 2021). Anxiety, depression, insomnia, substance misuse and suicide risk were assessed. RESULTS At T1, approximately 40%, 25% and 33% of the participants reported moderate to severe anxiety and depression and substance misuse risk, clinically significant insomnia and suicidal risk. In participants reassessed at T2, reductions were observed in anxiety and depression but not in insomnia, substance misuse or suicidality. Student and non-student participants reported similar levels of mental health symptoms. Student status was not a significant marker of mental health symptoms, except for lower substance misuse risk.Cross-sectionally, greater symptoms across measures were consistently associated with younger age, pre-existing mental health conditions, being a carer, worse financial status, increased sleep irregularity and difficulty since lockdown. Longitudinally, T2 symptoms were consistently associated with worse financial status and increased difficulty sleeping at T1. However, these associations were attenuated when baseline mental health symptoms were adjusted for in the models. CONCLUSIONS Mental health symptoms were prevalent in a large proportion of young people after the first UK lockdown. Risk factors identified may help characterise high-risk groups for enhanced support and inform interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carla Toro
- Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, UK
| | | | - Hannah Friend
- Wellbeing and Safeguarding Group, Professional Services, University of Warwick, UK
| | - Sai Gu
- Executive Office and School of Engineering, University of Warwick, UK
| | - Swaran P Singh
- Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, UK
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Formica MJC, Phillips LJ, Hartmann JA, Yung AR, Wood SJ, Lin A, Amminger GP, McGorry PD, Nelson B. Has improved treatment contributed to the declining rate of transition to psychosis in ultra-high-risk cohorts? Schizophr Res 2022; 243:276-284. [PMID: 32402606 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The factors contributing to declining psychotic disorder transition rates in ultra-high-risk populations remain unclear. We examined the contribution of longitudinal changes in standard clinical treatment ('treatment as usual') to this decline. METHOD An audit was conducted on 105 clinical files of patients who received standard care at a specialised ultra-high-risk service. The session notes of these files were quantified, allowing examination of treatment quantity, targets, psychotherapy, and medication. Differences in these aspects across patients' year of clinic entry were assessed. Variables with significant differences across years were examined using cox regression to assess their contribution to psychosis transition rates. RESULTS Findings were that, as a function of patients' year of clinic entry, there were increases in: patients' number of sessions, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), problem and solving therapy. There was a relationship between baseline year cohort and psychosis transition rate, with lower rates observed in more recent cohorts. When changes in treatment between cohorts were adjusted for, the relationship between baseline year cohort and transition rate disappeared. The relationship between baseline year and transition rate was attenuated most by increases in CBT. CONCLUSION Changes in standard treatment, particularly increases in CBT, may have contributed to the decline in psychosis risk observed in recent ultra-high-risk cohorts, although these variables do not fully explain this trend. Implications for clinical practice, prediction and intervention research are discussed. Future ultra-high-risk research should investigate the impact of other treatment factors, such as therapeutic alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J C Formica
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - L J Phillips
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - J A Hartmann
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - A R Yung
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - S J Wood
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia; School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - A Lin
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Australia
| | - G P Amminger
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - P D McGorry
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - B Nelson
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia
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Gawęda Ł, Nelson B. Shortcomings of calculating risk for psychosis: Critical remarks on predictive modelling in psychosis risk research. Early Interv Psychiatry 2020; 14:145-146. [PMID: 32115890 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Gawęda
- Clinical Neuroscience Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barnaby Nelson
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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Nelson B, Li E, Cicero DC, Gawęda Ł, Hartmann JA, Koren D, Polari A, Whitford TJ, Lavoie S. The construct validity of the Inventory of Psychotic-Like Anomalous Self-Experiences (IPASE) as a measure of minimal self-disturbance: Preliminary data. Early Interv Psychiatry 2019; 13:686-691. [PMID: 29968972 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
AIM The Inventory of Psychotic-Like Anomalous Self-Experiences (IPASE) is a self-report measure of minimal self-disturbance. The aim of the current report was to assess the construct validity of the scale by examining its convergent validity with the gold-standard measure of minimal self-disturbance, the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience (EASE), and its discriminant validity. METHOD The sample consisted of 46 participants (21 ultra-high risk for psychosis patients, 14 first episode psychosis patients, 11 healthy controls). Correlations between the clinical instruments were examined. RESULTS The IPASE correlated strongly with general psychopathology and positive psychotic symptoms, moderately with negative symptoms, and weakly with manic symptoms. The strongest correlation (r = 0.92) was apparent between IPASE and EASE total scores. CONCLUSION These preliminary data indicate construct validity of the IPASE, demonstrating both convergent and discriminant validity. The IPASE may be suitable as a screener measure for minimal self-disturbance, but should not be used as a replacement to measure the construct of minimal self-disturbance, which requires considerable psychopathological sophistication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby Nelson
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Parkville
| | - Emily Li
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Parkville
| | - David C Cicero
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii
| | - Łukasz Gawęda
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jessica A Hartmann
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Parkville
| | - Danny Koren
- Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Andrea Polari
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Parkville.,Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas J Whitford
- Department of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Suzie Lavoie
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Parkville
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