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Guassi Moreira JF, Parkinson C. A behavioral signature for quantifying the social value of interpersonal relationships with specific others. COMMUNICATIONS PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 2:84. [PMID: 39242969 PMCID: PMC11379851 DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00132-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
The idea that individuals ascribe value to social phenomena, broadly construed, is well-established. Despite the ubiquity of this concept, defining social value in the context of interpersonal relationships remains elusive. This is notable because while prominent theories of human social behavior acknowledge the role of value-based processes, they mostly emphasize the value of individual actions an agent may choose to take in a given environment. Comparatively little is known about how humans value their interpersonal relationships. To address this, we devised a method for engineering a behavioral signature of social value in several independent samples (total N = 1111). Incorporating the concept of opportunity cost from economics and data-driven quantitative methods, we derived this signature by sourcing and weighting a range of social behaviors based on how likely individuals are to prioritize them in the face of limited resources. We examined how strongly the signature was expressed in self-reported social behaviors with specific relationship partners (a parent, close friend, and acquaintance). Social value scores track with other aspects of these relationships (e.g., relationship quality, aversion to losing relationship partners), are predictive of decision preferences on a range of tasks, and display good psychometric properties. These results provide greater mechanistic specificity in delineating human value-based behavior in social contexts and help parse the motivational relevance of the different facets that comprise interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carolyn Parkinson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
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Jelsma E, Zhang A, Goosby BJ, Cheadle JE. Sympathetic arousal among depressed college students: Examining the interplay between psychopathology and social activity. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14597. [PMID: 38745361 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Depressed individuals exhibit altered sensitivity to both positive and negative social contact, and may not reap the same psychological and emotional benefits to socializing as non-depressed individuals. Although depressive symptoms and loneliness predict social withdrawal and decreased pleasure, little is currently understood about immediate affective arousal dynamics during real-time socializing. Using a novel ambulatory protocol that tracked both objective features of affective arousal (electrodermal activity) and subjective valence (self-reported) during college students' social interactions, we evaluated the moderating role of depression and loneliness symptoms on the associations between socializing with others (specifically, with a romantic partner, a close friend, or a group of friends) and the arousal and valence dimensions of affect. Among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 118 college students (64% African American/Black/Continental African, 20% Latinx, 8% Asian, and 8% White) recruited from a large, predominantly White Midwestern university, those lower in depression and loneliness symptomatology evinced decreased average arousal (Β = -0.10, SE = 0.04, p < .01) when in relaxed and intimate socializing contexts (e.g., with a romantic partner and a close friend), consistent with the idea that these contexts facilitate important opportunities for psychological rest and recovery. Those lower in depression and loneliness symptoms also showed higher average arousal when socializing in the energizing context of being with a group of friends. Overall, the results suggest psychopathology is reflected in patterns of sympathetic arousal when socializing, with more depressed and lonely individuals generally feeling worse while receiving fewer psychophysiological rewards in multiple socializing contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Jelsma
- Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Zhang
- Department of Sociology & Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Bridget J Goosby
- Department of Sociology & Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Jacob E Cheadle
- Department of Sociology & Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Tramonti F, Ferrante B, Palmer H. A consulting room with a view: Psychotherapy and the ecological context. J Eval Clin Pract 2024; 30:1113-1122. [PMID: 38818691 DOI: 10.1111/jep.14030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The field of psychotherapy is witnessing a lively debate today. The literature on the efficacy of psychological interventions has grown exponentially, but the assumptions of the prevailing research paradigms have been criticised from many points of view. One of the main concerns is that of a too often simplistic conception of psychotherapy, viewed as a set of specific methods for the treatment of point-like problems or symptoms. LITERATURE REVIEW ON MENTAL HEALTH AND THE ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT Instead, emerging perspectives are trying to promote a more complex view on psychotherapy, as a process based on the therapeutic potential of relationships, which takes place in relevant social and cultural contexts. Even the ecological context is taken in greater consideration, as growing evidence exists about the detrimental effects of ecological threats-such as climate change and other environmental challenges-on mental health. CONCLUSIONS Psychotherapists and psychotherapy associations are now paying due attention to such issues, as well as to social justice and other dimensions that no longer can be thought of as mere elements of the scenario in which psychotherapy is practiced. Rather they are dimensions that exert a strong influence on psychological well-being, and thus must be properly acknowledged and assessed to connect clinical work with the communities and ecological contexts in which people live.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benedetta Ferrante
- Istituto di Psicoterapia Relazionale, Pisa, Italy
- Institute of Clinical Physiology of the Italian National Research Council (IFC-CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Hugh Palmer
- School of Psychology and Social Work, University of Hull, Hull, UK
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Koebe T, Aidoo T, Kashyap R, Leasure DR, Rotondi V, Weber I. Social capital mediates knowledge gaps in informing sexual and reproductive health behaviours across Africa. Soc Sci Med 2024; 357:117159. [PMID: 39111264 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Advancing sexual and reproductive health is essential for promoting human rights and women's empowerment, and combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A large body of literature across the social sciences emphasizes the importance of social capital, generated through the strength of social networks, for shaping health behaviours. However, large-scale measurement of social capital and social networks remains elusive, especially in the context of low-income countries. Here we delve into the role of social capital dynamics, and in particular social connectedness across communities as measured through Facebook friendship links, in shaping knowledge diffusion and behaviour related to sexual and reproductive health in 495 regions across 33 countries in Africa. Our findings demonstrate that regions with higher levels of social connectedness are more similar in their knowledge about contraception and HIV testing, as well as their adoption of these behaviours. We further observe that the influence of social connectedness becomes stronger when the knowledge gaps between regions are larger. In other words, regions are more similar in behaviours, despite knowledge gaps, when they are socially connected. These insights carry significant policy implications, especially for the design and targeting of public health campaigns. We highlight that social connectedness can serve both as a driver and an obstacle in behaviour formation, underscoring the importance of understanding its influence on health-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till Koebe
- Saarland Informatics Campus, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | - Theophilus Aidoo
- Saarland Informatics Campus, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Ridhi Kashyap
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas R Leasure
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Rotondi
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Ingmar Weber
- Saarland Informatics Campus, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
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Rossetti MG, Perlini C, Girelli F, Zovetti N, Brambilla P, Bressi C, Bellani M. Developing a brief telematic cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of social isolation in young adults. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1433108. [PMID: 39161688 PMCID: PMC11331789 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective The present study aims to present a novel cognitive-behavioral intervention protocol focused on treating social isolation through telematic interaction, thus overcoming common barriers characteristic of face-to-face interventions. Methods We examined current literature about face-to-face and telematic psychotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of social isolation in early adulthood. Current evidence is mixed, suggesting the need to develop novel interventions focused on patients' cognitive functioning. Moreover, telematic interventions are promising candidates for overcoming common barriers intrinsic to the condition of social isolation. Results The present 8-session model inspired by cognitive behavioral theoretical models and cognitive interventions currently present in the literature is thought to help socially isolated adult patients reduce clinical symptoms associated with the condition and lead to a reduction in the avoidance of social situations, leading to an improvement of the quality of life. Conclusion We presented a telematic psychotherapeutic intervention aimed at helping adult patients suffering from social isolation who are unable to seek help from national health systems and face-to-face interventions, thus overcoming barriers intrinsic to social isolation. The present cognitive-behavioral treatment protocol has been developed in the context of a randomized clinical trial ongoing in Italy, aimed at implementing and testing the feasibility and effectiveness of multimodal digital interventions for treating social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gloria Rossetti
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Unit of Psychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
| | - Cinzia Perlini
- Section of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesca Girelli
- Unit of Psychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
| | - Niccolò Zovetti
- Unit of Psychiatry, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI) Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Bressi
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Mayerl H, Schultz A, Freidl W, Stolz E. Short-term dynamics of loneliness and depressive symptoms: Gender differences in older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 123:105423. [PMID: 38554653 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research examining the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms often treated these constructs as static traits rather than dynamic states. The current study focused on the short-term, prospective link between loneliness and depressive symptoms, while also analyzing potential gender differences. METHODS We modeled panel data from seven bi-weekly assessments gathered in the FRequent health Assessment In Later life (FRAIL70+) study. At baseline, the sample size amounted to N = 426 community-dwelling older adults aged 70 years or older in Austria. The relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms was analyzed using a latent change score modeling framework. RESULTS As regards depressive symptoms, women showed higher initial levels and more change across the three months than men. Loneliness did not considerably change across time for both sexes. Moreover, greater levels of loneliness at a given point in time were associated with an accelerated increase in depressive symptoms two weeks later in women but not in men. CONCLUSION Loneliness appeared to be a potential determinant of future increases in depressive symptoms. The varying effects observed between men and women suggest potential gender differences in short-term fluctuations of depressive symptoms and their underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Mayerl
- Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Anna Schultz
- Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Freidl
- Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Erwin Stolz
- Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria.
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Dworschak C, Mäder T, Rühlmann C, Maercker A, Kleim B. Examining bi-directional links between loneliness, social connectedness and sleep from a trait and state perspective. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17300. [PMID: 39068239 PMCID: PMC11283477 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68045-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Greater loneliness as well as a lack of social connectedness have often been associated with poorer sleep. However, the temporal dynamics and direction of these associations remain unclear. Aim of the current study was to examine bi-directional associations between loneliness/social connectedness and sleep in 48 stress-exposed medical students during their first medical internship, considered a period of heightened stress. We obtained trait-level questionnaire data on loneliness and global sleep completed before and during the internship as well as state-level diary- and wearable-based data on daily changes in social connectedness and sleep collected twice over the period of seven consecutive days, once before and once during the internship. Bi-directional associations among greater loneliness and higher daytime dysfunction on trait-level were identified. In addition, several uni-directional associations between loneliness/social connectedness and sleep were found on trait- and state-level. In sum, findings of this study point at a bi-directional relation among loneliness/social connectedness and sleep, in which variables seem to reciprocally influence each other across longer-term periods as well as on a day-to-day basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Dworschak
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/17, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Mäder
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Charlotta Rühlmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Maercker
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/17, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Kleim
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/17, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Hospital, University of Zurich, Lenggstrasse 32, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Santibáñez-Palma JF, Ferrer-Urbina R, Sepúlveda-Páez G, Bravo de la Fuente J, Alarcón-Castillo K. Development and validation of the Environmental Confinement Stressors Scale (ECSS-20). Front Psychol 2024; 15:1386235. [PMID: 39077211 PMCID: PMC11284619 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1386235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a global crisis with severe consequences for public health. There have been negative impacts on people's quality of life and mental health due to various stressors arising in this context, such as physical, social, economic, and psychological challenges. Noteworthy among these are the indirect effects of health measures, especially social distancing and confinement, which have significantly altered people's daily lives and social activities, producing high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. This study proposes developing and validating a cross-sectional scale called the "Environmental Stressors Scale (ECSS-20)" to address the need to measure the impact of environmental stressors during confinement. The scale, which has been validated following ethical and methodological guidelines, consists of four dimensions: economic stressors (EE), social activities (SA), habitability (H), and exposure to virtual media (EMV). A pilot study (n = 113) and a main study (n = 314) were applied. The results showed that the instrument has a reliable and valid structure, with satisfactory internal consistency and factorial validity. Likewise, gender invariance tests supported its suitability for its applicability to women and men. Overall, the ECSS-20 is a valuable instrument for assessing the impact of confinement and improving the understanding of people's subjective experiences in this situation. Future research could further develop its applicability in different contexts and populations to better understand its usefulness and psychometric properties.
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Bucaktepe PGE, Akgül F, Çelİk SB. Evaluation of the effects of pandemic-related fears on anxiety and depression: the mediating roles of traumatic stress and loneliness. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:388. [PMID: 38997784 PMCID: PMC11241983 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01880-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The detrimental mental health effects which emerged from COVID-19 have profoundly affected healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of traumatic stress and loneliness on the fears of contracting and dying from COVID-19, and anxiety and depression of HCWs during the pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was completed by HCWs in a province of Turkey. The Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Impact of Events Scale-Revised and numerical rating scales (for fears of COVID-19 and loneliness) were used and a bootstrap approach was used in the analyses with SPSS PROCESS macro software. RESULTS Of the HCWs evaluated, 150 (34.4%) were doctors, with a mean duration of work experience of 10.6 ± 7.5 years. The results indicated that fear of contracting COVID-19 was directly related to anxiety (β = 0.244, p < 0.001) and depression (β = 0.135, p < 0.01) and that traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of contracting COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.435, p < 0.001; β = 0.235, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.365, p < 0.001; β = 0.294, p < 0.001, respectively). The fear of dying from COVID-19 was determined to be directly associated with anxiety (β = 0.190, p < 0.001) but not with depression (β = 0.066, p = 0.116), and traumatic stress and loneliness mediated the relationships between the fear of dying from COVID-19 and anxiety (β = 0.476, p < 0.001; β = 0.259, p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (β = 0.400, p < 0.001; β = 0.311, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The study results demonstrated the important roles of traumatic stress and loneliness in exacerbating the negative consequences of fears of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression, and provide insights for identifying HCWs at greater risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fethiye Akgül
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Batman Training and Research Hospital, Batman, Turkey
| | - Sercan Bulut Çelİk
- Batman GAP Family Health Center, Provincial Health Directorate, Batman, Turkey
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Corbin IM, Dhand A. Unshared Minds, Decaying Worlds: Towards a Pathology of Chronic Loneliness. THE JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND PHILOSOPHY 2024; 49:354-366. [PMID: 38815253 PMCID: PMC11237889 DOI: 10.1093/jmp/jhae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The moment when a person's actual relationships fall short of desired relationships is commonly identified as the etiological moment of chronic loneliness, which can lead to physical and psychological effects like depression, worse recovery from illness and increased mortality. But, this etiology fails to explain the nature and severe impact of loneliness. Here, we use philosophical analysis and neuroscience to show that human beings develop and maintain our world-picture (our sense of what is true, important, and good) through joint attention and action, motivated by friendship, in the Aristotelian sense of "other selves" who share a sense of the true and the good, and desire the good for each other as much as for themselves. The true etiological event of loneliness is the moment one's world-picture becomes unshared. The pathogenesis is a resultant decay of our world-picture, with brain and behavior changes following as sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amar Dhand
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Rosário NSA, do Santos GSE, Batista AL, de Assis AD, Nórte CE, Mocaiber I, Volchan E, Pereira GS, Pereira MG, de Oliveira L, Meireles AL, Bearzoti E, Souza GGL. Exploring the effects of COVID-19-related traumatic events on the mental health of university students in Brazil: A cross-sectional investigation. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 247:104300. [PMID: 38733745 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
University students are vulnerable to mental health issues during their academic lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, university students faced mental distress due to lockdowns and the transition to e-learning. However, it is not known whether these students were also affected specifically by COVID-19-related traumatic events. This study examined the impact of COVID-19-related traumatic events on 2277 university students from two federal institutions of higher education in Brazil. The university students completed an online questionnaire covering demographics, lifestyle habits, health characteristics, COVID-19-related traumatic events, and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. The results showed that an increased intensity of COVID-19-related traumatic events was positively associated with stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and each specific type of event was associated with these symptoms. In addition, we found a negative association between these symptoms and male sex and age and a positive association with having or having had a history of cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, or mental disorders or another disease diagnosed by a physician. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the heightened risk of mental health issues in university students in the face of COVID-19-related traumatic events. Women, young people and people who have or have had a history of disease were the most vulnerable to mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nacha Samadi Andrade Rosário
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Gabriel Soares Emiliano do Santos
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Ana Luiza Batista
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Aisllan Diego de Assis
- School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Mental and Public Health, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo Nórte
- Department of Cognition and Development, Institute of Psychology, Rio de Janeiro State University (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil
| | - Izabela Mocaiber
- Department of Natural Sciences, Institute of Humanities and Health, Fluminense Federal University (Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF), Rio das Ostras, RJ, Brazil
| | - Eliane Volchan
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Grace Schenatto Pereira
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Mirtes Garcia Pereira
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Fluminense Federal University (Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Letícia de Oliveira
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Fluminense Federal University (Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF), Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Adriana Lúcia Meireles
- Department of Clinical and Social Nutrition, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Bearzoti
- Department of Statistics, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Guerra Leal Souza
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP), Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil.
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Esteve R, Serrano-Ibáñez ER, Castillo-Real S, Ramírez-Maestre C, López-Martínez AE. How do the activity patterns of people with chronic pain influence the empathic response of future health professionals: an experimental study. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024; 29:879-892. [PMID: 37792117 PMCID: PMC11208194 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-023-10291-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Empathy in healthcare professionals is associated with better treatment outcomes and higher satisfaction among patients with chronic pain. Activity patterns play an essential role in the adjustment of these patients and, as a pain behaviour, may have a communicative function and elicit distinct empathic responses. This study investigated whether the activity pattern profiles characteristic of these patients had differential effects on the empathic response (empathic distress and compassion/sympathy) of future healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should improve their knowledge about the role of different activity patterns in the well-being of people with chronic pain and receive specific training in empathic skills. We controlled for several variables that could affect the empathic response (sex, age, academic degree, previous experience of chronic pain, and dispositional empathy).A total of 228 undergraduates performed an experimental task using vignettes depicting four activity pattern profiles displayed by people with chronic pain and completed questionnaires measuring dispositional and situational empathy. We conducted a MANCOVA analysis.Undergraduates showed more compassion/sympathy toward the medium cycler profile than toward the doer profile. Participants' age was associated with empathic distress. Sex, academic degree, and previous experiences with chronic pain were not associated with their empathic response to the vignettes. Dispositional perspective-taking and empathic concern were significantly associated with compassion/sympathy responses, and personal distress was significantly associated with empathic distress.Activity pattern profiles may have a communicative function and elicit different empathic responses toward people with chronic pain. Individual differences in dispositional empathy play an important role on situational empathic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Esteve
- Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, c/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos, 29010, Málaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Elena R Serrano-Ibáñez
- Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, c/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos, 29010, Málaga, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain.
| | - Sheila Castillo-Real
- Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, c/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos, 29010, Málaga, Spain
| | - Carmen Ramírez-Maestre
- Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, c/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos, 29010, Málaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
| | - Alicia E López-Martínez
- Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, c/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos, 29010, Málaga, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain
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Gothwal VK, Kanchustambam J, Kodavati K, Subramanian A. Young adults with vision impairment in India: Loneliness and social networks. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2024; 44:808-818. [PMID: 38619126 DOI: 10.1111/opo.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the prevalence of loneliness and associated factors in young adults with vision impairment (VI), including quality of life (QoL) in India. METHODS Two hundred and three VI young adults (18-35 years) and 219 age-matched non-VI (controls) adults completed the loneliness scale, WHOQOL-BREF, Social Network Index (SNI) (network diversity, people in network size and number of embedded network subscales) and questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics and independent mobility. Rasch analysis was used to validate the questionnaires and interval-level scores were generated. Generalised linear models were used to estimate independent associations of sociodemographic factors, VI characteristics, social networks and QoL with loneliness. RESULTS The prevalence of moderate and severe loneliness in the VI group was 10% (95% CI: 6.5, 15.4) and 4.4% (95% CI: 2.0, 8.2), respectively, and higher than that of controls. The VI group had a worse loneliness score than controls (-1.66 ± 2.25 vs. -2.13 ± 1.85 logits; p = 0.03). Those with ≤12 years and >12 years of education had loneliness scores of -1.58 ± 2.45 and -1.82 ± 1.99 logits, respectively (p = 0.01). Compared with controls, the VI group reported fewer extended family members, neighbours and friends leading to significantly smaller networks and network diversity (all p < 0.001). Loneliness scores demonstrated a significant correlation with only two SNI subscales for both groups: people in network size (r = -0.28 for VI; r = -0.30 for non-VI; p < 0.001 for both) and number of embedded networks (r = -0.22 for VI; r = -0.21 for non-VI; p = 0.002 for both). Both education (β = 0.45; p = 0.04) and QoL (β = -0.27, p = 0.02) were predictors of loneliness. CONCLUSIONS Loneliness was commonly experienced by young VI adults and was higher among those with lower levels of education. Loneliness decreased with the presence of a larger number of people in network, suggesting that interventions to increase social activity and participation may be valuable in young VI adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijaya K Gothwal
- Meera and L B Deshpande Centre for Sight Enhancement, Institute for Vision Rehabilitation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Banjara Hills, L V Prasad Marg, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
- Brien Holden Eye Research Centre-Patient Reported Outcomes Unit, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Banjara Hills, L V Prasad Marg, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jahnavi Kanchustambam
- Meera and L B Deshpande Centre for Sight Enhancement, Institute for Vision Rehabilitation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Banjara Hills, L V Prasad Marg, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Krishnapriya Kodavati
- Meera and L B Deshpande Centre for Sight Enhancement, Institute for Vision Rehabilitation, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Banjara Hills, L V Prasad Marg, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Ahalya Subramanian
- Centre for Applied Vision Research, School of Health and Psychological Sciences, City, University of London, London, UK
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14
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Lores T, Mikocka-Walus A, Andrews JM, Evans S, Lynch KD, Chur-Hansen A. Psychological Care for People with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Exploring Consumers' Perspectives to Inform Future Service Co-design. Dig Dis Sci 2024; 69:1979-1989. [PMID: 38637459 PMCID: PMC11162373 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08377-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a need to improve psychological care for people with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), noting the high psychosocial burden of disease. AIMS This study qualitatively explored the views of people living with IBD to help inform future co-design of services that better meet the psychological needs of consumers. METHODS Adults with IBD were recruited to attend virtual focus groups to discuss what they want most in an IBD-specific psychological service. The discussions were recorded and transcribed, and data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. Draft results were summarized midway and reviewed by remaining focus groups and a final expert consumer. A quantitative dataset was created of comment frequencies. RESULTS Thirty-one participants took part in the study: 10 focus groups were held with an average of three participants per group. The analysis identified 254 codes, 38 sub-categories and six categories. Five main categories were identified for an IBD-specific psychological service: People-Centered Healthcare (commented on by 90% of participants), Education and Preparation (83%), Social Connection (83%), Psychological Input (93%), and Accessible Services (97%). Results were summarized in a set of proposed clinical guidelines. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study identify important insights from people living with IBD regarding priorities for psychological services. IBD services should focus on improving education, addressing social connection, and integrating psychological input, as well as becoming more people-centered and accessible. It is hoped that IBD services consult the proposed clinical guidelines to inform co-designed service improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taryn Lores
- Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
- Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), Port Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Port Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | | | - Jane M Andrews
- Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), Port Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Subhadra Evans
- Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Kate D Lynch
- Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), Port Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Anna Chur-Hansen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
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15
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Rassaby M, Shakya HB, Fowler JH, Oveis C, Sieber WJ, Jain S, Stein MB, Taylor CT. Application of an egocentric social network approach to examine changes in social connections following treatment for anxiety and depression: A novel measurement tool for clinical trials research? Soc Sci Med 2024; 350:116914. [PMID: 38696938 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
The epidemic of loneliness and social isolation has been recognized as a public health crisis warranting the same prioritization as other public health issues today, such as obesity, substance use disorders, and tobacco use. Social disconnection is particularly prevalent and disabling among individuals with anxiety and depression, yet it is inadequately evaluated and addressed in most clinical psychology treatment research. Studies generally employ global measures of perceived connectedness, loneliness, or relationship satisfaction, limiting understanding about elements of one's social network that may change with treatment. This study examined changes in the degree (number of people nominated) and quality of one's social network from pre-to post-treatment using an egocentric social network approach in 59 adults (mean age = 30.8 years, range = 18 to 54) with clinically elevated anxiety or depression who were randomized to a cognitive and behavioral positive valence treatment versus waitlist. Participants (egos) named people in their lives (alters) with whom they discussed important issues or spent free time. For each alter, participants rated how close they felt, how close they thought the alter felt to them, and how frequently they communicated. Linear regressions, which included treatment group as a predictor, revealed no group differences in changes in network degree, perceived alter feelings of closeness, or communication frequency, despite prior findings from this sample indicating larger increases in perceived global connectedness in the treatment group. Unexpectedly, the control group reported a greater increase in perceived closeness to alters. Post-hoc analyses revealed this was explained by the treatment group identifying more distal social ties (e.g., extended family, colleagues, roommates) as alters following treatment - an outcome positively associated with global improvements in connectedness. This proof-of-concept study suggests egocentric social network surveys may provide unique information on treatment-related changes in social functioning. Suggestions are provided for adaptations to facilitate application of social network surveys to mental health treatment research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Rassaby
- San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Sonia Jain
- University of California San Diego, United States
| | - Murray B Stein
- San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; University of California San Diego, United States
| | - Charles T Taylor
- San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States; University of California San Diego, United States.
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16
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Graham EK, Beck ED, Jackson K, Yoneda T, McGhee C, Pieramici L, Atherton OE, Luo J, Willroth EC, Steptoe A, Mroczek DK, Ong AD. Do We Become More Lonely With Age? A Coordinated Data Analysis of Nine Longitudinal Studies. Psychol Sci 2024; 35:579-596. [PMID: 38687352 DOI: 10.1177/09567976241242037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Loneliness is a pervasive experience with adverse impacts on health and well-being. Despite its significance, notable gaps impede a full understanding of how loneliness changes across the adult life span and what factors influence these changes. To address this, we conducted a coordinated data analysis of nine longitudinal studies encompassing 128,118 participants ages 13 to 103 from over 20 countries. Using harmonized variables and models, we examined loneliness trajectories and predictors. Analyses revealed that loneliness follows a U-shaped curve, decreasing from young adulthood to midlife and increasing in older adulthood. These patterns were consistent across studies. Several baseline factors (i.e., sex, marital status, physical function, education) were linked to loneliness levels, but few moderated the loneliness trajectories. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of loneliness and underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce social disparities throughout adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen K Graham
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University
| | - Emorie D Beck
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
| | - Kathryn Jackson
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University
| | - Tomiko Yoneda
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
| | - Chloe McGhee
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | | | | | - Jing Luo
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University
| | | | - Andrew Steptoe
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London
| | - Daniel K Mroczek
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
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17
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Ko AJ, Kim J, Park EC, Ha MJ. Association between the utilization of senior centers and participation in health check-ups. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11518. [PMID: 38769405 PMCID: PMC11106259 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61995-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The global older adult population is increasing. Early detection and intervention through health check-ups are crucial for successful aging, as they play a significant role in identifying and addressing diseases. This study explored the relationship between the utilization of senior centers and the promotion of health check-ups. It utilized data from 10,097 individuals aged 65 years and above, sourced from the 2020 Elderly Survey in South Korea. The primary variable of interest was classified into two groups: those who utilized senior centers and those who did not. Subgroups were further categorized based on the frequency of usage and the presence of family members among senior centers users. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between the utilization of senior centers and participation in health check-ups. Both men and women utilizing senior centers demonstrated a higher likelihood of participating in health check-ups compared with those who did not use senior centers. Participants visiting senior centers in a week exhibited a progressively higher likelihood of engaging in health check-ups compared with those who visited such senior centers zero times a week. Senior centers can serve as effective intervention methods to enhance health check-ups among older adults. Furthermore, this can contribute to fostering successful aging among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ah Jung Ko
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhyun Kim
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Cheol Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Jin Ha
- Department of Health Informatics and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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18
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Berger R, Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory S, Kanterman A, Brauser M, Gorni J, Luhmann M, Schramm E, Schultz J, Philipsen A, Lieberz J, Scheele D. Oxytocin-Augmented Modular-Based Group Intervention for Loneliness: A Proof-Of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2024; 93:169-180. [PMID: 38754399 DOI: 10.1159/000538752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Loneliness poses a significant health problem and existing psychological interventions have shown only limited positive effects on loneliness. Based on preliminary evidence for impaired oxytocin signaling in trait-like loneliness, the current proof-of-concept study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design to probe intranasal oxytocin (OT) as an adjunct to a short-term modular-based group intervention for individuals suffering from high trait-like loneliness (HL, UCLA Loneliness Scale ≥55). METHODS Seventy-eight healthy HL adults (56 women) received five weekly group psychotherapy sessions. HL participants received OT or placebo before the intervention sessions. Primary outcomes were trait-like loneliness measured at baseline, after the intervention, and again at two follow-up time points (3 weeks and 3 months), and, assessed at each session, state loneliness (visual analog scale), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-10), quality of life (World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index, WHO-5), and the therapeutic relationship (Group Questionnaire, GQ-D). RESULTS The psychological intervention was associated with significantly reduced perceived stress and improved trait-like loneliness across treatment groups, which was still evident at the 3-month follow-up. OT had no significant effect on trait-like loneliness, quality of life, or perceived stress. However, compared to placebo, OT significantly facilitated the decrease in state loneliness within sessions and significantly improved positive bonding between the group members. CONCLUSION Despite significantly improved trait-like loneliness after the intervention, OT did not significantly augment this effect. Further studies are needed to determine optimal intervention designs to translate the observed acute effects of OT into long-term benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Berger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rene Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | - Alisa Kanterman
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Maura Brauser
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jessica Gorni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maike Luhmann
- Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Bochum, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Schramm
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Schultz
- Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jana Lieberz
- Section of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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19
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Dickman KD, Thomas MC, Chin BN, Kamarck TW. Bidirectional Associations Between Loneliness, Emotional Support, and Sleep in Daily Life. Psychosom Med 2024; 86:252-260. [PMID: 38724036 PMCID: PMC11090452 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evidence suggests a link between positive social relationship perceptions and improved sleep (e.g., quality, efficiency) across the life span. Less work has probed the directionality of these relationships. Here, we report findings from the first study to examine bidirectional between- and within-person associations between loneliness and emotional support with daily life measures of sleep. METHODS Participants were 389 healthy adults aged 40 to 64 years (61% female) who completed hourly surveys assessing loneliness and perceptions of emotional support over the course of 4 days. Measures of actigraphy-assessed sleep and nightly sleep quality were also assessed for 7 to 10 days. RESULTS Individuals with lower average daily loneliness showed higher sleep quality and efficiency than individuals with higher loneliness (r = -0.19, p < .001; r = -0.14, p = .008, respectively), and greater average emotional support was likewise linked with better sleep quality (r = 0.18, p < .001). Controlling for neuroticism attenuated the effects of average loneliness on sleep. Within-person analyses showed unexpected bidirectional effects. Specifically, days in which people felt relatively lonelier were followed by nights with greater sleep efficiency (γ = 1.08, p = .015), and nights when people reported relatively poorer sleep quality were followed by days with greater emotional support (γ = -0.04, p = .013). These unexpected findings are probed in exploratory analyses. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with higher loneliness and lower emotional support report poorer sleep quality and efficiency, on average. Day-to-day fluctuations in perceptions of social relationships may affect the following night's sleep, and vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina D Dickman
- From the Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh (Dickman, Kamarck); VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (Thomas), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Department of Psychology, Trinity College (Chin), Hartford, Connecticut
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20
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Smithson CH, Duncan EJ, Sait SM, Bretman A. Sensory perception of rivals has trait-dependent effects on plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae031. [PMID: 38680228 PMCID: PMC11053361 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The social environment has myriad effects on individuals, altering reproduction, immune function, cognition, and aging. Phenotypic plasticity enables animals to respond to heterogeneous environments such as the social environment but requires that they assess those environments accurately. It has been suggested that combinations of sensory cues allow animals to respond rapidly and accurately to changeable environments, but it is unclear whether the same sensory inputs are required in all traits that respond to a particular environmental cue. Drosophila melanogaster males, in the presence of rival males, exhibit a consistent behavioral response by extending mating duration. However, exposure to a rival also results in a reduction in their lifespan, a phenomenon interpreted as a trade-off associated with sperm competition strategies. D. melanogaster perceive their rivals by using multiple sensory cues; interfering with at least two olfactory, auditory, or tactile cues eliminates the extension of mating duration. Here, we assessed whether these same cues were implicated in the lifespan reduction. Removal of combinations of auditory and olfactory cues removed the extended mating duration response to a rival, as previously found. However, we found that these manipulations did not alter the reduction in lifespan of males exposed to rivals or induce any changes in activity patterns, grooming, or male-male aggression. Therefore, our analysis suggests that lifespan reduction is not a cost associated with the behavioral responses to sperm competition. Moreover, this highlights the trait-specific nature of the mechanisms underlying plasticity in response to the same environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire H Smithson
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Clarendon Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth J Duncan
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Clarendon Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Steven M Sait
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Clarendon Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Bretman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Clarendon Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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21
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Jin E, Hwang SSH. A preliminary study on the neurocognitive deficits associated with loneliness in young adults. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1371063. [PMID: 38680939 PMCID: PMC11046705 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1371063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The experience of loneliness is universal and may have an adverse effect on neurocognitive functioning even at a younger age. Using a comprehensive neurocognitive functioning test (NCFT) battery, we examined the possible negative effects of loneliness on neurocognitive functioning in young adults. The high-loneliness and low-loneliness groups were screened using the UCLA Loneliness Scale v. 3, and measures pertaining to the domains of intelligence, attention, memory, executive function, and psychomotor functioning were tested and compared. As depression and anxiety were significantly higher in the high-loneliness group, an analysis of covariance was conducted. As a result, the high-loneliness group showed significantly poor performance on measures of executive function and attention prior to controlling for depression and anxiety, and executive function retained its significance even after controlling for these variables. Additional analysis showed that depression and anxiety did not significantly mediate the relationship between loneliness and neurocognitive functioning. Such results suggest that loneliness is likely to negatively affect executive functioning and attention in early adulthood and then progressively spread to other domains of cognitive functioning, as reported in the older adult population. The limitations and implications of the present study were considered and addressed.
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22
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Kohne J, Montag C. ChatDashboard: A Framework to collect, link, and process donated WhatsApp Chat Log Data. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:3658-3684. [PMID: 38123827 PMCID: PMC11133087 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02276-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we present ChatDashboard, a framework for collecting, linking, and processing donated WhatsApp chat log data. The framework consists of the WhatsR R package for parsing, anonymizing, and preprocessing donated WhatsApp chat logs, the ChatDashboard R Shiny web app for uploading, reviewing, and securely donating WhatsApp chat logs, and DashboardTester, an automated script for testing the correct setup of the framework by simulating participants. With ChatDashboard, researchers can set up their own data collections to gather transparently donated WhatsApp chat log data from consenting participants and link them to survey responses. It enables researchers to retrospectively collect highly granular data on interpersonal interactions and communication without building their own tools from scratch. We briefly discuss the advantages of donated WhatsApp chat log data for investigating social relationships and provide a detailed explanation of the ChatDashboard framework. Additionally, we provide a step-by-step guideline in the supplementary materials for researchers to set up their own data donation pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Kohne
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
- GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Department of Computational Social Science, Unter Sachsenhausen 6-8, 50667, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Christian Montag
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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23
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Aksoy O, Wu AFW, Aksoy S, Rivas C. Social support and mental well-being among people with and without chronic illness during the Covid-19 pandemic: evidence from the longitudinal UCL covid survey. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:136. [PMID: 38468353 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01596-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE An immediate research priority recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic is well-being among some of our most vulnerable-people with chronic illness. We studied how mental health changed among people with and without chronic illness throughout the pandemic and the mediating role of social support. METHODS We used the 3-waves of COVID-19 survey within the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, age 19, N = 5522) and MCS Parent (MCSP, age > > 19, N = 7479) samples, with additional pre-pandemic measures of some outcomes and exposure. Using Structural Equation Panel Models with Full Information Maximum Likelihood estimation to address missing data, we studied differences between respondents with a chronic illness and without, regarding depressive symptoms and mental well-being, with social provision, social support, and loneliness as potential mediators. RESULTS Mental well-being (SWEMWBS) and psychological distress (Kessler-6) worsened significantly during the pandemic relative to baseline for people with and without chronic illness, while the latter group had substantially better well-being at all waves and the baseline regarding both outcomes. When the lockdown was lifted during wave-2, mental well-being temporarily rebounded, and distress waned among people without chronic illness but continued to worsen among people with chronic illness. Social support partially mediated the link between chronic illness and mental well-being. CONCLUSIONS The large mental well-being gap between people with and without chronic illness persisted during the pandemic. However, social support and provision can partially narrow this gap, hence should be employed in future pandemic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozan Aksoy
- UCL Social Research Institute, University College London, 55-59 Gordon Square, WC1H 0NU, London, UK.
| | - Alison Fang-Wei Wu
- UCL Social Research Institute, University College London, 55-59 Gordon Square, WC1H 0NU, London, UK
| | - Sevgi Aksoy
- University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, SE10 9LS, London, UK
| | - Carol Rivas
- UCL Social Research Institute, University College London, 55-59 Gordon Square, WC1H 0NU, London, UK
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24
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Euteneuer F, Lass-Hennemann J, Pfundmair M, Salzmann S, Kuehl LK. Childhood emotional maltreatment and sensitivity to social rejection in emerging adults. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2024; 149:106604. [PMID: 38160496 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enhanced responsiveness to social rejection may be a transdiagnostic mechanism through which childhood emotional maltreatment predisposes individuals to interpersonal and mental health problems. To investigate this mechanism, as a first step, more detailed investigations are needed regarding the assumed association of childhood emotional maltreatment with rejection sensitivity in later life. OBJECTIVE The present work examines the hypothesis that among different subtypes of childhood maltreatment, in particular forms of emotional maltreatment (emotional abuse and neglect) relate to rejection sensitivity in emerging adults. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING In study 1, 311 emerging adults (18-25 years) participated in a retrospective cross-sectional assessment. In study 2, 78 emerging adults (18-25 years) were included in an experiment (O-Cam paradigm) which involved the experience of social rejection (vs. inclusion). METHODS Study 1 investigates whether intensities of childhood emotional abuse and neglect have unique associations with trait rejection sensitivity, when considering all maltreatment subtypes (emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect) simultaneously. Study 2 examined whether childhood emotional abuse and neglect moderate the experience of social rejection in terms of need depletion, sadness and anger after social rejection (vs. inclusion). RESULTS Study 1 indicates that emotional abuse and neglect have unique associations with rejection sensitivity. Study 2 results show that only a higher intensity of emotional abuse has extensive effects on need depletion and sadness after social rejection (vs. inclusion). CONCLUSIONS In particular, experiences of childhood emotional abuse may relate to rejection sensitivity in young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Euteneuer
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Division of Translational Clinical Stress Research, Institute of Neuroscience and Biopsychology for Clinical Application, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Johanna Lass-Hennemann
- Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Michaela Pfundmair
- Faculty of Intelligence, Federal University of Administrative Sciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Salzmann
- Medical Psychology, Department of Medicine, Health and Medical University, Erfurt, Germany; Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Linn Kristina Kuehl
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Division of Translational Clinical Stress Research, Institute of Neuroscience and Biopsychology for Clinical Application, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Ulichney V, Schmidt H, Helion C. Perceived Relational Support Is Associated With Everyday Positive, But Not Negative, Affectivity in a U.S. Sample. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2024:1461672231224991. [PMID: 38323578 DOI: 10.1177/01461672231224991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Research suggests that perceived social support bolsters emotional well-being. We tested whether perceived support from friends, family, and spouses/partners was associated with reduced negative and greater positive affectivity (i.e., everyday affective baseline), and whether perceived strain in these relationships had opposite effects, accounting for age and relevant covariates. Using data from the third waves of the Midlife in the United States survey and National Study of Daily Experience (n = 1,124), we found negative affectivity was not tied to relational support nor strain, but instead was associated positively with neuroticism and negatively with conscientiousness. In contrast, positive affectivity was related positively to support from friends and family, conscientiousness, and extroversion, and negatively to strain among partners and neuroticism. Exploratory analyses within second-wave Midlife in Japan data (n = 657) suggest patterns for future cross-cultural study. Some relationship dynamics may vary, but perceived support might enhance emotional well-being by bolstering positive, rather than mitigating negative, emotionality.
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Zhu J, Xie P, Zhang X. Social exclusion and suicide intention in Chinese college students: a moderated mediation model. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1354820. [PMID: 38371706 PMCID: PMC10869458 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1354820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Given the growing incidence rates of suicide among college students and the potential lifelong consequences of suicide, it is imperative to better understand the factors that reduce the rates at which college students in a clinical sample engage in suicide. This study examines the relationship between social exclusion and suicide intention, the mediating effect of depression, and the moderating effect of meaning in life. Two hundred and ninety-nine Chinese college students, aged from 18 to 22 years (56.86% female, M age = 20.14, SD = 1.27) completed questionnaires assessing their social exclusion, suicide intention, depression, and meaning in life. The result revealed that social exclusion was positively associated with suicide intention, and depression mediated this relationship. In addition, this mediating effect of depression was moderated by meaning in life. That is, the mediation effect was stronger for students with a higher level of meaning in life. These findings provide educational suggestions for preventing and intervening in suicide intention among college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juncheng Zhu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Children’s Psychological Development and Brain Cognitive Science, Department of Education, Hunan Frist Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, China
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Sutherland L, Dunkle RE, Pace GT. Enhancing social connections through an acting and improvisation course for older Americans in low-income housing. Arts Health 2024; 16:48-63. [PMID: 37157231 DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2023.2211085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults living in subsidized housing may be at increased risk of social isolation. Applied theater, a participatory art program, can facilitate social connections among older adults. METHODS A professionally-facilitated 12-week acting and improvisation course was held in two federally subsidized buildings in an urban setting. The mixed-method design included thematic analysis of interviews, participant observation, field notes, and statistical analysis of change over time in social isolation, community belonging, and social exclusion. RESULTS Participants were motivated to meet other building residents, and the course included aspects that encouraged social bonding. CONCLUSIONS Although recruitment of socially-isolated older adults presented challenges, this study presents lessons on what motivates residents of low-income senior housing to enroll in an acting program and how to design a theater course in this setting that promotes group bonding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sutherland
- School of Social Work and Department of Anthropology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ruth E Dunkle
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Garrett T Pace
- School of Social Work, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Yu J, Ng TKS, Mahendran R. Cognitive and physical age gaps in relation to mild cognitive impairment and behavioral phenotypes. GeroScience 2024; 46:1129-1140. [PMID: 37428365 PMCID: PMC10828169 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00864-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We can study how fast our biological aging clocks tick by calculating the difference (i.e., age gaps) between machine learning estimations of biological age and chronological age. While this approach has been increasingly used to study various aspects of aging, few had applied this approach to study cognitive and physical age gaps; not much is known about the behavioral and neurocognitive factors associated with these age gaps. In the present study, we examined these age gaps in relation to behavioral phenotypes and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among community-dwelling older adults. Participants (N = 822, Agemean = 67.6) were partitioned into equally-sized training and testing samples. Cognitive and physical age-prediction models were fitted using nine cognitive and eight physical fitness test scores, respectively, within the training samples, and subsequently used to estimate cognitive and physical age gaps for each subject in the testing sample. These age gaps were then compared among those with and without MCI and correlated with 17 behavioral phenotypes in the domains of lifestyle, well-being, and attitudes. Across 5000 random train-test split iterations, we showed that older cognitive age gaps were significantly associated with MCI (versus cognitively normal) and worse outcomes across several well-being and attitude-related measures. Both age gaps were also significantly correlated with each other. These results suggest accelerated cognitive and physical aging were linked to worse well-being and more negative attitudes about the self and others and reinforce the link between cognitive and physical aging. Importantly, we have also validated the use of cognitive age gaps in the diagnosis of MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhong Yu
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 48 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Ted Kheng Siang Ng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Illinois, Chicago, USA
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Rathi Mahendran
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Mind Science Centre, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore.
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, NUHS Tower Block, Level 9, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
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De Risio L, Pettorruso M, Collevecchio R, Collacchi B, Boffa M, Santorelli M, Clerici M, Martinotti G, Zoratto F, Borgi M. Staying connected: An umbrella review of meta-analyses on the push-and-pull of social connection in depression. J Affect Disord 2024; 345:358-368. [PMID: 37852587 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression affects approximately 4 % of the global population and has huge social and economic implications. Social factors, including support, engagement, and stigma, play a crucial role in the development and severity of depression. METHODS We provide a synthesis of the consistency and magnitude of the association between measures of social connection and depression. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE and 47 meta-analyses were included in the umbrella review. The strength of the associations was extracted and compared among different populations. The quality/certainty of evidence was assessed using AMSTAR-2 and GRADE tool. RESULTS Results indicate that social support serves as a protective factor against depression, particularly in peripartum populations, while its impact is weaker in clinical populations. No association was found between social support and depression in post-disaster populations. Stigma and discrimination favour the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms in clinical populations, but have a weaker effect in ethnic minorities. LIMITATIONS The quality and certainty of evidence should be taken into account when interpreting our findings. Further research with more rigorous methodology and higher-quality evidence is needed to better understand the complex relationship between depression and social connection across various populations and contexts. CONCLUSIONS Our findings confirm the role of social determinants in the emergence and severity of depression, particularly in the case of vulnerable populations. Efforts to counteract disconnection at the societal and individual levels and to reduce stigma should be central to an effective depression prevention agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa De Risio
- Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, ASL Roma 5, Colleferro, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Pettorruso
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
| | - Rebecca Collevecchio
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Barbara Collacchi
- Center for Behavioural Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Boffa
- Center for Behavioural Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Santorelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Massimo Clerici
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Francesca Zoratto
- Center for Behavioural Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Borgi
- Center for Behavioural Science and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Alter DA, Rosenfeld A, Fang J, Ko DT, Cohen L, Yu B, Austin PC. The Relationship Between Residential Mobility and Mortality Following Acute Myocardial Infarction. Can J Cardiol 2024; 40:18-27. [PMID: 37726076 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2023.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extent to which residential mobility is associated with declining health among disease-specific populations, such as survivors of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), remains unknown. METHODS This prospective cohort study consisted of 3377 patients followed from index AMI (December 1, 1999 to March 30, 2003) to death or the last available follow-up date (March 30, 2020) in Ontario, Canada. Each residential postal code move from a patient's sentinel AMI event was tracked. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards examined the associated impact of each residential postal code move on mortality after adjusting for age, sex, baseline socioeconomic, psychosocial factors, changes in neighbourhood income level from each residential move, preexisting cardiovascular and noncardiovascular illnesses, and rural residence. All models evaluated death and long-term care institutionalisation as competing risks to distinguish mortality from other end-of-life destination outcomes among community-dwelling populations. RESULTS The study sample included 3369 patients with 1828 (54.3%) having at least 1 residential move throughout the study; 86.5% of patients either died in the community or moved from a community dwelling into a long-term care facility as an end-of-life destination. When adjusted for baseline factors and changing neighbourhood socioeconomic status over time, each residential move was associated with a 12% higher rate of death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.19; P < 0.001) and a 26% higher rate of long-term care end-of-life institutionalisation (adjusted HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.14-1.58; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Residential mobility was associated with higher mortality after AMI. Further research is needed to better evaluate intermediary causal pathways that may explain why residential mobility is associated with end-of-life outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Alter
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; KITE Resarch Institute, Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Aaron Rosenfeld
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Dennis T Ko
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Schulich Heart Program, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lucas Cohen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bing Yu
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter C Austin
- ICES, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Delgado MR, Fareri DS, Chang LJ. Characterizing the mechanisms of social connection. Neuron 2023; 111:3911-3925. [PMID: 37804834 PMCID: PMC10842352 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how individuals form and maintain strong social networks has emerged as a significant public health priority as a result of the increased focus on the epidemic of loneliness and the myriad protective benefits conferred by social connection. In this review, we highlight the psychological and neural mechanisms that enable us to connect with others, which in turn help buffer against the consequences of stress and isolation. Central to this process is the experience of rewards derived from positive social interactions, which encourage the sharing of perspectives and preferences that unite individuals. Sharing affective states with others helps us to align our understanding of the world with another's, thereby continuing to reinforce bonds and strengthen relationships. These psychological processes depend on neural systems supporting reward and social cognitive function. Lastly, we also consider limitations associated with pursuing healthy social connections and outline potential avenues of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio R Delgado
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
| | - Dominic S Fareri
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
| | - Luke J Chang
- Consortium for Interacting Minds, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Bradley N, Dowrick C, Lloyd-Williams M. Explaining how and why social support groups in hospice day services benefit palliative care patients, for whom, and in what circumstances. Palliat Care Soc Pract 2023; 17:26323524231214549. [PMID: 38044931 PMCID: PMC10693225 DOI: 10.1177/26323524231214549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Palliative care aims to provide holistic support for people with life-limiting illness, responding to psychological, social and spiritual needs, as well as to clinical and physical. In the United Kingdom, hospice day services (including day care, group interventions, group activities, and social events for palliative care outpatients) aim to provide opportunities for patients to gain social support, which is thought to improve their quality of life. Objectives This research explored social support within hospice day services, to explain in detail how and why social support obtained within a hospice day service could be beneficial to palliative care patients. Design Qualitative research using observations of hospice day services and interviews with service providers. Methods Data collection involved nineteen interviews with hospice service providers (n = 19) and researcher observations of hospice day services. The findings detail how patient and hospice context interact to produce mechanisms that lead to outcomes beyond the hospice day service. Results Practical, clinical and social aspects of the hospice day service are important for patients feeling welcome and safe in the setting. The opportunity to connect with other people and work towards personal goals can boost self-confidence for patients who have lost access to meaningful activity. New friendships between patients encourages reciprocal support and feelings of belonging. It is beneficial to have permission to speak freely about topics deemed inappropriate elsewhere, because honest communication is helpful in accepting and adapting to their circumstances. Conclusion Hospice day services facilitate group settings for reciprocal social support. This research proposes an initial programme theory that can be further developed and tested. It explains how and why, in some contexts, social support increases personal and practical resources to cope with illness and death, leading to changes outside of the hospice (to mood, interpersonal interactions and behaviour) that could improve quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Bradley
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
- Centre for Health & Clinical Research, University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol BS16 1DD, UK
| | - Christopher Dowrick
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Mari Lloyd-Williams
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Anderes M, Pichler S. Mental health effects of social distancing in Switzerland. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 51:101302. [PMID: 37659211 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
This analysis examines the effect of COVID-19 on public mental health in Switzerland. Following an event-study framework, we compare helpline call volume and duration before and after the outbreak of the first and second wave. The use of administrative phone-level data allows us to i) decompose the total effects into an intensive and extensive margin and ii) calculate a measure of unmet need. For the first wave, our results show that callers with a history of helpline contacts increase calls substantially. We also identify capacity constraints leading to unmet need for psychological counseling. Finally, we find no effects in the second wave, which might be explained by a number of factors including the absence of a lockdown and less restrictive social distancing measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Anderes
- ETH Zurich, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Pichler
- University of Groningen, Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance, Nettelbosje 2, 9747AE, Groningen, Netherlands.
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Vanhollebeke G, Aers F, Goethals L, Raedt RD, Baeken C, Mierlo PV, Vanderhasselt MA. Uncovering the underlying factors of ERP changes in the cyberball paradigm: A systematic review investigating the impact of ostracism and paradigm characteristics. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105464. [PMID: 37977278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The Cyberball is the most commonly employed paradigm for the investigation of the effects of social exclusion, also called ostracism. The analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs), short-term stimulus-induced fluctuations in the EEG signal, has been employed for the identification of time-sensitive neural responses to ostracism-related information. Changes in ERPs during the Cyberball are normally attributed to the effect of ostracism, but it has been argued that characteristics of the paradigm, not ostracism, are the driving force for these changes. To elucidate the origin of the ERP changes in the Cyberball, we systematically reviewed the Cyberball-ERP literature of healthy, adult populations, and evaluated whether the social context of ostracism or characteristics of the paradigm are better suited for the explanation of the found results. Our results show that for many components no clear origin can be identified, but that expectancy violations, not ostracism, best explains the results of the P3 complex. Future research should therefore also employ other paradigms for the research into the effects of ostracism on ERPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gert Vanhollebeke
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Medical Image and Signal Processing Group (MEDISIP), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Fiebe Aers
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lauren Goethals
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rudi De Raedt
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Chris Baeken
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital (UZBrussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pieter van Mierlo
- Department of Electronics and Information Systems, Medical Image and Signal Processing Group (MEDISIP), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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McDonald-Lopez K, Murphy AK, Gould-Werth A, Griffin J, Bader MDM, Kovski N. A Driver in Health Outcomes: Developing Discrete Categories of Transportation Insecurity. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:1854-1863. [PMID: 37365831 PMCID: PMC10631295 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Research suggests that transportation is an important social determinant of health, because the ability to get around is consequential for accessing health care and nutritious food and for making social connections. We used an inductive mixed-methods approach and a quantitative k-means clustering approach to identify 5 categories of transportation insecurity using the validated 16-item Transportation Security Index. The resulting 5-category measure distinguished among respondents with qualitatively different experiences of transportation insecurity. Analyzing data from 2018 that were representative of the US adult population aged 25 years or older, we demonstrated a nonparametric association between transportation insecurity and 2 different health measures (self-rated health and depressive symptoms). There was a threshold relationship between self-rated health and any level of transportation insecurity. High transportation insecurity had a very strong relationship with depressive symptoms. The categorical Transportation Security Index will be useful for clinicians who wish to screen for transportation-related barriers to health care. It will also facilitate research investigating the influence of transportation insecurity on health outcomes and provide the basis for interventions designed to address health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina McDonald-Lopez
- Correspondence to Karina McDonald-Lopez, Department of Sociology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, 500 South State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 | (e-mail: )
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Kjelstrom S, Hass RW, McIntire RK. Association Between Lack of Access to a Neighborhood Park and High Blood Pressure in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Prev Chronic Dis 2023; 20:E97. [PMID: 37917613 PMCID: PMC10625437 DOI: 10.5888/pcd20.230098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies have shown a lower risk of high blood pressure (HBP) among people who live near parks; however, little information exists on how feeling safe and comfortable visiting the park affects blood pressure. We identified associations between neighborhood park access, comfort visiting a park, and HBP to understand how these factors may contribute to disparities in HBP prevalence. METHODS The 2018 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey of 3,600 residents in the Philadelphia metropolitan area asked if respondents had ever been told they had HBP and whether they had a neighborhood park or outdoor space that they were comfortable visiting during the day. To assess the association between park access and HBP, we built multilevel logistic models to account for variation in HBP by zip code. We examined the effect modification of perceptions of park access (having a neighborhood park, not having a neighborhood park, or having a neighborhood park but not comfortable visiting it) and HBP by race, education, and poverty status. RESULTS Both not having a neighborhood park and having a park but not feeling comfortable visiting it were associated with higher unadjusted odds of HBP, 70% and 90%, respectively, compared with having a neighborhood park. Adjusted odds ratios for the lack-of-park responses remained significant (no neighborhood park, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7; neighborhood park but not comfortable visiting, aOR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.03-2.0). A significant gradient was observed for Black respondents compared with White respondents with odds of HBP increasing by perceptions of park access (aOR = 1.95 for people with a park; aOR = 2.69 for those with no park; aOR = 3.5 for people with a park that they are not comfortable visiting). CONCLUSION Even accounting for other risk factors for HBP, not having a neighborhood park or not feeling comfortable visiting one may influence individual HBP. Neighborhood factors that deter park access may contribute to racial disparities in HBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Kjelstrom
- Thomas Jefferson University, College of Population Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Main Line Health Center for Population Health Research, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
- 901 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - Richard W Hass
- Thomas Jefferson University, College of Population Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Berardelli I, Rogante E, Sarubbi S, Trocchia MA, Longhini L, Erbuto D, Innamorati M, Pompili M. Interpersonal Needs, Mental Pain, and Hopelessness in Psychiatric Inpatients with Suicidal Ideation. PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY 2023; 56:219-226. [PMID: 37699529 DOI: 10.1055/a-2154-0828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide and models may help the understanding of the phenomenon and ultimately reduce its burden through effective suicide prevention strategies. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide and Shneidman's Model have tried to describe different unmet needs related to suicidal ideation. The study aims to assess the association between thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation in a sample of psychiatric inpatients and the mediating role of hopelessness and mental pain in this association. METHODS 112 consecutive adult psychiatric inpatients were administered the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the Italian version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-15-I (INQ-15-I), the Physical and Psychological Pain Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). RESULTS Mediation models indicated a significant indirect effect of perceived burdensomeness (with thwarted belongingness as covariates) on suicidal ideation intensity with hopelessness as a mediator. When thwarted belongingness (controlling for perceived burdensomeness as a covariate) was included in a model as an independent variable, direct and indirect effects on suicidal ideation intensity were not significant. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial interventions focusing on identifying and decreasing the perception of being a burden for others and the feeling hopeless could represent a powerful pathway for reducing suicidal ideation. Moreover, the attention toward unmet interpersonal needs may help increase and focus clinical discussions on risk factors, which may help engagement toward psychiatric care and downsize the stigma related to suicide. Raising awareness toward mental health topics is a goal of healthcare services globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Berardelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Rogante
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Sarubbi
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Anna Trocchia
- Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Psychiatry Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome
| | - Ludovica Longhini
- Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Psychiatry Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome
| | - Denise Erbuto
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Innamorati
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Knefel M, Zeilinger EL, Lubowitzki S, Krammer K, Unseld M, Bartsch R, Fuereder T, Jäger U, Kiesewetter B, Krauth M, Raderer M, Staber PB, Valent P, Gaiger A. Risk as a pattern over time: Delineation of time-dependent risk factors in biological, psychological, and social variables in cancer patients. Cancer 2023; 129:3466-3475. [PMID: 37470252 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survival in cancer patients is associated with a multitude of biological, social, and psychological factors. Although it is well established that all these factors add to overall mortality, it is not well understood how the predictive power of these parameters changes in a comprehensive model and over time. METHODS Patients who attended the authors' outpatient clinic were invited to participate. The authors followed 5180 mixed cancer patients (51.1% female; mean age, 59.1 years [SD = 13.8]) for up to 16 years and analyzed biological (age, sex, cancer site, anemia), psychological (anxiety, depression), and social variables (marital status, education, employment status) potentially predicting overall survival in a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS The median survival time for the entire sample was 4.3 years (95% confidence interval, 4.0-4.7). The overall survival probabilities for 1 and 10 years were 76.8% and 38.0%, respectively. Following an empirical approach, the authors split the time interval into five periods: acute, subacute, short-term, medium-term, and long-term. A complex pattern of variables predicted overall survival differently in the five periods. Biological parameters were important throughout most of the time, social parameters were either time-independent predictors or tended to be more important in the longer term. Of the psychological parameters, only depression was a significant predictor and lost its predictive power in the long-term. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study allow the development of comprehensive patient-specific models of risk and resilience factors addressing biopsychosocial needs of cancer patients, paving the way for a personalized treatment plan that goes beyond biomedical cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Knefel
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Internal Medicine, Landesklinikum Baden-Mödling, Baden, Austria
| | - Elisabeth L Zeilinger
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simone Lubowitzki
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Krammer
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Unseld
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Bartsch
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thorsten Fuereder
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Jäger
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Kiesewetter
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Krauth
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Raderer
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp B Staber
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Valent
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Gaiger
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Bae SM. The Association between Adverse Childhood and Adulthood Experiences, Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Depression among Young Adults in South Korea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6900. [PMID: 37835170 PMCID: PMC10572693 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the association between social isolation, loneliness, and depressive symptoms among young adults in South Korea after controlling for sociodemographic variables, adverse child and adult experiences, and perceived health status. The researcher analyzed the data of 2014 young adults aged 18-34 years from the Youth Social Economic Survey using hierarchical multiple regression analysis conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics 28.0. Among the sociodemographic variables, sex, education, and household income were significantly related to depressive symptoms. Females reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than males, and those attending college or having a college (or higher) degree reported lower levels of depressive symptoms than those with a high-school diploma or lower. Higher household income was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Perceived health status was negatively associated with depressive symptoms, while adverse childhood and adulthood experiences, social isolation, and loneliness were positively associated with it. Among the major independent variables, loneliness was most strongly related to depressive symptoms, whereas social isolation had the weakest relevance to it. The prediction model proposed explained 32.7% of the variance in depressive symptoms and was considered good. Therefore, focusing on loneliness may be more important than focusing on social isolation to prevent and deal with depressive symptoms among young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Man Bae
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
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Chen J, Wang Q, Liang Y, Chen B, Ren P. Comorbidity of loneliness and social anxiety in adolescents: Bridge symptoms and peer relationships. Soc Sci Med 2023; 334:116195. [PMID: 37690153 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous research investigating the comorbidity of loneliness and social anxiety symptoms in population samples has relied on latent variable modeling in which averaged scores representing dimensions were derived from observed symptoms. Studies have not examined how loneliness and social anxiety co-occur at the symptom level or their relations with peer relationships. OBJECTIVE This study examined the comorbidity of loneliness and social anxiety and the role of peer relationships (i.e., the number of reciprocated friends, friendship quality, and bullying victimization) in adolescents' co-occurring network using a large sample of Chinese adolescents. METHODS We performed a network analysis in a sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 2601, 51.6% male, M age = 13.9 years, SD = 0.60). Participants completed self-report measures of loneliness, social anxiety, bullying victimization, and friendship quality as well as peer nomination measures of the number of reciprocated friends. RESULTS Network analysis revealed that feeling ridiculed, fear of being rejected, having difficulty asking others to do things together, and feeling left out at school were essential bridge symptoms in the co-occurrence of loneliness and social anxiety. Bullying victimization had more positive associations with symptoms of social anxiety, and friendship quality had more negative associations with symptoms of loneliness. CONCLUSIONS The findings provide preliminary evidence for the comorbidity of loneliness and social anxiety symptoms in adolescents. The results also highlight the potential importance of targeting peer relationships in the prevention and intervention of loneliness and social anxiety symptoms. The combination of longitudinal networks and interventions on bridge symptoms may provide further insight into the development of the links between peer relationships, loneliness, and social anxiety symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Quanquan Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yiting Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | | | - Ping Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Minihan S, Orben A, Songco A, Fox E, Ladouceur CD, Mewton L, Moulds M, Pfeifer JH, Van Harmelen AL, Schweizer S. Social determinants of mental health during a year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1701-1713. [PMID: 35796203 PMCID: PMC7615306 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Belonging is a basic human need, with social isolation signaling a threat to biological fitness. Sensitivity to ostracism varies across individuals and the lifespan, peaking in adolescence. Government-imposed restrictions upon social interactions during COVID-19 may therefore be particularly detrimental to young people and those most sensitive to ostracism. Participants (N = 2367; 89.95% female, 11-100 years) from three countries with differing levels of government restrictions (Australia, UK, and USA) were surveyed thrice at three-month intervals (May 2020 - April 2021). Young people, and those living under the tightest government restrictions, reported the worst mental health, with these inequalities in mental health remaining constant throughout the study period. Further dissection of these results revealed that young people high on social rejection sensitivity reported the most mental health problems at the final assessment. These findings help account for the greater impact of enforced social isolation on young people's mental health, and open novel avenues for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Orben
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Elaine Fox
- University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Susanne Schweizer
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Fulford D, Holt DJ. Social Withdrawal, Loneliness, and Health in Schizophrenia: Psychological and Neural Mechanisms. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:1138-1149. [PMID: 37419082 PMCID: PMC10483452 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Some of the most debilitating aspects of schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses (SMI) are the impairments in social perception, motivation, and behavior that frequently accompany these conditions. These impairments may ultimately lead to chronic social disconnection (ie, social withdrawal, objective isolation, and perceived social isolation or loneliness), which may contribute to the poor cardiometabolic health and early mortality commonly observed in SMI. However, the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying relationships between impairments in social perception and motivation and social isolation and loneliness in SMI remain incompletely understood. STUDY DESIGN A narrative, selective review of studies on social withdrawal, isolation, loneliness, and health in SMI. STUDY RESULTS We describe some of what is known and hypothesized about the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of social disconnection in the general population, and how these mechanisms may contribute to social isolation and loneliness, and their consequences, in individuals with SMI. CONCLUSIONS A synthesis of evolutionary and cognitive theories with the "social homeostasis" model of social isolation and loneliness represents one testable framework for understanding the dynamic cognitive and biological correlates, as well as the health consequences, of social disconnection in SMI. The development of such an understanding may provide the basis for novel approaches for preventing or treating both functional disability and poor physical health that diminish the quality and length of life for many individuals with these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fulford
- Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daphne J Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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43
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Siedlecki KL, Kobrinsky V, Leqola A. The temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health across adulthood. Aging Ment Health 2023; 27:1676-1683. [PMID: 36038543 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2116403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Depressive symptoms have been found to relate to diminished self-rated health (SRH), which is a reliable index of general health. Despite such associations, there is limited research examining the bidirectional temporal relationship between these variables. The current study is the first to investigate the longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH utilizing a cross-lagged panel analysis in a sample that spans adulthood (ages 18-93).Method: Data from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project were used to examine the temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH in a cross-lagged panel analysis using structural equation modeling.Results: A bidirectional temporal relationship, which was not moderated by age, was established between depressive symptoms and SRH.Conclusion: This article is the first to demonstrate that depressive symptoms and SRH influence each other reciprocally over time across adulthood, even after controlling for relevant variables. Considering the ubiquity and ramifications of depressive symptoms among American adults, these results highlight the importance of investigating mechanisms that could elucidate the link between the variables in question.
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Carlson DM, Yarns BC. Managing medical and psychiatric multimorbidity in older patients. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2023; 13:20451253231195274. [PMID: 37663084 PMCID: PMC10469275 DOI: 10.1177/20451253231195274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging increases susceptibility both to psychiatric and medical disorders through a variety of processes ranging from biochemical to pharmacologic to societal. Interactions between aging-related brain changes, emotional and psychological symptoms, and social factors contribute to multimorbidity - the presence of two or more chronic conditions in an individual - which requires a more patient-centered, holistic approach than used in traditional single-disease treatment guidelines. Optimal treatment of older adults with psychiatric and medical multimorbidity necessitates an appreciation and understanding of the links between biological, psychological, and social factors - including trauma and racism - that underlie physical and psychiatric multimorbidity in older adults, all of which are the topic of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Carlson
- Department of Psychiatry/Mental Health, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brandon C. Yarns
- Department of Psychiatry/Mental Health, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Blvd, Bldg. 401, Rm. A236, Mail Code 116AE, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Firk C, Großheinrich N, Scherbaum N, Deimel D. The impact of social connectedness on mental health in LGBTQ + identifying individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:252. [PMID: 37644578 PMCID: PMC10466739 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01265-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies report that LGBTQ + people have experienced high levels of mental health problems during COVID-19-related social distancing. Given the well-established association between social isolation and mental health, the main aim of the current study was to investigate differences in mental health and (perceived) social isolation and social support in LGBTQ + individuals compared to heterosexual, cisgender people and to explore whether the hypothesized higher mental health burden in LGBTQ + individuals is (partly) mediated by (perceived) social isolation or social support. METHODS N = 531 participants indicating belonging to the LGBTQ + community and N = 1826 not identifying as LGBTQ + participated in a cross-sectional online survey during the initial COVID-19-related lockdown in Germany. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess depression, anxiety, suicidality, loneliness and social support. Further, perceived social isolation and face-to-face communication during the lockdown were assessed. RESULTS LGBTQ + people had higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal thought, were lonelier and experienced less social support than non-LGBTQ + identifying individuals. Mediation analysis showed that the higher levels of mental health burden in LGBTQ + people were (partly) mediated by reduced social connectedness. Further face-to-face contact positively affected mental health by reducing feelings of loneliness. CONCLUSION Given the high impact of loneliness on mental health, governmental actions should be taken to promote social connectedness particularly among LGBTQ + identifying individuals to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not exacerbate the health inequalities that already exist between LGBTQ+-identifying and heterosexual, cisgender people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Firk
- Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia, Robert-Schuman- Str. 25, 52066, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Health Research and Social Psychiatry, Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia, Robert-Schuman-Str. 25, 52066, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Nicola Großheinrich
- Institute of Health Research and Social Psychiatry, Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia, Robert-Schuman-Str. 25, 52066, Aachen, Germany
- Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Westphalia, Wörthstraße 10, 50668, Cologne, Germany
| | - Norbert Scherbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LVR-University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel Deimel
- Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia, Robert-Schuman- Str. 25, 52066, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, LVR-University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Institute for Addiction and Prevention Research, Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 79-81, 50668, Cologne, Germany
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Leite RO, Llabre MM, Timpano KR, Broos HC, Saab PG. Psychosocial and health stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with sleep quality. Psychol Health 2023:1-21. [PMID: 37553830 PMCID: PMC11167586 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2023.2245426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated how psychosocial and health stressors and related cognitive-affective factors were differentially associated with sleep quality during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND MEASURES Adults living in Florida (n = 2,152) completed a Qualtrics survey in April-May 2020 (Wave 1). Participants (n = 831) were reassessed one month later (Wave 2; May-June 2020). At Wave 1, participants reported their level of physical contact with someone they care about, presence of a pre-existing chronic disease, employment status, loneliness, health worry, and financial distress. At Wave 2, participants rated their quality of sleep and insomnia symptoms. RESULTS Loneliness, but not health worry or financial distress, directly predicted worse sleep quality. Lack of physical contact was indirectly associated with worse sleep quality via greater levels of loneliness. Further, results showed the presence of a pre-existing chronic disease was associated with both greater health worry and worse sleep quality. CONCLUSION Loneliness was the sole cognitive-affective predictor of worse sleep quality when controlling for other psychosocial factors. As expected, adults living with a chronic disease reported impaired sleep quality. Understanding the processes influencing sleep quality during a significant time of stress is important for identifying risk factors, informing treatment, and improving sleep health beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael O Leite
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Maria M Llabre
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Kiara R Timpano
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Hannah C Broos
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Patrice G Saab
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
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47
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Lim MH, Manera KE, Owen KB, Phongsavan P, Smith BJ. The prevalence of chronic and episodic loneliness and social isolation from a longitudinal survey. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12453. [PMID: 37528108 PMCID: PMC10393986 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39289-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Loneliness and social isolation, experienced more long-term, has been shown to increase mortality and lead to poorer health outcomes in specific cohorts. However, it is unclear what the prevalence of chronic loneliness and social isolation is, and which demographic groups are most at risk of reporting more chronic forms. A psychometrically validated classification system was used to identify people who met criteria for episodic and chronic loneliness and social isolation using the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey waves 14-18. The prevalence of loneliness (overall 34%; 21% episodic, 13% chronic) far exceeded that of social isolation (overall 17%; 13% episodic, 4% chronic). There was consistency in the demographic characteristics (from age, sex, household type, income) of those who experienced loneliness and social isolation. However, people with a long-term health condition had an elevated risk of episodic loneliness (AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.39) and a markedly higher risk of chronic loneliness (AOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.76-2.29), compared with those without a long-term health condition. Loneliness, both episodic and chronic subtypes, is more prevalent than social isolation. However, both chronic loneliness and social isolation remains neglected and poorly targeted within current practice and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle H Lim
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Karine E Manera
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine B Owen
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Philayrath Phongsavan
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ben J Smith
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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48
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Wang F, Gao Y, Han Z, Yu Y, Long Z, Jiang X, Wu Y, Pei B, Cao Y, Ye J, Wang M, Zhao Y. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 cohort studies of social isolation, loneliness and mortality. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:1307-1319. [PMID: 37337095 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The associations between social isolation, loneliness and the risk of mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are controversial. We systematically reviewed prospective studies on the association between social isolation, loneliness and mortality outcomes in adults aged 18 years or older, as well as studies on these relationships in individuals with CVD or cancer, and conducted a meta-analysis. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (reg. no. CRD42022299959). A total of 90 prospective cohort studies including 2,205,199 individuals were included. Here we show that, in the general population, both social isolation and loneliness were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (pooled effect size for social isolation, 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26 to 1.39; P < 0.001; pooled effect size for loneliness, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.20; P < 0.001) and cancer mortality (pooled effect size for social isolation, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.28; P < 0.001; pooled effect size for loneliness, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.17; P = 0.030). Social isolation also increased the risk of CVD mortality (1.34; 95% CI, 1.25 to 1.44; P < 0.001). There was an increased risk of all-cause mortality in socially isolated individuals with CVD (1.28; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.48; P = 0.001) or breast cancer (1.51; 95% CI, 1.34 to 1.70; P < 0.001), and individuals with breast cancer had a higher cancer-specific mortality owing to social isolation (1.33; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.75; P = 0.038). Greater focus on social isolation and loneliness may help improve people's well-being and mortality risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Han
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Zhiping Long
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Xianchen Jiang
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Quzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Quzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yi Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Bing Pei
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Yukun Cao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Jingyu Ye
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China
| | - Maoqing Wang
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China.
| | - Yashuang Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Etiology and Epidemiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P. R. China.
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49
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Prinzing M, Le Nguyen K, Fredrickson BL. Does shared positivity make life more meaningful? Perceived positivity resonance is uniquely associated with perceived meaning in life. J Pers Soc Psychol 2023; 125:345-366. [PMID: 36780274 PMCID: PMC10329988 DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Pleasantness and meaningfulness are sometimes seen as opposing pursuits. Yet past research has found that the pursuit of meaning often leads to pleasure. In four longitudinal studies-three observational, one experimental, ranging from 5 weeks to 18 months-we investigated an inverse process, whereby specific kinds of pleasant states can foster a sense of meaning in life. We hypothesized that perceptions of positivity resonance, a form of coexperienced positive affect characterized by mutual care and synchrony, are experienced as particularly meaningful in the moment and, over time, build social resources (e.g., supportive relationships and communities) that foster an enduring sense of meaning in life. Results indicate that perceived positivity resonance is associated with perceived meaning both between- and within-persons, links that emerge independently of overall pleasant emotion and social interaction quantity. Perceived social resources mediate between-persons links, and changes in perceived social resources mediate longitudinal links. Overall, these findings suggest that coexperienced, caring, and synchronous pleasant states may be uniquely suited to cultivating a person's sense that life is meaningful. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Prinzing
- Department of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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50
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Franco-O'Byrne D, Sepúlveda JPM, Gonzalez-Gomez R, Ibáñez A, Huepe-Artigas D, Matus C, Manen R, Ayala J, Fittipaldi S, Huepe D. The neurocognitive impact of loneliness and social networks on social adaptation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12048. [PMID: 37491346 PMCID: PMC10368735 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38244-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Social adaptation arises from the interaction between the individual and the social environment. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between social contact and social adaptation. We propose that loneliness and social networks are key factors explaining social adaptation. Sixty-four healthy subjects with no history of psychiatric conditions participated in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires about loneliness, social network, and social adaptation. On a separate day, subjects underwent a resting state fMRI recording session. A hierarchical regression model on self-report data revealed that loneliness and social network were negatively and positively associated with social adaptation. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis showed that loneliness was associated with decreased FC between the fronto-amygdalar and fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the social network was positively associated with FC between the fronto-temporo-parietal network. Finally, an integrative path model examined the combined effects of behavioral and brain predictors of social adaptation. The model revealed that social networks mediated the effects of loneliness on social adaptation. Further, loneliness-related abnormal brain FC (previously shown to be associated with difficulties in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and sociocognitive processes) emerged as the strongest predictor of poor social adaptation. Findings offer insights into the brain indicators of social adaptation and highlight the role of social networks as a buffer against the maladaptive effects of loneliness. These findings can inform interventions aimed at minimizing loneliness and promoting social adaptation and are especially relevant due to the high prevalence of loneliness around the globe. These findings also serve the study of social adaptation since they provide potential neurocognitive factors that could influence social adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Franco-O'Byrne
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Morales Sepúlveda
- University of Sydney Business School, Darlington, Australia
- Facultad de Educación Psicología y Familia, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raúl Gonzalez-Gomez
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity college , Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniela Huepe-Artigas
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Cristián Matus
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ruth Manen
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Jaime Ayala
- Hospital de Carabineros de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Peñalolén, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
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