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Background: It is unavoidable for learners undergoing health professions training to encounter different complex clinical scenarios related to diagnoses, treatment and ethical dilemmas. The lack of standard answers to such clinical challenges can cause uncertainty in the process of teaching, learning and assessment as learners grapple with the need to critically appraise the specific context, past practices and extant literature to arrive at a thoughtful decision. In this aspect, debate can be a useful pedagogical tool to consider multiple, different perspectives regarding these issues. As the use of debate within the health professions education has not been reviewed, we conducted a systematic review of the current literature on the adoption of debate as a pedagogical tool to clarify the specific context of use as well as its effectiveness in the learning of skills and content within the health professions education. Methods: A systematic review was conducted on relevant published literature in English within journal databases until September 2018 that employed debate as a pedagogical tool within health professions education. Results: Out of 626 screened articles, 12 studies were finally included based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The 12 studies (9 undergraduate, 3 postgraduate) covered a diverse range of disciplines and debate in health professions education was adopted for acquisition of skills (such as critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork), or learning of specific topics (such as patient safety, ethical issues, teaching of new topics) as well as to examine evidence based practice. In the majority of studies (10 of 12 studies, 83.3%), debate has been deemed by the learners to be effective in facilitating the learning of new content and skills such as communication and critical thinking, which are related to processes aligned with adult learning, motivational, reflective and social learning theories.Conclusion: Overall, sparse studies to date with relatively low risk of bias found debate to be effective in enabling the learning of skills and content within health professions education. Future studies may want to incorporate more objective measures of the learning outcomes of learners following the adoption of debate as a teaching tool as well as to examine the combinatorial use of debate with other pedagogical tools and their longitudinal impact on learners and learning.

BackgroundMorphology of the human cerebral cortex differs across psychiatric disorders, with neurobiology and developmental origins mostly undetermined. Deviations in the tangential growth of the cerebral cortex during pre/perinatal periods may be reflected in individual variations in cortical surface area later in life.MethodsInterregional profiles of group differences in surface area between cases and controls were generated using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging from 27,359 individuals including those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and high general psychopathology (through the Child Behavior Checklist). Similarity of interregional profiles of group differences in surface area and prenatal cell-specific gene expression was assessed.ResultsAcross the 11 cortical regions, group differences in cortical area for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and Child Behavior Checklist were dominant in multimodal association cortices. The same interregional profiles were also associated with interregional profiles of (prenatal) gene expression specific to proliferative cells, namely radial glia and intermediate progenitor cells (greater expression, larger difference), as well as differentiated cells, namely excitatory neurons and endothelial and mural cells (greater expression, smaller difference). Finally, these cell types were implicated in known pre/perinatal risk factors for psychosis. Genes coexpressed with radial glia were enriched with genes implicated in congenital abnormalities, birth weight, hypoxia, and starvation. Genes coexpressed with endothelial and mural genes were enriched with genes associated with maternal hypertension and preterm birth.ConclusionsOur findings support a neurodevelopmental model of vulnerability to mental illness whereby prenatal risk factors acting through cell-specific processes lead to deviations from typical brain development during pregnancy.

It is important to examine the psychotropic prescription practices in schizophrenia, as it can inform regarding changing treatment choices and related patient profiles. No recent reviews have evaluated the global neuropsychopharmacological prescription patterns in adults with schizophrenia. A systematic search of the literature published from 2002 to 2023 found 88 empirical papers pertinent to the utilization of psychotropic agents. Globally, there were wide inter-country and inter-regional variations in the prescription of psychotropic agents. Overall, over time there was an absolute increase in the prescription rate of second-generation antipsychotics (up to 50%), mood stabilizers (up to 15%), and antidepressants (up to 17%), with an observed absolute decrease in the rate of antipsychotic polypharmacy (up to 15%), use of high dose antipsychotic (up to 12% in Asia), clozapine (up to 9%) and antipsychotic long-acting injectables (up to 10%). Prescription patterns were mainly associated with specific socio-demographic (such as age), illness (such as illness duration), and treatment factors (such as adherence). Further work, including more evidence in adjunctive neuropsychopharmacological treatments, pharmaco-economic considerations, and examination of cohorts in prospective studies, can proffer insights into changing prescription trends relevant to different treatment settings and predictors of such trends for enhancement of clinical management in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium remains an effective option in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). Thus, we aim to characterize the pharmaco-epidemiological patterns of lithium use internationally over time and elucidate clinical correlates associated with BD using a scoping review, which was conducted using the methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). We searched several databases for studies that examined the prescriptions for lithium and clinical associations in BD from inception until December 2023. This review included 55 articles from 1967 to 2023, which collected data from North America (n = 24, 43.6%), Europe (n = 20, 36.4%), and Asia (n = 11, 20.0%). The overall prescription rates ranged from 3.3% to 84% (33.4% before and 30.6% after the median year cutoffs). Over time, there was a decline in lithium use in North America (27.7% before 2010 to 17.1% after 2010) and Europe (36.7% before 2003 to 35.7% after 2003), and a mild increase in Asia (25.0% before 2003 to 26.2% after 2003). Lithium use was associated with specific demographic (e.g., age, male gender) and clinical factors (e.g., lower suicide risk). Overall, we found a trend of declining lithium use internationally, particularly in the West. Specific clinical correlates can support clinical decision-making for continued lithium use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have found that the inclusion of medical humanities in medical education was associated with improvements in learner reflectivity and empathy. There is less data, however, on the impact of medical humanities on perceived patient care and mediators of learner outcomes. Our study aimed to determine the impact of medical humanities on perceived learner well-being and patient care, and the mediators of these outcomes in medical undergraduates undergoing psychiatric training. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 to December 2022 within undergraduate medical students undergoing psychiatry rotations and who attended sessions entitled "Humanities in Psychiatry." Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained through anonymized online feedback forms. Path analysis was performed to examine the relationship between learners' perception of the medical humanities writing activity and its potential to improve their well-being, patient care, as well as mediators of these outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 97 medical undergraduates (response rate 67.4%) participated in the study and more than four-fifths reported improvements in listening, reflection, empathy, personal well-being, and perceived patient care. Males showed more interest in additional medical humanities sessions (mean rank 57.9 vs 42.5, P =.005) and greater improvements in personal well-being (mean rank 55.1 vs 44.5, P =.044). Path analysis showed that reflective capacity of learners mediated the relationship between reflective writing and perceived improvements in learner well-being (β = 0.596, 95% CI = 0.409-0.737) and patient care (β = 0.557, 95% CI = 0.379-0.702). CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the majority of learners responded positively to the medical humanities sessions, which suggests that its use could be beneficial in fostering empathy, reflection, learner well-being, and improved patient care. Using the PRISM model, we present practical implications for educators to consider when using medical humanities in relation to psychiatry training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to examine the contributory factors as well as consequences of moral injury amongst healthcare workers within mental healthcare settings. Several databases were searched for relevant studies from database inception until May 2023. Keywords and concepts included moral injury and distress in mental healthcare and psychiatry. We identified 961 studies, of which 48 were assessed for eligibility. Eventually, 35 studies were included in the review. Papers were selected for inclusion if 1) they included mental healthcare professionals (MHP) regardless of practice setting, 2) moral injury as experienced by MHP was one of their main variables of interest, 3) were written in English. Year of publication, location of study, participant characteristics, study design, settings in which injury occur (context), factors contributing to moral injury (contributors), and its effects on MHP (consequences) were extracted from the studies. The majority of studies were conducted in the West (n = 26, 74.3%). Contributors to moral injury were found at the individual (e.g. poor competence), practice setting (e.g. lack of resources), and organizational levels (e.g. inconsistent policies). Moral injury had negative repercussions for the individual (e.g. psychological and physical symptoms), healthcare teams (e.g. lack of trust and empathy), and healthcare system (e.g. staff attrition). Seen through the moral habitability framework, interventions must include an acknowledgment of the influence of various factors on the ability of MHP to enact their moral agency, and seek to establish safe moral communities within a supportive moral climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is often associated with severe burden of disease, poor quality of life and functional impairment. Clozapine is the gold standard for the treatment of TRS, although it is also known to cause significant side effects in some patients. In view of the burgeoning interest in the role of genetic factors in precision psychiatry, we conducted a scoping review to narratively summarize the current genetic factors associated with TRS, clozapine resistance and side effects to clozapine treatment. We searched PubMed from inception to December 2022 and included 104 relevant studies in this review. Extant evidence comprised associations between TRS and clozapine resistance with genetic factors related to mainly dopaminergic and serotoninergic neurotransmitter systems, specifically, TRS and rs4680, rs4818 within COMT, and rs1799978 within DRD2; clozapine resistance and DRD3 polymorphisms, CYP1A2 polymorphisms; weight gain with LEP and SNAP-25 genes; and agranulocytosis risk with HLA-related polymorphisms. Future studies, including replication in larger multi-site samples, are still needed to elucidate putative risk genes and the interactions between different genes and their correlations with relevant clinical factors such as psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, cognition and progressive changes with treatment over time in TRS and clozapine resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder which poses substantial illness burden on affected individuals. In view of the need to better understand the growing literature on resilience (adaptation in the face of adversity) and its clinical correlates to inform and optimize clinical management in schizophrenia, we sought to summarize the extant literature which examined the inter‐relationships between resilience and demographic features, phenomenology, illness course, psychosocial functioning, and its mediational role among relevant factors. Methods: A systematic review was conducted on published empirical studies examining the topic of resilience and clinical correlates within schizophrenia spectrum conditions up until December 2020. Results: Higher level of resilience was associated with lower severity of specific symptomatology including positive, negative, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, cognitive deficits, and better insight. Moreover, higher resilience was significantly associated with different aspects of illness course (such as shorter duration of untreated psychosis, longer duration of illness, improved symptom remission and recovery), internal factors (such as lower stigma, better self‐esteem), and psychosocial functioning (better overall, real‐life, social and interpersonal functioning, better quality of life). Resilience also acts as a mediator in pathways leading to depression, functioning, and quality of life within schizophrenia spectrum conditions. Discussion: Viewed within the context of various resiliency models (compensatory, challenge, protective factor models), suggestions were made to enhance resilience and balance risk versus protective factors in order to improve disease management. Future research should seek to better elucidate associated biomarkers, inter‐relationships with carer resilience, and evaluate the efficacy of suitable resilience‐targeted interventions in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a potentially significant impact on not only physical health but also psychological well-being. To our best knowledge, no review thus far has consolidated the psychological impact of COVID-19 across different subpopulations. A systematic search of the literature until 15 June 2020 found 150 empirical papers pertinent to the mental health consequences of the pandemic. The majority (87.3%) were from China (45.3%), the rest of Asia (22.0%) and Europe (20.0%), and mostly examined the general population (37.3%), healthcare workers (31.3%) and those with pre-existing mental and physical illnesses (14.7%). The most common psychological responses across these subpopulations were anxiety (overall range 24.8%-49.5%), depression (overall range 18.6%-42.6%) and traumatic stress symptoms (overall range 12.7%-31.6%). Healthcare workers and those with pre-existing physical and mental illnesses were more severely affected. Future studies are needed on under-examined subgroups such as the elderly and recovered COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burnout during residency training is associated with various factors. Within the context of stress/coping transactional model in which one's personality can influence stress appraisal and coping, there is limited evidence examining the relationship between burnout and personality factors amongst psychiatry residents. Objectives: We aim to evaluate the prevalence of burnout within a cohort of psychiatry residents and its relationship with personality factors, demographic, work‐related factors and coping features. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional study involving 50 out of 77 eligible residents (response rate 64.9%) and administered the Oldenberg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), NEO‐Five Factor Inventory (NEO‐FFI) and Brief COPE Inventory. Burnout was defined as crossing the thresholds for exhaustion (≥2.25) and disengagement (≥2.1) scores. We compared the burnout vs nonburnout groups and examined the relationship between burnout, personality factors and coping strategies using correlational and mediational analyses. Results: Overall, 78% of our cohort met criteria for burnout. Burnout was correlated with hours of work per week (rs =.409, P =.008), neuroticism (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.01‐1.43, P =.041) and avoidance coping (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06‐2.46, P =.025). Neuroticism was significantly correlated (all P <.001) with all coping domains (Seeking Social Support, rs = 0.40; Problem Solving, rs = 0.52; Avoidance, rs = 0.55; Positive thinking, rs = 0.41) and was a partial mediator between avoidance coping and burnout (β of indirect path = 0.168, [SE = 0.066]; P =.011). Conclusions: We found a considerable burnout rate amongst psychiatry residents which was associated with neuroticism and avoidance coping, and suggest ways to better tackle occupational burnout during residency training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amongst medical undergraduates, the perception of educational environment (EE) has been associated with academic achievement and positive attitude toward the course. Nonetheless, there are sparse data on how it influences various learning processes and outcomes especially within psychiatry training. Consistent with situativity and self-determination learning theories, we hypothesized that a positive perception of the EE within psychiatry postings will be beneficial for the learning process, specifically pertaining to greater motivation to learn, better engagement, allowing them to feel more equipped, and greater appreciation of the subject. The DREEM (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure) was administered to fourth-year medical undergraduate students from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, undergoing psychiatry rotations from 2015 to 2019. The students also completed five additional items evaluating the specific learning processes (motivation to learn, engagement, equipping, and appreciation of the subject) and overall rating of the posting. We examined the relationship between DREEM domains and learning processes using correlation analysis. We explored learning processes as mediators of the relationship between total DREEM scores and overall rating of the posting. Altogether, 1343 (response rate 89.5%) medical undergraduates participated in the study. The overall DREEM score was 157.01 ± 15.86. Overall DREEM and subdomain scores were significantly correlated with several learning processes (r = 0.354 to 0.558, all p <.001). Motivation and engagement were significant mediators of the relationship between total DREEM scores and overall rating of the psychiatry posting. Our results highlighted that a positive perception of EE was associated with the specific learning processes that mediated the overall rating of the posting. In the context of relevant learning theories and our study findings, improvement of the EE within undergraduate psychiatry training can potentially enhance overall learning experience through better motivation and engagement of our learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity of studies clarifying biological basis of illness remission in schizophrenia related to white matter abnormalities, hence this study aimed to examine brain white matter anomalies via combinatorial diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices between remitted and nonremitted patients and evaluate predictors of remission. We examined DTI data of 178 patients who met the DSM‐IV criteria for schizophrenia (120 nonremitted, 58 remitted) and 111 healthy controls. Remission was determined using Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores. Analysis of covariance identified significantly different white matter tracts between groups, whilst covarying for clinical variables. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine clinical‐imaging predictors of remission. Compared to controls, both nonremitted and remitted patients had reduced fractional anisotropy in the body of corpus callosum (BCC) and posterior thalamic radiation. Nonremitted patients had higher axial diffusivity (AD)/mean diffusivity (MD) values in the right cingulum than remitted patients after controlling for duration of illness, number of hospitalizations, and daily total chlorpromazine equivalents. The MD and AD of right cingulum correlated positively with the severity of psychotic psychopathology in nonremitted subjects. In addition, female sex and longer duration of illness were also significant predictors of remission. Specific DTI indices reflecting axonal processes and inflammation/edema of associative fibers (right cingulum) differentiated nonremitted from remitted patients, and together with relevant clinical factors, could serve as potential prognostic markers in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patterns of clinical use of long‐acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic drugs in many countries, especially in Asia, for treatment of patients diagnosed with chronic psychotic disorders including schizophrenia are not well established. Methods: Within an extensive research consortium, we evaluated prescription rates for first‐ (FGA) and second‐generation antipsychotic (SGA) LAI drugs and their clinical correlates among 3557 subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia across 15 Asian countries and region. Results: Overall, an average of 17.9% (638/3557; range: 0.0%‐44.9%) of treated subjects were prescribed LAI antipsychotics. Those given LAI vs orally administered agents were significantly older, had multiple hospitalizations, received multiple antipsychotics more often, at 32.4% higher doses, were more likely to manifest disorganized behavior or aggression, had somewhat superior psychosocial functioning and less negative symptoms, but were more likely to be hospitalized, with higher BMI, and more tremor. Being prescribed an FGA vs SGA LAI agent was associated with male sex, aggression, disorganization, hospitalization, multiple antipsychotics, higher doses, with similar risks of adverse neurological or metabolic effects. Rates of use of LAI antipsychotic drugs to treat patients diagnosed with schizophrenia varied by more than 40‐fold among Asian countries and given to an average of 17.9% of treated schizophrenia patients. We identified the differences in the clinical profiles and treatment characteristics of patients who were receiving FGA‐LAI and SGA‐LAI medications. Discussion: These findings behoove clinicians to be mindful when evaluating patients' need to be on LAI antipsychotics amidst multifaceted considerations, especially downstream adverse events such as metabolic and extrapyramidal side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studies examining coprescription and dosages of mood stabilizers (MSs) with antipsychotics for psychotic disorders are infrequent. Based on sparse extant data and clinical experience, we hypothesized that adjunctive MS use would be associated with certain demographic (e.g., younger age), clinical factors (e.g., longer illness duration), and characteristics of antipsychotic treatment (e.g., multiple or high antipsychotic doses). Methods: Within an Asian research consortium focusing on pharmaco‐epidemiological factors in schizophrenia, we evaluated rates of MS coprescription, including high doses (>1000 mg/day lithium‐equivalents) and clinical correlates. Results: Among 3557 subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia in 14 Asian countries, MSs were coprescribed with antipsychotics in 13.6% (n = 485) of the sample, with 10.9% (n = 53) on a high dose. Adjunctive MS treatment was associated (all p < 0.005) with demographic (female sex and younger age), setting (country and hospitalization), illness (longer duration, more hospitalizations, non‐remission of illness, behavioral disorganization, aggression, affective symptoms, and social–occupational dysfunction), and treatment‐related factors (higher antipsychotic dose, multiple antipsychotics, higher body mass index, and greater sedation). Patients given high doses of MSs had a less favorable illness course, more behavioral disorganization, poorer functioning, and higher antipsychotic doses. Conclusions: Schizophrenia patients receiving adjunctive MS treatment in Asian psychiatric centers are more severely ill and less responsive to simpler treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotic disorders can exact a toll on both patients and caregivers. Whilst the desired teaching goals include gaining an understanding of the manifestations, neurobiology and treatment of these conditions, such concepts may appear abstract to medical undergraduates new to psychiatry before their clinical rotation. This study aimed to examine the use of patient narratives in teaching. Based on self-determination and Kolb's learning theories, it was hypothesized that intermediate processes (such as engagement, motivation, reflection) mediate narratives' effectiveness as a pedagogical tool. Narratives in the form of stories of prominent individuals with psychotic disorders (such as John Nash) were incorporated in undergraduate teaching. Overall, 1014 out of 1500 (67.6%) medical undergraduates provided feedback over 2014–2018 through an anonymized questionnaire after the teaching session. Relationships between the use of narratives, intermediate processes, and overall effectiveness of session were assessed using correlation, regression, and structural equation modeling analyses. Most learners (97.2%) found that use of narratives helped them better appreciate the topic. Use of narratives correlated with better engagement, motivation, feeling equipped, reflection about the topic, and effectiveness as a pedagogical medium. The use of narratives was significantly predictive of ratings on these intermediate processes (all p < 0.001), which in turn mediated the relationship between narratives and overall session ratings. Consistent with adult learning theories, the use of narratives can improve appreciation of psychotic spectrum disorders via better engagement, motivation, and reflection within learners. Appropriate narratives can be incorporated into other topics to enhance undergraduate psychiatry education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High rates of burnout have been reported in physicians in training, with contributing factors including stress, lack of coping skills, and attributes of the learning environment. The interrelationships among these factors and how they affect versus mitigate burnout in an international cohort of residents have not been studied. We examined the interrelationships between stress, perceptions of the learning environment, and coping strategies used in a cohort of psychiatry residents in Singapore, using burnout as the dependent variable. We hypothesized that perceptions of the learning environment and coping strategies influence the relationship between residency-related stress and burnout in psychiatry residents. From June 2016 to September 2017, 67 of 75 (89%) psychiatry residents from a single program in Singapore were assessed on their levels of stress and burnout, perceptions of their learning environment (including role autonomy, teaching, and social support), and the coping mechanisms they used. Psychiatry residents in this Singaporean program perceived their overall learning environment to be positive. Perceptions of the learning environment, not coping strategies, significantly mediated the relationship between stress and burnout. Findings from this study suggest that perceptions of the learning environment mediate the relationship between stress and burnout. Approaches to evaluate and improve resident perceptions of aspects of their learning environment may be an effective strategy to manage burnout in psychiatry residency programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Emerging infectious disease outbreaks, such as the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, often have a psychological impact on the well-being of the general population, including survivors and caregivers. Our study aimed to synthesise extant literature regarding the combined psychological responses and coping methods used by the general population in past outbreaks.Methods: We conducted a narrative synthesis of the published literature over the last two decades with a quality appraisal of included articles that reported both psychological responses and coping strategies within infectious disease outbreaks.Results: A total of 144 papers were identified from the search, 24 of which were included in the review. Overall, 18 studies examined the psychosocial responses of the general population towards the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, four studies focused on the Ebola epidemic and two studies covered the H1N1 outbreak. Common themes in psychological responses included anxiety/fears, depression, anger, guilt, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress and stigmatisation, but also a greater sense of empowerment and compassion towards others. Coping strategies adopted included problem-focused coping (seeking alternatives, self- and other-preservation), seeking social support, avoidance, and positive appraisal of the situation.Conclusion: Amid the range of psychosocial responses seen in past infectious disease outbreaks, practical considerations for the current COVID-19 pandemic need to focus on the individual in the context of the larger social environment, with an emphasis on raising awareness of the range of possible psychosocial responses, access to psychological help, self-care, empowering self-support groups and sustained engagement with updated, reliable information about the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As clinical practices with lithium salts for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) are poorly documented in Asia, we studied the prevalence and clinical correlates of lithium use there to support international comparisons., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of use and dosing of lithium salts for BD patients across 13 Asian sites and evaluated bivariate relationships of lithium treatment with clinical correlates followed by multivariate logistic regression modeling., Results: In a total of 2139 BD participants (52.3% women) of mean age 42.4 years, lithium salts were prescribed in 27.3% of cases overall, varying among regions from 3.20% to 59.5%. Associated with lithium treatment were male sex, presence of euthymia or mild depression, and a history of seasonal mood change. Other mood stabilizers usually were given with lithium, often at relatively high doses. Lithium use was associated with newly emerging and dose-dependent risk of tremors as well as risk of hypothyroidism. We found no significant differences in rates of clinical remission or of suicidal behavior if treatment included lithium or not., Conclusions: Study findings clarify current prevalence, dosing, and clinical correlates of lithium treatment for BD in Asia. This information should support clinical decision-making regarding treatment of BD patients and international comparisons of therapeutic practices., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This scoping review aimed to examine 1) types of inter-professional (IPE) interventions using Strosahl's typology framework, 2) practice outcomes related to healthcare setting and patients using Kirkpatrick's model of training evaluation, and 3) enablers and challenges related to the effectiveness of IPE interventions specific to the mental healthcare setting in order to guide the development of such future programs., Methods: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute for scoping reviews. Several databases were searched for relevant studies from database inception until December 2023. Articles were included if it 1) involved IPE interventions within mental healthcare, 2) reported practice outcomes related to healthcare setting and patients, and 3) was published in English. Variables of interest included the mode of IPE intervention using Strosahl's typology, enablers, and challenges related to IPE interventions., Results: Overall, 16 studies were included. IPE intervention outcomes within healthcare setting related to shifts in practice culture, engagement with family members, and increased collaborations with other inter-professional groups. Reported patient outcomes included clinical improvements (e.g., reduced depression and anxiety, psychotropic drug use, better psychosocial functioning), patient empowerment, satisfaction, and confidence in treatment. The enablers and challenges included resource limitations, inter-professional group and individual participation, and pedagogy., Discussion: Future efforts in IPE mental healthcare practice can focus on garnering sustained institutional support, identifying and investing in committed faculty, encouraging greater learner participation, and making iterative changes to the IPE program structure to facilitate involvement of inter-professional disciplines for better patient care., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s).)

It is important to examine the psychotropic prescription practices in schizophrenia, as it can inform regarding changing treatment choices and related patient profiles. No recent reviews have evaluated the global neuropsychopharmacological prescription patterns in adults with schizophrenia. A systematic search of the literature published from 2002 to 2023 found 88 empirical papers pertinent to the utilization of psychotropic agents. Globally, there were wide inter-country and inter-regional variations in the prescription of psychotropic agents. Overall, over time there was an absolute increase in the prescription rate of second-generation antipsychotics (up to 50%), mood stabilizers (up to 15%), and antidepressants (up to 17%), with an observed absolute decrease in the rate of antipsychotic polypharmacy (up to 15%), use of high dose antipsychotic (up to 12% in Asia), clozapine (up to 9%) and antipsychotic long-acting injectables (up to 10%). Prescription patterns were mainly associated with specific socio-demographic (such as age), illness (such as illness duration), and treatment factors (such as adherence). Further work, including more evidence in adjunctive neuropsychopharmacological treatments, pharmaco-economic considerations, and examination of cohorts in prospective studies, can proffer insights into changing prescription trends relevant to different treatment settings and predictors of such trends for enhancement of clinical management in schizophrenia.

Abstract: In this study, we examined the cerebellar dysfunction in schizophrenia by evaluating the clinical, cognitive, resilience, and coping correlates of cerebellar signs (CSs) in 162 subjects (63 patients with schizophrenia and 99 healthy controls). The presence of CS was evaluated based on six clinical tests. Measures to assess the severity of psychopathology, cognitive functioning, resilience, and frequency of coping strategies used were included. Patients had more CS than controls. Patients with more CS were older, had more severe psychopathology, had poorer performance on Brief Assessment of Cognition for Schizophrenia token motor task, and used less self-distraction as a coping strategy than those with fewer CS. Patients without CS used less self-blame coping at higher level of resilience. The association of less self-distraction with more CS may be related to cognitive inflexibility as a result of cerebellar dysfunction. Greater attentiveness to the presence of CS in schizophrenia patients may aid in better management of their psychotic condition., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: A systematic review was conducted to examine resilience in bipolar disorder (BD) and its relationship to demographic, psychopathology, illness features, and psychosocial functioning., Data Sources: A literature search was conducted from database inception to August 2022 using PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Reference lists were also manually searched for relevant articles., Study Selection: Studies were included if they involved patients with a primary diagnosis of BD, were published in English, and measured resilience using a clearly defined rating scale. Studies were excluded if they were case reports, systematic reviews, or conference articles. Of the initial 100 records screened after duplicates were removed, 29 articles were finally included in the systematic review., Data Extraction: Information extracted included the number and type of subjects, socio-demographic characteristics, resilience scale(s) used, and relevant clinical correlates., Results: Higher resilience in BD was associated with specific psychopathology (lower severity of depressive and psychotic symptoms; less rumination, hopelessness, impulsivity, and aggression; fewer depressive episodes and suicide attempts), clinical features (self-directed temperament, less childhood trauma, and positive attitudes toward pharmacologic treatment), social factors (better social support and family organization), and psychosocial functioning (better quality of life, social functioning, personal recovery, and spiritual well-being). Resilience also mediated pathways between childhood trauma, depression, and quality of life., Conclusions: Based on resilience models, BD patients can be helped to better manage challenges and stressors and bolster internal compensatory factors and external protective factors during the course of their illness., (© Copyright 2023 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.)

Objectives: Recent research suggests that burn-out is high and appears to be rooted in system-level factors including the local learning environment (LE). While most studies on this topic have been cross-sectional, our aim was to explore the relationship between burn-out and the LE over time within psychiatry residents. We hypothesised that burn-out is a significant predictor of learner perception of overall and all subdomains of LE within residents., Design: This was a repeated measures questionnaire study., Setting: We surveyed psychiatry residents in Singapore between January 2016 and December 2019., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and the Postgraduate Hospital Education Environment Measure (PHEEM) were used to assess burn-out and resident perception of the LE, respectively. Linear mixed modelling was used to examine changes in PHEEM scores over time while taking into account burn-out status., Participants: Overall, 93 residents (response rate 89.4%) took part., Results: The average difference between initial PHEEM total scores for residents with and without burn-out was significant (p<0.001). Burn-out status was a significant predictor of lower overall and all subdomain PHEEM scores at baseline (all p<0.001). PHEEM Teaching scores showed a significant increase over time for all residents regardless of burn-out status (p<0.05). However, PHEEM Total, Role Autonomy, Social Support scores did not change significantly over time or change significantly between residents with or without burn-out., Conclusions: Perceptions of LE among psychiatry residents at baseline are inversely associated with burn-out status. That only the Teaching subdomain score increased over time could be accounted for by the fact that it is a more tangible and visible aspect of the LE compared with perceived role autonomy or social support subdomains. Our findings underscore the importance of attending to the well-being and improving the LE of our residents so as to optimise learning during training., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has a potentially significant impact on not only physical health but also psychological well-being. To the best of our knowledge, no review thus far has consolidated the psychological impact of COVID-19 across different subpopulations. A systematic search of the literature until 15 June 2020 found 150 empirical papers pertinent to the mental health consequences of the pandemic. The majority (87.3%) were from China (45.3%), the rest of Asia (22.0%) and Europe (20.0%), and mostly examined the general population (37.3%), healthcare workers (31.3%) and those with pre-existing mental and physical illnesses (14.7%). The most common psychological responses across these subpopulations were anxiety (overall range 24.8%-49.5%), depression (overall range 18.6%-42.6%) and traumatic stress symptoms (overall range 12.7%-31.6%). Healthcare workers and those with pre-existing physical and mental illnesses were more severely affected. Future studies are needed on underexamined subgroups such as the elderly and patients who recovered from COVID-19., (Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.)

Objective: In light of the substantial clinical and societal burden of social phobia (SP) and impact on the sense of well-being of affected individuals, we sought to summarise extant data related to quality of life and relevant correlates in adults with SP to distill clinical profiles for earlier identification and appropriate management., Methods: A scoping review was carried out on studies examining quality of life in adults with SP and clinical correlates within different settings. PubMed/Medline and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant articles beginning from database inception until May 2021., Results: A total of 25 papers were included. Most of the studies (92%) were cross sectional in nature (80%), conducted in the West (92%), and within clinic or community settings (88%). Patients with comorbid psychiatric conditions, and undergraduate students reported higher rates of SP compared with community population. Significant correlates of SP included demographic (such as females, younger age, living alone, fewer years of education, unemployment) and clinical factors (such as family history of anxiety disorders, suicidal ideas, avoidant personality features). SP was widely associated with decreased QoL involving several domains and especially related to complexity, greater number of feared or trigger situations, and comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions., Conclusion: SP is not uncommon within clinical, and undergraduate populations, and has a significantly negative impact on quality of life. Awareness of its associated clinical profiles allows better identification and overall management of this condition including improvement in QoL., (© 2021 Lau et al.)

Objectives: With the increased emphasis on personalised, patient-centred care, there is now greater acceptance and expectation for the physician to address issues related to spirituality and religion (SR) during clinical consultations with patients. In light of the clinical need to improve SR-related training in residency, this review sought to examine the extant literature on the attitudes of residents regarding SR during residency training, impact on clinical care and psychological well-being of residents and SR-related curriculum implemented within various residency programmes., Design: A scoping review was conducted on studies examining the topic of SR within residency training up until July 2020 on PubMed/Medline and Web of Science databases. Keywords for the literature search included: (Spirituality OR Religion) AND (Residen* OR "Postgraduate Medicine" OR "Post-graduate Medicine" OR "Graduate Medical Education")., Results: Overall, 44 studies were included. The majority were conducted in North America (95.5%) predominantly within family medicine (29.5%), psychiatry (29.5%) and internal medicine (25%) residency programmes. While residents held positive attitudes about the role of SR and impact on patient care (such as better therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence and coping with illness), they often lacked the knowledge and skills to address these issues. Better spiritual well-being of residents was associated with greater sense of work accomplishment, overall self-rated health, decreased burnout and depressive symptoms. SR-related curricula varied from standalone workshops to continuous modules across the training years., Conclusions: These findings suggest a need to better integrate appropriate SR-related education within residency training. Better engagement of the residents through different pedagogical strategies with supervision, feedback, reflective practice and ongoing faculty and peer support can enhance learning about SR in clinical care. Future studies should identify barriers to SR-related training and evaluate the outcomes of these SR-related curriculum including how they impact the well-being of patients and residents over time., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: In light of the current evolving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the need to learn from past infectious disease outbreaks to provide better psychological support for our frontline health care workers (HCW), we conducted a rapid review of extant studies that have reported on both psychological and coping responses in HCW during recent outbreaks., Data Sources: We performed a systematic search of the available literature using PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), and Web of Science, combining key terms regarding recent infectious disease outbreaks and psychological and coping responses. Papers published from database inception to April 20, 2020, were considered for inclusion. Only studies in the English language and papers from peer-reviewed journals were included., Study Selection: We identified 95 (PubMed) and 49 papers (Web of Science) from the database search, of which 23 papers were eventually included in the review., Data Extraction: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used for data extraction. The McMaster University critical appraisal tool was used to appraise quantitative studies. Guidelines by Higginbotham and colleagues were used to appraise qualitative studies. Only studies exploring the combined psychological and coping responses of HCW amid infectious diseases were included., Results: Salient psychological responses that can persist beyond the outbreaks included anxiety/fears, stigmatization, depression, posttraumatic stress, anger/frustration, grief, and burnout, but also positive growth and transformation. Personal coping methods (such as problem solving, seeking social support, and positive thinking) alongside workplace measures (including infection control and safety, staff support and recognition, and clear communication) were reported to be helpful., Conclusions: Psychological support for HCW in the current COVID-19 pandemic and future outbreaks should focus on both individual (eg, psychoeducation on possible psychological responses, self-care) and institutional (eg, clear communication, providing access to resources for help, recognition of efforts of HCW) measures., (© Copyright 2020 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.)

Introduction: Emerging infectious disease outbreaks, such as the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, often have a psychological impact on the well-being of the general population, including survivors and caregivers. Our study aimed to synthesise extant literature regarding the combined psychological responses and coping methods used by the general population in past outbreaks., Methods: We conducted a narrative synthesis of the published literature over the last two decades with a quality appraisal of included articles that reported both psychological responses and coping strategies within infectious disease outbreaks., Results: A total of 144 papers were identified from the search, 24 of which were included in the review. Overall, 18 studies examined the psychosocial responses of the general population towards the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic, four studies focused on the Ebola epidemic and two studies covered the H1N1 outbreak. Common themes in psychological responses included anxiety/fears, depression, anger, guilt, grief and loss, post-traumatic stress and stigmatisation, but also a greater sense of empowerment and compassion towards others. Coping strategies adopted included problem-focused coping (seeking alternatives, self- and other-preservation), seeking social support, avoidance, and positive appraisal of the situation., Conclusion: Amid the range of psychosocial responses seen in past infectious disease outbreaks, practical considerations for the current COVID-19 pandemic need to focus on the individual in the context of the larger social environment, with an emphasis on raising awareness of the range of possible psychosocial responses, access to psychological help, self-care, empowering self-support groups and sustained engagement with updated, reliable information about the outbreak., (Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.)

Background: Multiple studies have reported high burnout rates among residents, including psychiatry. There is a paucity of studies examining the relationship between burnout and learning context, stress levels, resilience, stigma in healthcare providers and coping methods concurrently within the same cohort., Objective: We examined the rate of burnout among our psychiatry residents in a cross-sectional study and hypothesised that burnout is associated with poorer perception of learning environment, greater perceived stress, stigma levels, lower resilience and specific coping strategies during training., Methods: Ninety-three out of 104 psychiatry residents (89.4%) within our National Psychiatry Residency Programme participated in the study from June 2016 to June 2018. Relevant scales were administered to assess the perception of learning environment, burnout, stress, resilience, stigma levels and coping methods, respectively. We performed comparisons of the above measures between groups (burnout vs no burnout) and within-group correlations for these same measures., Results: Overall, 54.8% of the sample met criteria for burnout. Residents with burnout had poorer perception of the learning environment, greater stress levels (both p<0.001), were less willing to disclose/seek help and employed greater active-avoidance coping strategies. Within the burnout group, greater perceived stress was correlated with poorer perception of learning environment (r s =-0.549) and greater use of active-avoidance coping (r s =0.450) versus additional use of problem-focussed coping within the non-burnout group., Conclusions: Burnout was related to both environment and learner factors. These findings viewed within the transactional, sequential and imbalance models of burnout suggest the need to address stressors, beef up coping, provide continual support and develop resilience among our learners., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically review extant data on the prevalence of burnout amongst psychiatry residents, examine the contributory factors, and consider potential ways to manage burnout., Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted on all relevant articles within Pubmed/OVID Medline and ScienceDirect digital databases from January 2000 till March 2019 that investigated burnout in psychiatry residents. Variables of interest included questionnaires used to assess burnout, the prevalence of burnout, and its clinical correlates. Articles were included if they were observational or experimental studies and involved a sample consisting solely of or a subsample of psychiatry residents. The data are summarised and presented as a narrative synthesis., Results: Twenty-two studies were included. The overall prevalence of burnout among psychiatry residents was 33.7%, which was associated with certain demographic (non-parental status), training (juniors years of training, lower priority of psychiatry as career choice, lack of clinical supervision, discontinuation from training), work (high workload, long hours, insufficient rest), and learner factors (more stressors, greater anxiety, and depressive symptoms, low self-efficacy, decreased empathic capacity, poor coping, self- medication, and use of mental health services)., Conclusions: These findings suggest that interventions such as refining candidate selection, enforcement of work hour limits, enhancement of support and supervision, and equipping of stress coping skills may ameliorate burnout related to training, work, and learner factors respectively. These findings and suggestions may apply to other residency programs. However, future studies should examine burnout longitudinally and evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions in reducing burnout within psychiatry residents.

Objective: This review sought to summarize the extant literature on the efficacy of 4 modalities of psychoeducation (individual, group, family, internet- based) in the management of patients with bipolar disorder., Data Sources: We searched the digital databases (Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE) for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) pertaining to psychoeducation in bipolar disorder from inception to February 2017. Keywords and combinations used included psychoeducation, bipolar disorder, individual, family, group, and internet. Reference lists of review articles were also used for retrieval of relevant articles., Study Selection: We retrieved 48 studies and ultimately reviewed 40 RCTs meeting inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they were in English, were RCTs of different psychoeducation modalities managing patients with bipolar disorder, and used standardized assessment of outcomes of psychoeducation., Data Extraction: We examined each of the selected publications for relevant data., Results: The majority of psychoeducation RCTs (28 of 40 studies, 70.0%) focused on group and family psychoeducation, with positive benefits reported in clinical outcomes, treatment, and functioning measures. Group psychoeducation was associated with reduced illness recurrences, decreased number and duration of hospitalizations, increased time to illness relapse, better treatment adherence, higher therapeutic lithium levels, and reduced stigma. Family psychoeducation was associated with reductions in illness recurrence, hospitalization rates, and better illness trajectory as well as increased caregiver knowledge, skills, support, and sense of well-being and reduced caregiver burden. There are fewer RCTs on individual and internet-based psychoeducation, with findings being inconsistent or negative., Conclusions: Future studies may include direct comparisons of different psychoeducation modalities to elucidate specific benefits of unique psychoeducation interventions at different phases of bipolar disorder., (© Copyright 2018 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.)