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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease with the hallmark symptom of post-exertional malaise. Evidence for physiological causes is converging, however, currently no diagnostic test or biomarker is available. People with ME/CFS experience stigmatization, including the perception that the disease is psychosomatic. In a sample of 499 participants with self-diagnosed ME/CFS, we investigated perceived stigma as a pathway through which perceived others' causal attributions relate to lower satisfaction with social roles and activities and functional status. Higher perceived attributions by others to controllable and unstable causes predicted lower health-related and social outcomes via higher perceived stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An anticipated surge in mental health service demand related to COVID-19 has motivated the use of novel methods of care to meet demand, given workforce limitations. Digital health technologies in the form of self-tracking technology have been identified as a potential avenue, provided sufficient evidence exists to support their effectiveness in mental health contexts. Objective: This literature review aims to identify current and potential physiological or physiologically related monitoring capabilities of the Apple Watch relevant to mental health monitoring and examine the accuracy and validation status of these measures and their implications for mental health treatment. Methods: A literature review was conducted from June 2021 to July 2021 of both published and gray literature pertaining to the Apple Watch, mental health, and physiology. The literature review identified studies validating the sensor capabilities of the Apple Watch. Results: A total of 5583 paper titles were identified, with 115 (2.06%) reviewed in full. Of these 115 papers, 19 (16.5%) were related to Apple Watch validation or comparison studies. Most studies showed that the Apple Watch could measure heart rate acceptably with increased errors in case of movement. Accurate energy expenditure measurements are difficult for most wearables, with the Apple Watch generally providing the best results compared with peers, despite overestimation. Heart rate variability measurements were found to have gaps in data but were able to detect mild mental stress. Activity monitoring with step counting showed good agreement, although wheelchair use was found to be prone to overestimation and poor performance on overground tasks. Atrial fibrillation detection showed mixed results, in part because of a high inconclusive result rate, but may be useful for ongoing monitoring. No studies recorded validation of the Sleep app feature; however, accelerometer-based sleep monitoring showed high accuracy and sensitivity in detecting sleep. Conclusions: The results are encouraging regarding the application of the Apple Watch in mental health, particularly as heart rate variability is a key indicator of changes in both physical and emotional states. Particular benefits may be derived through avoidance of recall bias and collection of supporting ecological context data. However, a lack of methodologically robust and replicated evidence of user benefit, a supportive health economic analysis, and concerns about personal health information remain key factors that must be addressed to enable broader uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the level of psychosomatic disorders and their relationship to the characteristics of survivors of suicide in Palestine. The study sample consisted of 155 survivors of suicide. The researcher used the measurement of psychosomatic disorders, which included 36 items within six areas, and the survivors of suicide characteristics measurement, which consisted of 40 paragraphs within five areas. The results revealed a moderate level of psychosomatic disorders among the survivors of suicide and differences in the independent variables (gender, age, number of suicide attempts). The findings also found a moderate level of survivors of suicide characteristics. The results related to the independent variables revealed statistically significant differences in the traits of the survivors of suicide based on the variables of age, marital status, academic level, and the number of suicide attempts). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Major shifts within the education system have taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic; frontal teaching was often replaced with remote learning, which has affected students in many ways. We investigated the associations and predictors of perceptions of the remote learning experience on well-being (life satisfaction, self-rated health, psychosomatic, and psychological symptoms). Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional research study consisting of 1019 school students in Israel aged 11–18 (53.5% girls, 46.7% boys). Questionnaires were distributed from May–July 2021 during school time. The percentages of participants with various levels of well-being (WB) and remote learning experience were compared. Multiple regression procedures were used to analyze factors predicting wellbeing. Results. All of the remote learning items had statistically significant positive correlations with life satisfaction and self-rated health (i.e., better overall WB was associated with a more positive perception of the remote learning experience). Male gender, high socioeconomic status, greater involvement in lessons in the past year, and connection to the pedagogical team/school and peers predicted better overall WB (F-ratio = 14.03; p < 0.01; adjusted R2 = 0.08). Conclusions. Our results highlight the need for schools to target youths' coping skills, which may lead to better remote learning experiences. These findings also provide several implications for the need to support children and adolescents through positive activities, relaxation/mindfulness, and cognitive coping to deal with the psychosomatic symptoms during remote learning periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie is the property of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Here we report on a case of a 40-year-old female patient who presented with hypomanic episode after hyperthyroidism and major depressive episode after hypothyroidism, which was initially misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder due to another medical condition, and was found to be a co-morbid bipolar disorder of hyperthyroidism after treatment and follow-up. The course of diagnosis and treatment in this case suggests a close temporal relationship does not necessarily mean that there is a causal relationship on a physiologic level. User's Guide for the SCID-5-CV Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders elaborate that the diagnosis of "……due to another medical condition" is relatively rare, and co-morbidity between psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases is much more common. Therefore, the relationship between somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders requires careful study of symptom correlation and more time for observational follow-up. When in doubt, the examiner's default assumption should be that the somatic disease is not the cause (i.e., the psychiatric disorder is primary)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yao, Xu, Yan, Ye, Shen, Dai and Chen.)

A key element of successful psychotherapy for the treatment of psychosomatic disorders is that patients recognize and change the meaning of their experiences. Such changes are brought about by appropriate verbal referencing of symptoms currently experienced within a given narrative. The present theoretical paper argues that changes are not based on better, more adaptive narratives per se, but on the transition (or linkage) process itself that is experienced between different narratives. This view is theoretically justified in various ways: first, it is accounted for through contemporary spatiotemporal neuroscience, which aims to connect mental and structural aspects via a common dynamic property or, according to Northoff, the “common currency” of a brain’s orientation along its embeddedness in its contextual world, i.e., body and environment. Second, it is justified through the physics concept of “spontaneous symmetry breaking,” which is used analogously to “suffering from symptoms.” If the sufferer is willing to experience a process of “going back,” that is, moving away from the previous narrative (or aspect) by verbally relating to the felt aspects of the symptom in question (i.e., approaching its meaning), they are moving toward symmetry or an underlying dynamic alignment with their world context. Clinical predictions are derived from the theoretical arguments.

Objectives: Patients with psychosomatic disorders suffer from social isolation thatmight further lead to destabilization and exacerbation of bodily symptoms via autonomic pathways. We aimed to investigate the influence of controlled social stress (model of social ostracism) on the autonomic nerve system (ANS) in an inpatient cohort with psychosomatic disorders. Methods: We examined heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance (SC) and skin temperature (ST) as well as ECG-derived respiration rate (EDR) and subjective reports on stress during exposure to experimental social stress (cyberball game). Data were collected from 123 participants (f:m = 88:35, 42.01 ± 13.54 years) on admission and upon discharge from the university psychosomatic clinic. All data were recorded during baseline, inclusion and exclusion phases of the cyberball game as well as during the recovery phase. Results: We found significant changes between admission and discharge with a decline in parasympathetic-related HRV parameters (SDRR -3.20 ± 1.30ms, p = 0.026; RMSSD: -3.77 ± 1.28ms, p = 0.007) as well as a decrease in SC (-0.04 ± 0.17 µS, p = 0.019) and EDR (-0.01 ± 0.01Hz, p = 0.007), suggesting a drop in sympathetic tonus, with no changes in ST (p = 0.089) and subjective stress levels (p = 0.322). HRV parameters decreased during the cyberball game (SDRR p = 0.026; RMSSD p = 0.002; lnHF p < 0.001). In contrast, both SC (p < 0.001) and EDR (p < 0.001) increased during the game with SC being slightly lower during the exclusion phase. This can point toward a stimulation of sympathetic nervous systemduring game participation, which was concordant with the rise in subjective stress values (p < 0.001). ST showed a continuous, unspecific rise over time (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the decrease of ANS parameters during experimental social stress when data upon discharge were compared to those upon admission. These results are partially contradictory to previous studies that showed a rise in HRV in a psychiatric cohort over the course of (outpatient) treatment. Further research is required to help attributing these differences to effects of treatment or acute states relating to admission to or discharge from a psychosomatic department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is a globally distributed disease caused by a parasitic protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in humans and animals that often develops asymptomatic acquired infections but the important aspect of this parasitic infection is the possible risk of congenital transmission and its severe effects on the fetus such as hydrocephalus, microcephaly, deafness and abortion up to milder abnormalities such as psychomotor retardation, mental disability, hearing loss, slow growth, chorioretinitis, cryptogenic epilepsy and autism disorders in infants. The infection appears to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, weight loss, autoimmune thyroid disease, violence, and suicide attempts. The term Mental Disorders is used to refer to mental disorders that have behavioural or psychological symptoms which affect various aspects of life and cause anxiety. In this article, the possible association between this parasite and the major categories of disorders (based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM) is described. 1- Neurodevelopmental Disorders. The association of global developmental delay and communication disorders with toxoplasmosis has not been investigated nor the author has not found an article in this regard but some studies consider T. gondii to be an effective or ineffective factor in intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. 2- Bipolar and Related Disorders which seems people who were evaluated immediately after the onset of these mental disorders were more likely to be exposed to T. gondii. 3- Anxiety Disorders. In this group of diseases, toxoplasmosis association has not been investigated or the author has not found an article in this regard except in some studies which consider T. gondii to be an effective or ineffective factor in generalized anxiety disorder. Latent toxoplasmosis exacerbates anxiety and depression and can be a risk factor for mental illness, on the other hand, the results are varied for depression but the genetic background is important for the response to latent toxoplasmosis. 4- Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders er. Toxoplasmosis association has not been investigated in this group nor the author has not found an article in this regard although there are studies that consider T. gondii to be an effective or ineffective factor in post-traumatic stress disorder. 5- Dissociative Disorders The association with toxoplasmosis has not been investigated or the author has not found an article on these subjects. 6- Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders include somatic symptom disorder, illness anxiety disorder, conversion disorder and factitious disorder which none of them has been studied concerning toxoplasmosis, or the author has not found an article on these subjects. 7- Feeding and Eating Disorder include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, rumination disorder, pica and binge-eating disorder which none of which has been studied with toxoplasmosis, or the author has not found an article about them. 8- Sleep-Wake Disorders include narcolepsy, insomnia disorder, hypersomnolence disorder, breathing-related sleep disorders, parasomnias and restless legs syndrome. Except for hypersomnolence disorder, and breathing-related sleep disorders which can be partly related to parasite infection, the rest of the diseases were not studied nor the author has not found an article about them. 9- Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders include kleptomania, pyromania, intermittent explosive disorder, conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Except for intermittent explosive disorder which can be partly related to parasite infection, the rest of the diseases were not studied nor the author has not found an article on these subjects. 10- Depressive Disorders. Except for major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) which can be partly related to parasite infection, the rest of the diseases were not studied nor the author has not found an article on these subjects. 11- Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. The association of this disease with toxoplasmosis has not been investigated nor the author has not found an article in this regard. 12- Neurocognitive Disorders include delirium and major and mild neurocognitive disorders. Apart from delirium, many articles have been published on the relationship between this parasite and major and mild neurocognitive disorders. 13- Schizophrenia Disorders include delusions, hallucinations and disorganized speech. Statistical analysis showed that among patients with schizophrenia and the incidence of latent toxoplasmosis may be a connection in incidence and latent toxoplasmosis appears to be a risk factor, especially for schizophrenia and anxiety. It seems that both schizophrenia and latent toxoplasmosis can inhibit neurotransmission, increase the production of L-quinoline and its neurotransmitters, hormonal imbalances, alter tissue regeneration processes, lack of fear, impair human cognition and reduce grey matter density. 14- Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders Toxoplasmosis association has not been investigated in this group nor the author has not found an article in this regard although there are studies that consider T. gondii to be an effective or ineffective factor in OCD. 15- Personality Disorders include antisocial personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder and schizotypal personality disorder which none of them has been studied with toxoplasmosis, or the author has not found an article on these subjects. It seems that T. gondii can increase or cause some mental disorders and many articles have discussed the effect or lack of effect of this parasite also, the association of this parasite with a large number of diseases has not yet been worked out or needs further study. How and why this parasite affects the brain and nerves is still unknown to science that needs further investigation although it seems that infection with this protozoa may cause an increase or occurrence of some mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Somatic disorders and somatic symptoms are common in primary care populations; however, little is known about the prevalence in surgical populations. Identification of inpatients with high somatic symptom burden and psychological co-morbidity could improve access to effective psychological therapies. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis (n = 465) from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of consecutive adult admissions with non-traumatic abdominal pain, at a tertiary hospital in New South Wales, Australia. We estimated somatic symptom prevalence with the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 at three cut-points: moderate (⩾10), severe (⩾15) and 'bothered a lot' on ⩾3 symptoms; and psychological co-morbidity with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 at standard (⩾10) cut-points. We also examined gender differences for somatic symptoms and psychological co-morbidity. Results: Prevalence was moderate (52%), female predominance (odds ratio = 1.71; 95% confidence interval = [1.18, 2.48]), severe (20%), no gender difference (1.32; [0.83, 2.10]) and 'bothered a lot' on ⩾3 symptoms (53%), female predominance (2.07; [1.42, 3.03]). Co-morbidity of depressive, anxiety and somatic symptoms ranged from 8.2% to 15.9% with no gender differences. Conclusion: Somatic symptoms were common and psychological triple co-morbidity occurred in one-sixth of a clinical population admitted for abdominal pain. Co-ordinated surgical and psychological clinical intervention and changes in clinical service organisation may be warranted to provide optimal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the Miskitu of Nicaragua, Grisi Siknis is a contagious illness that predominantly affects women. It is characterized by numerous psychosomatic symptoms, including headache, fear, aggressive behavior, loss of consciousness, and periods of rapid frenzy. Although Grisi Siknis has gained academic and public attention due to its unique cultural elements and perceived sexual aspects, little is known how the contextual and gender dimensions of Grisi Siknis are played out in relation to the socio-political context in the region. Based on 16 months of ethnographic work in the Nicaraguan Miskitu Coast, including semi-structured interviews (n = 20) and participant observation, this article documents a semantic shift in the embodied and symbolic language of a cultural idiom of distress. I show how duhindu (Miskitu spirit associated with illness and misfortune) and witchcraft are symbols that share cultural resonance in the Miskitu community, while gender violence discourse is a new language incorporated into the logic of this cultural idiom of distress. I argue that this semantic shift allows the individuals in this study to communicate local experiences of complex forms of structural inequalities (migration status, unemployment, ethnic identity) and gender-based violence that tend to be normalized as a ubiquitous cultural problem while preserving the broader socio-cultural meaning the Grisi Siknis represents. The ethnographic accounts of Grisi Siknis provide empirical data to unpack the unexplored contextual processes and local discourses that transform the meaning and logic of cultural idioms of distress at the individual level of experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a psychosomatic gastrointestinal disorder involving the dysfunctional activation of specific brain regions crucial for interoception and disgust processing. Yet, no study has ever investigated the link between this socio-affective/visceral experience and IBS. Method: The present study investigated whether disgust sensitivity and disgust propensity, which can be socially relevant, relate with IBS symptoms in a nonclinical population. 105 healthy participants were asked to complete the Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-Revised (DPSS-R), the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Quality of Life Measure (IBS-QOL), and the Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Measure (CUQ2OL), as control condition. Results: Results showed higher disgust sensitivity scores in individuals with high IBS-QOL score, compared to individuals with low IBS-QOL score. The correlation analysis corroborates this result by showing a positive relationship between disgust sensitivity and respective IBS-QOL scores. Conclusions: This research provides new insights into understanding the etiopathogenesis of IBS, suggesting the relevance of a socially relevant personality trait such as disgust sensitivity as a potential trigger and / or predisposition factor for this chronic inflammatory disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness, also known as PPPD or 3PD, is a chronic functional vestibular disorder characterized by persistent sensation of rocking or swaying unsteadiness and/or non-spinning dizziness without vertigo lasting at least 3 months. Symptoms typically worsen with upright posture (like standing or sitting upright), head or body motion and exposure to busy or visually rich environments. The article describes the application of Infra-Low Frequency Neurofeedback (ILF NF) over 32 sessions on an unmedicated individual with symptoms related to PPPD that were still present 3 years after the initial diagnosis. Along with significant reduction in those symptoms, other accompanying symptoms (like anxiety, intrusive violent thoughts, suicidal thoughts) were markedly improved with ILF NFB. Consistent symptomtracking fromsession to session, as well as before and after CPT data were used to document reported changes with ILF NF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with rare diseases often undergo a diagnostic odyssey that can last many years until the diagnosis is definitively established. To improve the diagnosis and treatment of these patients, the German National Task Force for Patients With Rare Diseases (Nationales Aktionsbündnis für Menschen mit Seltenen Erkrankungen, NAMSE) has recommended the creation of Rare Disease Centers (RDCs). Methods: As part of the joint Translate-NAMSE project, sponsored by the G-BA Innovation Fund (G-BA, German Federal Joint Committee), we investigated the performance of RDCs in establishing the diagnosis of patients suspected to have a rare disease. The results of interdisciplinary case conferences and of exome diagnostic tests were analyzed in a prospective, multicenter observational study. Results: A total of 5652 patients (of whom 3619 were under 18 years old, and 2033 were at least 18 years old) from 10 RDCs who did not yet have a definitive diagnosis of a rare disease were included in the study. On average, those who were under 18 years old had been symptomatic for 4.5 years without receiving a diagnosis in a standard care setting; the analogous figure for adult patients was 8.2 years. Over the course of this project (2017--2021), 1682 patients (30%) received a definitive diagnosis. 193 had a common disease, 88 had a psychosomatic disease (only in patients who were at least 18 years old), and 1401 had a rare disease. 14 850 case conferences were conducted. 1599 exome analyses led to 506 definitive genetic diagnoses (32%). Conclusion: A diagnostic evaluation with the aid of interdisciplinary case conferences and the opportunity for exome analysis can be of benefit to people with rare diseases who have not received a definitive diagnosis in a standard care setting. Further improvement of the diagnosis rate can come from whole-genome analysis and from the introduction of an international registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has the general objective of addressing the problem of the psychosomatic that was exposed by Martin Heidegger and the Swiss psychiatrist Medard Boss in the so-called Zollikon Seminars. First, I provide an overview of the origin and gestation of these seminars, as well as their historical context. Then, the problem of method and the corresponding differentiation between psyche and soma in psychiatry are analyzed. Finally, the article collects Heidegger’s reflections on the phenomenon of the body (Leibphänomen) for making a brief analysis of Major Depressive Disorder in the DSM-5, and shows how the experience of the body (Leib) becomes an aspect fundamental to consider in the diagnosis of this type of disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppressing negative emotions (anger, fear, sadness) can lead to an increase in emotional tension. Unexpressed emotions contribute to the deterioration of health and may also contribute to the emergence of psychosomatic disorders and certain diseases, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cancer. Research shows that depressive emotionality is associated with lower self-esteem while lowering life quality and life satisfaction. The aim of the study was to analyze whether suppressing negative emotions is related to the level of self-esteem amongst young mothers and their satisfaction with life, as well as to identify mediators that determine the quality of this relationship. 340 young mothers (mean age 30.09) were examined. To conduct the research the Emotional Control Scale – CECS in its Polish adaptation of Zygfryd Juczyński, the Life Satisfaction Scale by Zygfryd Juczyński and the SES Self-esteem Scale adapted by Mariola Łaguna, Kinga Lachowicz-Tabaczek and Irena Dzwonkowska were used. The analyses confirmed the existence of significant relations between the level of suppressing negative emotions (sadness and anxiety) and self-esteem as well as life satisfaction. It also turned out that the level of selfesteem is an important mediator in the relation between the suppression of sadness and anxiety by young mothers and their satisfaction with life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosomatic conditions are generally discussed in broad and general terms that are difficult to conceptualize and have neither specific identified etiological factors nor consensus for treatment. This paper was written as a broad overview of psychosomatic conditions in order to provide clarity to the topic. Several databases were searched including Medline and PsychInfo and reference lists from relevant publications. Literature was sought out f or psychosomatic conditions, somatoform disorders, and medical illnesses with psychosomatic components. A general description of psychosomatic conditions and overarching themes were identified which include: lack of a universal definition, poor compatibility between psychological diagnoses and diagnoses outside of psychology, unclear etiology, psychosomatic factors occur in many illnesses, holistic perspective is preferred, poor patient insight regarding symptoms, strong family influence, and pediatric-liaison teams are strongly encouraged in diagnosis and treatment. Treatment is often highly individualized utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy and pediatric-liaison teams with a biopsychosocial focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the emotional characteristics in people with psychosomatic disorders (PSD) at the early stages of disease development is a topical research area in psychosomatic medicine, as it allows clarifying the psychological mechanisms of PSD formation. This exploratory research aims to study the age features of emotional characteristics in people with and without PSD. The study was carried out on a sample of 200 people aged 18–55 (M = 26.89; SD = 7.82) using the following questionnaires: the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale-Short Form (PERS-S), the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), the Rumination subscale from the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). The results showed that the levels of stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms decrease with age. Ease/speed of activation, intensity, and duration of negative emotions, as well as rumination on stressful situations, are positively correlated with the level of stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms. With an increase in positive emotion duration, the severity of mental symptoms decreases. Compared to people aged 26–55 with or without PSD, young people aged 18–25 and especially young people with PSD have a more unfavorable psychosomatic status, which is characterized by a more explicit tendency to experience negative emotions with their higher intensity and duration. Emotion regulation difficulties at a young age (especially intensive and prolonged experience of negative emotions) may form the basis for PSD development. Correcting these difficulties at a young age may prevent PSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects families, especially the parents of people with this disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate psychosomatic symptoms and mental health in parents of children with and without autism. Methods: This casual-comparative study was performed on parents of children with and without autism who referred to an outpatient autism specialty clinic located in Tehran, Iran, in 2020-2021. The statistical population included all parents of children with and without autism and the sample consisted of 80 parents selected through random sampling method. Therefore, randomized sampling was conducted and the parents were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The data collection tools used included the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and MANOVA in SPSS software. Results: The results showed that parents of autistic children had higher GHQ-28 and PHQ-15 scores than parents of children without autism (F= 18.47; 11.901; P = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the rate of psychosomatic symptoms and all dimensions of mental health was higher in parents of autistic children compared to that in the parents of children without autism. Thus, governments and other relevant institutions should provide support to parents of autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between parental stress and parental depression symptoms. A total of 67 mothers took part in this study, of whom 39 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 28 mothers of typically developing children. The self-reported measures of the Parental Stress Index III and the Questionnaire for Measuring Depression were used in this study. Mothers' stress domain, but not children' stress domain, was positively associated not only with mothers' total symptoms of depression but also with its dimensions such as cognitive deficits and a lack of energy, thinking about dead, pessimism, and a feeling of alienation, anxiety and guilt symptoms, psychosomatic symptoms and a loss of interest, and lower self-regulation abilities in a group of mothers of children with ASD. There were not nearly any significant associations between mothers' stress and mothers' depression symptoms in a sample of mothers of typically developing children. The results have practical implications for mental health support providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program (UNHSP), which has been in operation in Poland since 2002, enables the use of modern, impartial techniques in detecting congenital hearing impairment. It is free and generally available, and so it gains high attendance. The examination uses globally accepted methods of hearing screening: Otoacoustic Emission and Auditory Brainstem Response. The first examination takes place on the obstetric or neonatal ward and allows the examiner to discover any hearing impairment at an early stage. It is important in the context of psychosomatic development of the children. Special attention is paid to newborns with inherited risk factors of hearing impairment. It turns out that < 10% of examined newborns are referred for a check-up in a higher reference centre, and only < 1% of examined children have actual hearing impairment. This review article presents an evaluation of the UNHSP in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Health is a multidimensional concept, denoting not only an absence of disease and disability, but also feeling of happiness and welfare. Stress is among the important factors threatening mental health, and people are faced with numerous stressors in their everyday lives. Accumulation of daily stress would affect individuals' physical and mental health, and when it lasts for long term, it can lead to negative outcomes, including neurotic and stress-related disorders. However, most individuals do not develop such illnesses after experiencing stressful life events, because the person who is resilient does not develop neurotic and stress-related disorders because this resilience shield people against the development of stress-related disorder. Aim: This study was conducted to find if there is a significant difference in the scores on measures of resilience between patients with neurotic and stress-related disorders with normal counterpart. Methods: The sample comprised 60 participants, 30 with neurotic and stress-related disorder, and 30 their normal counterpart. Participants were administered Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25), General Health Questionnaire-12, and sociodemographic pro forma. Results: Significant differences were found in the resilience score of neurotic and stress-related disorders' patients with normal counterpart (t = 18.524, P = 0.000). Conclusion: CD RISC-25 showed the mean score of resilience among neurotic and stress-related disorders' patients were found to be 34.86 ± 9.35, and the counterpart scored the mean value of 85.66 ± 11.70 where the maximum possible score was 100. Resilience of counterpart was higher than neurotic and stress-related disorders' patients, (t = 18.524, P = < 0.000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Medicinae et Sociologica (AMS) is the property of University of Debrecen and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Psychosomatic disorders are characterized by the presence of physical symptoms due to mental or emotional factors. In dentistry, six groups of psychosomatic disorders have been evidenced -- pain-related disorders, disorders related to altered oral sensation, disorders induced by neurotic habits, autoimmune disorders, disorders caused by altered perception of dentofacial form and function, and miscellaneous disorders. The current paper reviews the literature regarding the prevalence and basic clinical characteristics of psychosomatic disorders affecting the mouth and the maxillo-facial area, as well as their prevention and treatment directions. PubMed/Medline and Google Scholar electronic databases were used for article selection. A total of 83 sources were identified during the 1924-2018 period. Of these, 77(92.8%) corresponded to the aim of the present paper, as 63 of them (81.8%) presented detailed description of etiology, pathophysiology, clinical signs, and management oral psychosomatic disorders. As this review focused on pain-related psychosomatic disorders, a total of 21 (33.3%) articles were included, of which ten discussed myofascial pain disfunction syndrome (MPDS), four articles - atypical facial pain, four - atypical odontogenic pain, and three papers - phantom pain. Given that many dentists consider only the physical explanation of the diseases, while the psychological factors that provoke certain conditions are often rejected, ideas of psychosomatic medicine and of a person-centered holistic approach to patient care need to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical conditions in children and adolescents are often under reported during mainstream school years and may underlie mental health disorders. Additionally, comparisons between younger and older schoolchildren may shed light on developmental differences regarding the way in which physical conditions translate into conduct problems. The aim of the current study was to examine the incidence of psychosomatic complaints (PSC) in young and older adolescent boys and girls who also report conduct problems. A total of 3132 Swedish adolescents (age range 15–18 years, 47% boys) completed the Uppsala Life and Health Cross-Sectional Survey (LHS) at school. The LHS question scores were categorised by two researchers who independently identified questions that aligned with DSM-5 conduct disorder (CD) criteria and PSC. MANOVA assessed the effects of PSC, age, and gender on scores that aligned with the DSM criteria for CD. The main effects of gender, age, and PSC on the conduct problem scores were observed. Adolescents with higher PSC scores had higher conduct problem scores. Boys had higher serious violation of rules scores than girls, particularly older boys with higher PSC scores. Psychosomatic complaints could be a useful objective identifier for children and adolescents at risk of developing conduct disorders. This may be especially relevant when a reliance on a child's self-reporting of their behavior may not help to prevent a long-term disturbance to their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is a rare autosomal dominant disease, which requires differential diagnosis from relatively common primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in order to avoid unnecessary surgery. Case presentation: A 16-year-old female had been followed by the department of psychosomatic medicine at our institution. Throughout the follow-up period, her plasma calcium levels were high, plasma Pi levels were relatively low, and plasma intact PTH was relatively high. She was referred to our department to determine the cause of her hypercalcemia. Her 24 h urinary calcium excretion was as low as 100 mg/day, and calcium creatinine clearance ratio was below 0.01. Moreover, she had a family history of hypercalcemia (proband, her brother, and her father). The genetic testing for her family revealed that she, her brother, and her father were definitively diagnosed with FHH type 1 due to the heterozygous calcium-sensing receptor mutation (NM_00388:4:c.164C > T:p.Pro55Leu). Conclusion: We experienced a 16-year-old female with FHH, in whom genetic testing identified the heterozygous calcium-sensing receptor mutation (NM_00388:4:c.164C > T:p.Pro55Leu) as pathogenic, permitting a definitive diagnosis of FHH type 1. The genetic testing for calcium sensing receptor is beneficial to distinguish asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism from FHH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the free energy principle, all sentient beings strive to minimize surprise or, in other words, an information-theoretical quantity called variational free energy. Consequently, psychosocial "stress" can be redefined as a state of "heightened expected free energy," that is, a state of "expected surprise" or "uncertainty." Individuals experiencing stress primarily attempt to reduce uncertainty, or expected free energy, with the help of what is called an uncertainty resolution program (URP). The URP consists of three subroutines: First, an arousal state is induced that increases cerebral information transmission and processing to reduce uncertainty as quickly as possible. Second, these additional computations cost the brain additional energy, which it demands from the body. Third, the program controls which stress reduction measures are learned for future use and which are not. We refer to an episode as "good" stress, when the URP has successfully reduced uncertainty. Failure of the URP to adequately reduce uncertainty results in either stress habituation or prolonged toxic stress. Stress habituation reduces uncertainty by flattening/broadening individual goal beliefs so that outcomes previously considered as untenable become acceptable. Habituated individuals experience so-called "tolerable" stress. Referring to the Selfish Brain theory and the experimental evidence supporting it, we show that habituated people, who lack stress arousals and therefore have decreased average brain energy consumption, tend to develop an obese type 2 diabetes mellitus phenotype. People, for whom habituation is not the free-energy-optimal solution, do not reduce their uncertainty by changing their goal preferences, and are left with nothing but "toxic" stress. Toxic stress leads to recurrent or persistent arousal states and thus increased average brain energy consumption, which in turn promotes the development of a lean type 2 diabetes mellitus phenotype. In conclusion, we anchor the psychosomatic concept of stress in the information-theoretical concept of uncertainty as defined by the free energy principle. In addition, we detail the neurobiological mechanisms underlying uncertainty reduction and illustrate how uncertainty can lead to psychosomatic illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alexisomia refers to difficulties in the awareness and expression of somatic feelings. This idea was proposed by Dr. Yujiro Ikemi as a characteristic observed in patients with psychosomatic diseases and is based on his observations that patients with psychosomatic diseases have difficulty in the awareness and expression of not only their emotions, i.e., alexithymia, but also somatic feelings and sensations, i.e., alexisomia. He also proposed that treating alexisomia is important in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases and that yoga might help improve alexisomia. However, no study has investigated if yoga actually affects alexisomia. This open-label pilot study investigated whether practicing yoga in a class results in change in patients with alexisomia and alexithymia. Methods: The Shitsu-taikan-sho Scale (STSS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were administered to 305 participants, including 64 healthy participants, 111 participants who had subjective symptoms without abnormal findings, and 130 participants with chronic diseases. Participants were tested before and 3 months after attending yoga classes. Results: Yoga practice reduced the STSS and the TAS-20 difficulty in identifying feelings (DIF) subscale scores. Multiple linear regression indicated that a reduction in the TAS-20 DIF subscale scores predicted a decrease in the STSS score, whereas reductions in the STSS difficulty in identifying bodily feelings (DIB) and the lack of health management based on bodily feelings (LHM) subscale scores predicted a decrease in the TAS-20 scores. Conclusion: We found that regular yoga practice improves alexisomia. Yoga-induced improvement of alexisomia may be mediated, at least in part, by an improvement of DIF in alexithymia. Yoga would be a promising therapeutic approach to improve alexisomia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Music listening interventions are utilized in a wide variety of clinical settings to help patients manage stress, anxiety, pain, discomfort, as well as attendant influences on sedative exposure, delirium, and cognitive functioning. While the body of research regarding the use of music-based listening interventions continues to grow, there is a paucity of information in the literature about specific music used for listening interventions. The purpose of this secondary analysis is to examine the music that study participants identified as their preferred music and listened to during the study. Design: This secondary analysis is based on data from a parent study, which was a three-arm randomized controlled trial attesting a patient-directed music (PDM) listening protocol to manage the psychophysiological symptom of anxiety. Setting: Twelve intensive care units in a major metropolitan area in the United States. Subjects: Participants included the 126 mechanically ventilated patients enrolled and randomized to the PDM listening arm of the study. Results: Data presented in this study include playlists from the 12 genres patients self-identified as preferred with specific groups and artists requested for music listening during the study. Discographies of the playlists are also included. Conclusions: The efficacy of interventions is impacted by the design of the intervention and the selection of music utilized. Implications of this analysis further explore the role of a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) in designing and implementing a music listening intervention. The specialized knowledge on the therapeutic use and benefits of music that an MT-BC possesses supports the development of quality study intervention and appropriate implementation. The review of the music utilized in the parent study provides detailed information about the music utilized to inform future research focused on music listening interventions to effectively build on previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Despite the ubiquity of cybervictimization among youth, attention to weight‐based cybervictimization is scarce. Aims: This study assessed the prevalence of electronic forms of weight‐based peer victimization (i.e., cybervictimization) and its associations with adolescent health, as indicated by somatic symptoms, stress, depression, and sleep trouble. Materials & Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted online with a community sample of 452 adolescents aged 11–17 years old (Mage = 14.91 years). Results: Thirty‐three percent of adolescents reported at least one experience of weight‐based cybervictimization, with elevated rates among those with overweight (45%) and obesity (60%). Weight‐based cybervictimization was associated with higher levels of somatic symptoms (β = 0.24; p < 0.001), stress (β = 0.22; p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.27; p < 0.001), and sleep trouble (β = 0.20; p < 0.001); these associations were consistent across adolescent weight status. Discussion and Conclusion: Findings suggest that the health implications of weight‐based victimization extend to the electronic context, and underscore the importance of addressing weight‐based cybervictimization in antibullying initiatives to support healthy adolescent well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Anxiety disorders and psychological manifestations play significant roles in the incidence of psychosomatic disorders. Moreover, personality traits are one of the psychological constructs associated with psychosomatic symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of integrative therapy on distress and psychosomatic symptoms in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality. Methods: The present study was semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population in this study included all the patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders who referred to the Institute of Psychology Hamdam Hamrah in 2020, 24 patients were selected by targeted sampling method (patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction, apart from the gastrointestinal cancer patients, who had a high de-personality score) and were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control with 12 patients in each group. Data were obtained using the type D personality scale (DS-14), ROME III questionnaire, psychological distress scale, and depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21). Data analysis was performed using repeated measure analysis of variance by SPSS version 22. Results: Descriptive findings of psychological distress variables were obtained in the experimental group in the pre-test (40.08±7.75), posttest (.25±7.59), and follow-up (28.33±6.45). Furthermore, descriptive findings psychosomatic symptoms were obtained in the pre-test (49.17±15.65), post-test (42.25±10.36), and follow-up sessions (40.33±9.28), showing a decrease in the values of these variables in posttest and follow-up sessions. The results indicated that integrative therapy was effective in decreasing distress (P<0.001) and psychosomatic symptoms (P<0.001) in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality. Conclusion: It can be concluded that integrative therapy effectively reduces distress and psychosomatic symptoms of female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality and improves psychological problems in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, a theoretical analysis of the study of crisis states and the methodological foundations of crisis psychotherapy, taking into account foreign and domestic experience, is carried out. Based on the results of empirical studies, modern foreign and domestic researchers have established that crisis conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic are accompanied by suicidal reactions, depression, neurotic conditions with post-traumatic stress disorders, exacerbation of psychosomatic diseases, psychopathological disorders. Psychological approaches in psychotherapy together with crisis psycho-psychotherapeutic interventions for working with acute crisis states and crisis psychotherapy of clients in the postquarantine period are considered. The concepts of a crisis state, the features of the influence of "covid" psychotrauma on the mental and psychological health of a person, and the provision of psychological assistance in crisis situations during the COVID-19 pandemic are described in detail. It is noted that in working with crisis conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, modern foreign and Ukrainian specialists prefer cognitivebehavioral psychotherapy. At the theoretical and methodological level, it has been proved that psychotherapy of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is close to crisis psychotherapy and is aimed at reintegration of mental activity disturbed by the "conductive" psychotrauma and restoration of psychological adaptation to a certain extent. The psychotherapeutic model of psychological crisis intervention in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is based on a biopsychosocial approach and requires a comprehensive and integrated use of crisis psychotherapy methods with the integration of neuropsychotic methods and Internet technologies into the entire therapy process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the problem of considering the best neuropsychological technologies for correcting human psychosomatic health. The most popular theories of the onset of psychosomatic disorders in foreign and domestic works are considered. The article describes neuropsychological mechanisms: the provision of psychosomatic health and the occurrence of psychosomatic disorders and diseases and some features of their dynamics. A detailed classification of psychosomatic disorders has been submitted. The role of the emotional and psychological factor in the occurrence of psychosomatic disorders and diseases is emphasized and other influential factors in the violation of psychosomatic health in general are considered. The conditions for the development and implementation of an individual program for neuropsychological correction of a psychosomatically ill client, taking into account the specificity and category of psychosomatic disorders, the peculiarities of the relationship between the emotional and bodily spheres and the results of neurophysiological research of the functional state of the brain, as well as a complex of neuro-psychosocial factors of psychosomatic health resources. The conditions for professionally competent neuropsychological correction of psychosomatic disorders at the systemic level are noted. The technologies of neuropsychological correction in combination with psychotherapy are considered. Neuropsychological recommendations have been developed to ensure, restore and correct psychosomatic health. The use of psychohygiene as a psychoprophylaxis of psychosomatic diseases is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present there is a lack of basic research activities in psychosomatic medicine; though there are many available areas open for basic researchers. The following are the guidelines for enhancing interest of basic science research for those who are interested in psychosomatic medicine: 1. Establishing the need for basic research activities in psychosomatic disorders to provide optimal evidence-based management to suffering patients 2. Type of research needed to improve the treatment regime of psychosomatic disorders [ a) basic research in psychosomatic disorders to discover the etiological factors and b) basic research activities which can improve the management and treatment of psychosomatic patients] 3. Basic research areas available are a) biological b) psychological c) social d) ecological and e) combined areas of above reflecting the epigenetic factors in psychosomatic medicine. The criteria for basic research include evidence-based findings in basic research with a goal to enhance the management of psychosomatic disorders. Monitoring the cost-benefit evaluation should be an important part of basic research. Utilizing non-pharmacological therapy, culture, and country-based therapies are required to bring holistic success in human suffering. This paper will discuss the above factors to enhance interest in the many areas of basic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesPatients with psychosomatic disorders suffer from social isolation that might further lead to destabilization and exacerbation of bodily symptoms via autonomic pathways. We aimed to investigate the influence of controlled social stress (model of social ostracism) on the autonomic nerve system (ANS) in an inpatient cohort with psychosomatic disorders.MethodsWe examined heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance (SC) and skin temperature (ST) as well as ECG-derived respiration rate (EDR) and subjective reports on stress during exposure to experimental social stress (cyberball game). Data were collected from 123 participants (f:m = 88:35, 42.01 ± 13.54 years) on admission and upon discharge from the university psychosomatic clinic. All data were recorded during baseline, inclusion and exclusion phases of the cyberball game as well as during the recovery phase.ResultsWe found significant changes between admission and discharge with a decline in parasympathetic-related HRV parameters (SDRR −3.20 ± 1.30 ms, p = 0.026; RMSSD: −3.77 ± 1.28 ms, p = 0.007) as well as a decrease in SC (−0.04 ± 0.17 μS, p = 0.019) and EDR (−0.01 ± 0.01 Hz, p = 0.007), suggesting a drop in sympathetic tonus, with no changes in ST (p = 0.089) and subjective stress levels (p = 0.322). HRV parameters decreased during the cyberball game (SDRR p = 0.026; RMSSD p = 0.002; lnHF p < 0.001). In contrast, both SC (p < 0.001) and EDR (p < 0.001) increased during the game with SC being slightly lower during the exclusion phase. This can point toward a stimulation of sympathetic nervous system during game participation, which was concordant with the rise in subjective stress values (p < 0.001). ST showed a continuous, unspecific rise over time (p < 0.001).ConclusionOur data demonstrate the decrease of ANS parameters during experimental social stress when data upon discharge were compared to those upon admission. These results are partially contradictory to previous studies that showed a rise in HRV in a psychiatric cohort over the course of (outpatient) treatment. Further research is required to help attributing these differences to effects of treatment or acute states relating to admission to or discharge from a psychosomatic department.

Purpose: A cohort of Japanese patients diagnosed with occlusal dysesthesia (OD) was clinically analyzed for psychosomatic background, management, and treatment outcome.Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 61 patients (17 men and 44 women) who met the OD criteria. Treatment outcomes were categorized as improvement, interruption, and transfer to another department.Results: The diagnosed OD was resolved in 25 patients (41%), 20 patients (33%) discontinued treatment, 13 (21%) were referred or transferred to other specialties such as psychiatry, and 3 (5%) continued to receive treatment following an engagement period of 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years, respectively. Among the 20 patients who discontinued treatment, complaints persisted for 10 and they did not comply with treatment, 1 had immodithymia characterized by adherence to symptoms, 3 had depressive states, 2 were suspected to have schizophrenia, and 2 were suspected to have so-called phantom bite syndrome.Conclusion: This study suggests that OD treatment should take into account the underlying psychiatric disorder manifesting as physical complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have reignited debates on how to prevent and manage psychological injury among returning troops. These debates point to the psychological cost of war as a grand challenge whose scale and complexity stretch far beyond the already large and growing number of veterans affected. We use a unique ethnography of a military medical team's tour of duty in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to explore the role of institutional context as a contributing factor to psychological injury from war. We find that exposure to war and its consequences invokes sustained experiences of senselessness, futility, and surreality that are partially rooted in cultural expectations, professional role identity, and organizational protocol, and can threaten people's existential grounding in this institutional context. We argue that what makes work at war traumatic for some and not others is likely affected by the specific context through which people filter, frame, and cope with their experience. A contextual understanding of psychological injury at war that is based in organizational research can thus form an important part of better addressing this grand challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Art therapy is a form of complementary therapy to treat a wide variety of health problems. Existing studies examining the effects of art therapy differ substantially regarding content and setting of the intervention, as well as their included populations, outcomes, and methodology. The aim of this review is to evaluate the overall effectiveness of active visual art therapy, used across different treatment indications and settings, on various patient outcomes. Methods: We will include randomised controlled studies with an active art therapy intervention, defined as any form of creative expression involving a medium (such as paint etc.) to be actively applied or shaped by the patient in an artistic or expressive form, compared to any type of control. Any treatment indication and patient group will be included. A systematic literature search of the Cochrane Library, EMBASE (via Ovid), MEDLINE (via Ovid), CINAHL, ERIC, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, and PSYNDEX (all via EBSCOHost), ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) will be conducted. Psychological, cognitive, somatic and economic outcomes will be used. Based on the number, quality and outcome heterogeneity of the selected studies, a meta-analysis might be conducted, or the data synthesis will be performed narratively only. Heterogeneity will be assessed by calculating the p-value for the chi2 test and the I2 statistic. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions are planned. Discussion: This systematic review will provide a concise overview of current knowledge of the effectiveness of art therapy. Results have the potential to (1) inform existing treatment guidelines and clinical practice decisions, (2) provide insights to the therapy's mechanism of change, and (3) generate hypothesis that can serve as a starting point for future randomised controlled studies. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO ID CRD42021233272 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of patients suffering from an eating disorder and a comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder is challenging and often leads to poor outcomes. In a randomized control trial, we evaluated to what extent adding Infra-Low Frequency (ILF) neurofeedback could improve symptom reduction within an established inpatient treatment program. In a randomized two-group design, patients suffering from an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder) and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (N = 36) were examined while attending an inpatient treatment program in a clinic for psychosomatic disorders. The intervention group received ILF neurofeedback in addition to regular therapy, while the control group received "media-supported relaxation" as a placebo intervention. At the beginning and at the end of their treatment, all participants completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) as a measure of eating disorder psychopathology and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) in order to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Changes in EDE-Q and IES-R scores over time served as primary outcomes as well as an increase in body mass index in underweight patients. Secondary outcomes were the perceived benefit of the received intervention, global assessment of psychological treatment success, and complications in the course of treatment. Statistical evaluation was carried out with repeated measurement analysis of variance for the primary outcomes and with t -tests and Fisher's exact test for the secondary outcomes. Our results indicate better treatment outcomes in the ILF neurofeedback group with regard to trauma-associated avoidance as well as with regard to restraint eating and increase in body weight. Furthermore, patients who had received ILF neurofeedback rated the intervention they received and, in tendency, their overall treatment more positively and they experienced fewer complications in the course of treatment. ILF neurofeedback is very well accepted by patients and seems to provide a relevant additional benefit in some aspects of symptom reduction. Findings confirm the feasibility of embedding this treatment approach in an inpatient setting and support the case for a larger study for greater statistical power. Clinical Trial Registration : "Infra-Low Frequency Neurofeedback training in the treatment of patients with eating disorder and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder"; German Clinical Trials Registry (https://www.drks.de; Identifier: DRKS00027826). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]