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This document is a collection of summaries of various research articles in the field of sport and exercise psychology. The articles cover a range of topics, including coaches' leadership, emotional abuse experiences of male college athletes, pride and greed in sports psychology, gendered discourses in youth sport coaching, psychosocial mechanisms of weight loss maintenance, and ballroom as activism for black queer and trans+ individuals. The articles provide insights into the predictors and outcomes of coaches' leadership, the pressures of orthodox masculinity in sports, the relationship between pride and greed, the impact of gendered discourses on coaching girls, the psychosocial mechanisms of weight loss maintenance, and the challenges faced by black queer and trans+ individuals in leisure spaces. The articles highlight the complexities and individual experiences within the field of sport and exercise psychology, emphasizing the need for reflection, understanding, and integration of emotions for personal growth and flourishing. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction Between June 2021 and December 2022, the Practice-Based Implementation (PBI) Network conducted a pilot to study the optimization of behavioral health technicians (BHTs) within military behavioral health (BH) care system specialty BH clinics. Behavioral health technicians are paraprofessionals found in all branches of the military, and with training across a variety of clinic functions. Behavioral health technicians support BH specialty providers in many clinic functions (i.e. administrative, case management, clinical, and outreach). The primary aim of the BHT optimization pilot was to increase BHTs' involvement in clinical care. Materials and Methods Four military BH outpatient clinics participated in the BHT optimization pilot. Participants from the 4 clinics included 12 BHTs, 3 providers, 3 internal facilitators, and 3 dual-role providers/internal facilitators. The pilot asked each clinic to assess their BHT utilization needs, and then barriers and facilitators to BHT optimization were addressed by creating site-specific BHT optimization plans. Results The degree to which clinic optimization of BHTs impacts provider workload, clinic capability or capacity, and patient access to evidence-based care could not be determined during the BHT optimization pilot. However, individualized clinic BHT optimization plans and strategies appeared to be feasible and acceptable methods for military health system BH clinics to optimize BHTs' clinical skills. Lessons learned from this pilot included that: (1) clinics should consider establishing and maintaining action plans with specific, actionable goals for use of BHTs, and (2) BHT supervision, training, and clinic processes supporting optimization should be prioritized despite time constraints. Conclusion Overall, individualized clinic BHT optimization plans and strategies appear to be feasible and acceptable methods for military health system BH clinics to optimize BHTs' clinical skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Future multidomain operational combat environments will require combat medics to play a larger role in managing behavioral health (BH) conditions in forward environments, as soldiers in small teams may have them as their sole medical support for extended periods of time. Previously they were not expected to serve in this role, and thus, they receive minimal BH training. It is unknown to what extent combat medics consider BH tasks as falling within their scope of practice and how often they engage with their soldiers currently related to BH. Qualitative research suggests that many medics feel inadequately prepared to handle BH problems. Our aim is to further assess medic attitudes and behaviors related to BH to better understand the landscape of medic preparedness to fill an expanded role. Materials and Methods Data from 292 medics were collected before their participation in the BH Guidelines for mEdic Assessment and Response training, a day-long training for medics expected to deploy to far-forward environments. We investigated whether combat medics engage with their soldiers in areas related to BH, the extent to which they consider BH-related tasks as part of their scope of practice, and how confident they feel engaging in various BH-related tasks. We explored associations between medics' attitudes related to BH scope of practice and confidence performing BH tasks with gender, rank, component (National Guard vs. Active Duty), work-related BH experience, having suicide training in the past year, and having ever sought help for BH. Results Results indicated that in the past month, 61.4% of medics discussed BH issues, 48.3% assessed BH problems, and 41.3% provided interventions for BH problems with at least one soldier in their unit. Assessment tasks were more frequently endorsed as falling within medic's scope of practice (75%-95%) than intervention tasks (62%-83%). More medics felt confident doing assessments (39%-49% moderately confident or greater) than providing interventions (31%-37% moderately confident or greater). Medics expressed highest confidence in assessing for suicide risk (49% moderate confidence or greater). Medics with a lot of prior BH work experience and non-commissioned officers (as compared to junior enlisted) reported greater confidence in most tasks. Receiving suicide training in the past year was associated with greater confidence assessing for suicide, as well as providing interventions for suicide, general BH problems, and substance abuse. Conclusions Most medics agreed that numerous BH tasks fell within the scope of their work, but few felt confident engaging in those tasks. These findings support a need for additional training in BH-related tasks across the force. Exploring ways to provide medics BH-related work rotations would augment their general proficiency as first-line treatment providers for soldiers in combat units, and increased training in BH-related tasks should be studied to determine its ability to increase competency and confidence. If medics can learn to assess and recognize BH concerns before they escalate to needing specialty BH care, this could potentially reduce the burden on BH clinics, as well as strengthen the overall force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Suicidal ideation and attempts are considered to be graduated risks for suicide, yet they remain under studied. Suicide is among the leading causes of death in the U.S. for all individuals between the ages of 10 and 64 years. Suicide is a critical problem in the U.S. Military. The U.S. Army suicide rates surpassed civilian rates in 2008 and continue to climb steadily; with U.S. Army soldiers at more than twice the risk than U.S. civilians, and enlisted personnel at more than twice the risk of officers. Suicidal ideation and attempts are routinely reported within U.S. Army brigades using suicide-related serious incident reports (SR-SIRs). These reports could form a useful source of information for prevention planning, but to date there have been no efforts to summary these reports. This paper analyzes SR-SIRs among enlisted personnel for a 4-year period for 1 Army brigade, to test the usefulness of this information and to explore whether risk factors for attempts compared to ideation can be identified. Materials and Methods This report analyzes 130 de-identified reports of suicidal ideation (n  = 102) and suicide attempts (n  = 28) reported as SR-SIRs from August 2018 to June 2022 among enlisted personnel in an airborne infantry brigade combat team (BCT) outside the continental U.S. Analysis of de-identified data was not considered research by brigade and university human subject/IRB authorities. Fourteen soldier characteristics and context factors were examined to determine if they differentiate the two types of incidents, suicidal ideations and suicide attempts. Results Unit location and alcohol use at the time of the incident were strongly associated with suicide attempts compared to ideation. Attempts occurred disproportionately during off duty hours, and attempters were more likely to have had prior contact with behavioral health services than ideators; however, these differences did not attain conventional statistical significance. Conclusions The study can help inform unit-specific suicide prevention and intervention strategies. Off duty hours and alcohol use are risk factors for attempts, particularly among soldiers who have sought behavioral health care. Plans to engage and support soldiers who have sought behavioral health care during off duty hours, and information regarding the risks of alcohol use, could meaningfully reduce their risk. This is the first known attempt to examine active duty U.S. Army brigade combat team SR-SIRs, and they are a potentially valuable source of health and mental health-related information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (WRIISC-VANJ) serves as one of the three tertiary referral centers for combat deployed Veterans of all eras with medically unexplained or difficult-to-diagnose conditions that may be related to deployment-related exposures. Many of the Veterans seen at the WRIISC experience chronic multisymptom illness (CMI), also known as Gulf War Illness (GWI). Given the complexity and interconnectedness of symptoms, Veterans with GWI are often unlikely to produce meaningful results when addressing single symptoms. Further, Veterans with GWI often have co-morbid cognitive and behavioral health conditions (e.g. TBI, PTSD, Depression), which further compromise their self-efficacy in following treatment recommendations. Thus, the WRIISC-NJ, in collaboration with Wellness Solutions Group, developed a virtual Functional Medicine-based Interdisciplinary and Integrative Intervention to improve the health of Veterans by assisting them in implementing lifestyle changes. Methods The 6-month telehealth program included functional medicine assessments, nutrition and adaptive exercise coaching, mindfulness meditation and yoga, guest health lectures, character strength coaching, and targeted nutritional supplements. Aspects of the program were tailored to the unique clinical needs of each Veteran. Participants completed baseline and 6 month follow-up assessments of physical and emotional symptoms and overall functioning. Follow-up scores were compared with baseline data. Results The program was well received by Veterans with attendance across all offered sessions ranging from 70 to 100%. Further, at the end of the clinical pilot program, improvements were demonstrated in physical and mental health symptoms, intentional weight loss/gain, functional movement, and sleep quality. Conclusions These preliminary results demonstrate the possibility of creating positive health outcomes across multiple health indicators in medically complex combat-deployed Veterans. Our early success and participant enthusiasm for this clinical pilot program also illustrate an opportunity to provide individualized, innovative solutions for the evaluation and treatment of Veterans with GWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The Office of the Secretary of Defense and each of the services have made an unprecedented commitment to the prevention of sexual assault and related behavioral health phenomena. Indeed, the Department of Air Force has selected, in some cases tailored, and disseminated a wide array of evidence-based preventative programs, policies, and practices (EBPs) over the last few decades. However, many of these efforts seem to follow a predictable life course. EBPs are initially implemented with great enthusiasm, supported for a few years, then fall out of favor, and are replaced by a different effort. This research effort aims to build on the existing civilian implementation science research to (1) offer a military-specific model of sustained, high-quality implementation and (2) test this model in a series of interconnected studies. Materials and Methods New York University's Institutional Review Board approved the study protocols, and the Army's Human Research Protection Office provided permission to collect data. We conducted interviews first with prevention leaders in the services and at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level regarding factors that they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of EBPs. We used these interviews to identify EBPs currently implemented in Department of Air Force and selected four EBPs out of the 25 identified for intensive study. We then interviewed implementers of those four EBPs regarding what they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of that EBP. We also gathered information about the 25 currently implemented EBPs themselves and gathered policy and guidance, as well as leadership communication about those EBPs and the target problems they focus on. We coded this information to allow us to test EBP parameters and policy and leader communication that predict sustained high-quality implementation. We conducted over 100 observations of the 4 EBPs we are studying intensively and have collected quantitative data from implementers and participants to help us test factors related to sustained high-quality implementation within each of those 4 EBPs and across the EBPs. Results Several military-specific factors were nominated for inclusion in the military-specific model of implementation sustainment. The implementation of even highly standardized EBPs varies greatly. Implementers and participants are generally highly engaged, but implementers vary in the extent to which they understand the mechanisms of action for the EBP they are implementing. Conclusions We recommend training implementers in the mechanisms of action in the EBPs they are expected to implement and including quality assurance as a component of prevention efforts in a manner more similar to how the military addresses aspects of the operational mission. By moving beyond counting classes and attendance, and specifying how to engage participants in the EBPs in the manner that produces the key outcomes, it is likely that EBPs will have more robust implementations that can be better sustained over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ethical considerations surrounding the use of CPR for organ preservation after brain death. It identifies two main barriers to accepting CPR for this purpose: misunderstanding of organ donation authorization and moral concerns. The author argues that requiring explicit consent for CPR during donor management in the ICU can address these barriers and help maintain public trust. The article emphasizes the importance of transparency and understanding in organ donation processes, and suggests that obtaining consent can address moral concerns, respect cultural and religious needs, and prevent misunderstandings and feelings of distrust. [Extracted from the article]

In three preregistered studies, we investigated whether implicit treatment expectations, using a relational implicit measure (the MT-PEP), vary between participants provided opposing information about novel medical treatments (Studies 1 and 2) or who responded based on normative beliefs toward common over-the-counter drugs (Study 3). The studies revealed large Cohen’s d effect sizes of both novel and well-known treatment information within the implicit measure. The studies also provide evidence of convergent validity, with MT-PEP scores associated with explicit beliefs about medicine and over-the-counter drug familiarity. Implicit treatment expectations can be assessed and offer a novel tool for the intersection of social psychology and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a summary of articles and presentations from the International Journal of Psychology. The topics covered include neuropsychological assessment in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, the classification of mild cognitive impairment, dyadic discrepancies in symptom reporting, relational memory binding tests for Alzheimer's disease, neuropsychological functioning and substance use in adolescent patients with first episode psychosis, neurocognitive interventions for children and adolescents with psychosis, affective speech prosody and its impact on instruction, the impact of long-term meditation practice on emotional responses, the association between the APOE4 gene variant and cognitive decline in older adults, a digital diagnostic tool for mild cognitive impairment, and the effects of dance training on cerebellar connectivity and cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients. These studies provide valuable insights into various aspects of cognitive function and mental health, highlighting the importance of early detection, intervention, and understanding of these conditions. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a collection of presentations and research studies from the International Journal of Psychology. The presentations cover topics such as health disparities, mental health in Black communities, trauma in diverse cultural backgrounds, and the importance of addressing health equity in children and youth. The research studies explore global issues like trauma treatment, migration, intergroup relations, and dementia screening. The studies aim to provide insights and promote understanding of these topics in order to foster inclusive environments and cooperation. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Undetected vulnerability in pregnancy contributes to inequality in maternal and perinatal health and is associated with negative birth outcomes and adverse child outcomes. Nationwide reports indicate important barriers to assessing vulnerability among Danish general practitioners.Objective: To explore general practitioners perceived barriers to vulnerability assessment in pregnant women and whether the barriers are associated with practice organization of antenatal care, general practitioner, and practice characteristics.Methods: The questionnaire was sent to all Danish general practitioners (N = 3,465). Descriptive statistics described the barriers to assessing vulnerability in pregnant women. Analytical statistics with ordered logistic regression models were used to describe the association between selected barriers to vulnerability assessment and antenatal care organization, and general practitioner and practice characteristics.Results: 760 general practitioners (22%) answered. Barriers to vulnerability assessment were related to lacking routines for addressing vulnerability, lacking attention to and record-keeping on vulnerability indicators, an insufficient overview of vulnerable pregnant women, and perceived insufficient remuneration for antenatal care consultations. Not prioritizing extra time when caring for vulnerable pregnant women was associated with experiencing more barriers. Always prioritizing continuity of care was associated with experiencing fewer barriers. General practitioners of either young age, male gender, or who did not prioritize extra time to care for vulnerable pregnant women experienced more barriers.Conclusion: Barriers to vulnerability assessment among pregnant women do exist in general practice and are associated with organizational characteristics such as lacking prioritization of extra time and continuity in antenatal care consultations. Also, general practitioner characteristics like male gender and relatively young age are associated with barriers to vulnerability assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Behavioral or mental health disorders are common in children, adolescents, and young adults. Medication use is increasingly common, with few data describing drug-drug combinations in ambulatory settings. The objectives of this study were to describe the pharmaco-epidemiology of behavioral and mental health (BMH) medications among children, adolescents, and young adults in New York Medicaid and assess the prevalence of contraindicated drug pairs within this population. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study evaluated New York State Medicaid managed care and fee-for-service enrollees under 21 years of age dispensed BMH medications in 2014. Main outcomes included number of members with prescriptions filled; number filling > 1 medication prescription concurrently for ≥ 30 days (polypharmacy), and number and nature of potentially contraindicated drug pairs. Results: Of 2,430,434 children, adolescents, and young adults, 422,486 (17.4%) had a visit associated with a BMH diagnosis and 141,363 (5.8%) received one or more BMH medications. With 84 distinct medications evaluated, polypharmacy was common, experienced by 53,388 individuals (37.8% of those with a prescription filled), generating 11,115 distinct drug combinations. 392 individuals filled prescriptions for a contraindicated pair of ≥ 2 BMH medications for 30 days or longer. With ≥ 1 day overlap, 651 were exposed to contraindicated medications. The most common contraindicated pairs increased potential risk for prolonged QT interval and serotonin syndrome (n = 378 and n = 250 patients, respectively). Most combinations involved ziprasidone (3247.1 per 10,000 ziprasidone prescriptions filled). Conclusions: With nearly 6% of members dispensed a BMH medication, contraindicated drug pairs were uncommon. However, any of those combinations represent a potential risk. Clinicians should attend to the balance of potential risks and benefits before contraindicated pairs are dispensed. The methodology described could serve as a basis for monitoring such rare instances and might reduce harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Discussion Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a long‐term marker of alcohol consumption used frequently in clinical scenarios such as liver transplant evaluation. Recent cases have demonstrated that packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion creates the potential for artificial elevation or decrease of observed PEth concentrations in recipients. Very little is known about the prevalence or stability of PEth in pRBCs.Apheresis and whole‐blood (WB) donations were tested for PEth using liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry with limit of quantitation 10 ng/mL. Units were stored under routine blood bank conditions to evaluate the stability of PEth and the impact of irradiation.Over 40% of apheresis and WB donors had PEth ≥10 ng/mL (maximum observed 587 ng/mL). As WB units were processed into component pRBCs, PEth concentrations increased and were higher than donor WB levels (EDTA sample) prior to collection (maximum observed 711 ng/mL). Storage for up to 5 weeks post donation resulted in mean 17.3% decrease in PEth‐positive units; in contrast to a prior report, we observed no PEth formation in units with negative (<10 ng/mL) baseline concentrations. Irradiation of pRBCs did not substantially affect PEth concentrations in either PEth‐positive or PEth‐negative units.PEth concentrations in healthy blood donors may potentially confound alcohol use or abstinence assessment in pRBC recipients. Transfusion medicine services and clinical practices such as transplantation and behavioral medicine should recognize this phenomenon and collaborate on testing protocols to appropriately interpret PEth in pRBC recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. June Tuma is a pioneer in clinical child and adolescent psychology and pediatric psychology. She made significant contributions to establishing training standards and professional competencies for clinical child psychologists. Dr. Tuma served as the President of the Section on Clinical Child Psychology of the American Psychological Association and was one of the early leaders of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. She played a crucial role in organizing the Hilton Head Conference in 1985, which defined training standards and competencies in clinical child psychology. Her research and advocacy efforts have had a lasting impact on the field, shaping the training, practice, and professional identity of clinical child psychologists. [Extracted from the article]

Knee osteoarthritis is among the most prevalent chronic diseases. Total knee arthroplasty is a common solution that effectively addresses the continued structural degeneration of the articular cartilage. However, effective physical therapy is critical for recovery. Despite participating in physical therapy, many patients fail to recover. This study investigated the potential efficacy of a behaviorally informed approach to surface electromyographic biofeedback following total knee arthroplasty relative to the clinical standard, neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The surface electromyographic biofeedback procedure incorporated improved techniques for establishing a baseline and individualized and adjusting criteria for feedback. The findings suggest some advantages for surface electromyographic biofeedback over neuromuscular electrical stimulation in quadriceps strength, range of motion, functional recovery, and quality of life. Behaviorally informed surface electromyographic biofeedback holds promise for total knee arthroplasty recovery and these data suggest considerable room for collaboration between behavior analysts and physical therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Behavioral or mental health disorders are common in children, adolescents, and young adults. Medication use is increasingly common, with few data describing drug-drug combinations in ambulatory settings. The objectives of this study were to describe the pharmaco-epidemiology of behavioral and mental health (BMH) medications among children, adolescents, and young adults in New York Medicaid and assess the prevalence of contraindicated drug pairs within this population. Methods This observational cross-sectional study evaluated New York State Medicaid managed care and fee-for-service enrollees under 21 years of age dispensed BMH medications in 2014. Main outcomes included number of members with prescriptions filled; number filling > 1 medication prescription concurrently for ≥ 30 days (polypharmacy), and number and nature of potentially contraindicated drug pairs. Results Of 2,430,434 children, adolescents, and young adults, 422,486 (17.4%) had a visit associated with a BMH diagnosis and 141,363 (5.8%) received one or more BMH medications. With 84 distinct medications evaluated, polypharmacy was common, experienced by 53,388 individuals (37.8% of those with a prescription filled), generating 11,115 distinct drug combinations. 392 individuals filled prescriptions for a contraindicated pair of ≥ 2 BMH medications for 30 days or longer. With ≥ 1 day overlap, 651 were exposed to contraindicated medications. The most common contraindicated pairs increased potential risk for prolonged QT interval and serotonin syndrome (n = 378 and n = 250 patients, respectively). Most combinations involved ziprasidone (3247.1 per 10,000 ziprasidone prescriptions filled). Conclusions With nearly 6% of members dispensed a BMH medication, contraindicated drug pairs were uncommon. However, any of those combinations represent a potential risk. Clinicians should attend to the balance of potential risks and benefits before contraindicated pairs are dispensed. The methodology described could serve as a basis for monitoring such rare instances and might reduce harm.

The document titled "Bulletin Board" provides current news and information about the field of sport psychology. It includes announcements of upcoming conferences and events, information about innovative developments in teaching and consulting in sport psychology, job and career opportunities, and names in the news. The document also lists various books, websites, media, and new programs related to sport psychology. Additionally, it provides information on how to join electronic-mail bulletin boards and LISTSERVs for further discussion and information sharing. [Extracted from the article]

Postmenopausal Hispanic/Latina (N = 254) women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 were randomized to an intervention to reduce sitting time or a comparison condition for 12 weeks. The standing intervention group received three in-person health-counseling sessions, one home visit, and up to eight motivational interviewing calls. The heart healthy lifestyle comparison group (C) received an equal number of contact hours to discuss healthy aging. The primary outcome was 12-week change in sitting time measured via thigh-worn activPAL. Group differences in outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Participants had a mean age of 65 (6.5) years, preferred Spanish language (89%), BMI of 32.4 (4.8) kg/m2, and sat for an average of 540 (86) minutes/day. Significant between-group differences were observed in reductions of sitting time across the 12-week period [Mdifference (SE): C − 7.5 (9.1), SI − 71.0 (9.8), p < 0.01]. Results demonstrate that coaching models to reduce sitting are feasible and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective outcome reporting can result in overestimation of treatment effects, research waste, and reduced openness and transparency. This review aimed to examine selective outcome reporting in trials of behavioural health interventions and determine potential outcome reporting bias. A review of nine health psychology and behavioural medicine journals was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials of behavioural health interventions published since 2019. Discrepancies in outcome reporting were observed in 90% of the 29 trials with corresponding registrations/protocols. Discrepancies included 72% of trials omitting prespecified outcomes; 55% of trials introduced new outcomes. Thirty-eight percent of trials omitted prespecified and introduced new outcomes. Three trials (10%) downgraded primary outcomes in registrations/protocols to secondary outcomes in final reports; downgraded outcomes were not statistically significant in two trials. Five trials (17%) upgraded secondary outcomes to primary outcomes; upgraded outcomes were statistically significant in all trials. In final reports, three trials (7%) omitted outcomes from the methods section; three trials (7%) introduced new outcomes in results that were not in the methods. These findings indicate that selective outcome reporting is a problem in behavioural health intervention trials. Journal- and trialist-level approaches are needed to minimise selective outcome reporting in health psychology and behavioural medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal touch represents the primal sensory experience between humans, fostering social bonding from the cradle to the death bed. In recent decades “affective touch” has been intensely studied, stimulated by the discovery of a population of mechanosensitive unmyelinated C-tactile afferents in mammalian skin. A lack of touch in childhood is associated with negative consequences for psychosocial and physical health and the benefits of professional touch techniques in the prevention and treatment of various diseases have been shown over and over again in clinical studies. However, its application in mainstream clinical applications remains limited. To bridge the gap between recent discoveries in touch research and clinical medicine, we propose the establishment of a new discipline: ‘Touch Medicine’. Here, we unfold the potential of Touch Medicine by focusing on the treatment of depression, which in our view is primarily a disorder of the lived body. Controlled studies and systematic reviews have demonstrated the antidepressant, anxiolytic and analgesic effects of specific massage techniques. Underlying mechanisms of action are currently under investigation, ranging from interoceptive, endocrinological, to stress-related or psychological underpinnings. Touch Medicine represents a novel interdisciplinary field connected to various medical specialities such as neonatology, pediatrics, pain medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and geriatrics – but also clinical psychology and psychosomatic medicine might benefit from the integration of these findings into their daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unhealthy behavior increases the risk of dementia. Various socio-cognitive determinants influence whether individuals persist in or alter these unhealthy behaviors. Objective: This study identifies relevant determinants of behavior associated to dementia risk. Methods: 4,104 Dutch individuals (40–79 years) completed a screening questionnaire exploring lifestyle behaviors associated with dementia risk. Subsequently, 3,065 respondents who engaged in one or more unhealthy behaviors completed a follow-up questionnaire investigating socio-cognitive determinants of these behaviors. Cross-tables were used to assess the accuracy of participants' perceptions regarding their behavior compared to recommendations. Confidence Interval-Based Estimation of Relevance (CIBER) was used to identify the most relevant determinants of behavior based on visual inspection and interpretation. Results: Among the respondents, 91.3% reported at least one, while 65% reported two or more unhealthy lifestyle behaviors associated to dementia risk. Many of them were not aware they did not adhere to lifestyle recommendations. The most relevant determinants identified include attitudes (i.e., lacking a passion for cooking and finding pleasure in drinking alcohol or smoking), misperceptions on social comparisons (i.e., overestimating healthy diet intake and underestimating alcohol intake), and low perceived behavioral control (i.e., regarding changing physical inactivity, altering diet patterns, and smoking cessation). Conclusions: Individual-level interventions that encourage lifestyle change should focus on enhancing accurate perceptions of behaviors compared to recommendations, while strengthening perceived control towards behavior change. Given the high prevalence of dementia risk factors, combining interventions at both individual and environmental levels are likely to be the most effective strategy to reduce dementia on a population scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Experimental research evaluating differences between the visceral and somatic stimulation is limited to pain and typically uses different induction methods for visceral and somatic stimulation (e.g., rectal balloon distention vs. tactile hand stimulation). Our study aimed to compare differences in response time, intensity, unpleasantness, and threat between identical electrical visceral and somatic stimulations at both painful and non‐painful perceptual thresholds. Methods: Electrical stimulation was applied to the wrist and distal esophagus in 20 healthy participants. A double pseudorandom staircase determined perceptual thresholds of Sensation, Discomfort, and Pain for the somatic and visceral stimulations, separately. Stimulus reaction time (ms, via button press), and intensity, unpleasantness, and threat ratings were recorded after each stimulus. General linear mixed models compared differences in the four outcomes by stimulation type, threshold, and the stimulation type‐by‐threshold interaction. Sigmoidal maximum effect models evaluated differences in outcomes across all delivered stimulation intensities. Key Results: Overall, visceral stimulations were perceived as more intense, threatening, and unpleasant compared to somatic stimulations, but participants responded faster to somatic stimulations. There was no significant interaction effect, but planned contrasts demonstrated differences at individual thresholds. Across all delivered intensities, higher intensity stimulations were needed to reach the half‐maximum effect of self‐reported intensity, unpleasantness, and threat ratings in the visceral domain. Conclusions and Inferences: Differences exist between modalities for both non‐painful and painful sensations. These findings may have implications for translating paradigms and behavioral treatments from the somatic domain to the visceral domain, though future research in larger clinical samples is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the implications of decolonization on decision-making in childcare and early childhood development. The authors, psychologists working in the Global South, discuss the need for a rebalancing of responsibilities and a direct connection between responsibility and accountability in decision-making. They argue that sustainable change can only be achieved by involving those closest to the child, such as parents and guardians, in decision-making processes. The authors also emphasize the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives and valuing the knowledge and experiences of the Global South in research and interventions. They advocate for a decolonized framework that is responsive to different perspectives, contexts, and resources. The article highlights the need for a shift towards distributed leadership, genuine shared decision-making, and the empowerment of communities in the field of early childhood development. [Extracted from the article]

Research in psychology and medicine has linked mental health disorders, and particularly bipolar disorder (BD), to employment in creative professions. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms for this link, which could be due to biology (primarily through a person's genes) or environmental (through socioeconomic status). Using administrative data on mental health diagnoses and occupations for the population of Denmark, we find that people with BD are more likely to be musicians than the population, but less likely to hold other creative jobs. Yet, we also show that healthy siblings of people with BD are significantly more likely to work in creative professions. Notably, people from wealthy families are consistently more likely to work in creative professions, and access to family wealth amplifies the likelihood that siblings of people with BD pursue creative occupations. Nevertheless, family wealth explains only a small share of the correlation between BD and creative employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of statistics in orthopaedics and other medical specialties. It emphasizes the importance of statistics in determining success rates and complications in medical procedures. The article also discusses common mistakes made when using statistics in medical research, such as sample size and missing data. It highlights the limitations of statistics in providing information about individual patients. The document cautions against misinterpretation of statistics and the challenges of subjective scoring in research. It provides examples of mental disorders and the impact of opioid use on adverse outcomes in orthopedic surgery. The conclusion emphasizes the collaborative nature of statistical analysis and the need for interdisciplinary understanding in research. [Extracted from the article]

This study (a) examined anxious youth with and without asthma on measures of negative self-talk, parental psychopathology, worry content, physical symptoms, panic symptoms, generalized symptoms, and separation anxiety symptoms, and (b) tested if outpatient CBT or medication were differentially effective in reducing anxiety for youth with asthma and anxiety. This secondary analysis separated youth with an anxiety disorder into asthma and non-asthma groups. Youth were also compared on response to treatments (i.e. CBT, sertraline, combined, and placebo). A total of 488 participants participated in the original study, with an average age of 10 years (SD 2.87). Youth with comorbid asthma and anxiety demonstrated higher rates of negative self-talk. Youth with comorbid asthma and anxiety did not differ from the non-asthma group on measures of physical symptoms, anxiety disorder specific symptoms, parental psychopathology, or worry content. Youth with asthma and anxiety responded similarly to the non-asthma group to treatment across treatment conditions. Treatment was comparably effective for youth with comorbid asthma and anxiety and youth with anxiety. Future research could examine the effects of psychopharmaceuticals on asthma and anxiety comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality eye-tracking data are crucial in behavioral sciences and medicine. Even with a solid understanding of the literature, selecting the most suitable algorithm for a specific research project poses a challenge. Empowering applied researchers to choose the best-fitting detector for their research needs is the primary contribution of this paper. We developed a framework to systematically assess and compare the effectiveness of 13 state-of-the-art algorithms through a unified application interface. Hence, we more than double the number of algorithms that are currently usable within a single software package and allow researchers to identify the best-suited algorithm for a given scientific setup. Our framework validation on retrospective data underscores its suitability for algorithm selection. Through a detailed and reproducible step-by-step workflow, we hope to contribute towards significantly improved data quality in scientific experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Insomnia affects approximately 40% of active duty service members and adversely affects health, readiness, and safety. The VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the management of insomnia recommends cognitive-behavioral treatment of insomnia (CBTI) or its abbreviated version (brief behavioral treatment of insomnia [BBTI]) as the first-line insomnia treatment. The goal of this study was to assess CBTI/BBTI resources at MTFs, perceived facilitators and barriers for CBTI/BBTI, and gaps in these treatments across the Defense Health Agency. Materials and Methods Between July and October 2022, we conducted an electronic survey of CBTI/BBTI resources across Contiguous United States and the District of Columbia (CONUS) and Outside Continental United States (OCONUS) MTFs. The survey was distributed to 154 military sleep health care providers from 32 MTFs, and a link to the survey was posted on two online military sleep medicine discussion forums. Fifteen providers from 12 MTFs volunteered to complete a 30-minute qualitative interview to explore their perception of barriers and facilitators of CBTI/BBTI at their facility. Results Fifty-two of 154 providers (33.8%) at 20 MTFs completed the survey. A majority of providers indicated that hypnotics remain the most common treatment for insomnia at their facility. Sixty-eight percent reported that CBTI/BBTI was available at their facility and estimated that less than 50% of the patients diagnosed with insomnia receive CBTI/BBTI. The main facilitators were dedicated, trained CBTI/BBTI providers and leadership support. Referrals to the off-post civilian network and self-help apps were not perceived as significant facilitators for augmenting insomnia care capabilities. The primary barriers to offering CBTI/BBTI were under-resourced clinics to meet the high volume of patients presenting with insomnia and scheduling and workflow limitations that impede repeated treatment appointments over the period prescribed by CBTI/BBTI protocols. Four primary themes emerged from qualitative interviews: (1) CBTI/BBTI groups can scale access to insomnia care, but patient engagement and clinical outcomes are perceived as inferior to individual treatment; (2) embedding trained providers in primary or behavioral health care could accelerate access, before escalation and referral to a sleep clinic; (3) few providers have the time to adhere to traditional CBTI protocols, and appointment scheduling often does not support weekly or bi-weekly treatment visits; and (4) the absence of quality and/or continuity of care measures dampens providers' enthusiasm for using external referral resources or self-help apps. Conclusions Although there is a wide recognition that CBTI/BBTI is the first-line recommended insomnia treatment, the limited scalability of treatment protocols, clinical workflow limitations, and scarcity of trained CBTI/BBTI providers limit the implementation of the VA/DoD clinical guideline. Educating and engaging health care providers and leadership about CBTI, augmenting CBTI-dedicated resources, and adapting clinical workflows were identified as specific strategies needed to meet the current insomnia care needs of service members. Developing protocols for scaling the availability of CBTI expertise at diverse points of care, upstream from the sleep clinics, could accelerate access to care. Establishing standardized quality measures and processes across points of care, including for external providers and self-help apps, would enhance providers' confidence in the quality of insomnia care offered to service members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient and public involvement (PPI) describes the participation of patients and relatives, i.e., experts by experience (EE), in the research process. The PPI has not been widely adopted in the fields of medicine and clinical psychology in Germany and there is a notable absence of institutional support. The German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), which has been under construction since May 2023, aims to achieve nationwide and cross-center implementation of PPI, constituting one of its primary objectives. Participation of EE is to be implemented in the DZPG at all levels of decision-making. Objectives: The article describes the origins, development and challenges associated with the implementation of participation structures and projects in the DZPG. The central political PPI committee in the DZPG, the Trilogue Center Council (TZR), developed a comprehensive PPI strategy for the DZPG in almost 3 years of work, before the beginning of the financial support of the DZPG. Among various measures, the strategy entails establishing a far-reaching representation for EE in all decision-making bodies of the DZPG, to involve EE as reviewers in evaluating research proposals, to integrate participatory elements into all studies of the DZGG and to foster user-initiated research endeavors. The implementation of the strategy is ensured by a cross-center PPI infrastructure, the Center for PPI, and scientific PPI consultants. The Center for PPI's tasks include supporting the voice of the EE and developing instruments and guidelines for participatory research, bringing together EE and researchers for joint DZPG projects as well as the documentation and quality assurance for participatory research. One of the particular challenges for the successful implementation of the PPI strategy is the limited experience with PPI in Germany in the field of mental health research and the widespread lack of structural implementation. Currently developed solution strategies include training for researchers and EE to communicate the benefits and pathways in the realization of PPI and thus enable shared decision-making and research. In addition, extensive access to knowledge and resources for EE will be created and uniform remuneration regulations for EE will be developed. Conclusion: A PPI strategy at the DZPG has been successfully developed and is currently being implemented by the cross-center infrastructure Center for PPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Training in addiction medicine and addiction psychology is essential to ensure the quality of treatment for patients with substance use disorders. Some earlier research has shown varying training between countries, but no comprehensive study of addiction training across Europe has been performed. The present study by the European Federation for Addiction Societies (EUFAS) aimed to fill this gap. Methods: A Delphi process was used to develop a questionnaire on specialist training in addiction treatment in 24 European countries. The final questionnaire consisted of 14 questions on either addiction medicine or addiction psychology, covering the nature and content of the training and institutional approval, the number of academic professorial positions, and the estimated number of specialists in each country. Results: Information was not received from all countries, but six (Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Romania) reported no specialized addiction medicine training, while 17 countries did. Seven countries (Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands) reported no specialized addiction psychology training, while 14 countries did. Training content and evaluation methods varied. Approval was given either by governments, universities, or professional societies. Eighteen countries reported having professorships in addiction medicine and 12 in addiction psychology. The number of specialists in addiction medicine or psychology varied considerably across the countries. Discussion: The survey revealed a large heterogeneity in training in addiction medicine and addiction psychology across Europe. Several countries lacked formal training, and where formal training was present, there was a large variation in the length of the training. Harmonization of training, as is currently the case for other medical and psychology specializations, is warranted to ensure optimal treatment for this under-served patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a commentary on a survey conducted in Europe regarding addiction medicine and psychology training pathways. The authors offer a perspective from Australia and New Zealand, highlighting similarities and differences in training programs and workforce planning. They discuss the diverse multidisciplinary nature of the addictions workforce in their region, including medical practitioners, nurses, psychologists, and support staff. The article also addresses challenges faced by the workforce, such as workforce shortages, recruitment difficulties, and the need for strong clinical leadership. The authors emphasize the importance of addressing stigma and fostering attitudes that enhance the provision of care. They also discuss workforce planning efforts, including initiatives to attract and retain trainees, create workforce pipelines, and address disparities in access to specialists between rural and metropolitan settings. The article concludes by highlighting the need for broader capability and competency in addiction treatment across the general health workforce and the importance of integrating addiction training into health professional curricula. [Extracted from the article]

The national pediatric mental and behavioral health crisis dramatically increased emergency department mental and behavioral health visits and changed emergency nursing practice. Acuity assessment determines patient severity level and supports appropriate resources and interventions. There are no established nursing tools that assess pediatric mental or behavioral health acuity in the emergency department setting. Our goal was to develop and implement the novel pediatric emergency nurse Emergency Behavioral Health Acuity Assessment Tool. This quality-improvement project used the plan, do, study, act model to design/refine the Emergency Behavioral Health Acuity Assessment Tool and a non-experimental descriptive design to assess outcomes. The setting was a 47-bed urban level 1 pediatric trauma center with more than 60,000 annual visits. The team designed the tool using published evidence, emergency nurse feedback, and expert opinion. The tool objectively captured patient acuity and suggested acuity-specific nursing interventions. Project outcomes included acuity, length-of-stay, restraint use, and patient/staff injuries. Analyses included descriptive statistics and correlations. With over 3000 annual mental/behavioral-related visits, the emergency department had an average daily census of 23 mental and behavioral health patients. Implementation occurred in August 2021. The Emergency Behavioral Health Acuity Assessment Tool dashboard provided the number of patients, patient location, and acuity. Length-of-stay did not change; however, patient restraint use and patient/staff injuries declined. Number of restraints positively correlated with moderate acuity levels (r = 0.472, P = 0.036). For emergency nurses, the Emergency Behavioral Health Acuity Assessment Tool provided an objective measure of patient acuity. Targeted interventions can improve the care of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the study: The study aimed to clarify the relationships between experienced nature connectedness (NC) and depression, anxiety and stress levels with mediating role of coping strategies. Subject or material and methods: Study group included 81 young adults (Mean = 28.02; SD 8.22) who completed questionnaires measuring nature connectedness, coping strategies, well-being, and mental illness. To verify whether the associations between connectedness to nature (measured by CNS) and mental health status (stress, anxiety and depression measured by DASS-21) are mediated by coping strategies parallel mediation analysis was employed. Following three coping strategies as mediators were tested: problem-focused coping strategy, emotion-focused coping strategy, avoidant-focused coping strategy. Results: Results showed a significant mediation of the association between nature connectedness and mental health via coping strategies. The study indicated that: 1) NC was indirectly related to stress and depression through its relationship with the problem-focused coping; 2) NC was neither directly nor indirectly associated with anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The health and wellbeing benefits of contact with nature are becoming increasingly recognized in psychology and medicine. Nevertheless, until now researchers haven't clearly recognized underlying mechanisms of nature-related mental health well-being. Presented study indicate one of the key pathways of associations. Conclusions: The findings support thesis that nature connectedness seems to be a mental health protective factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jennifer Spitzer's book, "Secret Sharers: The Intimate Rivalries of Modernism and Psychoanalysis," explores the complex relationships between literature and psychoanalysis during the modernist period. Spitzer focuses on four literary figures - D.H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, W.H. Auden, and Vladimir Nabokov - to illustrate the intricate engagement with psychoanalysis that writers could not avoid, even if they disagreed with it. The book also examines the debates about literature's relationship with the natural sciences and the political implications of psychoanalytic theories. Spitzer concludes by discussing the contemporary relevance of these debates and the possibilities of reading suspiciously and psychoanalytically without imposing discursive mastery. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory systemic autoimmune disease. The disease manifests as the body's immune cells start attacking healthy connective tissue, which affects the skin, kidneys, blood vessels, brain, and other vital organs. As with any other chronic illness, the disease has psychological implications. Purpose: Literature suggests patients with SLE experience anxiety, depression, anger, and stress along with physiological symptoms. There is a strong association between the occurrence of stress and the onset of the disease. These psychological symptoms can be ameliorated through spiritual activities such as meditation, mindfulness, journaling, and reading. Mehtod: This case report is based on the importance of spirituality in the healthcare system. The study focuses on the concept of a whole-person-centered approach to the medical care industry. Spirituality has been proven to have a positive effect on health and illness. Hence, a 10-week intervention with 30 sessions focusing on spiritual dispositions was provided to the patient for this study, along with regular pharmacological treatment. The present case report is of a 56-year-old woman from New Delhi, India, who was diagnosed with SLE 2 years ago. Results: The results reveal the positive effect of the intervention, as it led to a significant decrease in stress levels and depressive symptoms; it also resulted in improved quality of life, an enhanced coping style, and bolstered health hardiness. There was an increase in the score of a spiritual personality. Conlcusion: Spiritual Disposition as an intervention was sucessfull in reducing psychological implications of the disease thus leading to overall positve growth in the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine progress and challenges in designing, implementing, and evaluating culturally sensitive behavioral interventions by tailoring health communication to groups or individuals. After defining common tailoring constructs (i.e., culture, race, and ethnicity), cultural sensitivity, and cultural tailoring, we examine when it is useful to culturally tailor and address cultural sensitivity in health communication by group tailoring or individual tailoring and when tailoring health communication may not be necessary or appropriate for achieving behavior change. After reviewing selected approaches to cultural tailoring, we critique the quality of research in this domain with a focus on the internal validity of empirical findings. Then we explore the ways in which cultural sensitivity, group targeting, and individual tailoring have incorporated culture in health promotion and health communication. We conclude by articulating yet unanswered questions and suggesting future directions to move the field forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Given the many statistical analysis options used for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of behavioral interventions and the lack of clear guidance for analysis selection, the present study aimed to characterize the predominate statistical analyses utilized in RCTs in palliative care and behavioral research and to highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses of each of these methods as guidance for future researchers and reform. Methods: All RCTs published between 2015 and 2021 were systematically extracted from 4 behavioral medicine journals and analyzed based on prespecified inclusion criteria. Two independent raters classified each of the manuscripts into 1 of 5 RCT analysis strategies. Results: There was wide variation in the methods used. The 2 most prevalent analyses for RCTs were longitudinal modeling and analysis of covariance. Application of method varied significantly by sample size. Significance of results: Each statistical analysis presents its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The information resulting from this research may prove helpful for researchers in palliative care and behavioral medicine in navigating the variety of statistical methods available. Future discussion around best practices in RCT analyses is warranted to compare the relative impact of interventions in a more standardized way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The given document is an editorial from the Sport Psychologist journal titled "Bulletin Board." It provides current news and information about the field of sport psychology. The bulletin includes announcements of upcoming conferences and events, information about innovative developments in teaching and consulting in sport psychology, web resources, job and career opportunities, and names in the news. It also features a list of upcoming events and conferences in various locations around the world. Additionally, it provides information about new book releases, online courses, webinars, and job opportunities in sport psychology. The document concludes with information on how to join electronic-mail bulletin boards related to exercise and sport psychology. [Extracted from the article]

This article from the Veterinary Ireland Journal provides a comprehensive overview of separation distress in dogs. It explores the signs, causes, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and outcomes of this condition. Separation distress refers to problem behaviors that occur when dogs experience extreme distress upon the departure and absence of their primary attachment figure. The article discusses the pathogenesis of separation distress and offers recommendations for treatment and prevention, including behavior therapy and medication. The prognosis is generally positive with proper treatment and owner compliance. The text also references additional sources and Vetstream's online Vetlexicon service, which is available to Veterinary Ireland members. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the concept of the alliance in psychotherapy research. The alliance refers to the collaborative relationship between clinicians and patients, which is believed to be important for treatment progress. The article highlights the increase in empirical studies on the alliance and the moderate predictive correlation between the alliance and therapy success. It also explores the assessment of the alliance through self-reports and the potential changes in patients' alliance concepts during therapy. The article emphasizes the need for further research to better understand the alliance and its impact on treatment outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are subject to a substantial burden of treatment-related morbidity. Engaging in health protective behaviors and eliminating risk behaviors are critical to preventing chronic diseases and premature deaths. This study is aimed to provide updated information on currently smoking, physical inactivity, binge drinking patterns and associated factors among CCS using a nationwide dataset. Methods We constructed a sample of CCS (cancer diagnosis at ages