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Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability and the potential clinical utility of a novel mindfulness and compassion program (MAC-P) designed for youth with a range of psychotic experiences. Method(s): A non-randomised, non-controlled prospective follow-up study was conducted. Eighteen participants who either met criteria for the 'at risk mental state' or were experiencing a psychotic episode or had a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia attended the 8-week program. Participants completed clinical assessments pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 6-week follow-up which measured a range of symptoms (psychosis, anxiety, depression and stress) and psychosocial outcomes. Result(s): Attendance and retention data indicated that MAC-P is a feasible and acceptable program. There was a large significant increase in self-compassion. Mindfulness demonstrated a positive change over time. There was a large significant effect on one subscale-acting with awareness. There were significant reductions in distress associated with psychotic experiences as well as anxiety, depression, stress and self-criticism. Significant improvements in functioning and insecure attachment styles were also found. Regression results demonstrated that self-compassion was associated with a number of these findings. Conclusion(s): The MAC-P for youth shows potential as a clinically effective intervention provided as an addition to treatment as usual for youth with psychotic experiences. A larger controlled study is needed to validate the effectiveness of this intervention.Copyright © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

In the Carboniferous, insects evolved flight. Intense selection drove for high performance and approximately 100 million years later, Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants) emerged. Some species had proportionately small wings, with apparently impossible aerodynamic challenges including a need for high frequency flight muscles (FMs), powered exclusively off aerobic pathways and resulting in extreme aerobic capacities. Modern insect FMs are the most refined and form large dense blocks that occupy 90% of the thorax. These can beat wings at 200 to 230 Hz, more than double that achieved by standard neuromuscular systems. To do so, rapid repolarisation was circumvented through evolution of asynchronous stimulation, stretch activation, elastic recoil and a paradoxically slow Ca2+ reuptake. While the latter conserves ATP, considerable ATP is demanded at the myofibrils. FMs have diminished sarcoplasmic volumes, and ATP is produced solely by mitochondria, which pack myocytes to maximal limits and have very dense cristae. Gaseous oxygen is supplied directly to mitochondria. While FMs appear to be optimised for function, several unusual paradoxes remain. FMs lack any significant equivalent to the creatine kinase shuttle, and myofibrils are twice as wide as those of within cardiomyocytes. The mitochondrial electron transport systems also release large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and respiratory complexes do not appear to be present at any exceptional level. Given that the loss of the creatine kinase shuttle and elevated ROS impairs heart function, we question how do FM shuttle adenylates at high rates and tolerate oxidative stress conditions that occur in diseased hearts?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability and the potential clinical utility of a novel mindfulness and compassion program (MAC-P) designed for youth with a range of psychotic experiences. METHOD: A non-randomised, non-controlled prospective follow-up study was conducted. Eighteen participants who either met criteria for the 'at risk mental state' or were experiencing a psychotic episode or had a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia attended the 8-week program. Participants completed clinical assessments pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 6-week follow-up which measured a range of symptoms (psychosis, anxiety, depression and stress) and psychosocial outcomes. RESULTS: Attendance and retention data indicated that MAC-P is a feasible and acceptable program. There was a large significant increase in self-compassion. Mindfulness demonstrated a positive change over time. There was a large significant effect on one subscale-acting with awareness. There were significant reductions in distress associated with psychotic experiences as well as anxiety, depression, stress and self-criticism. Significant improvements in functioning and insecure attachment styles were also found. Regression results demonstrated that self-compassion was associated with a number of these findings. CONCLUSION: The MAC-P for youth shows potential as a clinically effective intervention provided as an addition to treatment as usual for youth with psychotic experiences. A larger controlled study is needed to validate the effectiveness of this intervention.

Objectives: Our aim was to explore the application of systematic criteria proposed by Bentall, Corcoran, Howard, Black and Kinderman (2001) to determine whether they are helpful in determining the quality of psychological models, which are used to develop and guide treatment. Method: We chose to conduct a systematic review of models of hallucinations. PsycINFO, MEDLINE and PubMED were used to identify relevant articles. Each model was classified as a high, medium or low level of fit with the criteria. Results: Nineteen models met the inclusion criteria. Two models were a high level of fit, twelve a medium level of fit while the rest were a low level of fit. Some difficulties were encountered applying the criteria and are discussed. Conclusions: Bentall et al.’s (2001) criteria proved useful. Frith’s (2015) and Hoffman’s (1986) models were deemed the best level of fit. The role of self-monitoring and language-production processes in hallucination formation may merit further investigation. There is an outstanding need for international standardized guidelines to advance the quality of psychological models to assist the design and delivery of more effective interventions.