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AbstractObjectiveMethodResultsConclusions\nHIGHLIGHTSBullying has consistently been highlighted as a risk factor for youth self-harm. Less is known about associations by bullying sub-type (i.e., physical, verbal, relational, cyberbullying), among boys and girls in diverse urban populations. This study aimed to explore: (1) prevalence of bullying and lifetime self-harm; (2) cross-sectional associations between bullying and self-harm. Both aims investigated bullying sub-types and the role of sex.Baseline data on bullying victimization and lifetime self-harm were drawn from REACH (Resilience, Ethnicity and AdolesCent Mental Health), an accelerated cohort study of adolescent mental health in London, United Kingdom. Data on baseline self-harm and sex were available for 3,060 adolescents aged 11–14 years (Mage=12.4, 50.6% girls, >80% ethnic minority groups) from 10 schools.Prevalence of bullying in the past six months was 22.3% and lifetime self-harm was 16.9%. Both were more common in girls than boys (adjusted risk ratios: bullying, 1.13 [1.02,1.25]; self-harm, 1.45 [1.03,1.86]). By bullying sub-type, prevalence estimates ranged from 4.1% (cyberbullying) to 16.6% (physical bullying). Bullying was associated with self-harm (aRR 3.35 [2.89,3.82]) for both girls (aRR 3.61 [3.07,4.14]) and boys (aRR 2.96 [2.27,3.65]), independent of sex, age, free school meals and ethnic group. All sub-types were associated with self-harm (aRRs 3.16–4.34), for girls and boys.These baseline findings underline the importance of exploring nuances between bullying sub-types and self-harm, by sex or gender.Bullying strongly associated with self-harm in a diverse, urban sample of adolescentsAssociations strong for boys and girls, across all bullying sub-typesFuture research should further explore nuances by sex, and experiences for cis-gender youthBullying strongly associated with self-harm in a diverse, urban sample of adolescentsAssociations strong for boys and girls, across all bullying sub-typesFuture research should further explore nuances by sex, and experiences for cis-gender youth [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Severe fatigue is a prevalent and disabling symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study tested if a fatigue‐ and physical activity‐related attentional bias (AB) and a somatic interpretation bias (IB) are present in severely fatigued patients with MS. Biases were compared to healthy controls and patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Method: Severely fatigued patients with MS or ME/CFS and healthy controls completed a Visual Probe Task (VPT) assessing fatigue‐ and physical activity‐related AB and an IB task that assesses the tendency to interpret ambiguous information in either a somatically threatening way or in a more neutral manner. The VPT was completed by 38 MS patients, 44 ME/CFS patients, and 46 healthy controls; the IB task was completed by 156, 40 and 46 participants respectively. Results: ANOVA showed no statistically significant group differences in a fatigue‐related AB or physical activity‐related AB (omnibus test of interaction between topic × condition: F2,125 = 1.87; p =.159). Both patient groups showed a tendency to interpret ambiguous information in a somatically threatening way compared to healthy controls (F1,2 = 27.61, p <.001). This IB was significantly stronger in MS patients compared to ME/CFS patients. IB was significantly correlated with cognitive responses to symptoms in MS patients. Conclusion: MS patients tend to interpret ambiguous information in a somatically threatening way. This may feed into unhelpful ways of dealing with symptoms, possibly contributing to the perpetuation of severe fatigue in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While studies from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have described initial negative effects on mental health and exacerbating mental health inequalities, longer-term studies are only now emerging. Method: In total, 34 465 individuals in the UK completed online questionnaires and were re-contacted over the first 12 months of the pandemic. We used growth mixture modelling to identify trajectories of depression, anxiety and anhedonia symptoms using the 12-month data. We identified sociodemographic predictors of trajectory class membership using multinomial regression models. Results: Most participants had consistently low symptoms of depression or anxiety over the year of assessments (60%, 69% respectively), and a minority had consistently high symptoms (10%, 15%). We also identified participants who appeared to show improvements in symptoms as the pandemic progressed, and others who showed the opposite pattern, marked symptom worsening, until the second national lockdown. Unexpectedly, most participants showed stable low positive affect, indicating anhedonia, throughout the 12-month period. From regression analyses, younger age, reporting a previous mental health diagnosis, non-binary, or self-defined gender, and an unemployed or a student status were significantly associated with membership of the stable high symptom groups for depression and anxiety. Conclusions: While most participants showed little change in their depression and anxiety symptoms across the first year of the pandemic, we highlight the divergent responses of subgroups of participants, who fared both better and worse around national lockdowns. We confirm that previously identified predictors of negative outcomes in the first months of the pandemic also predict negative outcomes over a 12-month period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is substantial variation in patient symptoms following psychological therapy for depression and anxiety. However, reliance on endpoint outcomes ignores additional interindividual variation during therapy. Knowing a patient's likely symptom trajectories could guide clinical decisions. We aimed to identify latent classes of patients with similar symptom trajectories over the course of psychological therapy and explore associations between baseline variables and trajectory class. Methods: Patients received high-intensity psychological treatment for common mental health problems at National Health Service Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services in South London (N = 16 258). To identify trajectories, we performed growth mixture modelling of depression and anxiety symptoms over 11 sessions. We then ran multinomial regressions to identify baseline variables associated with trajectory class membership. Results: Trajectories of depression and anxiety symptoms were highly similar and best modelled by four classes. Three classes started with moderate-severe symptoms and showed (1) no change, (2) gradual improvement, and (3) fast improvement. A final class (4) showed initially mild symptoms and minimal improvement. Within the moderate-severe baseline symptom classes, patients in the two showing improvement as opposed to no change tended not to be prescribed psychotropic medication or report a disability and were in employment. Patients showing fast improvement additionally reported lower baseline functional impairment on average. Conclusions: Multiple trajectory classes of depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with baseline characteristics. Identifying the most likely trajectory for a patient at the start of treatment could inform decisions about the suitability and continuation of therapy, ultimately improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]