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BackgroundPersistent genital arousal disorder/genito-pelvic dysesthesia (PGAD/GPD) is a highly distressing yet poorly understood condition characterized by persistent genito-pelvic sensations, often described as “genital arousal,” which occur in the absence of sexual desire. PGAD/GPD is associated with significant impairment in psychosocial and daily functioning; however, there are currently no empirically validated treatment algorithms for PGAD/GPD. Pelvic floor physical therapy exercises have been found to be effective at reducing other forms of genito-pelvic discomfort, such as vulvodynia, and may also be beneficial to those experiencing PGAD/GPD. Many individuals with PGAD/GPD report difficulty finding a health care provider who is knowledgeable about PGAD/GPD; therefore, pelvic floor education and exercises in an online format may have the potential to reach more individuals in need. ObjectiveThis study examined the feasibility of an online pelvic floor group education program; descriptively assessed outcomes related to distress, discomfort, catastrophizing, and mood; and obtained feedback from participants in order to inform the development of improved online group programs. MethodsFourteen women with current symptoms of PGAD/GPD attended an online, 8-session pelvic floor group education program. Participants completed questionnaires of symptoms (ie, symptom distress, discomfort) and psychosocial well-being (ie, depression, anxiety, symptom catastrophizing) prior to the group sessions (Time 1), immediately after the final group session (Time 2), and 6 months following the final group session (Time 3). Participants also completed an anonymous feedback questionnaire immediately following the group program. ResultsOverall, participants who attended a larger number of the group sessions (>5 sessions, n=7) appeared to report lower baseline (Time 1) symptoms and psychosocial impairment than those who attended fewer sessions (

Objective: To examine the uptake of postnatal contraception (PNC) and experiences of PNC care across a geographical region of England. Design: Cross‐sectional online survey. Setting: The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS). Population: Women who had completed a pregnancy in the previous 3 years. Methods: The uptake of PNC by accessed method(s) and the availability of preferred method(s) is described, and adjusted odds ratios are reported for group differences in uptake by characteristics of interest. Main outcome measures: Uptake of medically prescribed/administered contraception and uptake of long‐acting reversible contraception (LARC) during the postnatal period, and access to preferred PNC methods. Results: Although almost half of respondents (47.1%; n = 1178) reinitiated some form of sexual activity during the postnatal period, only 38.7% (n = 969) of respondents accessed a medically prescribed/administered contraceptive method postnatally, and only 15.5% (n = 389) of respondents accessed a LARC. It is a matter of concern that 18.8% (n = 451) of respondents indicated that they were unable to access their preferred PNC. In multivariate analysis, younger age, lower household income, higher multiparity, operative delivery, unplanned pregnancy and not breastfeeding were significant predictors of higher PNC uptake. Conclusions: The uptake of PNC in this cohort was low, with almost a fifth of women unable to access their preferred method. However, there was some evidence that women belonging to groups perceived to be at risk of rapid repeat pregnancy were more likely to access reliable PNC methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the demands and stress of teaching are generally recognized, little is known about the prevalence and nature of insomnia symptoms in teachers. This scoping study investigated the following questions: How prevalent are insomnia symptoms in teachers? What biopsychosocial variables are associated with insomnia symptoms in teachers? What, if any, interventions for insomnia symptoms in teachers have been studied? We searched Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Education Source, and ERIC for original peer-reviewed research on school teachers (kindergarten through high school) and insomnia symptoms (self-reported trouble falling or staying asleep). We identified 33 relevant articles from 15 countries. The literature was heterogeneous and generally of low quality with respect to the measurement of insomnia. Based on studies that met validity and reliability criteria, 36–61% of teachers reported insomnia symptoms. Associated factors included: being female, classroom violence, low job satisfaction, pain, depression, and rumination. One online intervention, which included stimulus control, sleep restriction, and techniques for reducing rumination, provided evidence of efficacy. Despite the importance of teachers and their work, high-quality research on insomnia in teachers is lacking. Research in this area is sorely needed. Studies should investigate insomnia symptoms over the school year, identify antecedents of insomnia, and develop interventions with the ultimate goals of understanding, preventing, and treating insomnia symptoms in teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD; Leiblum & Nathan, 2001) is characterized by distressing symptoms suggestive of genital arousal in the absence of subjective feelings of arousal. Although awareness of PGAD is growing, there continues to be a lack of systematic research on it. This study characterized an online sample of women with symptoms of persistent genital arousal (PGA) in terms of their symptom characteristics, medical comorbidities, symptom triggers, management strategies, and predictors of distress. Women reported diverse PGA symptoms, with almost half reporting painful symptoms, and most reported very high distress and negative emotions. Further research and awareness of PGA are needed to provide effective care for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a highly distressing, understudied condition characterized by persistent genital arousal (eg, genital sensations, sensitivity) in the absence of sexual desire. Currently, there is limited information about the prevalence of PGAD based on its proposed diagnostic criteria ("PGAD criteria")., Aim: This study sought to assess the prevalence of PGAD criteria in 2 North American samples: a large, non-clinical sample of Canadian undergraduate students (Study 1), and a nationally representative sample from the U.S. (Study 2)., Methods: The incoming class of undergraduate students (N = 1,634) enrolled in the Introduction to Psychology course at a Canadian university and a nationally representative sample of U.S. participants (N = 1,026) responded to questions about each PGAD criterion, and distress associated with these experiences., Outcomes: 5 self-report questions were developed based on each of the Leiblum and Nathan 2001 PGAD criteria, and a measure of associated distress was included. The U.S. sample (Study 2) also responded to questions about medical comorbidities and their knowledge of the term "PGAD.", Results: 1.1% (n = 4; Study 1) to 4.3% (n = 22; Study 2) of men and 0.6% (n = 7; Study 1) to 2.7% (n = 14; Study 2) of women reported experiencing all 5 PGAD criteria at a moderate to high frequency. Even greater proportions of participants reported experiencing all 5 criteria at any frequency (6.8-18.8%). Although ratings of associated distress varied, participants who were distressed by these symptoms most frequently endorsed the first PGAD criterion: physiological genital arousal in the absence of sexual excitement or desire. These results are similar to previously reported rates of PGAD., Clinical Implications: A non-trivial number of individuals may experience PGAD, and it should be screened for by healthcare practitioners., Strengths & Limitations: This study is the first to use 2 large, non-clinical samples to assess the prevalence of PGAD symptoms. However, barriers to reporting symptoms, such as shame or embarrassment, may have resulted in underestimates of prevalence in the present sample., Conclusion: The prevalence of the 5 PGAD criteria in 2 large non-clinical samples ranged from similar to higher than rates reported in previous research. However, distress ratings associated with each of the 5 criteria varied, with most respondents describing them primarily as neutral or non-distressing. Jackowich RA, Pukall CF. Prevalence of Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder in 2 North American Samples. J Sex Med 2020;17:2408-2416., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Motivation and engagement are important factors associated with therapeutic outcomes in cognitive training for schizophrenia. The goals of the present report were to examine relations between objective treatment engagement (number of sessions attended, amount of homework completed) and self-reported motivation (intrinsic motivation and perceived competence to complete cognitive training) with neurocognitive and functional outcomes from cognitive training., Methods: Data from a clinical trial comparing two cognitive training approaches in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were utilized in the current report ( n  = 38). Relations were examined between baseline intrinsic motivation, perceived competence, homework completion, and session attendance with improvements in neurocognition, functional competence, and community functioning., Results: Number of sessions attended ( r  = 0.38) and time doing homework ( r  = 0.51) were significantly associated with improvements in neurocognition. Homework completion was associated with change in community functioning at a trend-level ( r  = 0.30). Older age was associated with greater treatment engagement ( β = 0 .37) and male biological sex was associated with greater self-reported motivation ( β  = 0.43). Homework completion significantly mediated the relationship between session attendance and neurocognitive treatment outcomes., Conclusions: Objective measures of treatment engagement were better predictors of treatment outcomes than subjective measures of motivation. Homework completion was most strongly related to treatment outcomes and mediated the relationship between session attendance and treatment outcomes, suggesting continued engagement with cognitive stimulation may be an especially important component of cognitive remediation programs. Future research should examine methods to improve homework completion and session attendance to maximize therapeutic outcomes., Competing Interests: CRB has been a consultant for Lundbeck, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Pfizer in the past five years, received research funds from Lundbeck, Takeda, and Pfizer, and received in-kind user accounts for research purposes from Scientific Brain Training Pro. No other authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose., (Crown Copyright © 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc.)