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Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica 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.)

Purpose: Assessing feasibility and initial impact of the Home-Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program combined with in-home accelerometer-based feedback (AH-GRASP) on perceived and actual daily-life upper limb (UL) activity in stroke survivors during the chronic phase with good UL motor function but low perceived daily-life activity. Material and methods: A 4-week intervention program (4 contact hours, 48 h self-practice) encompassing task-oriented training, behavioral techniques, phone-based support, monitoring, and weekly feedback sessions using wrist-worn accelerometery was implemented using a pre-post double baseline repeated measures design. Feasibility, clinical assessments, patient-reported outcomes, and accelerometer data were investigated. Results: Of the 34 individuals approached, nineteen were included (recruitment rate 56%). Two dropped out, one due to increased UL pain (retention rate 89%). Seven (41%) achieved the prescribed exercise target (120 min/day, six days/week). Positive patient experiences and improvements in UL capacity, self-efficacy, and contribution of the affected UL to overall activity (p < 0.05, small to large effect sizes) were observed. Additionally, seven participants (41%) surpassed the minimal clinically important difference in perceived UL activity. Conclusions: A home-based UL exercise program with accelerometer-based feedback holds promise for enhancing perceived and actual daily-life UL activity for our subgroup of chronic stroke survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Implementing a home-based exercise program with accelerometer-based feedback and telephone supervision may effectively improve upper limb activity after stroke. This program is most suitable for individuals with mild upper limb impairment and should be tailored to their abilities, preferences, and limitations to enhance engagement. The AH-GRASP program shows promising recruitment and retention rates, safety, and positive patient experiences. To improve adherence, consider dividing exercises into shorter sessions that accommodate patient's schedules, attention and endurance levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research indicates that coping styles mediate self-control and health outcomes. Emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies (eg, getting advice or planning) are used to address stressors. In contrast, avoidance-focused strategies (eg, substance use) are used to escape distress and are associated with greater alcohol problems. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between college students' levels of self-control, coping styles, and alcohol use and problems. Participants and Methods: 183 undergraduates completed questionnaires regarding self-control, coping styles, and alcohol consumption and problems. We hypothesized that self-control would be associated with alcohol problems through avoidance-focused coping, but not emotion- or problem-focused coping. Results: Our results were consistent with our hypothesis with and without controlling for alcohol consumption. Undergraduates lower in self-control who engage in avoidance-focused coping may experience greater alcohol problems. Conclusions: University programs dedicated to addressing substance use among undergraduates may develop workshops that promote problem- or emotion-focused coping strategies as alternatives to avoidance-focused strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Our study aims to assess the effectiveness of horticultural therapy in improving outcomes in older patients with dementia. Design: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: The included studies comprised randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that aimed to assess the effectiveness of horticultural therapy on cognitive function in older patients with dementia. The study design and data extraction were independently conducted by two investigators, who also evaluated the risk of bias using RoB 2.0. The meta‐analysis was carried out using Stata 15.1 software. Data Sources: On November 2023, we searched relevant English and Chinese publications in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI and Wanfang databases. Results: The meta‐analysis included a total of 9 RCTs, involving 655 older patients diagnosed with dementia. The findings from these studies demonstrated that horticultural therapy had a significant positive impact on various aspects of the patients' well‐being when compared to conventional care. Specifically, it was found to improve cognitive function scores, alleviate symptoms of depression, enhance daily activities and enhance overall quality of life. When conducting a subgroup analysis, it was observed that horticultural therapy had a statistically significant effect on cognitive function in older patients with dementia when the intervention frequency was at least two times per week. Furthermore, interventions with a duration of less than 6 months were found to be more effective than those lasting 6 months or longer. Additionally, outdoor horticultural therapy was found to be superior to indoor interventions. Moreover, structured interventions were observed to yield better outcomes compared to non‐structured interventions. Conclusion: More high‐quality studies are needed to further corroborate these findings due to the low quality of the included studies. Horticultural therapy has been found to have a significantly positive impact on the cognitive function, depression status, ADL, and quality of life of older patients with dementia. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: We provide references for non‐pharmacologic treatment of older patients with dementia. What Problem Did the Study Address?: This study aimed to measure the efficacy of horticultural therapy in older patients with dementia across four dimensions: cognitive function, depression levels, daily living activities and overall quality of life. What Were the Main Findings?: In older patients with dementia, horticultural therapy has been proven to have a significant positive impact on cognitive function, depressive status, activities of daily living and quality of life. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact?: This study will inform non‐pharmacological interventions for older patients with dementia worldwide. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the role of nurse–patient mutuality on three self‐care behaviours in chronic illness patients. Design: A cross‐sectional multi‐centre study was conducted. Methods: Mutuality was measured with the Nurse–Patient Mutuality in Chronic Illness scale which has the dimensions of developing and going beyond, being a point of reference and deciding and sharing care, and self‐care was measured with the Self‐care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC‐CII). Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the contribution of three dimensions of mutuality on self‐care maintenance, monitoring and management behaviours controlling for patient gender, age, education, number of medications, and presence of a family caregiver. Results: The sample included 465 inpatients and outpatients with at least one chronic illness. The three dimensions of mutuality had different roles in their influence on the three dimensions of self‐care. Developing and going beyond was significantly associated with self‐care maintenance and self‐care monitoring behaviours. Point of reference was significantly associated with self‐care maintenance behaviour. Deciding and sharing care was significantly associated with self‐care monitoring and self‐care management behaviours. Conclusion: The mutuality between nurse and patient may be a novel area of research to support and improve patient self‐care behaviours with implications for clinical practice and education. Implication for Profession and Patient Care: Mutuality between nurse and patient increases patient engagement, symptom recognition, decision‐making process and patient‐centred approach favouring the development of self‐care behaviours. Impact: Mutuality between nurse and patient is a new concept and its association with the patient outcomes could bring relevance to the nursing profession. Self‐care behaviours are important in the management of chronic diseases, but are difficult to perform. Mutuality between nurse and patient influences the three different behaviours of self‐care in chronic illness, for this reason it is important to increase the level of mutuality in this dyad. Reporting Method: STROBE checklist for cross‐sectional studies was followed in this study. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients were involved in the sample of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute postsurgical pain (APSP) is an important risk factor for pain chronification, with reports of being more intense after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) than after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Psychological variables have been associated with differences in postsurgical pain experience. This study aimed to analyse the longitudinal reciprocal association between pain and anxiety levels in patients undergoing TKA or THA, to investigate the moderator role of the type of surgery and to explore psychological mediators in the anxiety – pain association. Patients undergoing TKA (n = 120) or THA (n = 109) were evaluated before surgery and in the acute postsurgical period (48 h postsurgery). Presurgical assessment comprised sociodemographic, pain-related and psychological variables (anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy, optimism and satisfaction with life). Postsurgical assessment focused on pain frequency, pain intensity and anxiety. Longitudinal associations were explored using cross-lagged panel models that included the indirect effect paths through possible mediators (pain catastrophizing and depression). Multigroup analyses compared TKA and THA. In the global sample, higher APSP was predicted by higher presurgical pain and worse presurgical anxiety. Multigroup analyses revealed that worse APSP was predicted by higher presurgical anxiety in patients undergoing TKA and by higher presurgical pain in patients undergoing THA. Furthermore, there was a positive significant indirect effect of pain catastrophizing, but not depressive symptoms, in the relationship between presurgical anxiety and APSP in THA. Anxiety and APSP are differently interrelated in TKA and THA. Psychological characteristics could be managed before surgery to favour better APSP control and potentially prevent pain chronification after total joint arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Compare mental health, stress, and well-being in the Swedish population as measured before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional design using data measured before (Jan-2019; n = 2791) and during (Oct/Nov-2020; n = 2926) COVID-19 pandemic in Swedish population-representative cohorts. Following constructs were measured: anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10 items), health-related quality of life (HRQOL[Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General Population]) and self-rated health (SRH) was assessed with a single-item question. Results: When adjusting for age, sex, education, and income there were significantly higher levels of anxiety (M̂ = 9.15 vs. 8.48, p < 0.01) and depression (M̂ = 3.64 vs. 3.30, p = 0.03), lower levels of stress (M̂ = 14.06 vs. 14.91, p < 0.001), but worsened HRQOL (M̂ = 76.40 vs. 77.92, p < 0.01) and SRH (M̂ = 6.91 vs. 7.20, p < 0.001), observed in 2020 compared to 2019. For the negative effects seen in anxiety, depression, HRQOL, and SRH, higher income and education had a protective effect. The decrease in stress was also correlated with higher income. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a small but significant worsening in mental health and well-being in the general Swedish population, where higher socioeconomic status seemed to have a protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemplative approaches rooted in Buddhist traditions have been linked to the attenuation of response to social stress. Anticipatory cognitive appraisals of social situations potentially represent a mechanism explaining the stress-reducing effects of contemplative practices. The cognitive appraisal of threat is associated with an anticipated loss of social self-esteem. In contrast, the cognitive appraisal of challenge involves recognizing the potential for gain or growth in stressful situations and is associated with a more adaptive cardiovascular response. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled experiment performed in Switzerland, we evaluated the effects of two contemplative interventions on cognitive appraisals of challenge and threat and associated physiological profiles. The interventions were a standard Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and a new program (MBSR-B), which included several elements from Buddhist practices. After an eight-week intervention, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and underwent the assessment of primary cognitive appraisals and cardiovascular response to stress. The results demonstrated greater challenge appraisal in the MBSR (n = 20) and MBSR-B (n = 21) groups compared to Control (n = 24), and MBSR-B participants scored higher on the challenge than threat appraisal. At the physiological level, the groups did not differ on changes in cardiac output and total peripheral resistance. Still, an exploratory analysis demonstrated that the MBSR-B group's cardiovascular profile best resembled challenge appraisal. The results suggest that contemplative approaches foster challenge appraisal, contributing to a more adaptive response to stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol misuse is higher among adults experiencing homelessness (AEH) compared to housed adults. Greater expectancy that alcohol will improve mood, negative affect, and lower self-efficacy have been linked to alcohol misuse in AEH. However, little is known about the momentary relationships between affect, alcohol expectancies, and self-efficacy to avoid alcohol in AEH. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine these constructs in a sample of AEH. Methods: AEH (n = 72; Mage= 47, 85% Male, 68% Nonwhite) completed smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments 5x/day for four weeks. Generalized multilevel modeling examined the association between concurrent momentary ratings of (1) expectancy that alcohol would improve mood and negative and positive affect and (2) self-efficacy to do something other than drink to improve mood and negative and positive affect. Results: Momentary reports of increased negative affect were associated with greater expectancy that alcohol would improve mood (b = 0.25, p < 0.01), whereas momentary reports of increased positive affect were associated with less expectancy that alcohol would improve mood (b = −0.11, p < 0.01). Increased momentary negative affect was associated with less self-efficacy to improve mood without alcohol (b = −0.09, p = 0.03), but momentary reports of increased positive affect were associated with greater self-efficacy to do something other than drink to improve mood (b = 0.18, p < 0.01). Conclusion: It may be important to deliver real-time treatment messages suggesting alternatives to drinking and/or ways to boost self-efficacy during moments when negative affect is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International literature emphasizes that numerous factors are associated with depressive symptoms in older adults. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing depressive symptoms in individuals aged 60 years and above during the COVID-19 period in Turkey by establishing a model of inter-factor analysis. The participant group consisted of 394 individuals aged 60 years (M = 69.2 S.D = 6.7). Participant group was selected who were continuing their education at the Rejuvenation Campus established to serve those aged 60 and above at Akdeniz University. Data collection tools included a Personal Information Form, The Beck Depression Inventory and The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The analysis of the data obtained in the study was conducted using Pearson's and Spearman's correlation, along with the moderated mediation methods. This study examined the relationship between factors, such as COVID-19 fear, perceived social support, educational status, number of children, and perceived social exclusion and/or stigmatization by society due to being an older adult on depressive symptoms. According to the findings of the study, fear of COVID-19 has a direct and positive relationship on depressive symptoms. Additionally, it has been determined that the fear of COVID-19 has a direct and negative relationship on perceived social support. Apart from these findings, it is understood that perceived social support has a preventive mediating role on the relationship of COVID-19 fear on depressive symptoms. Finally, it was seen that self-report based sociodemographic control variables, negative relationship with depressive symptoms and positive relationship with perceived social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent case reports have emphasized the essential clinical contribution of telerehabilitation in the treatment of facial palsy. However, no randomized controlled trial has yet demonstrated the effects of telerehabilitation-based facial exercise therapy. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of video exercise-based telerehabilitation on motor and non-motor clinical outcomes in adults with facial palsy. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 40 peripheral facial palsy patients. Those in the experimental group (EG) received four weeks of telerehabilitation-based video exercises and routine care. Those in the control group (CG) received only routine care. All participants were evaluated with the Facial Disability Index (FDI), the Facial Clinimetric Evaluation Scale (FaCE), Short Form-12 (SF-12), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the House-Brackmann Scale (H-B) and the Telemedicine Satisfaction and Usefulness Questionnaire (TSUQ), both before and after the interventions. Both groups demonstrated a significant improvement in FDI, FaCE, and SF-12 PCS scores (p <.05). In addition, there was a significant improvement only in EG on the SF-12 MCS score (p <.05), and there was a significant gain only in CG on the HADS-Depression score (p <.05). While these results provide a further contribution to our understanding of telerehabilitation benefits in mental health variables related to quality of life for facial palsy patients, we found no EG and CG differences on the physical components of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregiving for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses significant stress for parents, necessitating an exploration of mitigating factors. This study investigates the interplay between Family Sense of Coherence, Psychological Capital and caregiver stress in this context. A total of 205 caregivers of children with ASD participated in this cross‐sectional study. Data were collected on Family Sense of coherence, Psychological Capital (encompassing hope, resilience, optimism and self‐efficacy) and caregiver stress. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the mediation effect of psychological capital between family sense of coherence and caregiver stress. The results indicated a strong positive correlation between family sense of coherence and all subdomains of psychological capital, with coefficients ranging from 0.541 to 0.610. Conversely, psychological capital demonstrated significant negative correlations with various domains of the Kingstone Caregiver Stress Scale, including caregiving, family issues and financial issues (coefficients from −0.443 to −0.427). Furthermore, family sense of coherence showed a direct negative effect on stress (β = −0.384, p < 0.001). Notably, the study revealed a significant mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between family sense of coherence and caregiver stress, with an indirect effect of family sense of coherence on stress through psychological capital (β = −0.127). The findings underscore the crucial role of family sense of coherence and psychological capital in enhancing psychological resources and mitigating stress among caregivers of children with ASD. These results suggest that interventions aimed at strengthening family coherence and building psychological capital could be effective strategies in alleviating stress among caregivers of children with ASD. Healthcare professionals should consider incorporating family coherence approaches and psychological capital techniques in their support programs for these caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1906 and 1909, the Austrian-born German anthropologist Richard Thurnwald undertook an expedition to Germany's Pacific colonies on behalf of the Berlin Museum for Ethnology. There he carried out a series of experimental psychological tests to investigate the mentalities and intelligence of Melanesian subjects. Due to the limitations on verbal communication, Thurnwald privileged non-verbal experiments, especially involving drawings made by his local assistants and guides. His 1913 publication Ethnopsychological Studies on South Seas Peoples reproduces some 200 of those images, which have seldom been studied since. This article examines Thurnwald's experiments in ethnopsychology through the lens of these visual materials and situates his project within larger international trends of scientific colonialism. Despite purporting to further native welfare, his application of experimental psychology to the colonial field was meant to provide solutions to the administration's most urgent problems: pacification, labour recruitment, and a declining birth rate. Yet, as this article argues, the images he collected can also be read against the grain as documents of indigenous response to German colonial rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Nomophobia becoming widespread can have negative effects on the psychology of nursing students, who are the nurses of the future. Yet, the psychological well‐being of the nursing group dealing with human health is essential for psychologically supporting the individuals they care for and reducing the potential for errors in nursing care. Therefore, it is necessary to determine nomophobia in nursing students and examine its relationship with psychological states. Aims: This research was conducted to determine the effect of nomophobia levels on depression, anxiety and stress levels of nursing students. Method: The descriptive and correlational research was completed with 544 nursing students. Data were collected using the Data Collection Form, Nomophobia Scale, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS‐21) and analysed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov‐Smirnov, Shapiro‐Wilk, Spearman, Mann‐Whitney U and Kruskal‐Wallis tests. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The students' mean age was 21.10 ± 1.32. Their mean nomophobia score was 102.51 ± 27.06. 65.6% had depression, 66.2% had anxiety, and 35.8% had stress at different levels. A relationship was found between the students' nomophobia mean scores and their depression, anxiety and stress subscale scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The students' nomophobia levels were high. As students' nomophobia levels increased, their depression, anxiety and stress levels increased. Our recommendation is to inform nurses about nomophobia, support conscious phone use, and direct students affected by nomophobia to relevant units. Our recommendation is to inform nursing students about nomophobia, direct students affected by nomophobia to relevant units, and support their participation in activities that will raise awareness among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical evidence supports that swallowing function is correlated with cognition, but the neurobiological mechanism associated with cognitive impairment and dysphagia remains unclear. Objectives: To compare the brain activation patterns of the swallowing and the cognitive tasks and explore neural associations between swallowing and cognitive function via task‐related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods: A total of 13 healthy older adults (aged > 60 years) were recruited. Participants underwent the clinical dementia rating (CDR) test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A block‐designed task‐related fMRI study was conducted where each participant completed both swallowing and cognitive tasks within a single session. During the swallowing task, participants swallowed 2 mL of thickened water, while the Stroop Colour Word Test (SCWT) served as the cognitive task. First‐level analysis of swallowing time‐series images utilised the general linear model (GLM) with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), applying a voxel threshold of p < 0.001 for significance. Common activations in brain regions during swallowing and cognitive tasks were extracted at the group level, with significance set at p < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate (FDR), with a minimum cluster size of 20 voxels. Correlation analysis between behavioural measurements and imaging signals was also conducted. Results: Some regions were commonly activated in both task networks; these regions were the bilateral occipital lobe, cerebellum, lingual gyrus, fusiform, middle frontal gyrus, precentral and postcentral gyrus, right supramarginal and inferior parietal lobe. Most importantly, the average beta value of cognitive and swallowing tasks in these areas are both significantly negative related to the MoCA score. Furthermore, opposite signal changes were seen in the bilateral prefrontal lobes during the swallowing task, while positive activation in the bilateral prefrontal lobes was observed during the SCWT. Postcentral gyrus activation was more extensive than precentral gyrus activation in the swallowing task. Conclusion: The common activation of swallowing and cognitive tasks had multiple foci. The activity of cognitive and swallowing task in these areas is significantly negative correlated with the MoCA score. These findings may help to illustrate the association between dysphagia and cognitive impairment due to the common brain regions involved in cognition and swallowing and may provide a reference for further rehabilitation of dysphagia. Trial Registration: Clinical Trial: (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry): ChiCTR1900021795 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the association between prestroke frailty and nonhome discharge, prolonged length of stay as well as functional outcomes. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Single urban teaching hospital in Guangzhou, China. Participants: Consecutive sample of 271 older patients admitted with acute stroke. Intervention: N/A. Main measures: A five-item FRAIL scale (0∼5 points) and the stroke severity at onset were measured. The primary outcome of interest was nonhome discharge, with secondary outcomes including prolonged length of stay and worse short-term prognosis. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for confounding factors was used to determine the association between patient-reported frailty and nonhome discharge, prolonged length of stay, worse short-term prognosis. Results: The population had a median age of 68 [interquartile range (IQR), 64∼74)]years, with 50 individuals (18.5%) identified as frail. After adjusting for age, sex, Barthel index, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and Mini-Mental Status Exam score at admission, patients with self-reported frailty were significantly likely to experience nonhome discharge (Odds Ratio [ OR ] = 4.788; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.272∼18.017; p =.021), prolonged length of stay (OR = 4.76; 95% CI = 1.80∼12.56; p =.002), mRS scores at 30 days (OR = 6.72;95% CI = 1.79∼25.20; p =.005) and three months postdischarge and three-month (OR = 8.94; 95% CI = 2.10∼38.08; p =.003). Conclusions: In older adults with stroke, frailty is associated with nonhome discharge, prolonged length of stay, and worse short-term prognosis, regardless of the stroke severity, cognition, and Barthel index score at admission. FRAIL scale can be used as a practical screening tool in acute care setting by multidisciplinary team in supporting discharge process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to its high impact on quality of life and mental health, close monitoring and often psychotherapy is recommended for patients with a ventricular assist device (VAD). This study investigates the psychological comorbidity and the corresponding psychotherapeutic treatment situation of VAD patients. Special attention is also given to the professional perspective VAD team (assistant and senior cardiologists and specialized nurses). Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional observational study. Data from 50 VAD patients (mean age = 53.52, standard deviation = 13.82 years, 84.0% male) and their VAD team were analyzed. The presence of a psychological disorder was evaluated by structured clinical interviews for DSM‐IV (SCID‐I‐Interviews). Patients answered a questionnaire regarding their current psychotherapeutic treatment status and their attitude towards psychotherapy. The VAD team answered a questionnaire about the patients' needs for psychotherapy and indicated whether they addressed this topic with the patient. Data were analyzed descriptively, by analysis of variance and t‐test. Results: A total of 58% of VAD patients suffered from at least one significant psychological disorder, 79.3% of those were not in psychotherapy. The VAD team could not identify the patients who suffered from a psychological disorder (F = 1.90; p = 0.18). They perceived more need for psychotherapy than they addressed with their patients (T = 3.39; p < 0.001). Conclusions: While there is a high psychological morbidity among VAD patients, only few receive psychotherapy. Psychological comorbidity is not easily detected by the VAD team. Standardized psychosocial care could be implemented by regular psychological assessments and further information of patients and their VAD teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether autistic people with siblings score higher on measures of empathy than those without siblings. Cohorts of autistic children (n = 939; mean age = 7.35 years (SD = 2.15)) and autistic adults (n = 736; mean age = 37 years (SD = 12.39)) from the Cambridge Autism Research Database (CARD) were each divided into two groups: with or without siblings. Empathy was measured using the children version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) (parent-report) for children. For adults, the EQ (self-report version) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) were used. Contrary to the hypothesis, autistic children without siblings scored higher on EQ than those with siblings (t(283.70) = 4.20, p <.001; d = 0.50). In adults, there was no difference between autistic adults with and without siblings on both measures, but there was an interaction effect between sex and group on the RMET (f(1732) = 4.10, p = 0.04): whilst autistic males without siblings on average scored lower than females, autistic males with siblings on average performed similarly to females. Future research should investigate the possible effect of siblings on autistic males' empathy performance in a larger cohort of autistic individuals. Children's empathic abilities may be underestimated by their parents when they have siblings due to a contrast effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shame is an intensely painful emotion that adversely impacts mental health and social relationships. Although shame proneness is associated with insecure attachment and sexual satisfaction, independently, no research has examined how shame proneness relates to both of these constructs simultaneously. Such an investigation is necessary due to pervasive cultural messaging that intertwines shame, attachment, and sexuality. The present study addressed this gap in the literature through testing a moderated mediation model with an online sample of 384 American adults. Results indicate that sexual self-esteem mediated the relationship between insecure attachment style and sexual satisfaction among the present sample. Shame proneness moderated the relationship between avoidant attachment and sexual satisfaction. These findings provide implications for relationship and sex therapists working with clients impacted by shame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early numeracy interventions including basic arithmetic are crucial for young students at risk for early mathematics difficulties (MDs), yet few studies have evaluated numeracy interventions in second grade with a randomized controlled design. Aim: This pre‐ and post‐test randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of an intensive 9‐week numeracy and arithmetic programme for second‐grade students at risk for early MDs. The focus of the programme was students' foundational understanding of numbers and mathematical concepts and procedural fluency with arithmetic tasks. Sample: A total of 753 first‐grade students from 21 schools in Sweden were screened for low achievement in number knowledge and arithmetic. Methods: Students considered at risk for MDs (≤25 percentile on two consecutive first‐grade mathematics screenings) were individually randomized to an intervention group (n = 32) or control group (n = 30) at the beginning of second grade (7–8 years old). Trained teachers administered the one‐to‐one, explicit programme to intervention group students in elementary school settings. The intervention group received numeracy instruction emphasizing foundational mathematics concepts and procedures. Controls received teaching as usual with potential special education support provided by their schools. Results: The intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in conceptual knowledge, arithmetic calculations and problem‐solving compared to the control group, with medium size effects observed. Conclusions: A supplemental and intensive programme, with explicit instruction emphasizing numeracy, substantially improved knowledge and skills essential for arithmetic learning. Instruction in conceptual number knowledge and procedures also shows a significant impact on basic arithmetic problem‐solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological assessment has always been a core part of psychology, but like all other subdisciplines, the applicability of psychological assessments has always been debated. Typically, assessments are developed in the Global North and used in countries across the globe. The universalist assumption and the theories that underpin these assessments has in the last 30 years been challenged. There is an increasing recognition that experiences differ across cultures based on individual and community experiences as well as broader social and political conditions. However, the history of psychological assessment in South Africa is testament not only to a Western psychological import but also to its complicity in upholding an apartheid regime. The 1990s, however, saw profound shifts in psychological assessment in South Africa, but access and distributional challenges have prevailed. Most recently, experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic ensured a hasty transition to online assessments, which provided increased access but perpetuated other inequalities. Reimagining assessment's role is imperative after three decades of democracy. Drawing from peer-reviewed research and personal experiences in assessment, this article provides a historical overview of global and local assessment, highlighting South Africa's journey. It discusses current assessment challenges and progress, emphasizing inclusion, indigenization, and innovation. This article advocates for an agenda prioritizing accessibility, relevance, and responsiveness to societal needs in South African psychological assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While population-based research confirms that women with disabilities abused by their intimate partners experience significant mental health issues, few studies compare this in intimate partner violence (IPV)-specific samples of women with or without disabilities and none analyze possible impacts based on disability type. This secondary mixed methods analysis examined 660 Canadian women (50.6% Indigenous, 43.1% White, and 6.1% visible minority) with respect to whether they reported having a disability that impacted their employability or daily living (291 or 44% yes; 369 or 56% said no). In the 291 women with disabilities, about one-third (30.7%) had a physical disability-only, one-quarter had a mental health disability-only, and 44.1% reported both physical and mental health disabilities. Women with mental health and both physical and mental health disabilities reported significantly more Severe Combined IPV on the Composite Abuse Scale, depression (CES-D-10; Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression), psychological distress (Symptom Checklist Shortform-10; SCL-10; in the clinical range), PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist), and lower quality of life (Quality of Life Questionnaire or QoL-9) than women without disabilities. Education about disabilities is needed for IPV advocates and disability practitioners need education about IPV. Developing services specific to survivors of IPV with disabilities is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted an extensive Monte Carlo study of factor-rotation local solutions (LS) in multidimensional, two-parameter logistic (M2PL) item response models. In this study, we simulated more than 19,200 data sets that were drawn from 96 model conditions and performed more than 7.6 million rotations to examine the influence of (a) slope parameter sizes, (b) number of indicators per factor (trait), (c) probabilities of cross-loadings, (d) factor correlation sizes, (e) model approximation error, and (f) sample sizes on the local solution rates of the oblimin and (oblique) geomin rotation algorithms. To accommodate these design variables, we extended the standard M2PL model to include correlated major factors and uncorrelated minor factors (to represent model error). Our results showed that both rotation methods converged to LS under some conditions with geomin producing the highest local solution rates across many models. Our results also showed that, for identical item response patterns, rotation LS can produce different latent trait estimates with different levels of measurement precision (as indexed by the conditional standard error of measurement). Follow-up analyses revealed that when rotation algorithms converged to multiple solutions, quantitative indices of structural fit, such as numerical measures of simple structure, will often misidentify the rotation that is closest in mean-squared error to the factor pattern (or item-slope pattern) of the data-generating model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject: Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the indirect traumatisation of a person through the stress of helping or knowing about other's trauma. Burnout is gradual exhaustion in response to long‐term work‐related stress. Both have negative psychological, physiological and/or organisational consequences; however, the existing research in forensic health care professionals (FHCPs) is limited.One study explored STS in FCHPs and found that lower psychological flexibility (ability to adapt) was a predictor of greater STS. Existing research on burnout in FHCPs suggests that individual differences, such as the ways in which we cope (talking to people vs. using substances), may predict burnout levels. What the paper adds to existing knowledge: Prevalence findings add to the recent evidence base, which also found moderate levels of burnout. However, this study is the first to find high levels of secondary traumatic stress in FHCPs.Similar to existing literature, the study's findings suggest that FHCP's with lower levels of psychological flexibility and more maladaptive coping strategies may experience greater STS and burnout symptoms, while staff who use more adaptive coping strategies may experience less burn‐out.Unexpectedly, staff who reported a more anxious attachment style were burnt‐out; however, there are limitations to this finding. What are the implications for practice: Policies and practices in forensic settings should reflect the risk of STS and burnout.Practices or interventions should enhance adaptive coping strategies and psychological flexibility, such as Resilience Enhancement Programmes or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Introduction: Secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout literature in inpatient forensic health care professionals (FHCPs) is limited, despite the psychological, physiological and organisational consequences. Aims: This study aimed to further this limited evidence base, investigating predictors of STS and burnout in FHCPs. Method: 98 healthcare professionals working in two UK forensic inpatient settings completed measures assessing: burnout, STS, psychological flexibility, coping style, attachment style and a demographic questionnaire recording length of service and the sex of staff. Results: Results indicated high STS and moderate burnout levels. The main predictors of STS and burnout were poorer psychological flexibility and greater maladaptive coping styles, whereas lower burnout was predicted by greater adaptive coping styles and an anxious attachment style. Discussion: This study has contributed towards a limited evidence base and indicates poorer psychological flexibility and greater maladaptive coping may be risk factors for STS and burnout in FHCPs, whereas greater maladaptive coping may be a protective factor. Implication for Practice: The findings suggest that interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and coping skills interventions, may offer protective benefits to inpatient forensic healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faking in self-report personality questionnaires describes a deliberate response distortion aimed at presenting oneself in an overly favorable manner. Unless the influence of faking on item responses is taken into account, faking can harm multiple psychometric properties of a test. In the present article, we account for faking using an extension of the multidimensional nominal response model (MNRM), which is an item response theory (IRT) model that offers a flexible framework for modeling different kinds of response biases. Particularly, we investigated under which circumstances the MNRM can adequately adjust substantive trait scores and latent correlations for the influence of faking and examined the role of variation in the way item content is related to social desirability (i.e., item desirability characteristics) in facilitating the modeling of faking and counteracting its detrimental effects. Using a simulation, we found that the inclusion of a faking dimension in the model can overall improve the recovery of substantive trait person parameters and latent correlations between substantive traits, especially when the impact of faking in the data is high. Item desirability characteristics moderated the effect of modeling faking and were themselves associated with different levels of parameter recovery. In an empirical demonstration with N = 1070 test-takers, we also showed that the faking modeling approach in combination with different item desirability characteristics can prove successful in empirical questionnaire data. We end the article with a discussion of implications for psychological assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In educational and psychological assessments, benefiting from back random response (BRR) is a major type of rapid guessing in misfitting item score patterns. Person-fit statistics (PFS) based on cumulative sum (CUSUM) and change point analysis (CPA) from statistical process control (SPC) are better than other PFS for detecting aberrant response. In this study, we developed new person-fit statistics based on three algorithms from CPA procedure and CUSUM method for detection of person misfit with dichotomous or polytomous items. By means of simulated data, the effectiveness of the new statistics to detect test-takers with BRR was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dismantling racism in American psychology has recently emerged as a critical goal of the field accompanied by actionable steps being developed in training, research, and practice. To contribute to this significant undertaking, we offer an exploration of the impact of racism on psychological research methods and practices using the ABC model. First, antecedents to the present manifestation of the problem are identified as an advancement of research topics that supported a hereditary hierarchy based on race, the normalization of White participants as standard in comparative studies, and the use of biased measures to investigate various constructs, particularly as it relates to psychological testing. Second, sampling bias is discussed as a systemic behavior that produces racism in psychological research methods; specifically, issues of omission and commission are described along with the use of WEIRD samples and the role of implicit bias in the limited production of knowledge on people of color. Third, the antecedents and behaviors give way to consequences that include threats to cultural validity, unequal treatment and health disparities, and epistemic oppression in the field. We end with recommendations for avoiding a continuation of the field's racist legacy in present-day psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining quality of life (QoL) and identifying contributing factors is an important aspect of treatment for glioma patients. Little is known about to what extent language function and psychological distress impact QoL before surgery. Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of subjective and objective language function, as well as psychological distress on domains of QoL before surgery. Methods and procedures: Twenty-seven patients (52% female) with a suspected glioma, grade 1‒3 based on symptoms and MRI imaging diagnostics were assessed pre-surgery. Subjective language concerns, psychological distress and QoL were investigated with self-reported questionnaires. A Subjective language index was calculated, based on items addressing word-finding, expression of thoughts, reading and writing. Objective language function was assessed with tasks of naming (The Boston Naming Test), verbal comprehension (Vocabulary and Similarities), verbal fluency (Semantic and Phonemic fluency) and verbal short-term and working memory (Digit span forward and backward). The strength of associations was determined using Spearman's rho correlations. Linear regression analyses were used to examine predictors for QoL. Outcomes and Results: Clinically significant reductions in QoL were found in 48% of the sample. Subjective language concerns were highly common, with 85% reporting some degree of difficulty. Group means on objective language tests were within normative range on the included measures. The Subjective language index correlated significantly with several QoL domains, whereas objective performance mainly correlated with functional well-being. Psychological distress was a strong predictor for QoL. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that reductions in QoL may occur during the diagnostic phase, even before glioma treatment starts. Subjective language concerns and psychological distress contributed to all aspects of QoL and highlight the importance of acknowledging patient-reported information. The results suggest a comprehensive multi-modal assessment of glioma patients pre-surgery, to establish a base-line and facilitate patient-centered treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that informal caregiver burden can have deleterious effects on patient recovery; however, this relationship has yet to be investigated in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. This study aimed to examine the impact of the change of caregiver burden from pre- to post-surgery on patients' mental and physical health after CABG surgery. Ninety patient-caregiver dyads were assessed one month before the surgery, two months and one year after the surgery. Caregivers completed the Oberst Burden Scale to measure caregiver burden. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory to measure depressive symptoms, a subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to measure anxiety symptoms, the Short Form-12 health assessment to measure health-related quality of life, and the Coronary Revascularisation Outcomes Questionnaire to measure surgery symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between change in caregiver burden and post-surgery patient outcomes. A greater increase in caregiver burden from pre- to two-months post-surgery significantly predicted higher patients' depressive symptoms (β = 0.179, p = 0.010), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.114, p = 0.017), reported post-surgery symptoms (β = 0.335, p = 0.008) and reduced physical health-related quality of life (β = -0.358, p = 0.003), after controlling for a wide range of covariates. These findings were not replicated at a one-year follow-up. These results provide insights into the impact of caregiver burden on patient distress following CABG surgery, supporting the idea of psychological support interventions for caregivers to increase patients' short-term recovery outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Manual‐based treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy and metacognitive therapy, are effective for patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), but no studies have examined non‐manualised clinically representative treatment for GAD. Methods: The sample consisted of 103 patients with GAD who completed non‐manualised eclectic outpatient treatment at a local psychiatric outpatient clinic from 2020 to 2023. Questionnaires before and after treatment measured GAD symptoms, depressive symptoms, functioning, health and treatment satisfaction. Results: There were significant improvements with large effect sizes (Cohen's d using pooled standard deviations) for GAD symptoms (d = 1.30, p <.001), depressive symptoms (d = 1.22, p <.001) and functioning (d = 0.87, p <.001). There was a medium improvement in health (d = −0.66, p <.001). Regarding GAD symptoms, half of the sample achieved clinically significant change (scoring below cut‐off at post‐treatment and achieving reliable improvement), and 69% showed reliable improvement (statistically significant change). Most patients (72%–84%) were satisfied with their treatment. Conclusion: Clinically representative treatment is associated with improvement in GAD, but the effect sizes were smaller than in manual‐based treatments. Research using randomised controlled trial designs comparing manual‐based treatment to clinically representative treatment is needed to establish relative efficacy and for refining treatment guidelines in Norway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eye‐movement protocols are considered empirical, evidence‐based treatments for mental disorders, and there is ample research around their efficacy. However, little research as to why these approaches are effective exists. In this study, an emerging approach, titled Tholáge neuropsychotherapy (called RELEASE at the time of the study), is explained and tested through an exploratory mixed method experiment. Aims: A new theory on the efficacy of eye‐movement treatments is also presented, exploring existing research and contending that specific emotions are associated with specific eye movements. If proven, it may be possible to use eye movements to access specific emotions, for therapeutic outcomes. Methods: In this experiment, there were 14 participants (n = 14) who experienced Tholáge as a treatment for depression. Two one‐way ANOVAs were conducted and found to be statistically significant and have a large effect size. Qualitative responses were shared from participants, and themes were highlighted. Results: The ANOVAs and qualitative responses demonstrated that Tholáge was effective with emotional regulation, and participants showed improvement on measures of affect and depression (the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and Beck Depression Inventory). Discussion: These results show that there is potential for this new eye‐movement treatment in reducing symptoms of depression. Conclusion: These findings can help practitioners in treatment of depression and potentially other diagnoses as well. There needs to be more research studies conducted on the efficacy of this treatment protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Compassion‐focused therapy (CFT) is transdiagnostic. It primarily targets shame and self‐criticism in persons with depression. While there have been studies in the West to explore the beneficial effects of CFT, there is a need to unpack how CFT functions in the East. Method: This study aimed to explore the utility and process of CFT in North‐East India. The authors tailored a 12‐session CFT module based on the suggestions of three local mental health professionals. A mixed‐method design was employed. Five mental health service users in a tertiary mental healthcare hospital diagnosed with depression based on ICD‐10 criteria were recruited in the study. For quantitative measurements, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Others as Shamer Scale (OAS), Fears of Compassion Scales (FOC), The Forms of Self‐Criticizing and Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) and Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales (CEAS) were administered. Three time point assessments were taken, that is, baseline, post‐intervention and 1‐month follow‐up. To understand the process of CFT, qualitative narrative analysis was undertaken on session notes, memos and reflective journals focusing on the nature of compassion, blocks of compassion, sense of shame and self‐criticality. Results: Quantitative findings indicated improvement of depressive symptoms and changes in sense of shame, fear of compassion, self‐criticality, self‐reassuring tendencies and compassionate engagements and actions. The qualitative findings shed light on the process of CFT. Conclusion: The authors discussed the findings anchoring the existing theories of CFT and relevant studies. The findings support the preliminary evidence of the utility of CFT in persons with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, several theoretical models have been proposed to explain how the expected and natural grief processes turns into psychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of empirical research examining the basic assumption of psychoanalytic theory regarding pre-death conflict and bereavement related guilt. Accordingly, the current study aimed to investigate the mediator role of bereavement related guilt in the relationship between the pre-death conflict and maladaptive grief process. The sample consisted of 447 bereaved adults who lost a loved one due to death in the last 5 years. The Unfinished Business in Bereavement (UBBS), Bereavement Guilt Scale (BGS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (PG-13) scales were administered. The results indicated that the UBBS scores were positively correlated with both BDI and PG-13 scores, and BGS scores mediated these relationships. Obtained findings were discussed in relation to psychoanalytic theory and existing studies in the grief literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The factors driving excessive reassurance seeking in obsessive–compulsive disorder are incompletely understood. We investigated whether low memory confidence, which drives compulsive checking, may also lead to excessive reassurance seeking during a novel in vivo contamination-based task. Undergraduates (N = 91) completed a memory test and received sham positive or negative performance feedback. Participants then viewed a complicated cleaning video and completed a corresponding cleaning task whilst their reassurance seeking was covertly coded. Afterwards, participants rated their anxiety, confidence, and experimenter responsibility for task outcomes. The novel laboratory task induced high levels of reassurance seeking from participants (median = 5 reassurance requests). There was no evidence that manipulating memory confidence altered reassurance seeking. Greater reassurance seeking was correlated with decreased performance confidence and increased ratings of experimenter responsibility for negative cleaning task outcomes. Memory beliefs may not initiate reassurance seeking, suggesting a possible dissimilarity between reassurance seeking and compulsive checking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive behavioral therapy, prolonged exposure, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing are effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They emphasize the processing of trauma-related memories and exposure as central components in treatment. In contrast, the metacognitive model emphasizes that PTSD is caused by a persistent negative thinking style, and the goal is to find alternative coping strategies and modify metacognitive beliefs without the use of exposure. In a quasi-experimental A-B design, patients diagnosed with PTSD received either MCT (n = 32) or TAU "treatment as usual" (n = 28) consisting of exposure-based treatments and were tested on different measures of symptoms. The results indicated that both treatments were effective and performed well on both trauma and anxiety symptoms. Recovery rates and clinical improvement were higher in the MCT condition at post-treatment. The study indicates that MCT could potentially be a viable alternative to trauma-focused treatment of PTSD. Clinical trial registration: The study is a clinical and quality audit of an ordinary routinely delivered clinical service in a specialized trauma clinic involving treatments for patients with PTSD. The trial was a preliminary stage in a larger trial of chronic PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures of life outlook in older adults have been investigated in connection to pain, as both pain management and outlook are important factors of successful aging. We hypothesized that higher pain is associated with lower optimism among community-dwelling older adults. We utilized data from the UC San Diego Successful Aging Evaluation (SAGE), a prospective longitudinal cohort study initiated in 2010, to evaluate the relationship between pain and optimism in 378 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. We used the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) to measure optimism and three pain subscales–PROMIS Pain Interference, PROMIS Pain Intensity, and MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)–as pain measures. Regression analyses reveal negative relationships between pain and optimism for all three pain scales, with regression coefficients of −0.277 (p <.0001), −0.246 (p <.0001), and 0.269 (p <.0001) respectively. This indicates value in considering physical and psychological elements in future intervention research to promote healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Both child temperament (specifically high shyness and fear) and environmental stressors like the COVID-19 pandemic are known to confer risk for elevated anxiety symptoms in children. However, few studies have examined the long-term impact of the pandemic on young children's anxiety. Objective: We examined the moderating effects of disruptions experienced during the early months of the pandemic on the longitudinal association between shy and fearful temperament at age 2 pre-pandemic and anxiety symptoms in the year following the start of the pandemic. Methods: Participants were 125 parents of toddlers (Mage = 26 months, 54% girls, 80% White) who were participating in an ongoing anxiety screening study when the pandemic started in 2020. Shy and fearful temperament were assessed pre-pandemic at age 2 years using the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire and anxiety symptoms were assessed within the first post-pandemic year (at ages 3 or 4) using the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale. Parents completed the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory at the start of the pandemic to assess types of disruptions experienced. Results: Shyness predicted higher anxiety symptoms among children whose parents experienced more work-related disruptions. Fear was associated with higher anxiety symptoms at lower levels of social activities disruption but was unrelated to anxiety symptoms at high levels of these disruptions. Conclusions: Results suggest that anxious temperament may serve as a meaningful screening target for identifying the children most in need of support during times of major stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, people spend a lot of time in the information space, communicating within various social platforms. Content of those platforms can influence people's feelings and personalities, which is especially relevant for young people. In this research, we made an attempt to prove this hypothesis. For the experiment, we selected the VKontakte social network and analysed users profiles together with the results of the psychological tests passed by them. The goal of the experiment was to find correlations between the information provided within the social network communities and the users' personalities. Moreover, in this paper, we made an attempt to enhance the results of the classifier accuracy using the sentiment analysis. The experiments were conducted to test the sentiment analysis models, to analyse the proposed feature based on posts' sentiment, and test the classifier for the detection of the potentially destructive impacts. The analysis of the correlation of the proposed feature with the communities that have potentially destructive impacts on anxiety is conducted. The analysis of the obtained results is provided. During the experiments, the authors found out that consideration of the posts' sentiment allows increasing accuracy of the classifier for anxiety destructive impacts on 12.24 %. Additionally, we analysed the relationship between the user sentiments metric and destructiveness. We confirmed that the assessment of the user's posts' sentiment can be used to compile his psychological characteristics and determine possibility of destructiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfolding item response theory (IRT) models are important alternatives to dominance IRT models in describing the response processes on self-report tests. Their usage is common in personality measures, since they indicate potential differentiations in test score interpretation. This paper aims to gain a better insight into the structure of trait personality, by investigating whether the dominance or alternatively the unfolding IRT model are better descriptors of the response processes on a personality measure constructed under the dominance response theorem. For the assessment of the dominant model, the Graded Response Model (GRM) is used; while for the unfolding model, the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model (GGUM) was examined. All analyses are conducted with the freely available R. A sample of 1340 Greek adults, employed in private and public organizations, fulfilled the Trait Personality Questionnaire 5 short-form (TPQue5). Findings contradict previous research on trait personality. In accordance to the construction method employed, the TPQue5 items are best understood by monotonically increasing item response functions (IRFs). Individuals responding to the TPQue5 increase their probability of endorsing its items as their trait level increases; this stands for all personality dimensions, although Openness to Experience exhibited mixed type of item response patterns. Further research directions, implications and limitations are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), widely utilized for psychological assessments, faces challenges due to its extensive nature. Streamlining the SCL-90 is essential in order to enhance its practicality without compromising its broad applicability across diverse settings. The objective of this study is to employ machine learning techniques to simplify the dimensions and individual items within each dimension, while simultaneously validating the accuracy and practicality of the streamlined SCL-90 scale. A total of 23,028 valid responses of the SCL-90 were obtained from university students, with positive cases accounting for 49.58 % and negative cases accounting for 50.42 %. The findings demonstrate that by utilizing the Support Vector Classification (SVC) algorithm, it is possible to reduce the scale from ten dimensions to four, achieving an overall prediction accuracy of 89.50 % for the total score. Further simplification of these remaining four dimensions resulted in a reduction from 44 to 29 items per dimension, yielding individual dimension accuracies exceeding 90 %, along with sensitivity and specificity levels surpassing 85 %, and the reliability coefficients consistently exceeded 0.8 across different algorithms. In conclusion, we successfully reduced the number of scale items from 90 to 29, resulting in a reduction of 67.78 % in overall assessment time while maintaining a high reliability coefficient of 0.95. Importantly, the streamlined scale demonstrated no significant decrease in assessment effectiveness. This refined version facilitates rapid comprehension of individuals' comprehensive mental health status and is well-suited for widespread application in experiential settings. • The SCL-90 is widely utilized globally, however, its extensive length hinders its implementation in diverse settings. • The present study employed machine learning algorithms to simplify the SCL-90 within a sample exceeding 20,000 participants. • The method efficiently reduced the initial ten dimensions to four, including 29 items and achieving a reliability coefficient of 95%. • Future investigations are recommended to focus on examining the simplified scale's reliability and validity across diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the effects of Tai Chi on body mass index (BMI), exercise capacity, and mental health of overweight/obese adults, and investigate factors influencing adherence to enhance adherence of Tai Chi as a sustainable exercise method. Methods: A randomized, controlled, exploratory clinical trial was conducted paired with a qualitative study of adherence management. A total of 20 overweight/obese participants were randomly assigned to a standard Tai Chi group (experimental) and a simplified Tai Chi group (control) for an 8-week intervention, 10 patients in each group, with a 12-month follow-up. BMI was calculated and exercise capacity including an isokinetic muscle strength and balance ability test were evaluated. Mental health was assessed using the General Well-Being Schedule (GWB), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Coping Self Efficacy Scale (CSES) at baseline, 4th week, and 8th week, respectively. The qualitative research included open-interviews with Tai Chi practitioners and semi-structured interviews with subjects. Results: The intervention was conducted in Haidian Park, Beijing, China from October 6, 2022, to January 1, 2023, without dropouts. After an 8-week intervention, the participants in the experimental group exhibited a significant decrease in BMI (P<0.05). Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in exercise capacity (P<0.05). The experimental group exhibited a significant enhancement in the GWB, PSQI and CSES (P<0.05). Only GWB had significant difference in the control group (P<0.05). The experimental group surpassed the control group in GWB and CSES (P<0.05). The adherence rate was 87.5% in the experimental group and 57.9% in the control group after 8 weeks intervention. Analysis on adherence identified 15 themes, the top 3 themes mentioned were as follows: mind-body effects, online and on-site guidance, training schedule (for subjects); mind-body effects, difficulties in practicing, and understanding of Tai Chi (for practitioners). Conclusions: Both interventions were effective in improving exercise capacity. Tai Chi, integrating both physical and mental conditioning, reduced weight, improved exercise capacity and mental happiness, and increased adherence, providing a sustainable exercise program (ChiCTR2200063599). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Adolescent Sport Doping Inventory (ASDI; [Nicholls, A. R., Levy, A. R., Meir, R., Sanctuary, C., Jones, L., Baghurst, T., Thompson, M. A., & Perry, J. L. (2019). The development and validation of the adolescent sport drug inventory (ASDI) among athletes from four continents. Psychological Assessment, 31(11), 1279–1293. ] was one of the first questionnaires designed specifically to measure psycho-social doping constructs among adolescent athletes. Little is known about the reliability of this scale, and nor the stability of the psychosocial variables that the ASDI assesses. The aim of this paper was to assess the reliability of the ASDI, along with the extent to which key psychosocial constructs are stable, and whether there was variance across four clusters. Three independent samples of athletes were recruited. Athletes completed the ASDI one week apart (Sample 1, 92 athletes), 8 weeks apart (Sample 2, 134 athletes), and 16 weeks apart (Sample 3, 86 athletes). Findings revealed that the ASDI is a robust and reliable measure. While there was little within-subject variance in the data assessed one week apart (Sample 1) and 8 weeks apart (Sample 2), correlation coefficients in Sample 3 were markedly lower than Samples 1 or 2. The data also revealed that there was movement between cluster profiles for the eight- and 16-week gap, but not the one-week gap. In the short-term, psychosocial variables such as attitudes doping and susceptibility towards doping are relatively stable among adolescent athletes, although there is some movement between doping clusters. This could infer that ongoing anti-doping education is required to prevent undesirable changes in these important factors on a regular basis within adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gaps exist in the understanding of the etiology of poor sleep quality after lung transplantation. Research Question: What factors are associated with poor sleep quality in lung transplant recipients? Design: A quantitative, single-site, cross-sectional study used an anonymous survey based on 3 scales. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale with scores dichotomized to poor versus good sleepers based on the cutoff score > 8. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale evaluated symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the Short Form-12 measured health-related quality of life using the mental and physical component scores. Additional self-reported data included demographic and transplant-related variables. Results: The response rate was 38.4% (61/158), and 52.5% of the sample (32/61) evidenced a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score > 8, suggestive of poor sleep quality. Bivariate analyses demonstrated that poor sleep was significantly related to symptoms of depression (P <.01), anxiety (P <.01), stressors of hospitalization (P <.05), and treatment of acute rejection (P <.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that anxiety was significantly associated with poor sleep (odds ratio = 1.34, P <.05). Conclusion: Poor subjective sleep quality remains prevalent in lung transplant recipients. Individuals with anxiety symptoms were at a greater risk for poor sleep. Guidance for strategies to improve sleep quality requires further in-depth exploration before implementation of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the limitations of traditional maximum performance tests in psychological assessments within educational settings, highlighting the need for efficiency assessments to better understand students' real-world capabilities. While maximum performance tests like IQ and achievement tests reveal peak abilities under optimal conditions, they often fail to reflect students' proficiency and speed, crucial for classroom success. Efficiency assessments, such as Curriculum-Based Measurements (CBMs), provide valuable insights by evaluating both accuracy and speed, offering a more practical measure of skill mastery. By integrating these assessments, psychologists can more accurately identify areas of need, inform targeted interventions, and monitor progress, ensuring tailored support for each student's unique learning profile. This comprehensive approach enhances academic development, ensuring that students receive the necessary support to thrive in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rauvolfia vomitoria (R. vomitoria) is a plant of economic importance due to its diverse ethnomedicinal properties, including the anticonvulsant effect. In this study, we studied the antiseizure and neuroprotective potentials of R. vomitoria extracts against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling. Methods: Twenty-five adult Swiss mice (25–30 g) were assigned to five groups (n = 5): control group, PTZ treatment group, and PTZ treatment after receiving oral R. vomitoria crude extract (100 mg/kg), R. vomitoria phenol extract (50 mg/kg) or sodium valproate (15 mg/kg) every 48 h for 28 days. Seizure scores, cognitive behavioral tests including novel object test, Y-maze test, and the elevated plus maze test, as well as brain neurochemicals and histomorphology studies, were performed. Results: Compared with the control group, the PTZ group showed comparable body weight and durations in closed and open arms (P > 0.05), but preference for familiar objects, significant (P < 0.05) spontaneous alternation, increased monoamine oxidase activity and nitric oxide level, and Nissl chromatolysis in the temporal lobe structures including the cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. R. vomitoria phenol extract pretreatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced seizures, prevented adverse cognitive behaviors, decreased the nitric oxide level, and reduced the temporal lobe Nissl chromatolysis compared with the R. vomitoria crude extract pretreatment group and the sodium valproate pretreatment groups. Conclusions: Thus, R. vomitoria phenol extract showed promising results against seizures and potential for general brain protection, suggesting that the anticonvulsant property of R. vomitoria may be attributed to its phenol constituent. More studies are needed to delineate the mechanisms of its action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigates the mediating roles of autonomic function and mental health in the association between sleep and cognitive decline in adults aged 50 and above. Method: A total of 2,697 participants with observations on sleep and mediators at baseline and repeated measures of cognitive function (MMSE) were included. Clusters of individuals with similar cognitive trajectories (high-stable, mid-stable and low-declining) were identified. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to estimate the likelihood of membership to each trajectory group based on sleep duration and disturbance. Finally, mediation analysis tested potential mediating effects of autonomic function and mental health underpinning the sleep–cognition relationship. Results: Short (p =.028), long (p =.019), and disturbed sleep (p =.008) increased the likelihood of a low-declining cognitive trajectory. Mental health measures fully attenuated relationships between cognitive decline and short or disturbed sleep but not long sleep. No autonomic function mediation was observed. Conclusion: Older adults with short or disturbed sleep are at risk of cognitive decline due to poor mental health. Individuals with long sleep are also at risk, however, the acting pathways remain to be identified. These outcomes have clinical implications, potentially identifying intervention strategies targeting mental health and sleep as prophylactic measures against dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased attention among healthcare workers, particularly nurses, is crucial for preventing medical errors and patient harm. This study uses an objective approach that overcomes the limitations of the subjective self-report measures employed in prior research on nurses' attention. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2023 among 108 nurses at Besat Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The data collected included demographic information, the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) for mental workload assessment, and the CogLab signal detection test for attention sensitivity measurement. Results: The participants exhibited a median mental workload of 68.5 (IQR = 14.9) and a median attention sensitivity of 52.5 (IQR = 39.2). Daily sleep duration was positively correlated with attention sensitivity (r = 0.644, p < 0.001), whereas mental workload was negatively correlated with attention sensitivity (r = -0.655, p < 0.001). Men demonstrated greater attention sensitivity (p = 0.040), and women reported greater mental workload (p = 0.043). Conclusion: Reducing daily sleep duration and increasing mental workload can diminish nurses' attention sensitivity. Prioritizing adequate sleep and implementing strategies to reduce mental workload are crucial for enhancing nurse performance and patient safety. Key points: • Insufficient sleep and excessive mental workload can significantly impair nurses' attention. • Female nurses may be particularly vulnerable to these factors. • Implementing strategies to optimize sleep schedules and reduce mental workload is crucial for enhancing overall nurse performance and patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wearable-generated data yield objective information on physical activity and sleep variables, which, are in turn, related to the phenomenology of depression. There is a dearth of wearable-generated data regarding physical activity and sleep variables among youth with clinical depression. Methods: Longitudinal (up to 24 months) quarterly collections of wearable-generated variables among adolescents diagnosed with current/past major depression. Latent class analysis was employed to classify participants on the basis of wearable-generated: Activity, Sleep Duration, and Sleep efficiency. The Patient Health Questionnaire adapted for adolescents (PHQ-9-A), and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) at study intake were employed to predict class membership. Results: Seventy-two adolescents (72.5% girls) were recruited over 31 months. Activity, Sleep Duration, and Sleep efficiency were reciprocally correlated, and wearable-generated data were reducible into a finite number (3 to 4) of classes of individuals. A PHQ-A score in the clinical range (14 and above) at study intake predicted a class of low physical activity (Acceleration) and a class of shorter Sleep Duration. Limitations: Limited power related to the sample size and the interim nature of this study. Conclusions: This study of wearable-generated variables among adolescents diagnosed with clinical depression shows that a large amount of longitudinal data is amenable to reduction into a finite number of classes of individuals. Interfacing wearable-generated data with clinical measures can yield insights on the relationships between objective psychobiological measures and symptoms of adolescent depression, and may improve clinical management of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This tutorial delves into dimensionality assessment within the context of psychological measurement instruments, particularly focusing on bifactor models. It underscores the imperative to move beyond traditional fit indices when evaluating factor structures while highlighting the significance of ancillary bifactor indices such as explained common variance, OmegaH and percentage of uncontaminated correlations in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the interplay between general and specific group factors. The tutorial offers a step‐by‐step guide to leveraging the power of R software for confirmatory factor analysis and the acquisition of ancillary bifactor indices. Through practical case studies, it elucidates the potential pitfalls of exclusively relying on fit indices and advocates for a balanced, multifaceted approach to dimensionality assessment. By integrating fit measures and ancillary indices, researchers can draw more informed and nuanced conclusions about measurement instrument dimensionality, ultimately enhancing the precision of psychological assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]