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BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionMindfulness-based interventions can successfully improve wellbeing in young adults. Mindful colouring is an applied mindfulness practice and improves short-term wellbeing. Less evidence is available about the effectiveness of regular, self-guided colouring. We investigated a self-guided two-week colouring intervention for university student wellbeing.One-hundred and forty university students completed a minimum of 10-min self-guided colouring, six times over two weeks. Participants were assessed at baseline and two-week follow-up using self-report measures of wellbeing, relating to quality of life, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness.Colouring significantly improved all measures of mental health, wellbeing and mindfulness in students who completed at least six sessions of self-guided colouring.Colouring is an accessible activity that can improve student wellbeing when carried out regularly over two weeks. Future research should investigate the impact of longer-term colouring practice on wellbeing, and the effect of this intervention in the general adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial discusses the concept of a psychosis spectrum, highlighting the varying experiences of psychotic symptoms across different populations. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the biopsychosocial factors influencing psychosis onset, diagnosis, and treatment. The articles in this Research Topic underscore the need for further research to explore the complexities of psychosis development and the interactions between social and biological influences along the continuum. The authors stress the significance of considering these factors in research protocols to avoid biased or inaccurate conclusions. [Extracted from the article]

The COVID-19 pandemic mobility and socialization restrictions and the switch to online learning impacted the day-to-day life of university students in England, a group previously identified as at risk for low wellbeing. In April–May 2021, during the tail end of the third 'lockdown' in England, we implemented an online questionnaire to better understand mental wellbeing in relationship to use of outdoor green space among university students. This article presents the results from 424 responses collected across 4 universities in Oxford and Southampton. Analyses include descriptive results of indicators and hierarchical multiple linear regression models. Findings revealed that quality of greenspace had a greater importance on mental wellbeing than use and quantity of greenspace, even when controlling for sociodemographic factors. Also, neighbourhood greenspace quality contributed to wellbeing above and beyond sociodemographc, physical activity and social support. This result held true even among students with prior mental health difficulties. Findings underscore the importance of greenspace access for wellbeing. Neighbourhoods and university campuses should be planned with the notion in mind that greenspace matters and contributes to health. No gender differences were identified in mental wellbeing. Access to quality greenspaces appears to be more important for wellbeing than quantity. Greenspace quality was a significant predictor of positive mental wellbeing above and beyond physical activity and social connectedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Dysfunctional attitudes (DA) are higher in depression; however, less is understood about their role in bipolar disorder (BD). This paper aimed to explore the presence of DA in BD in comparison to clinical and non‐clinical groups. Also explored were the associations between DA and mood states of depression, mania or euthymia in BD. Methods: A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted. A total of 47 articles were included in the systematic review of which 23 were included in the meta‐analysis. The quality of each study was rated. Results: The meta‐analysis showed significantly higher DA in BD than healthy controls (d =.70). However, no difference was observed between BD and unipolar participants (d = −.16). When reviewing mood state within BD, a significant mean difference was found between DA scores for euthymic and depressed participants (d = −.71), with those who were depressed scoring higher. Three studies found that psychological therapies significantly reduce DA in BD (d = −.38). Conclusions: These findings imply not only that DA are both a characteristic of BD that is not as prevalent in healthy populations but also that a depressed mood state is associated with increased severity. This implies that DA could possibly go 'offline' when mood symptoms are not present. Psychological therapies appear to reduce DA in BD. Implications for future research as well as practice‐based implications are expanded on in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unusual experiences in Tulpamancer and Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) communities are generally positive and sought after, unlike hallucinations and delusions in clinical populations. Metacognition, the ability to reflect on self-referential experiences, may aid sense-making around unusual experiences, reducing distress. This study investigated group differences in hallucination-proneness, delusion-proneness, and metacognition in these communities compared to controls, and whether metacognition predicted unusual experiences. 243 participants reporting ASMR, Tulpamancy, or neither, with no history of psychosis, took part in an online observational study. Participants completed the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, Metacognitions Questionnaire-30, and Brief Core Schema Scales to capture metacognition. A Tulpamancer+ (reporting ASMR) group was identified and included in analyses. ANCOVAs highlighted group differences in hallucination-proneness, with Tulpamancer+ scoring higher, and metacognitive beliefs, with Tulpamancers reporting lower metacognitive belief endorsement. There were no group differences in delusion-proneness, self-reflection, or self-schemas. Stepwise regression demonstrated metacognition does influence unusual experiences in the non-clinical population, and this influence varies across groups. In non-clinical populations, unusual sensory experiences are not associated with increased metacognitive beliefs, but having multiple unusual experiences is associated with higher hallucination-proneness. Results suggest improving metacognition in clinical groups may help reduce distress related to unusual sensory experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author offers insights about the validity and usefulness of peer review in scientific research. Cited are some cases illustrating the failure of peer review such as the submission of bogus articles and faked peer review. Noted factor contributing to problems in the process are peers who do not take the process seriously or who do not understand the requirements. It is suggested that the removal of reviewer blinding will help change the peer review process.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, and close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build a cohesive and connected structure for ASMR research moving forwards, a modified Delphi study was conducted with ASMR experts, practitioners, community members, and researchers from various disciplines. Ninety-eight participants provided 451 suggestions for ASMR research priorities which were condensed into 13 key areas: (1) Definition, conceptual clarification, and measurement of ASMR; (2) Origins and development of ASMR; (3) Neurophysiology of ASMR; (4) Understanding ASMR triggers; (5) Factors affecting the likelihood of experiencing/eliciting ASMR; (6) ASMR and individual/cultural differences; (7) ASMR and the senses; (8) ASMR and social intimacy; (9) Positive and negative consequences of ASMR in the general population; (10) Therapeutic applications of ASMR in clinical contexts; (11) Effects of long-term ASMR use; (12) ASMR platforms and technology; (13) ASMR community, culture, and practice. These were voted on by 70% of the initial participant pool using best/worst scaling methods. The resulting agenda provides a clear map for ASMR research to enable new and existing researchers to orient themselves towards important questions for the field and to inspire interdisciplinary collaborations.

Objective: Within the context of patients at-risk of psychosis, where a variety of symptoms are present, identifying the most discriminative symptoms is essential for efficient detection and management., Methods: This cross-sectional online study analyzed individuals from the general population in order to better assess their risk of presenting symptoms belonging to the clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, called "CHR-related symptoms". The Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16) served as a self-report screening tool. Item response theory (IRT) with a graded response model was used to assess the discrimination and difficulty of its criteria., Results: The analysis included 936 participants (mean age: 21.5 years; 28.1% male, 71.9% female). "Déjà vu" stood out for its high discriminative power, while "Voices or whispers" and "Seen things" demonstrated strong precision relatively to the other CHR-related symptoms. Conversely, "Smell or taste" and "Changing face" were associated with the most severe cases relatively to the other CHR-related symptoms., Conclusion: This study identified the most indicative CHR-related symptoms to emphasize their significance in accurately assessing severity and guiding targeted preventative interventions., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.