The Relationship Between Changes in Mindfulness and Subsequent Changes in Well-Being Following Psychedelic Use: Prospective Cohort Study.

This study demonstrates that changes in mindfulness predict subsequent changes in well-being in a data set including individuals who recently engaged in psychedelic use.

Just as Essential: The Mental Health of Educators During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic deleteriously impacted physical and mental health. In the summer of 2020, return-to-learn plans were enacted, including virtual, hybrid, and in-person plans, impacting educators and students. We examined (1) how return-to-learn plan was related to depressive and social anxiety symptoms among educators and (2) how psychological flexibility related to symptoms. METHODS: Educators (N = 853) completed a survey via Qualtrics that assessed internalizing symptoms, psychological flexibility, and occupational characteristics. Two one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) examined between-group differences in return-to-learn plans across depression and social anxiety. Two hierarchical linear regressions examined the relation between psychological flexibility components and depressive and social anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Median T-scores were well above the national normative means for General Depression (median T-score: 81) and Social Anxiety (median T-score: 67). There were no significant differences between reopening plans in general depression nor social anxiety T-scores. Psychological flexibility accounted for 33% of the variance in depressive symptoms and 24% of the variance in social anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated high levels of psychiatric symptoms among educators during COVID-19, and psychological flexibility was associated with lower symptoms. Addressing educator mental health is of utmost importance in future research.

A Brief, Digital Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Black Americans With Elevated Race-Based Anxiety and Little-to-No Meditation Experience ("healing attempt"): Replication and Extension Study.

BACKGROUND: Race-based anxiety is a critical health issue within the Black community. Mindfulness interventions hold promise for treating race-based anxiety in Black Americans; however, there are many barriers that prevent Black Americans from using these treatments, such as low cultural relevance, significant time burdens, and excessive costs. OBJECTIVE: This study is a replication and extension of findings that "healing attempt"-a brief (<60-minute), digital, music-based mindfulness intervention-is a feasible and acceptable intervention for race-based anxiety in Black Americans. In this study, we tested this research question among those with little-to-no meditation experience. METHODS: The participants were 4 Black American adults with elevated race-based trait anxiety and little-to-no meditation experience. We used a series of multiple-baseline single-case experiments and conducted study visits on Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) to assess whether the intervention can decrease state anxiety and increase mindfulness and self-compassion in Black Americans. We also assessed feasibility and acceptability using quantitative and qualitative scales. RESULTS: In line with our hypotheses, "healing attempt" increased mindfulness/self-compassion (Tau-U range: 0.57-0.86; P<.001) and decreased state anxiety (Tau-U range: -0.93 to -0.66; P<.001), with high feasibility and acceptability (the average likelihood of recommending "healing attempt" was 88 out of 100). CONCLUSIONS: "healing attempt" may represent a feasible intervention for race-based anxiety in Black Americans with elevated race-based anxiety and little or no mindfulness experience. Future between-subjects randomized feasibility trials can assess whether the intervention can give rise to lasting improvements in race-based anxiety, mindfulness, and self-compassion. TRIAL REGISTRATION: OSF Registries osf.io/k5m93; https://osf.io/k5m93.

A Digital Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention ("healing attempt") for Race-Based Anxiety in Black Americans.

This study replicates and extends findings that "healing attempt"-a brief digital music-based mindfulness intervention-represents a feasible and potentially effective intervention for race-based anxiety in the Black community.

Associations between individual hallucinogens and hallucinogen misuse among U.S. Adults who recently initiated hallucinogen use.

Hallucinogen dependence and abuse are DSM-IV diagnoses that are associated with significant morbidity, yet the specific hallucinogens that are most strongly linked to dependence and abuse are understudied. We used recent data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2015-2020) and multivariable logistic regression to test the relationships that lifetime use of seven individual hallucinogens (MDMA/ecstasy, PCP, ketamine, psilocybin, LSD, peyote, and mescaline) shares with hallucinogen dependence and abuse among individuals who initiated hallucinogen use within the past two years (N = 5,252). We controlled for various demographic factors (sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, self-reported engagement in risky behavior, annual household income, marital status) and lifetime use of various substances. Lifetime PCP use was associated with increased odds of hallucinogen dependence or abuse (aOR [95% CI]: 6.27 [1.51, 26.0]). Additionally, PCP increased the odds of three main hallucinogen dependence and abuse criteria measures (aOR [95% CI]: 4.45 [1.11, 17.8], 5.58 [1.42, 22.0], and 7.01 [1.87, 26.3]). LSD conferred increased odds of two criteria (aOR: 2.33 [1.37, 3.98] and 2.53 [1.48, 4.33]), while ketamine and mescaline each conferred increased odds of one criterion (aOR: 2.12 [1.03, 4.39]; 5.39 [1.05, 27.7]). Future longitudinal studies and Bayesian statistical analyses can further assess the relationships between hallucinogens and disordered hallucinogen use.

A Digital Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Black Americans With Elevated Race-Based Anxiety: A Multiple-Baseline Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Race-based anxiety is a substantial health issue for the Black community. Although mindfulness interventions have demonstrated efficacy for alleviating anxiety, three central barriers prevent Black Americans from accessing existing mindfulness treatments: high costs, excessive time commitments, and limited cultural relevance. There is a need for novel mindfulness interventions for the Black community that can overcome these barriers. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this web-based study was to examine the preliminary efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of a novel digital music-based mindfulness intervention for middle-to-low-income Black Americans with elevated race-based anxiety. METHODS: This study used a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design (n=5). The intervention featured contributions from Lama Rod Owens (a world-renowned meditation teacher and LA Times best-selling author) and Terry Edmonds (the former chief speechwriter for President Bill Clinton). We examined the effect of the intervention on state anxiety and assessed its feasibility and acceptability using quantitative and qualitative measures. RESULTS: Results revealed that administration of the intervention led to significant decreases in state anxiety (Tau-U range -0.75 to -0.38; P values<.001). Virtually all feasibility and acceptability metrics were high (ie, the average likelihood of recommending the intervention was 98 out of 100). CONCLUSIONS: This study offers preliminary evidence that a digital music-based mindfulness intervention can decrease race-based anxiety in Black Americans. Future research is needed to replicate these results, test whether the intervention can elicit lasting changes in anxiety, assess mechanisms of change, and explore the efficacy of the intervention in real-world contexts.

Mortality among patients with sepsis associated with a bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) score.

We have previously developed a bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) device, which was shown to be effective in detecting delirium and predicting patient outcomes. In this study we aimed to apply the BSEEG approach for a sepsis. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single center. Sepsis-positive cases were identified based on retrospective chart review. EEG raw data and calculated BSEEG scores were obtained in the previous studies. The relationship between BSEEG scores and sepsis was analyzed, as well as the relationship among sepsis, BSEEG score, and mortality. Data were analyzed from 628 patients. The BSEEG score from the first encounter (1st BSEEG) showed a significant difference between patients with and without sepsis (p = 0.0062), although AUC was very small indicating that it is not suitable for detection purpose. Sepsis patients with high BSEEG scores showed the highest mortality, and non-sepsis patients with low BSEEG scores showed the lowest mortality. Mortality of non-sepsis patients with high BSEEG scores was as bad as that of sepsis patients with low BSEEG scores. Even adjusting for age, gender, comorbidity, and sepsis status, BSEEG remained a significant predictor of mortality (p = 0.008). These data are demonstrating its usefulness as a potential tool for identification of patients at high risk and management of sepsis.

Evaluation of point-of-care thumb-size bispectral electroencephalography device to quantify delirium severity and predict mortality.

BACKGROUND: We have developed the bispectral electroencephalography (BSEEG) method for detection of delirium and prediction of poor outcomes. AIMS: To improve the BSEEG method by introducing a new EEG device. METHOD: In a prospective cohort study, EEG data were obtained and BSEEG scores were calculated. BSEEG scores were filtered on the basis of standard deviation (s.d.) values to exclude signals with high noise. Both non-filtered and s.d.-filtered BSEEG scores were analysed. BSEEG scores were compared with the results of three delirium screening scales: the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU), the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS) and the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS). Additionally, the 365-day mortalities and the length of stay (LOS) in the hospital were analysed. RESULTS: We enrolled 279 elderly participants and obtained 620 BSEEG recordings; 142 participants were categorised as BSEEG-positive, reflecting slower EEG activity. BSEEG scores were higher in the CAM-ICU-positive group than in the CAM-ICU-negative group. There were significant correlations between BSEEG scores and scores on the DRS and the DOSS. The mortality rate of the BSEEG-positive group was significantly higher than that of the BSEEG-negative group. The LOS of the BSEEG-positive group was longer compared with that of the BSEEG-negative group. BSEEG scores after s.d. filtering showed stronger correlations with delirium screening scores and more significant prediction of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the usefulness of the BSEEG method for detection of delirium and of delirium severity, and prediction of patient outcomes with a new EEG device.