Studyholism and Attachment Style: A Study among Italian University Students.

Studyholism (or obsession with studying) is a new potential clinical condition introduced in the literature in 2017. Since then, growing research has supported its conceptualization as a clinical disorder and highlighted some potential intervention targets, namely trait worry, social anxiety, negative interpretation bias, and defense mechanisms. The present study aims to extend the literature concerning psychodynamic-related constructs that might constitute targets for interventions aimed at reducing Studyholism by investigating the role of attachment in 1073 students (Mage = 23.48 ± 3.77), balanced concerning civil status (i.e., currently being single or involved in a relationship/non-single). Among the main findings, we found that insecure attachment-mainly preoccupied attachment-is a positive predictor of Studyholism in both non-single and single students. However, there are also some differences depending on the civil status. Finally, (single) disengaged studyholics have a statistically significant lower level of secure attachment than (single) engaged studyholics. In conclusion, this study showed the value of distinguishing between non-single and single students when investigating the role of attachment. Regarding problematic overstudying specifically, the study provided support for its definition as a clinical disorder, also with evidence of the appropriateness of its OCD-related conceptualization. Finally, it suggests preoccupied (insecure) attachment as a target to reduce Studyholism by fostering in students the feeling of being loved and deserving of being loved in their current adult relationships.

Mind wandering about the beloved: self-reported distraction, task performance, and enjoyment.

Romantic love is associated with mind wandering about the beloved. We tested associations between mind wandering about the beloved and infatuation, attachment, self-reported distraction, task performance, and enjoyment. Participants who were in love completed self-report measures and a sustained attention response task with thought probes. Participants reported thinking about their beloved for 67% of the time in general and up to 42% of the time during task performance. Thinking about the beloved in general was positively associated with infatuation (passionate love) but not with attachment (companionate love). The more time participants reported thinking about their beloved in general, the more distracting they found it and the less they could withhold a response to no go stimuli. The more participants thought about their beloved during the task, the slower their responses to go stimuli were. In contrast to the negative terminology typically used to describe frequent thoughts about the beloved, such as intrusive or obsessive thinking, participants overwhelmingly enjoyed thinking about their beloved. The findings suggest that romantic love impairs cognitive task performance because people are thinking about their beloved instead, which may negatively impact performance at school and work. Nevertheless, people seem to greatly enjoy thinking about their beloved.

Evaluation of an acceptance and commitment therapy with religious content to control obsessive-compulsive disorder, dysfunctional beliefs, feeling guilty, scrupulosity, and thought control among Muslims in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to develop an integrated protocol by combining religious content and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and evaluate its effectiveness in controlling obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), dysfunctional beliefs, feeling guilt, scrupulosity, and thought control among Muslims in Tehran, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An exploratory mixed-method research design was applied in this study. In the qualitative stage, the document analysis method was used to extract components related to ACT with religious content. Also, the content and face validity of the intervention were confirmed by experts. Subsequently, a semi-experimental, pretest-posttest, control-group design was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the adapted protocol with a 3-month follow-up. In the quantitative stage, the inclusion criteria were meeting the diagnostic criteria for OCD based on the diagnostic interview of a psychiatrist, having religious purity/impurity obsessions, not receiving minimum psychological treatment for at least one month before entering the study, religious commitment; minimum age of 18 years and maximum age of 50 years; and having at least a high school diploma. The exclusion criteria from the research were as follows: age over 50 years; educational level of less than a high school diploma; having a personality disorder; receiving other treatments, inability to participate in sessions; and being introduced by a family member. The experimental and control groups participated in 25 individual treatment sessions based on the adapted protocol and 8 conventional ACT sessions. RESULTS: According to the results, the effectiveness of the religion-adapted ACT intervention on the severity of obsession and dysfunctional religious beliefs was higher in patients with OCD compared to the control group in the posttest. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that adding religious components to the ACT protocol can increase its effectiveness in reducing the severity of purity/impurity obsessions compared to the conventional ACT in the Muslim Iranian population.

Early maladaptive schemas in autogenous and reactive subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to identify early maladaptive schemas in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and to determine the use of these schemas in OCD autogenous and reactive subtypes. METHODS: The study population included 40 healthy volunteers, and 90 patients diagnosed with OCD. The Yale-Brown Obsession-Compulsion Scale (Y-BOCS) was administered to the OCD group to determine the severity of the disorder, and the Y-BOCS Symptom Checklist was applied to determine the patients with autogenous (n = 37) and reactive (n = 53) subtypes of OCD. Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3) scales were applied to all participants. RESULTS: When autogenous and reactive subtype groups of OCD were compared with each other, the schema domains of disconnection (p = 0.004), high standards (p = 0.008), other-directedness (p < 0.001) and the schema dimensions of failure (p < 0.001), emotional deprivation (p < 0.001), defectiveness (p = 0.007), approval seeking (p = 0.007) and punishment (p = 0.001) were found to be more dominant in the autogenous group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study support that there are differences between autogenous and reactive subtypes of OCD in terms of dominant schemas. Therefore, its thought that the use of Schema Therapy methods in which schemas appropriate for subtypes are investigated in the treatment of OCD patients will contribute favorably to the treatment response.

Higher orthorexia tendency among female fashion models: an empirical international study.

PURPOSE: Female fashion models are more at risk for developing eating disorders than non-models due to the intense occupational pressure they face. The present study focuses on assessing whether female models are more prone to report orthorexia nervosa signs and symptoms than non-models. METHODS: Female fashion models (n = 179, mean age: 25.9 SD = 4.40 years) and an age adjusted control group (n = 261, mean age: 25.0 SD = 4.97 years) were selected by snowball sampling. Participants filled out an online survey containing anthropometric questions and the 18-item Eating Habits Questionnaire. RESULTS: According to BMI, fashion models were underweight (mean BMI = 18.1 SD = 1.68) while control participants' BMI was in the normal range (mean = 22.1 SD = 4.23, p < 0.001). On all three of Eating Habits Questionnaire subscales fashion models showed significantly higher average value (Knowledge subscale: M = 2.42 among models versus M = 2.08 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.52; Problems subscale: M = 1.93 among models versus M = 2.61 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.49; Feelings subscale: M = 3.20 among models versus M = 2.96 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.38). Orthorexic tendencies were reported by 35.1% of the models versus 20.2% of controls. CONCLUSION: Fashion models are at risk for the development of eating disorders. Even though not yet included in the DSM-5, the assessment of orthorexia nervosa among fashion models seems to be important. It is suggested to take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of disordered eating habits among models as they can lead to the development of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, well-designed cohort study.

Association of Phubbing Behavior and Fear of Missing Out: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Phubbing, a pervasive social behavior linked to smartphone usage, involves users neglecting their conversation partners to engage with their phones. Despite consistent exploration of its association with the concept of fear of missing out (FOMO), findings in the existing literature exhibit notable inconsistency. To address this gap, this study employs a systematic review and meta-analysis to scrutinize the intricate relationship between phubbing behavior and FOMO. A comprehensive systematic review, spanning up to December 10, 2023, encompassed databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The resulting dataset comprised 27 eligible studies, incorporating insights from 20,415 participants across 15 countries. Rigorous evaluation of study quality was executed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, while statistical analyses were meticulously conducted using R Studio. Revealing a robust positive association, phubbing behavior was significantly linked to FOMO (effect size[ES] = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.49, I2: 97.5%, τ2: 0.05). Correcting for detected publication bias using the Trim and Fill method, an additional 16 studies were included, fortifying the robustness of the findings. Moderation analysis uncovered significant influences of location (p < 0.01), income level (p < 0.01), sampling method (p < 0.01), phubbing scale (p < 0.01), and FOMO scale and type (p < 0.01) on the estimated relationship. Univariate meta-regression highlighted the substantial impact of sample size (R2 = 11.81%, p < 0.01), while multivariate meta-regression illuminated the combined effects of publication year, study quality score, sample size, mean age, and female proportion on the estimated relationship (k = 19, R2 = 52.85%, I2 = 93.78%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, post hoc influential analysis, conducted through the leave-one-out method, offered additional depth to the examination.

Effects of Detached Mindfulness on Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of detached mindfulness (DM) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Methods: Seventeen adult patients with OCD, who were receiving psychotropic medication, were included in the study. M.A., a qualified metacognitive therapist at the Metacognitive Therapy Institute in Manchester, conducted DM therapy. The Yale-Brown Obsession Compulsion Scale (Y-BOCS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to monitor clinical progress. Results: The mean Y-BOCS scores at baseline and the end of the study were 25.29 ± 5.70 and 13.53 ± 3.41, respectively, and a paired t-test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between baseline and end-of-treatment scores (P<.001). The homework practices were also assessed in sessions 2, 3, and 4. The mean homework scores at the second, third, and fourth homework sessions were 8.70 ± 1.10, 8.00 ± 0.79 and 8.20 ± 1.1, respectively. The DM homework completion rate was at an acceptable level. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study has shown that the DM technique, one of the main techniques used in metacognitive therapy, is significantly beneficial in patients with a certain degree of severity. We are of the opinion that supportive studies with larger sample sizes are necessary for the demonstration of efficacy in patients with significant treatment resistance.

The PERSIAN Cohort: Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders Among Employees.

BACKGROUND: Considering the impact of psychiatric disorders on the productivity of individuals and society's economy, we aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1282 employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The required data were collected by trained psychologists using Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). In this process, psychiatric disorders were considered dependent variables, and demographic variables as independent variables. The relationship between independent and dependent variables was assessed using the chi-square test and Binary logistic regression in Stata version 17. RESULTS: The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among employees was 14.12%, 12.48%, and 3.9%, respectively. The prevalence of GAD in women was significantly higher than men (17.06% vs. 10.02%, P<0.001). The prevalence of GAD was 42.86%, 15.97%, 13.49%, and 16.67 in widowed, single, married, and divorced employees, respectively (P=0.016). The prevalence of MDD in women was significantly higher than men (16.59% vs. 7.64%, P<0.001). The prevalence of MDD was 16.3%, 11.2%, 9.6%, and 8.56% in employees with Bachelor's, Associate, Master's degree, and High school diploma, respectively (P=0.009). CONCLUSION: Considering the relatively high prevalence of GAD and MDD among the employees of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, strengthening counseling centers in the university and encouraging employees to participate in these centers, and examining them in terms of mental health help identify people at risk of mental disorders in time and provide counseling services to these people.

Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Obsession with COVID-19 among Older Adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, older people were socially isolated for their protection against the virus impacting their mental health. Aiming to explore the role of loneliness and social isolation in the obsession with COVID-19 among older adults, we conducted an anonymous online survey with 300 older adults aged 65-80 years in South Korea between January and February 2023. The survey collected demographic information, past psychiatric history, medical disease, current psychological distress, and experiences related to COVID-19. Rating scales were the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS), Coronavirus Reassurance-seeking Behaviors Scale (CRBS), Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6), and Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale (LSIS). The regression analysis revealed that CRBS (ß = 0.55, p < 0.001) and SAVE-6 (ß = 0.34, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of obsession with COVID-19 (adjusted R2 = 0.63, F = 126.9, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that loneliness and social isolation had a positive total effect on obsession with COVID-19, mediated by reassurance-seeking behavior and viral anxiety (Standardized Estimator = 0.21, standard error = 0.05, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 0.20-0.41). Loneliness and social isolation were found to be indirectly linked to obsession with COVID-19 through reassurance-seeking behavior and viral anxiety. The findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent obsession with COVID-19.

[Primary prevention of computer game addiction in students of educational institutions]. / Pervichnaya profilaktika komp'yuternoi igrovoi zavisimosti u uchashchikhsya obshcheobrazovatel'nykh uchrezhdenii.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct the primary prevention of computer game addiction (PPCGA) in students of General education institutions (GEI), aimed at preventing the formation of CGA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 488 students in grades 7-10 of GEI aged 12-17 years (14.6±2.4 years), of which 393 adolescents, who made up the main group, received PPCGA and 95 - control, without PPCGA. RESULTS: Preventive measures were carried out without interrupting the educational process; they were carried out by addiction psychiatrists and medical psychologists. PPCGA was aimed at teaching students a healthy lifestyle, the development of their personal resources, the formation of skills to overcome problem situations, a change in the value attitude to computer games and the formation of alternative interests. In the main group, a decrease in the time interval spent by students at the computer was found (p<0.05). There was a decrease in the number of students (p<0.05), experiencing affective disorders when abstaining from the computer, including mild depression and subclinically expressed anxiety/depression, for whom computer games could lead to problems and negative consequences. An increase in the interval of time spent by students at the computer (p<0.05); an increase in the number of students experiencing affective disorders when abstaining from the computer (p<0.05); a trend towards the increase in the frequency of problems and delayed meetings and personal matters related to spending time at the computer; an increase in clearly uncommunicative (p<0.05) were found in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Primary prevention of computer gaming increase the number of students who prefer a healthy lifestyle (physical education and sports, rational nutrition, sex education, family relationships) and reduce the number of people who prefer computer games as a form of leisure.

Psychometric Validation of the Portuguese Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (PT-OCS).

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Portuguese population are quite relevant and partially related to their repetitive and disruptive thinking about the disease. The successive periods of lockdown contributed to an additional burden on the family-work-life balance for parents. This study aims to validate the Portuguese version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (PT-OCS), which was developed using a general sample from several regions of the country (n = 531) together with a specific sample of Portuguese parents (n = 109). The confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the PT-OCS includes a set of excellent psychometric properties concerning both the general sample (χ2(1) = 0.446, p = 0.504; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 1.0; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.003) and the parent group (χ2(2) = 1.816, p = 0.403; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.016; Bollen-Stine bootstrap p = 0.65). The scale shows very good reliability (0.84 < α/ω < 0.88). As expected, obsession with COVID-19 was highly correlated with COVID-19 anxiety, and women had higher PT-OCS scores. The findings suggest that the PT-OCS is a reliable and valid measure for both persistent and disruptive thinking about COVID-19 in different groups of the Portuguese population, with potential for studying future epidemic events.

COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession levels in stroke patients and family caregivers and their effects on caregiver burden.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related dysfunctional anxiety and thinking in patients with stroke and caregivers who are family members and their effects on caregiver burden. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 79 stroke patients and their primary caregivers who were hospitalised in a tertiary rehabilitation hospital. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) and Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) were used to assess the levels of COVID-19-related dysfunctional anxiety and obsession of the patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden was assessed via the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). RESULTS: In the patients with stroke, COVID-19-related anxiety and COVID-19-related obsession rates were 13.9% (n = 11) and 7.6% (n = 6), respectively, while 17.7% (n = 14) of caregiver family members had COVID-19-related anxiety and 11.4% (n = 9) had COVID-19-related obsession. The CAS score of caregivers showed a significant positive correlation with the CAS and OCS scores of patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.423; p = 0.007, r = 0.300, respectively). The OCS score of caregivers showed a significant positive correlation with the OCS scores of the patients (p = 0.000, r = 0.476). The mean ZBI score of caregiver family members was 31.9 ± 13.5. A significant positive correlation was observed between the caregiver's OCS and CAS scores and ZBI scores (p = 0.002, r = -0.349; p = 0.004, r = 0.323, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this study, a significant relationship between caregiver burden and COVID-19-related anxiety and obsession in the caregivers of stroke patients was identified. Therefore, caregivers of stroke patients should not be forgotten during pandemics and should receive physical and psychological support.

"Consumed by creed": Obsessive-compulsive symptoms underpin ideological obsession and support for political violence.

Radicalization is a process by which individuals are introduced to an ideological belief system that encourages political, religious, or social change through the use of violence. Here we formulate an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) model of radicalization that links obsessive passion (OP; one of the best predictors of radical intentions) to a larger body of clinical research. The model's central tenet is that individual differences in OCD symptom severity could shape radical intentions via their influence on OP. Across four ideological samples in the United States (Environmental activists, Republicans, Democrats, and Muslims, Ntotal = 1114), we found direct effects between OCD symptom severity and radical intentions, as well as indirect effects of OCD on radical intentions via OP. Even after controlling for potential individual difference and clinical confounds (e.g., adverse childhood experiences, loss of significance, and substance abuse), these relationships remained robust, implying that OCD plays a significant role in the formation of violent ideological intentions and opening new avenues for the treatment and prevention of violent extremism. We discuss the implications of conceptualizing radicalization as an OCD-like disorder with compulsive violent tendencies and ideology-related concerns.

Clinical features in co-occuring obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently co-occurs with various psychiatric conditions and may impact as many as one-fifth of individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD). Despite the expanding body of literature on the coexistence of OCD and BD, there is a notable lack of comprehensive data pertaining to the distinct features of obsessive-compulsive symptoms that define this comorbidity. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and PsycINFO until August 7th, 2023. We performed random-effects meta-analyses to compare individuals with both OCD and BD to those with OCD in terms of OCD symptomatology as well as the specific categories of obsessions and compulsions. Out of the 10,393 records initially screened, 17 studies were ultimately incorporated into the qualitative assessment, with 15 of them being included in the quantitative analysis. Individuals with OCD and BD experienced fewer lifetime contamination obsessions (OR=0.71; 95 %CI=0.53, 0.95; p = 0.021) and more sexual obsessions (OR=1.77; 95 %CI=1.03, 3.04; p = 0.04) compared to individuals with OCD without BD. No significant difference was observed for other types of obsessions or compulsions or for the severity of OCD symptoms, although BD type may play a role according to meta-regression analyses. The detection of the presence of sexual or contamination obsessions through a detailed interview may be the focus of clinical attention when assessing OCD in the context of comorbid BD. Sub-phenotyping complex clinical presentation of comorbid psychiatric disorders can aid in making more informed decisions when choosing an appropriate treatment approach.

The return of the unreachable object of desire. A reading of the short story "The Altar of the Dead" by Henry James / O regresso do inatingível objeto de desejo. Leitura do conto de Henry James "O Altar dos Mortos" / Le retour de l'inatteignable objet du désir. Une lecture de la nouvelle "L'Autel de los Muertos" de Henry James / El retorno del objeto del deseo inalcanzable: un análisis del cuento "El Altar de los Muertos" de Henry James

Authors like Freud and Lacan often recurred to fiction in order to illustrate psychopathological structures. Starting from a psychoanalytical perspective, this paper focuses on the main character of the short story 'The Altar of the Dead' by Henry James. We argue that the different strategies he displays during his life, as described by the author, are in fact a way to avoid confronting the object of desire and suggest an obsessional structure. For the obsessional subject, all that matters is to assure the object's subsistence while making it untouchable. Desire is thus conceived as impossible, and this is one of the ways of granting the ex-sistence of the object that arouses it. The idealization of death, the inhibition of sensual love and the ritualization of his existence are the symptoms of a personal struggle that will prove to be absolutely unsolvable.

Resumos Autores como Freud e Lacan têm usado com frequência a ficção para ilustrar diferentes estruturas psicopatológicas. A partir de uma perspectiva psicanalítica, nosso artigo se concentrará no personagem principal do romance de Henry James "O Altar dos Mortos". Propomos que as várias estratégias que ele emprega no decorrer de sua vida, conforme descritas pelo autor, servem para evitar o confronto com o objeto de desejo e sugerem uma estrutura de tipo obsessivo. Para o obsessivo, tudo o que importa é garantir a subsistência do objeto, tornando-o intocável. Assim, o desejo é concebido como impossível, uma forma de garantir a existência do objeto que o produz. A idealização da morte, a inibição do amor sensual e a ritualização de sua existência são sintomas de uma luta pessoal, um conflito que se mostra insolúvel.

Des auteurs comme Freud et Lacan ont souvent eu recours à la fiction pour illustrer des structures psychopathologiques. Partant d'une perspective psychanalytique, cet article se concentre sur le personnage principal de la nouvelle "L'autel des morts" d'Henry James. Nous soutenons que les différentes strategies dont il fait preuve au cours de sa vie, telles que décrites par l'auteur, servent à éviter la confrontation à l'objet du désir et suggèrent une structure obsessionnelle. Pour le sujet obsessionnel, il s'agit d'assurer la subsistance de l'objet tout en le rendant intouchable. Le désir est donc conçu comme impossible, une façon d'assurer l'existence de l'objet qui le produit. L'idéalisation de la mort, l'inhibition de l'amour sensuel et la ritualisation de son existence sont les symptômes d'une lutte personnelle, un conflit qui s'avérera insoluble.

Freud y Lacan, entre otros autores, han recurrido a la ficción para ilustrar las estructuras psicopatológicas. A partir de la perspectiva psicoanalítica, este artículo se centra en analizar el personaje principal del cuento "El altar de los muertos", de Henry James. Las diferentes estrategias que emplea a lo largo de su vida, según relata el autor, sirven para evitar la confrontación con el objeto del deseo y sugieren una estructura obsesiva. Para el sujeto obsesivo, lo único que importa es asegurar la subsistencia del objeto haciéndolo intocable. El deseo se concibe como imposible, un modo de garantizar la existencia del objeto que lo suscita. La idealización de la muerte, la inhibición del amor sensual y la ritualización de su existencia son los síntomas de una lucha personal, de un conflicto que se revela irresoluble

El estatuto epistemológico de la psicologia moderna según Abelardo Pithod / O estatuto epistemológico da psicologia moderna segundo Abelardo Pithod / The epistemological status of modern psychology according to Abelardo Pithod / Le retour de l'inatteignable objet du désir. Une lecture de la nouvelle "L'Autel de los Muertosde morts" d'e Henry James

El objetivo de este estúdio es rescatar el valor y alcance epistemológico que tiene la investigación psicoclínica en la obra de Abelardo Pithod. Este filósofo argentino participó activamente en el debate acerca del estatuto epistemológico de las ciencias sociales y humanas. Este estudio presenta la comprensión de este autor sobre la psicología moderna, es decir, de este campo del saber que se configura como disciplina autónoma a partir de su independización y desarrollo desde finales del siglo XIX. Pithod se preocupó por destacar, dentro de una comprensión aristotélica de la práctica científica, el valor epistémico del conocimiento empírico y probabilístico que proporcionan los estudios psicoclínicos. Su contribución podría significar un aporte en el escenario argentino y del mundo en general, consagrado a legitimar el ejercicio y la investigación psicoclínica.

Des auteurs comme Freud et Lacan ont souvent eu recours à la fiction pour illustrer des structures psychopathologiques. Partant d'une perspective psychanalytique, cet article se concentre sur le personnage principal de la nouvelle "L'autel des morts" d'Henry James. Nous soutenons que les différentes strategies dont il fait preuve au cours de sa vie, telles que décrites par l'auteur, servent à éviter la confrontation à l'objet du désir et suggèrent une structure obsessionnelle. Pour le sujet obsessionnel, il s'agit d'assurer la subsistance de l'objet tout en le rendant intouchable. Le désir est donc conçu comme impossible, une façon d'assurer l'existence de l'objet qui le produit. L'idéalisation de la mort, l'inhibition de l'amour sensuel et la ritualisation de son existence sont les symptômes d'une lutte personnelle, un conflit qui s'avérera insoluble.

Resumos The objective of this study is to rescue the value and epistemological scope of psycho-clinical research according to Abelardo Pithod. This Argentinean philosopher actively participated in the debate about on the epistemological status of the social and human sciences. We will limit ourselves to presenting his understanding of modern psychology, that is, of theis field of knowledge that is has been configured as an autonomous discipline from since its independence and development since in the end of the 19th century. PithodOur author was concerned to highlight, within an Aristotelian understanding of scientific practice, the epistemic value of empirical and probabilistic knowledge provided by psycho-clinical studies. His understanding of the issue could mean be a contribution in the Argentinean scenario, and in the world in general, devoted to legitimizingas it aims to legitimize psycho-clinical exercise practice and research.

O objetivo deste estudo é resgatar o valor e o alcance epistemológico da pesquisa psico-clínica na obra de Abelardo Pithod. Este filósofo argentino participou ativamente do debate sobre a situação epistemológica das ciências sociais e humanas. Limitar-nos-emos a apresentar a sua compreensão da psicologia moderna, ou seja, deste campo do conhecimento que se configura como disciplina autónoma desde a sua independência e desenvolvimento desde o final do século XIX. Nosso autor preocupou-se em destacar, dentro de uma compreensão aristotélica da prática científica, o valor epistêmico do conhecimento empírico e probabilístico proporcionado pelos estudos psico-clínicos. Sua contribuição pode significar uma contribuição para a cena argentina e para o mundo em geral, dedicada a legitimar o exercício e a pesquisa psico-clínica.

User-Centered Development of STOP (Successful Treatment for Paranoia): Material Development and Usability Testing for a Digital Therapeutic for Paranoia.

BACKGROUND: Paranoia is a highly debilitating mental health condition. One novel intervention for paranoia is cognitive bias modification for paranoia (CBM-pa). CBM-pa comes from a class of interventions that focus on manipulating interpretation bias. Here, we aimed to develop and evaluate new therapy content for CBM-pa for later use in a self-administered digital therapeutic for paranoia called STOP ("Successful Treatment of Paranoia"). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to (1) take a user-centered approach with input from living experts, clinicians, and academics to create and evaluate paranoia-relevant item content to be used in STOP and (2) engage with living experts and the design team from a digital health care solutions company to cocreate and pilot-test the STOP mobile app prototype. METHODS: We invited 18 people with living or lived experiences of paranoia to create text exemplars of personal, everyday emotionally ambiguous scenarios that could provoke paranoid thoughts. Researchers then adapted 240 suitable exemplars into corresponding intervention items in the format commonly used for CBM training and created 240 control items for the purpose of testing STOP. Each item included newly developed, visually enriching graphics content to increase the engagement and realism of the basic text scenarios. All items were then evaluated for their paranoia severity and readability by living experts (n=8) and clinicians (n=7) and for their item length by the research team. Items were evenly distributed into six 40-item sessions based on these evaluations. Finalized items were presented in the STOP mobile app, which was co-designed with a digital health care solutions company, living or lived experts, and the academic team; user acceptance was evaluated across 2 pilot tests involving living or lived experts. RESULTS: All materials reached predefined acceptable thresholds on all rating criteria: paranoia severity (intervention items: ≥1; control items: ≤1, readability: ≥3, and length of the scenarios), and there was no systematic difference between the intervention and control group materials overall or between individual sessions within each group. For item graphics, we also found no systematic differences in users' ratings of complexity (P=.68), attractiveness (P=.15), and interest (P=.14) between intervention and control group materials. User acceptance testing of the mobile app found that it is easy to use and navigate, interactive, and helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Material development for any new digital therapeutic requires an iterative and rigorous process of testing involving multiple contributing groups. Appropriate user-centered development can create user-friendly mobile health apps, which may improve face validity and have a greater chance of being engaging and acceptable to the target end users.

Exploring the Dorian Gray Trait: Unveiling the Complexities of Perceived Aging and Self-Image.

The concept of the "Dorian Gray Trait," inspired by Oscar Wilde's renowned literary work, delves into the intricate interplay between self-perception, the fear of aging, and the pursuit of eternal youth. This article explores the psychological dimensions of this trait, wherein individuals harbor an intense preoccupation with maintaining their youthful appearance, often at the cost of their overall well-being. By examining the underlying factors that drive this phenomenon, including societal pressures and personal anxieties, we aim to shed light on the broader implications for mental health and self-image.

Smartphone obsession linked behavioural changes among Indian adolescents.

The best technological gifts of the 21st century are mobile phones, which are especially well-liked to adolescents. Infinite resources with numerous uses and applications are available on modern mobile devices. Adolescents have behavioral changes as a result of its excessive use. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the connection between smartphone obsession and potential behavioral changes. A School based, co relational study was conducted among 100 adolescents at selected schools at Tamil Nadu. Samples were selected by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected to assess the mobile addiction by using Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SVSAC) and Pediatric symptom checklist - 17was used to evaluate the behavioral changes. Collected data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The Study shows that 52 adolescents had a high smartphone Obsession, in that 37 had negative behavioral changes due to overuse of the smart phone and also had slight positive correlation between smartphone obsession and behavioral changes. A significant relationship was seen between smart phone obsession with behavioral changes (p<0.001) among adolescents. The study concluded that smart phone obsession and behavioral changes having strong connection in adolescents was significantly associated with their behaviors.

Assessment of Obsessive Thoughts About COVID-19 in 7 Latin American Countries: Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Obsession With COVID-19 Scale.

The present study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) among seven Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Although the OCS has been used in several countries and languages, there is a need for approaches that better integrate the cross-cultural equivalence of the scale. A total of 3185 people participated in the study. The results indicated the presence of a unidimensional structure and good reliability indices for the OCS in each country. The alignment method indicated that the OCS is an invariant measure of COVID-19 obsession among the populations of seven Latin American countries. The findings based on IRT analysis indicated that all OCS items had adequate discrimination and difficulty parameters. The findings contribute to the understanding of the internal structure of the scale in different countries at the same time, something that has been pending evaluation.