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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Susac syndrome (SuS) is a rare, autoimmune, neurological disease characterized by a clinical triad of branch retinal artery occlusion, sensorineural hearing loss and encephalopathy. Neuropsychological functioning in SuS is little researched and the prevalence, nature, and evolution over time of cognitive deficits in SuS remain unclear. This study aimed to better understand the long-term neuropsychological outcomes of patients with SuS. METHODS: Thirteen patients with SuS (mean [SD] age 39.5 [11.1] years) were enrolled at the Ghent University Hospital by their treating neurologist. The cognitive functioning and emotional well-being of each patient was evaluated by means of a thorough neuropsychological test battery at baseline and after 2 years. Follow-up testing after 2 years was performed in 11 patients (mean [SD] age 42.2 [11.5] years). RESULTS: Patients showed normal neuropsychological test results at a group level, both at baseline and follow-up testing. Significant improvements over time were found for information processing speed, verbal recognition, and semantic and phonological fluency. Individual test results showed interindividual variability at baseline, with most impairments being in attention, executive functioning and language, which improved after a 2-year period. In addition, patients reported significantly lower mental and physical well-being, both at baseline and follow-up testing. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that neuropsychological dysfunction in SuS is limited at a group level and improves over time. Nonetheless, individual test results reveal interindividual variability, making cognitive screening essential. Furthermore, a high psycho-emotional burden of the disease was reported, for which screening and follow-up are necessary.
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Brain Diseases , Cognition Disorders , Susac Syndrome , Humans , Adult , Susac Syndrome/diagnosis , Follow-Up Studies , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Neuropsychological Tests , CognitionABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Seizure frequency and cognitive function are common parameters in assessing epilepsy surgery outcomes. However, psychobehavioral outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and quality of life (QOL), have not found equal attention yet. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of seizure frequency, the extent of resection, and cognitive function on the psychobehavioral outcome of patients after temporal lobe surgery for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients who underwent surgery for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy between 09/2015 and 07/2019. We examined seizure outcome, surgical plan, resection volume, cognitive functions, and psychobehavioral outcome. RESULTS: This study included 77 patients (31 males, 46 females) who underwent temporal lobe surgery. One year after surgery, 53 patients (68.8 %) were completely seizure-free (Engel IA) and 92.2 % of patients showed a worthwhile improvement in seizure frequency (Engel I-III). Resection volume was significantly negatively correlated with QOL (r = - 0.284, p = 0.041). However, after controlling for the effect of seizure outcome, no significant correlation remained. Patients with a worthwhile improvement in seizure frequency showed significantly fewer symptoms of depression (p = 0.024) and a significantly higher QOL (p = 0.012) one year after surgery. The differences in symptoms of depression (p = 0.044) and QOL (p = 0.030) between patients with and without improvements in seizure frequency remained significant after controlling for the effect of resection volume. After procedures sparing the amygdala and hippocampus (neocortical resection), patients presented significantly fewer symptoms of depression (p = 0.044) and significantly better QOL (p = 0.008) than patients after procedures involving mesial-temporal structures, independent of the resection volume, and after controlling for the side of the procedure (dominant vs. non-dominant). After also controlling for seizure outcome, the difference remained for QOL (p = 0.014) but not for symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS: A patient's emotional well-being one year after surgery for pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy strongly depends on their seizure outcome. As an individual factor, the extent of neocortical resection negatively affects postsurgical emotional well-being, but a favorable seizure outcome outweighs this effect, independent of the resection volume. A favorable seizure outcome even outweighs the negative effects of procedures involving mesial-temporal structures on symptoms of depression.
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INTRODUCTION: Peer supporters play a crucial role in mental health and support services, but their own mental health and emotional well-being are often neglected by themselves, and, frequently, their organisations. Here, we report findings from a qualitative interview study of peer supporters who completed a co-produced emotional well-being training programme. METHOD: Ten semi-structured interviews with peer supporters working in the North East of England were conducted to explore their experiences of the training programme. RESULTS: Thematic analysis of the data produced three overarching themes. In Theme 1, 'Increasing psychological preparedness and identifying self-care and coping strategies', we found that peer supporters improved their knowledge of how to manage sensitive topics such as aggression and suicide and felt more confident in their peer support roles resultantly. In Theme 2, 'It's good to know you're not alone', peer supporters discussed their experience of loneliness in their roles, and as a consequence realised their own need for peer support to help maintain their well-being. Theme 3, 'Toward the future: next steps', encapsulated peer supporters' willingness to continue their role development and to create a peer support network to continue to obtain mutual support. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasise the perceived emotional well-being benefits of a co-produced peer supporter training programme. Participants highlighted the need for co-produced training programmes that are (1) emotion-focussed, (2) provide access to other peer supporters and (3) provide future avenues for a peer supporter network of mutual support and professional development activities and training opportunities. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Individuals with lived experience of mental ill health and peer support were consulted in the development of interview questions and provided feedback on the finalised themes to ensure the analysis and interpretations were congruent with their experiences.
Subject(s)
Interviews as Topic , Mental Health , Peer Group , Qualitative Research , Social Support , Humans , Female , Male , England , Adult , Adaptation, Psychological , Middle Aged , EmotionsABSTRACT
Family has a significant impact on individual mental health. Based on social support theory, family system theory and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF), this research constructed a model of the pathway of perceived family support on psychological well-being and the results empirically clarified that perceived family support has a significant positive relationship with emotional well-being, social well-being, and psychological well-being (P < 0.001). Emotional well-being positively influences social well-being and psychological well-being (P < 0.001). Social well-being positively affects psychological well-being (P < 0.001). There were direct mediating effects of emotional well-being (13.45%), direct mediating effects of social well-being (32.82%) and a serial mediating effect (28.07%) between perceived family support and psychological well-being (P < 0.001).
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Family Support , Psychological Well-Being , Humans , Mental Health , Emotions , Social SupportABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The recent crises of bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic on the southeast coast of Australia were unprecedented in their extent and intensity. Few studies have investigated responses to cumulative disasters in First Nations communities, despite acknowledgement that these crises disproportionately impact First Nations people. This study was conducted by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers in partnership with Waminda, South Coast Women's Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). It investigated the collective experiences of people affected by cumulative disasters to identify the practices that support healing, and recovery for Aboriginal communities. The study addresses a knowledge gap of how Waminda, designs, manages and delivers responses to address complex health and social issues in the context of cumulative disasters. METHODS: Underpinned by practice theory this study employed Indigenous-informed, narrative inquiry. Culturally-appropriate, multiple interpretive methods were used to collect data including: observations; yarns with Aboriginal community members, yarns with Waminda practitioners, management and board members; interviews-to-the-double, visual images and documentation. The data were collated and analysed using the phases of reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The paper articulates a suite of culturally safe and place-based practices that enhance social, emotional and spiritual well-being following cumulative disasters. These practice bundles include: adopting a Country-centred conception of local communities; being community-led; viewing care as a collective, relational, sociomaterial accomplishment and having fluid boundaries. These practice bundles 'hang together' through organising practices including the Waminda Model of Care, staff wellbeing framework and emergency management plan which orient action and manage risks. The paper demonstrates the need for disaster responses to be community-led and culturally situated. ACCHOs are shown to play a crucial role, and their local responses to immediate community needs are grounded in contextual knowledge and use existing resources rather than relying on mainstream system-wide interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The paper suggests crafting responses that focus on assisting communities (re)gain their sense of belonging, hope for the future, control over their lives and their capacities to care for and to be cared for by Country, are key to both enhancing healing, health and well-being and harnessing the strengths of communities.
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Disasters , Health Services, Indigenous , Humans , Australia , Health Services, Indigenous/organization & administration , Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Age-related shifts in emotion regulation patterns are important for explaining preserved emotional well-being in late adulthood amidst declines in physical and cognitive health. Although several studies have examined age-related shifts in emotion regulation strategy use, age differences in how specific strategies are flexibly adapted to shifting contexts in daily life and the adaptiveness of such shifts remains poorly understood. METHODS: 130 younger adults (ages 22-35) and 130 older adults (ages 65-85) completed a modified Day Reconstruction Method Assessment and self-report questionnaires to examine age differences in emotion regulation strategy use and one aspect of emotion regulation flexibility (responsiveness) in daily life, and the adaptive implications of these differences. RESULTS: Older adults exhibited more frequent acceptance use, less frequent distraction use, and less flexibility in the responsiveness of strategies with varying negative affect. Across age groups, the use of expressive suppression and distraction was associated with less adaptive outcomes, whereas higher acceptance responsiveness, positive reappraisal responsiveness, and situation selection responsiveness were associated with more adaptive outcomes. Age-group moderated the associations between adaptiveness metrics with the use and flexibility of several emotion regulation strategies. CONCLUSION: The current findings provide early evidence of age-related decreases in emotion regulation flexibility as well as age-related shifts in the adaptiveness of emotion regulation patterns.
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Emotional Regulation , Humans , Aged , Adult , Emotions/physiology , Self Report , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The first aim of the study is to compare loneliness levels between widowed and non-widowed older adults. The second aim is to identify distinct loneliness patterns among widowed individuals and explore the impact of pre-spousal loss social support on loneliness during and after bereavement. METHOD: Data from the Health and Retirement Study were utilized to compare loneliness levels between widowed (n = 137) and non-widowed (n = 2361) older adults (Mage = 69.01). T-tests and latent growth curve models were conducted to compare loneliness levels between the two groups. Growth mixture models were computed to identify distinct loneliness patterns among the widowed individuals. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine how pre-widowhood social support was associated with the obtained classes. RESULTS: The results revealed that widowed individuals reported significantly higher levels of loneliness at T2. Among widowed individuals, three distinct loneliness patterns were identified: Increased Loneliness (IL) group (n = 32); Low and Stable Loneliness (LSL) group (n = 88); and Decreased Loneliness (DL) group (n = 17). The IL and DL group were less likely to receive social support from spouse, children, and friends compared to the LSL group. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of the protective effect of pre-widowhood social support on the psychological well-being of older adults after spousal loss.
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OBJECTIVES: This study examined the associations between sensory impairment (SI), lack of social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, and depressive symptoms among Americans aged 50 and above. METHODS: We employed data from the 2018 and 2020 Health and Retirement Study (N = 13,460) to examine four SI groups: no SI, visual impairment (VI) only, hearing impairment (HI) only, and dual sensory impairment (DSI). First, multilevel models were employed to estimate the associations between SI and depressive symptoms before and during the pandemic using the full dataset (N = 13,460). Second, linear regression models were employed to estimate the moderation effect of lack of social contact during the pandemic using the 2020 wave data only (N = 4,133). RESULTS: Among older adults, 15.60% had VI only, 10.16% had HI only, and 9.66% had DSI. All SI groups reported significantly more depressive symptoms than the no SI group. The differences between older adults with VI and DSI and those without SI regarding depressive symptoms narrowed during the pandemic. There was no statistically significant moderation effect of lack of social contact for SI and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Older adults with SI faced mental health challenges and demonstrated psychological resilience during the pandemic. Future research should examine other risk factors that may modify the relationship between SI and mental health during public health crises.
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COVID-19 , Hearing Loss , Humans , Aged , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/etiology , Hearing Loss/epidemiology , RetirementABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study examined the longitudinal relationships among sociocultural pressure for body image (SPBI), self-concept clarity (SCC), and emotional well-being (EWB) at both the between- and within-person levels. METHODS: The participants were 2001 Chinese adolescents (age range 11-24, 42.9% males). Recruitment of participants occurred for 1 year across three waves (i.e., 6 months apart across three cohorts). The baseline and follow-up questionnaire surveys were utilized to assess SPBI, SCC, EWB, and background variables. Longitudinal associations between the above main variables were tested using a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) and multilevel regression analysis. RESULTS: The CLPM and multilevel-model analysis showed that SCC longitudinally mediated the relationships between SPBI and EWB. Besides, gender and age were considered moderators in the associations among SPBI, SCC, and EWB. CONCLUSIONS: SCC could be an underlying mechanism for the longitudinal relationship between SPBI and EWB among Chinese adolescents, which provides a potential intervention target for improving adolescents' well-being from a sociocultural framework.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Body Image , Male , Humans , Adolescent , Child , Female , Longitudinal Studies , Self Concept , Emotions , Adolescent Behavior/psychologyABSTRACT
Nature contact has associations with emotional ill-being and well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not fully understood. We hypothesised that increased adaptive and decreased maladaptive emotion regulation strategies would be a pathway linking nature contact to ill-being and well-being. Using data from a survey of 600 U.S.-based adults administered online in 2022, we conducted structural equation modelling to test our hypotheses. We found that (1) frequency of nature contact was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, (2) effective emotion regulation was significantly associated with lesser emotional ill-being and greater emotional well-being, and (3) the associations of higher frequency of nature contact with these benefits were partly explained via emotion regulation. Moreover, we found a nonlinear relationship for the associations of duration of nature contact with some outcomes, with a rise in benefits up to certain amounts of time, and a levelling off after these points. These findings support and extend previous work that demonstrates that the associations of nature contact with emotional ill-being and well-being may be partly explained by changes in emotion regulation.
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Emotional Regulation , Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Emotions , Young Adult , Personal Satisfaction , Adolescent , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adaptation, Psychological , EnvironmentABSTRACT
This research introduces a conceptual framework designed to enhance worker safety and well-being in industrial environments, such as oil and gas construction plants, by leveraging Human Digital Twin (HDT) cutting-edge technologies and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. At its core, this study is in the developmental phase, aiming to create an integrated system that could enable real-time monitoring and analysis of the physical, mental, and emotional states of workers. It provides valuable insights into the impact of Digital Twins (DT) technology and its role in Industry 5.0. With the development of a chatbot trained as an empathic evaluator that analyses emotions expressed in written conversations using natural language processing (NLP); video logs capable of extracting emotions through facial expressions and speech analysis; and personality tests, this research intends to obtain a deeper understanding of workers' psychological characteristics and stress levels. This innovative approach might enable the identification of stress, anxiety, or other emotional factors that may affect worker safety. Whilst this study does not encompass a case study or an application in a real-world setting, it lays the groundwork for the future implementation of these technologies. The insights derived from this research are intended to inform the development of practical applications aimed at creating safer work environments.
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Artificial Intelligence , Emotions , Humans , Anxiety , Software , EmpathyABSTRACT
Objective: The purpose of this case report was to evaluate the effect of telehealth and postpartum care provided to a mother with maternal depression according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring during the pandemic on the improvement in the mother's emotional state and to evaluate the applicability of the model. Methods: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered to eight women who responded to the announcement made on social media, and verbal and written permission was obtained from the mother with the highest scale score. A total of six video calls were made with the mother via WhatsApp, twice a week in the first week after postnatal discharge and once a week in the next 4 weeks, in accordance with the form drawn up according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring. Results: In this study, it was observed that home-based telehealth and postpartum care provided using Watson's Theory of Human Caring, which includes a holistic approach, was very useful, and the care provided according to the model provided a positive improvement in the emotional state of the mother with depression. Conclusions: It was concluded that telehealth and postpartum care is useful in home-based care in extraordinary situations/quarantine conditions such as pandemic; care can also be provided in the form of telehealth service according to Watson's Theory of Human Caring to mothers with depression; and care provides positive improvement in the emotional state of mothers.
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Nursing Theory , Telemedicine , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Mothers , Pandemics , Postnatal CareABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that, so far, is considered always fatal. Treatments mainly consist in increasing survival and aim to improve the quality of life of people with ALS (pwALS). Social support and spirituality have been shown to play a key role in pwALS' quality of life. Our study explored it in depth by investigating the underlying mechanisms linking social support, spirituality, and emotional well-being. METHODS: Thirty-six pwALS underwent a battery of tests evaluating emotional well-being (emotional well-being scale of the 40-item Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire), social support (6-item Social Support Questionnaire), and spiritual well-being (12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual well-being). Our recruitment was web-based through the FILSLAN and the ARSLA websites as well as through Facebook® advertisements (ALS groups). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis and Process macro was used in an SPSS program to analyze the mediator variable effect. RESULTS: Availability of social support, spiritual well-being, and 2 of its dimensions, i.e., meaning and peace, were positively correlated with emotional well-being. The mediational analyses showed that spiritual well-being, meaning, and peace act as mediators in the association between availability of social support and good emotional well-being. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Availability of social support and spirituality are essential for the emotional well-being of pwALS. Spirituality as a mediator between availability of social support and emotional well-being appears as real novel finding which could be explored further. Spiritual well-being, meaning, and peace appear as coping resources for pwALS. We provide practical guidance for professionals working with pwALS.
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PURPOSE: Australian Indigenous people conceptualise health broadly as situated within a social and emotional well-being (SEWB) framework. A consultation process with an Aboriginal community revealed that the fundamental principles of the population wide, community-based Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion Campaign were consistent with Aboriginal people's understanding of SEWB and that a cultural adaptation of the Campaign would be welcomed in the community. The purpose of this paper is to present key stakeholders' feedback on the Campaign adaptation. METHODOLOGY: Two years after implementation of the Campaign, individual in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of n = 18 Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders to identify ongoing issues in the community and assess their reactions to the Campaign implementation and perceptions of the effects of the Campaign on the community. RESULTS: The two primary factors influencing stakeholder acceptance of the Campaign in the community were (i) the nature of the consultation process that clearly acknowledged that it was for the community to decide whether or not to adopt the Campaign and (ii) the ability of the Aboriginal Project Manager to gain the trust of the community, bring stakeholders together and illustrate the Act-Belong-Commit principles in her actions in the community. Stakeholders reported observing social and emotional well-being benefits for individuals, their families and the whole community. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results suggest that the Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion Campaign can be successfully culturally adapted as a community-based, social and emotional well-being Campaign in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities. SO WHAT?: The Act-Belong-Commit cultural adaptation in Roebourne provides an evidence-based best practice model for the development of culturally appropriate mental health promotion campaigns in Indigenous communities around Australia.
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Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples , Culturally Competent Care , Health Services, Indigenous , Psychological Well-Being , Female , Humans , Australia , Health Promotion/methods , Indigenous Peoples , EmotionsABSTRACT
ISSUE ADDRESSED: While social determinants frameworks are still popular in research about First Nations health in Australia, a growing body of research prefers cultural determinants of health models. Cultural determinants models provide a holistic, strength-based framework to explain connections between health and contextual factors, including the potential role of music and its impact on social and emotional well-being. Given the growing international recognition of links between music, health, and wellbeing through bodies such as the World Health Organisation, this article examines whether and how music practices are acknowledged in First Nations determinants of health literature. METHODS: We conducted a scoping narrative review of literature from five databases: Scopus, PsycInfo, CINAHL, PubMed and ProQuest Central. The search returned 60 articles published since 2017, which we analysed in NVivo for common themes. RESULTS: Music was only explicitly identified as a determinant of health in two studies. Yet, participants in five studies identified music and song as directly impacting their social and emotional well-being. When we broadened our frame of analysis to include other forms of expressive cultural practice, one quarter of included studies empirically acknowledged the role of expressive cultural practice for social and emotional well-being. CONCLUSION: While many recent studies identify the impact of First Nations' expressive practices broadly, they miss important features of First Nations music as a potentially unique cultural, social, political and ecological determinant of health. SO WHAT?: There is an opportunity for future research and health determinant modelling to explicitly examine the role of First Nations music and other creative practices for social and emotional well-being.
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Music , Social Determinants of Health , Humans , Australia , Music/psychology , Social Determinants of Health/ethnology , Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples/psychologyABSTRACT
To evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a psychological intervention for elderly patients with extensive burns, focusing on its impact on emotional well-being, self-efficacy and quality of life. A prospective, randomized study involving 200 elderly burn patients was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care (control group) or burn care based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-B) (study group), with 100 patients in each group. Outcome measures included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain assessment, 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) for quality of life, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The study revealed that CBT-based intervention significantly reduced anxiety and depression scores compared with standard care (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients in the CBT group exhibited improved self-efficacy, self-esteem and quality of life (p < 0.05). CBT proves to be a valuable intervention for elderly burn patients, effectively addressing emotional distress and enhancing their psychological well-being. By modifying negative cognitive patterns, providing coping mechanisms and fostering problem-solving skills, CBT-based care contributes to a more positive recovery experience and improved quality of life.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Quality of Life , Humans , Aged , Prospective Studies , Psychosocial Intervention , Anxiety/therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a stressful and emotionally laden environment, but the relationships between nursing stress, emotional intelligence, and mental health have not been studied in NICU nurses. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine (i) whether nursing stress and trait emotional intelligence controlled for the five-factor model of personality predict mental health in NICU nurses and (ii) whether trait emotional intelligence buffers the effect of nursing stress on mental health. METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational study in 123 (28%) of 440 eligible NICU nurses using self-report questionnaire measures of nursing stress (Nursing Stress Scale), trait emotional intelligence (Assessing Emotions Scale), and psychological distress and emotional well-being (Mental Health Inventory). The data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. RESULTS: The hierarchical multiple regressions showed nursing stress predicted psychological distress (ΔR2 = .11) and emotional well-being (ΔR2 = .10) at Step 1. The five-factor model of personality explained further variance in psychological distress (ΔR2 = .27) and emotional well-being (ΔR2 = .26) at Step 2. Finally, trait emotional intelligence predicted further increments in psychological distress (ΔR2 = .05) and emotional well-being (ΔR2 = .08) at Step 3. The optimism (expecting good things to occur in one's life) and mood regulation (dampening, repairing and maintaining emotions) subdimension of trait emotional intelligence predicted psychological distress (ß = -.29) and emotional well-being (ß = .41) in the final models of the hierarchical multiple regressions. Trait emotional intelligence did not moderate the effect of nursing stress on psychological distress or emotional well-being. CONCLUSIONS: NICU managers and educators should seek to remedy controllable work-related stressors and support NICU nurses' emotional competence because these respective environmental and personal factors predict mental health in these nurses.
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Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Mental Health , Infant, Newborn , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Emotional Intelligence , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Military members face emotion-regulation challenges due to the high-pressure nature of the profession as evidenced by rates of mental health issues within military populations. Identifying behaviors that are efficient and effective at promoting emotion-regulation and helping military members adopt them is essential. Recently, meditation has been shown to reduce stress, enhance attention control and emotion regulation, along with reducing military-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. One way to promote this behavior in a military context is to enable future officers to adopt the behavior. We aimed to examine determinants of meditation intention and behavior among cadets at the United States Military Academy using the Reasoned Action Approach, a behavior framework used to explain and change behavior. By identifying these determinants, military practitioners can tailor meditation interventions to increase the likelihood that cadets will adopt the practice and eventually help soldiers under their command use meditation as well. We conducted a pilot study and a replication study that confirmed Reasoned Action Approach constructs were predictive of behavior and behavioral intention. Of significance was the perceived norm impact on meditation intention, specifically injunctive norms. Implications include the importance of authority figures within cadets' social context providing support for meditation's utility.
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Intention , Meditation , Military Personnel , Humans , Military Personnel/psychology , United States , Male , Female , Adult , Young Adult , Pilot Projects , Emotional RegulationABSTRACT
Background: Inpatient suicide is a serious adverse event in psychiatric wards. Suicide can cause severe trauma to both patients and health professionals, who may develop maladaptation with poor coping skills. Healthcare practitioners are the second victims and historically, this concept has been overlooked. The psychological effects and lack of support have not been sufficiently explored. Aim: The emotional well-being and clinical practice of nurses who experienced inpatient suicide at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital was explored. Setting: Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital, South Africa. Methods: In this qualitative case study, 12 nurses who had lost a patient to inpatient suicide some time during their employment were purposefully selected. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed. The data were thematically analysed. Results: Nurses were negatively affected by inpatient suicide resulting in a range of emotional and psychological effects, including fear, anger, sadness, flashbacks, guilt, and difficulty in coping. Clinical practice factors included being doubtful and extra vigilant. Although nurses received psychological support from the institution, they recommended in-service training with periodic reviews to prevent and manage inpatient suicide. Conclusion: Inpatient suicide is a serious adverse event, and mental health practitioners become second victims. These events do not only impact the psychological well-being of nurses but also influence the clinical practice. Mental health practitioners should receive adequate training and support in preventing and handling inpatient suicide. Contribution: This study provided insights into nurse's perspectives on the effects of inpatient suicide and how they can be supported.
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The article presents review of empirical social medical and sociological studies of mental health of Russians in "post-pandemic" (2022 - first half of 2023). The purpose of the study is to generalize results of corresponding studies. The review covers the articles in national scientific journals indexed in the RSCI, the results of monitoring surveys carried out by both all-Russian research organizations handling analysis of public opinion and by Federal research and educational organizations. The criteria of selection of studies included the study field stage was implemented in January 2022 - June 2023; sociological survey technique was applied; the study object was whole population of the Russian Federation or its subject or a separate social group. it was established, on the basis of all-Russian and regional data, that in mentioned period public mental health of residents of Russia is characterized by wave dynamics. The increasing of anxiety level in beginning of March and in the end of September 2022. The level of depressive symptomatic prevalence still exceeded "pre-pandemic" values. The increased level of anxiety is more typical in the youth and women. The vulnerable groups are also residents of territories bordering on zone of special military operation, members of families of combatants and Ukraine refugees. In conditions of law demand of population for psychological psychiatric care the issue of searching alternative tools of psychological safety of Russian citizen is actualized.