Psychiatry Residents' Attitudes towards Spirituality in Psychiatric Practice in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined residents' attitudes and practices regarding the relevance of spirituality in psychiatry within Saudi residency training programs; their experiences and comfort levels in addressing patients' spiritual concerns; and their interest and past learning experiences in this area of training and practice. METHODS: This cross-sectional study targeted trainees and recent graduates of residency programs across Saudi Arabia. The study materials consisted of an electronic questionnaire that was adapted with permission. RESULTS: The total number of respondents was 71 out of 180 potential participants (39.44%). Most residents (64.8%) felt that it was appropriate to inquire about the spiritual aspects of patients' lives and that it was essential to address spiritual problems or needs that patients may have within the clinical setting (71.8%). Many participants (40.80%) described themselves as being both religious and spiritual. Most respondents (94.4%) did not receive any training on spirituality and psychiatry, and 80.3% said they would like to learn more about the subject. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that residents have an overall high level of personal spirituality and that they feel it is relevant in clinical practice. However, they have not had much training in this area and are interested in learning more. Educational initiatives would be beneficial for improving the effectiveness of residents and patient care in this untapped area of spirituality in psychiatry.

Prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder among Saudi Arabian university students: relationship with psychological distress.

Background and aim: Given the exponential growth of the gaming industry, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) merits further research. This study investigated the prevalence of IGD among Saudi Arabian university students and its relationship with the level of functioning, psychological distress, and potential for comorbid depression, as well as the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on gaming behavior. Materials and methods: 306 participants were randomly selected from various Saudi Arabian universities and surveyed using the 20-item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD-20 Test), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler-6). Results: The estimated prevalence of IGD was 10.1%, and significantly higher risk was observed among IGD and respective at risk groups with psychological distress. Moreover, 67.4% of the participants reported an increase in playtime during the COVID-19 lockdown. Based on the Kesseler-6, psychological distress was observed in 19.9% of the participants. Conclusions: This study suggests that IGD is a growing mental health risk associated with a dysfunctional impact and psychological distress.

Mental health impact of COVID-19 on Saudi families and children with special educational needs and disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A national perspective.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a multidimensional impact on mental health due to health concerns, social distancing and lockdowns, job loss, and limits in institutional support. Accordingly, COVID-19 may disproportionally impact families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) due to the already high prevalence of mental health conditions in children with SEND and their parents. Hence, it is essential to determine the short-term impact of the pandemic on the mental health of families with SEND to identify their ongoing health, including psychological wellbeing and support needs. The current study examines the anxiety level and concerns of children with SEND and their parents living in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional national study design was utilized as a part of an international consortium using an online Arabic survey. Data were collected from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development beneficiaries from May to July 2020. The sample consisted of 1,848 parents of children with SEND aged between 1 and 18 years (mean = 9.66; SD = 4.31). A descriptive and bivariant analysis is reported. Results: Parental worries on all those concerns when the pandemic started were significantly higher than before the pandemic, p < 0.050. Parental-perceived general anxiety had risen significantly across time, p < 0.001, and their perceived anxiety when the pandemic started exceeded their anxiety before the pandemic, p < 0.001. The general anxiety of children with SEND had risen significantly across time (from before the pandemic to when it had started to during the pandemic), p < 0.001. The children's general worries at the start of the pandemic had correlated significantly and positively with their anxiety, adaptive, maladaptive, and coping efficacies, and parental anxiety scores, p < 0.010 each. Conclusion: Anxiety levels were high in SEND and their caregivers before and during COVID-19. At the start of the pandemic, the anxiety, adaptive, maladaptive, coping efficacies, and parental anxiety scores of children with SEND were significantly and favorably correlated. These findings support the notion of SEND-specific anxiety and patterns of coping in SEND and their caregivers. The notion also attests to the institutional support required for this specifically vulnerable population during epidemics.

Findings of a Multidisciplinary Assessment of Children Referred for Possible Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Insights from a Retrospective Chart Review Study.

Children with ASD have a wide spectrum of functional deficits in multiple neurodevelopmental domains. A multidisciplinary team assessment (MDT) is required to assess those deficits to help construct a multimodal intervention plan. This is a retrospective chart review of the assessment for children who were referred for an assessment of potential neurodevelopmental disorders. We reviewed 221 participants' charts from January 2019 to January 2020. The mean age of the children was 7.95 ± 3.69, while the mean age of the fathers and mothers was 37.31 ± 8.57 and 31.95 ± 6.93, respectively. Consanguinity was as high as 37.9% for the referred children with developmental delay who were first-degree related, and 13.2% of the parents were second-degree relatives. Approximately 26.6% of children had a family history of mental illness in first-degree relatives. ASD was the most commonly reported diagnosis post-assessment, and ADHD was the most common reported comorbidity at 64.3% and 88.5%, respectively. The MDT findings showed that 58% of children required moderate or higher assistance with toileting, 79.2% were unable to answer yes/no questions, and 86.8% were unable to understand "wh" questions. Only 26% of the nonverbal children had average IQ testing results, and 31% of verbal children did. In conclusion, the mean age of the children when assessed was above that recommended for early screening and intervention. An increased paternal and maternal age was noticeable. Consanguinity and a family history of mental disorders in first-degree relatives were high, attesting to a possible genetic risk.