A latent profile analysis of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: Associations with thinking styles, mistrust, socio-political control, need for closure and verbal intelligence.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, attention has been drawn to conspiracy theories. To date, research has largely examined commonalities in conspiracy theory belief, however it is important to identify where there may be notable differences. The aim of the present research was first to distinguish between typologies of COVID-19 conspiracy belief and explore demographic, social cognitive factors associated with these beliefs. Secondly, we aimed to examine the effects of such beliefs on adherence to government health guidelines. Participants (N = 319) rated well known COVID-19 conspiracy theories, completing measures of thinking style, socio-political control, mistrust, verbal intelligence, need for closure and demographic information. Participants also rated the extent to which they followed government health guidelines. Latent profile analysis suggests three profiles of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs with low, moderate, and high COVID conspiracy belief profiles and successively stronger endorsement on all but one of the COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Those holding stronger COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs are more likely to reason emotively, feel less socio-political control, mistrust others, have lower verbal ability and adhere less to COVID-19 guidelines. The social and health implications of these findings are discussed.

Hallucinations as a risk marker for suicidal behaviour in individuals with a history of sexual assault: a general population study with instant replication.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown a strong relationship between hallucinations and suicidal behaviour in general population samples. Whether hallucinations also index suicidal behaviour risk in groups at elevated risk of suicidal behaviour, namely in individuals with a sexual assault history, remains to be seen. AIMS: We assessed whether hallucinations were markers of risk for suicidal behaviour among individuals with a sexual assault history. METHODS: Using the cross-sectional 2007 (N = 7403) and 2014 (N = 7546) Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys, we assessed for an interaction between sexual assault and hallucinations in terms of the odds of suicide attempt, as well as directly comparing the prevalence of suicide attempt in individuals with a sexual assault history with v. without hallucinations. RESULTS: Individuals with a sexual assault history had increased odds of hallucinations and suicide attempt compared to individuals without a sexual assault history in both samples. There was a significant interaction between sexual assault and hallucinations in terms of the odds of suicide attempt. In total, 14-19% of individuals with a sexual assault history who did not report hallucinations had one or more suicide attempt. This increased to 33-52% of individuals with a sexual assault history who did report hallucinations (2007, aOR = 2.85, 1.71-4.75; 2014, aOR = 4.52, 2.78-7.35). CONCLUSIONS: Hallucinations are a risk marker for suicide attempt even among individuals with an elevated risk of suicidal behaviour, specifically individuals with a sexual assault history. This finding highlights the clinical significance of hallucinations with regard to suicidal behaviour risk, even among high-risk populations.

A Population-Based Analysis of Interpersonal Trauma, Psychosis, and Suicide: Evidence, Pathways, and Implications.

Subthreshold psychotic experiences (PEs) are known to confer a risk for suicidality. Yet, despite evidence of a strong etiological trauma-psychosis pathway, the coalesced effect of such concurrences on suicide risk is largely discounted. Our aims were to examine the impact of different manifestations of life span trauma and PEs on the risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts, using an exploratory person-centered approach. Data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 7,403) were analyzed. PEs were assessed using the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ) alongside items probing childhood and adult trauma, in addition to 12-month suicide thoughts and attempt. A manual three-step latent class analysis elicited four distinct profiles, namely, a socially disconnected/high PE, a sexual victimization/moderate PE, a life span trauma/low PE, and a baseline class. The socially disconnected class, characterized by a moderate likelihood of social disconnection, a high probability of various PE endorsements, yet a low likelihood of other significant trauma, showed the greatest risk of 12-month suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 13.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [8.539, 19.021) and attempt (OR = 24.2, 95% CI = [10.349, 56.860). Neither multiple nor recurrent traumatic experiences invariably result in the emergence of PEs. Instead, a sense of social disconnection may be either resultant of PEs or alone sufficient to cultivate such symptom presentations, even in the absence of prior traumas. Moreover, just as traumatic encounters increase the risk of suicidality, so too might seemingly more innocuous adversities, such as poor-quality social relationships, further elevate the risk, particularly when proximal and coupled with the simultaneity of PEs.

A person-centered evaluation of subjective well-being using a latent profile analysis: Associations with negative life events, distress, and emotion regulation strategies.

The present study examined the structure of subjective well-being (SWB) using a person-centered approach, and tested whether SWB profiles differed in a number of self-reported negative life events, emotional distress, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies. The sample included a total of 945 undergraduate students from Serbia (78% female, Mage  = 20.14 years). A 3-step latent profile analysis with partial conditional independence revealed four profiles, which have been tentatively labeled: low SWB (a combination of low life satisfaction, low positive affect, and high negative affect), mixed SWB (moderate to high life satisfaction, moderate to low positive affect, high negative affect), moderately low SWB (low life satisfaction, moderate to low positive affect, moderate negative affect), high SWB (high life satisfaction, high positive affect, low negative affect). A comparison of SWB profiles applied to symptoms of emotional distress, along with the number of self-reported negative life events and emotion regulation strategies, offered support to the validity of four SWB profiles. Our findings suggest that a person-centered perspective might be a valuable tool for understanding the structure of SWB.

An analysis of the impact of suicide prevention messages and memorials on motorway bridges.

Recently, there has been activity at public locations where people have died by suicide, including the erection of suicide prevention messages and memorials (decorations). This research looks at the impact of these decorations and associated media coverage of the decorations on suicidal behaviour at bridges. Incidents (n = 160) of suicidal behaviour on 26 bridges across motorways in England were analysed. Overall, there was no significant difference in the proportion of incidents pre-decoration versus post-decoration (p-value = .55). The incident rates were not significantly different pre- and post-decoration (p = .46). Only one bridge had statistically significantly more incidents post-decoration and media reporting (p = .03). However, following correction for multiple testing there was no significant difference in pre- and post-incident rates at any of the bridges. In total, 58% of bridges had a greater frequency of incidents when decorations were absent; however, this proportion was not statistically significant (p = .41). Further research is required to establish how suicide prevention messages are perceived. There does not appear to be any benefit, but it often generates media coverage which has been shown to increase risk.

The mental health of doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors experience high levels of work stress even under normal circumstances, but many would be reluctant to disclose mental health difficulties or seek help for them, with stigma an often-cited reason. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis places additional pressure on doctors and on the healthcare system in general and research shows that such pressure brings a greater risk of psychological distress for doctors. For this reason, we argue that the authorities and healthcare executives must show strong leadership and support for doctors and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak and call for efforts to reduce mental health stigma in clinical workplaces. This can be facilitated by deliberately adding 'healthcare staff mental health support process' as an ongoing agenda item to high-level management planning meetings.

Patterns of occupational stress in police contact and dispatch personnel: implications for physical and psychological health.

PURPOSE: Occupational stress in police call handlers is researched less frequently than in operational or frontline police, despite the role's unique challenges. Occupational stress is potentially manageable, thus improved understanding of its contributors and consequences is important for effective intervention. We aimed to compare levels and sources of organisational stress in police contact and dispatch personnel with UK benchmarks. Second, to test whether different typologies of stress were associated with physical health, mental health and substance use. Finally, to examine whether non-organisational factors (socio-demographic factors and family interference with work (FIW)) predicted organisational stress typologies. METHODS: A sample (n = 720) of police and civilian staff in a UK police call and dispatch centre were surveyed. RESULTS: The strongest sources of stress were competing and high demands, low control, insufficient managerial support and ambiguity surrounding workplace change-all of which indicated need for 'urgent action' according to UK benchmarks. Substance use and particularly mental health difficulties were higher than published norms. A latent profile analysis grouped respondents into a low-stress group and two high-stress profiles. As stress increased across profiles, this corresponded with worse physical and mental health and higher substance use. FIW predicted membership of both high-stress profiles. CONCLUSION: Despite non-operational roles, police contact and despatch personnel can experience high occupational stress which is associated with physical and mental health difficulties and substance use. Organisational-level interventions which address lack of control, conflicting role demands as well as enhance management support and communication around change might be most effective in this group.

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Sleep Problems and Suicide Attempt in Adolescents.

There are few studies examining which types of sleep problems are independently associated with suicide attempt (SA) and gender difference in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to examine whether specific sleep problems were uniquely associated with suicide attempt in adolescents and explore gender differences in the association. A school-based health survey was conducted in four provinces within China from November 2014 to January 2015. A total of 15,132 students aged 10-21 years completed standard questionnaires assessing past 12 month suicide attempt in addition to measures of sleep quality, quantity and sleep beliefs. 5.4% of participants reported a suicide attempt within the last 12 months. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables and psychological symptoms, almost all sleep problems remained significantly associated with a greater endorsement of suicide attempt. Further adjustment for co-occurring sleep problems revealed that weekday sleep duration (<6, 8-10, and ≥10 h), insomnia (often), and nightmares (sometimes and often) remained independently associated with suicide attempt in boys (p < 0.05). However in girls, weekday sleep duration (<6 and ≥10 h), weekend sleep duration (<6 h), midday nap (0 or 1-2 d/week), insomnia (sometimes and often), nightmare (often) and sleep beliefs (high) were independently associated with suicide attempt (p < 0.05). Multiple sleep problems are associated with suicide attempt in adolescents, however the relationship varies by gender.

Childhood maltreatment and psychotic experiences: Exploring the specificity of early maladaptive schemas.

OBJECTIVE: One potential mechanism that has received limited attention in psychosis research is early maladaptive schemas (EMS). Our aim was to examine whether EMS acts as a potential mediating pathway between early trauma and psychotic symptomology. METHODS: A quantitative survey was conducted online. N = 302 participants took part. The analysis used a multiple mediation framework. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated significant specificity effects. Different forms of child maltreatment were significantly associated with psychosis experiences through specific dimensions of maladaptive schemas. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated specificity effects in that specific types of maltreatment are associated with specific maladaptive schemas. From a practitioner's perspective, these findings offer credence to cognitive theories of psychopathology, and support the validity of EMS identification and modification among clients with psychotic symptomology both as a fundamental component of traditional CBT and within specialized schema-focused therapy.

Parental psychopathology, adult attachment and risk of 12-month suicidal behaviours.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms by which parental psychopathology and vulnerability to suicide is transmitted to offspring is not well understood. parental psychopathology and behaviour may impact upon the normal emotional and psychological adjustment of their offspring in various ways. Research shows attachment insecurities may also be a key factor in the facilitation of suicidal behaviours. OBJECTIVE: To examine adult attachment insecurities as a potential mediating pathway between parental psychopathology and 12-month suicidality. METHOD: The study utilized data from the National co-morbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R, N = 5692). Parental psychopathology was assessed using items from the Familial History of Psychiatric Disorders section of the NSC-R in conjunction with items designed to capture dimensions of attachment and suicidal behaviours. RESULTS: Resultant analyses demonstrated specificity effects in that, parental psychopathology was associated with specific suicidal components through specific dimensions of attachment. DISCUSSION: The results align with literature linking parental psychopathology to both attachment insecurities and risk of suicide. Crucially, this study bridges these research areas by presenting attachment insecurity as possible risk indicator and intervening factor between parental mental health and behaviour and specific indicators of suicide.

Interpersonal polyvictimization and mental health in males.

A consistent conclusion within the extant literature is that victimization and in particular polyvictimization leads to adverse mental health outcomes. A large body of literature exists as it pertains to the association between victimisation and mental health in studies utilising samples of childhood victims, female only victims, and samples of male and female victims; less research exists as it relates to males victims of interpersonal violence. The aim of the current study was therefore to identify profiles of interpersonal victimizations in an exclusively male sample and to assess their differential impact on a number of adverse mental health outcomes. Using data from 14,477 adult males from Wave 2 of the NESARC, we identified interpersonal victimization profiles via Latent Class Analysis. Multinomial Logistic Regression was subsequently utilized to establish risk across mental health disorders. A 4-class solution was optimal. Victimisation profiles showed elevated odds ratios for the presence of mental health disorders; suggesting that multiple life-course victimisation typologies exists, and that victimization is strongly associated with psychopathology. Several additional notable findings are discussed.

Coping styles in adults with cystic fibrosis: implications for emotional and social quality of life.

As life expectancy increases, interest has grown surrounding the factors that may influence quality of life (QOL) for people with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of the current study was to examine which specific coping styles were positively or negatively associated with social and emotional QOL in a CF sample. One hundred and twenty-two respondents aged 18 and over were recruited through an online support group. Respondents completed the 'CF Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R)' and the 'Brief COPE'. The CFQ-R is a disease-specific instrument designed to measure the impact of CF on nine QOL domains and the Brief COPE is a 28 item questionnaire which assesses 14 coping scales. A multivariate regression model revealed that higher substance abuse and disengagement was associated with lower emotional QOL whereas greater use of religion, instrumental coping and acceptance was positively associated with emotional QOL. Active coping was linked to better social QOL and a negative association was reported between distraction coping with both emotional and social domains. Given the burden of CF, ascertaining which factors enhance or diminish emotion and social well-being is now an integral component of QOL research. The current findings may therefore have value in informing clinical interventions which aim to cater for the psychological needs of individuals with CF.

Patterns of stressful life events: distinguishing suicide ideators from suicide attempters.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is an important indicator for subsequent suicidal behaviour, yet only a proportion of ideators transit from thought to action. This has led to interest surrounding the factors that distinguish ideators who attempt from non-attempters. The study aimed to identify distinct classes of life event categories amongst a sample of ideators and assess the ability of the classes to predict the risk of a suicide attempt. METHODS: A subsample of ideators was extracted based on responses to the suicidality section of the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N=7403). Fifteen stressful life events (SLEs) were grouped into six broad categories. RESULTS: Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), three distinct classes emerged; class 1 had a high probability of encountering interpersonal conflict, class 2 reported a low probability of experiencing any of the SLE categories with the exception of minor life stressors, whereas class 3 had a high probability of endorsing multiple SLE categories. The Odds Ratio for attempted suicide were highest among members of Class 3. LIMITATIONS: The use of broad event categories as opposed to discrete life events may have led to an underestimation of the true exposure to SLEs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the experience of multiple types of SLEs may predict the risk of transitioning towards suicidal behaviour for those individuals who have contemplated suicide. In application, this re-emphasises the need for a routine appraisal of risk amongst this vulnerable group and an assessment of the variety of events which may signal the individuals who may be at immediate risk.

Childhood maltreatment and social functioning in adults with sub-clinical psychosis.

Studies now acknowledge a robust association between childhood maltreatment and psychosis development in adulthood. Research shows that maltreatment not only influences the child's psychological wellbeing but also inhibits domains of social development. These social impairments have been found to predate the onset of psychosis and may crucially represent an intervening factor which triggers the decline towards psychosis. To examine social functioning as a potential mediating pathway between early maltreatment and sub-clinical psychosis. The study utilised data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N=7403). Psychotic-like experiences were assessed using the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ) along with measures designed to capture childhood maltreatment and social impairment. Results revealed that maltreatment was associated with both social functioning deficits as well as psychotic symptomology. Furthermore, social functioning was found to mediate the relationship between maltreatment and psychosis. The results align with literature linking maltreatment to both social functioning deficits and psychosis. Crucially, the study bridges these research areas by presenting functional decline as possible risk indicator and intervening factor between maltreatment and psychosis. Intervention strategies should therefore seek to capitalise on treatments which boost social aptitude as a means of averting further decline towards psychopathology.

Adult attachment styles and the psychological response to infant bereavement.

BACKGROUND: Based on Bowlby's attachment theory, Bartholomew proposed a four-category attachment typology by which individuals judged themselves and adult relationships. This explanatory model has since been used to help explain the risk of psychiatric comorbidity. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to identify attachment typologies based on Bartholomew's attachment styles in a sample of bereaved parents on dimensions of closeness/dependency and anxiety. In addition, it sought to assess the relationship between the resultant attachment typology with a range of psychological trauma variables. METHOD: The current study was based on a sample of 445 bereaved parents who had experienced either peri- or post-natal death of an infant. Adult attachment was assessed using the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) while reaction to trauma was assessed using the Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSC). A latent profile analysis was conducted on scores from the RAAS closeness/dependency and anxiety subscales to ascertain if there were underlying homogeneous attachment classes. Emergent classes were used to determine if these were significantly different in terms of mean scores on TSC scales. RESULTS: A four-class solution was considered the optimal based on fit statistics and interpretability of the results. Classes were labelled "Fearful," "Preoccupied," "Dismissing," and "Secure." Females were almost eight times more likely than males to be members of the fearful attachment class. This class evidenced the highest scores across all TSC scales while the secure class showed the lowest scores. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with Bartholomew's four-category attachment styles with classes representing secure, fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing types. While the loss of an infant is a devastating experience for any parent, securely attached individuals showed the lowest levels of psychopathology compared to fearful, preoccupied, or dismissing attachment styles. This may suggest that a secure attachment style is protective against trauma-related psychological distress.