Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy on Antenatal Depressive Symptoms: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial in The Kingdom of Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Jordanian pregnant women report high prevalence of antenatal depressive symptoms, compared to their counterparts internationally. One potential nonpharmacological intervention is Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), accessed by telephone. AIM: The aim of this study is to compare the depressive symptom level(s) among Jordanian pregnant women who received IPT treatment with those who received routine antenatal care. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial design was used. Following ethical approval, a sample of 100 pregnant women (50 in each group) at 24 to 37 weeks gestation, was drawn from one governmental public hospital. Seven sessions (each half an hour) of telephone-based IPT were offered twice weekly to those assigned to the intervention arm: one pretherapy orientation, five intermediates, and one closing session. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was administered before and after the intervention. Analysis of covariance was used to detect the intervention effect. The two groups were matched based on demographic and health characteristics. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, pregnant women who received the intervention reported fewer depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Midwives and general nurses should screen all pregnant women for symptoms of depression. The effectiveness of IPT treatment in alleviating depressive symptoms indicates the importance of using such supportive interventions by midwives and general nurses, who are trained in psycho-educational counseling techniques. Moreover, data provided by this study may encourage policymakers to legislate policies that make psychotherapists available and accessible in antenatal care units and ensure that staff have adequate training via continuing education programs to screen for antenatal depressive symptoms.

Psychiatric nurses' experiences and the emotional and psychological sequelae after being psychologically or physically assaulted in psychiatric units: A phenomenological study.

AIM: This study aimed to describe psychiatric nurses' experiences and the emotional and psychological sequelae after being psychologically or physically assaulted in inpatient psychiatric units. METHOD: The study employed a descriptive, phenomenological research approach. A purposive sample of 27 psychiatric nurses participated in in-depth one-on-one interviews. The collected data were transcribed and analyzed using ​Colaizzi's (1978) seven-step method. RESULTS: Three themes and ten sub-themes emerged: A Fertile Environment for Physical and Psychological Workplace Violence, Psycho-Emotional Sequelae Aftermath of Assault, and Proactive Strategies for Combating Violence. DISCUSSION: A thorough understanding of workplace violence aids in the development of strategies for preventing and addressing this phenomenon and its psychological and emotional consequences. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The current study provides new insights on the importance of offering mental health and emotional support to assaulted nurses, especially those with accumulated exposure to violence.

Patients Hospitalized for Psychiatric Problems and Their Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward COVID-19.

The current study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) of persons hospitalized for psychiatric problems and the correlation between knowledge and demographics. A correlational, cross-sectional study was used to collect data through structured interviews from a convenience sample of 200 patients with psychiatric disorders seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital using the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices questionnaire. Participants had poor knowledge (51.5%), moderate attitudes (75%), and low to moderate practices (61%) toward COVID-19. Knowledge was different across most demographic and illness-related variables. Global assessment of functioning and educational level predicted knowledge and accounted for 37.5% of the variance. Due to disability and poor self-care, persons hospitalized for psychiatric problems are more vulnerable to infectious diseases than the general population. Mental health nurses need to raise KAP toward COVID-19. Current results are informative to health care policymakers and mental health authorities in helping identify target populations for prevention and education about COVID-19. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 60(8), 37-45.].