Development and validation of the core life activities scale.

Life activities profoundly influence well-being, mental health, and quality of life. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the importance of monitoring these activities for psychological and emotional health. However, existing measurement tools are limited, particularly for assessing psychological health. To address this gap, we developed and validated the Core Life Activities (CORE) scale, comprising five key factors (sleep, exercise, learning, diet, and social relationships) identified in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and gerontology. In Study 1 (n = 1,137), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a single-factor structure with good model fit (χ2 = 6.377, df = 3, TLI = 0.992, CFI = 0.998, RMSEA = 0.031), demonstrating robust internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.776) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.522, p < 0.001). The CORE exhibited significant convergent validity with mental health screening tools for depressive and anxiety disorders and suicidality. Study 2 (n = 684) confirmed a significant correlation between CORE and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Brief Version, complementing the convergent validity found in Study 1. In addition, discriminant validity was confirmed by a non-significant correlation with the COVID-19 Preventive Behavior Scale. The findings establish the CORE as a reliable and valid tool, offering a simple yet comprehensive measure for assessing core life activities with potential applications in diverse environments.

Daily vitality fluctuations in older adults with depressive symptoms: A multilevel location-scale model.

BACKGROUND: Examining the daily experiences of older adults with depression facilitates the development and application of personalized effective treatments for them. In previous clinical research on depression, traditional mean-based approaches have mainly been employed. However, the within-person residual variance as a random effect provides greater insight into the heterogeneity of daily experiences among geriatric samples. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relationship between depression and daily vitality in older adults. Specifically, it focused on the mean and residual variance of daily vitality measured by the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). METHODS: Data from 64 older adults aged 65 years or more, who participated in community welfare centers or retirees' associations, were used. Daily vitality was examined using EMA surveys for seven consecutive days (four random surveys per day). The data were analyzed using a location-scale model. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation computed from the empty model for the EMA data was 0.488, indicating significant variances in daily vitality across time between individuals. Older adults with higher levels of depressive symptoms showed low mean levels of daily vitality and a large log-residual variance of daily vitality. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from the current study suggest that individuals experiencing depression not only exhibit low vitality in their daily lives but also struggle to maintain stable levels of vitality in their lives. These insights could contribute to the facilitation and advancement of personalized interventions tailored for older adults.

The effectiveness of nature-based therapy for community psychological distress and well-being during COVID-19: a multi-site trial.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world population faced various mental health challenges, highlighting a need for new community-based psychosocial interventions. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of Nature-Based Therapy (NBT) for the community experiencing psychological distress during the pandemic. A multi-site trial comparing NBT and control groups was conducted in Korea with 291 participants exhibiting mild to severe depression or anxiety. A total of 192 participated in 30 sessions of therapeutic gardening, while 99 remained in the control group. Psychological distress and well-being were assessed using seven measures of depression, anxiety, daily activity, life satisfaction, mindfulness, stress, and loneliness. The effect sizes (Cohen's d) of NBT compared to the control group were medium to large: depression (0.583), anxiety (0.728), daily activity (1.002), life satisfaction (0.786), mindfulness (0.645), stress (0.903), and loneliness (0.695). Multilevel analysis revealed significant Time × Group interaction effects for all measures. Pearson correlation (r = - 0.28 to 0.71) showed that changes in all variables correlated significantly with each other, with small to large effect sizes. Therapeutic alliance at post-test positively moderated the intervention effects on the outcomes. We concluded that NBT is a promising psychosocial intervention for treating psychological distress for community dwellers.

Social distancing policy and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: an 18-month longitudinal cohort study in South Korea.

Background: Despite the effectiveness of social distancing policies in preventing the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), their impact on mental health remains a concern. Longitudinal studies investigating the psychological effects of social distancing are limited. Methods: Longitudinal data on psychological variables were collected eight times between May 2020 and November 2021 through online surveys in South Korea. Results: The participants in the study reported a worsening of depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and psychological distress with increasing levels of social distancing. Specifically, during the third wave, when social distancing levels peaked, the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were observed, and the second-lowest levels of vitality were reported. Furthermore, psychological risk factors, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and suicidal risk, were closely associated with vitality levels in daily life. Discussions: During the pandemic, although social distancing helped prevent the spread of COVID-19, it also led to increased depression, anxiety, suicide risk, psychological distress, and decreased vitality. Engagement at a personal level in fundamental daily activities is important to cope with psychological distress. Our results indicate that commitment to fundamental daily activities and following routines is an important protective factor against psychological distress, notwithstanding COVID-19.

Biopsychosocial factors of gaming disorder: a systematic review employing screening tools with well-defined psychometric properties.

Background and aims: Considering the growing number of gamers worldwide and increasing public concerns regarding the negative consequences of problematic gaming, the aim of the present systematic review was to provide a comprehensive overview of gaming disorder (GD) by identifying empirical studies that investigate biological, psychological, and social factors of GD using screening tools with well-defined psychometric properties. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted through PsycINFO, PubMed, RISS, and KISS, and papers published up to January 2022 were included. Studies were screened based on the GD diagnostic tool usage, and only five scales with well-established psychometric properties were included. A total of 93 studies were included in the synthesis, and the results were classified into three groups based on biological, psychological, and social factors. Results: Biological factors (n = 8) included reward, self-concept, brain structure, and functional connectivity. Psychological factors (n = 67) included psychiatric symptoms, psychological health, emotion regulation, personality traits, and other dimensions. Social factors (n = 29) included family, social interaction, culture, school, and social support. Discussion: When the excess amount of assessment tools with varying psychometric properties were controlled for, mixed results were observed with regards to impulsivity, social relations, and family-related factors, and some domains suffered from a lack of study results to confirm any relevant patterns. Conclusion: More longitudinal and neurobiological studies, consensus on a diagnostic tool with well-defined psychometric properties, and an in-depth understanding of gaming-related factors should be established to settle the debate regarding psychometric weaknesses of the current diagnostic system and for GD to gain greater legitimacy in the field of behavioral addiction.

Improving older adults' autobiographical memory through video-conferencing intervention during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Autobiographical memory (AM) is valuable not only as an indicator of mental health and cognitive function, but also as a target of therapeutic intervention for older adults. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for online psychosocial interventions and assessment services has sharply increased. Thus, the present study examined the effectiveness of videoconferencing AM (vAM) intervention using the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) method in addition to the traditional paper-and-pencil assessment among samples of community dwelling older adults. METHODS: Twenty-seven older adults (aged 66-86 years) participated in a vAM intervention composed of 4 weekly 90-min sessions. The primary outcome was AM specificity, with secondary outcomes as depressive symptom and cognitive function, measured before and after the intervention. In addition, daily emotions were measured through EMA over 4 weeks of intervention. The EMA data were analyzed using a multilevel analysis. RESULTS: The results showed low dropout rates (7%) and high EMA response rates (85%). Autobiographical memory specificity increased (Cohen's d = 0.678), and the level of depression declined significantly (Cohen's d = 0.375) after the program. Additionally, measures assessing cognitive function, such as Seoul Verbal Learning Test and DSC (Digit Symbol Coding), showed significant improvements. The EMA results indicated a decrease in the intensity and proportion of negative emotions experienced during the program. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to utilize videoconferencing and EMA to deliver an AM intervention targeting older adults. The intervention was effective in improving mental health and cognitive function, including AM in older adults. Additionally, EMA was found to be a feasible tool for use in older adults.

Community-based multi-site randomized controlled trial of behavioral activation for patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Negative symptoms are closely related to the poor prognosis of schizophrenia, for which there is no effective treatment to date. Behavioral activation (BA), which is an effective treatment for depression, is a behavioral approach that targets low levels of response-contingent positive reinforcement. This study aimed to explore BA as an effective intervention for relieving the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. METHODS: This was a randomized single-blind controlled trial. Eighty-four patients with schizophrenia were enrolled in community mental health settings. Excluding 14 patients who opted out of the study, 70 were randomly assigned to receive BA in addition to treatment-as-usual (BA + TAU) or treatment-as-usual (TAU) only. Negative symptoms were assessed using the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) and Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-months follow-up. RESULTS: Significant differences between the BA + TAU and TAU only groups were observed in the measures of negative symptoms post-treatment. The total score of CAINS was significantly decreased after BA treatment (η2 = 0.13). The tendency of the BA + TAU treatment effect was also observed for the BNSS total score and PANSS negative symptom subscale (η2 = 0.10 and η2 = 0.11, respectively). However, the difference between the two groups was not sustained at the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that BA could be a promising time-limited and structured psychosocial intervention for schizophrenia-associated negative symptoms with the merit of easy dissemination. Further studies are needed to examine the factors involved in sustaining improvement.

The mechanisms of nature-based therapy on depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction: examining mindfulness in a two-wave mediation model.

Background: Nature-based therapy (NBT), which centers around engaging in activities within natural surroundings, has consistently demonstrated therapeutic benefits for mental health. While NBT highlights the potential of nature as a therapeutic resource for promoting mental health, there is limited knowledge regarding its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Two hundred seventy-six Korean participants (204 women, mean age = 54.99 ± 23.25 years) participated in a 30-session gardening program held twice weekly for 15 weeks. Structural equation modeling with a two-wave autoregressive cross-lagged model was used to investigate the mediating effects of mindfulness. Results: NBT significantly improved the mean scores of all psychological variables. The mediation model was partially confirmed, with mindfulness at post-intervention (T2) mediating the relationship between baseline (T1) depression and anxiety and post-intervention (T2) life satisfaction. However, no significant indirect effect was observed between the path from stress (T1) to life satisfaction (T2). Conclusion: Mindfulness is a crucial component for improving mental health outcomes. This study underscores the need to prioritize and emphasize mindfulness practices in NBT.

Psychological treatments for excessive gaming: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Despite widespread public interest in problematic gaming interventions, questions regarding the empirical status of treatment efficacy persist. We conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses based on 17 psychological intervention studies on excessive gaming (n = 745 participants). The pairwise meta-analysis showed that psychological interventions reduce excessive gaming more than the inactive control (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27 to 2.12) and active control (SMD = 0.88, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.56). The network meta-analysis showed that a combined treatment of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness was the most effective intervention in reducing excessive gaming, followed by a combined CBT and Family intervention, Mindfulness, and then CBT as a standalone treatment. Due to the limited number of included studies and resulting identified methodological concerns, the current results should be interpreted as preliminary to help support future research focused on excessive gaming interventions. Recommendations for improving the methodological rigor are also discussed.

Final validation of the mental health screening tool for depressive disorders: A brief online and offline screening tool for major depressive disorder.

Early screening for depressive disorders is crucial given that major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the main reasons of global burden of disease, and depression is the underlying cause for 60% of suicides. The need for an accurate screening for depression with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in a brief and culturally adapted manner has emerged. This study reports the final stage of a 3-year research project for the development of depression screening tool. The developed Mental Health Screening Tool for Depressive Disorders (MHS:D) was designed to be administered in both online and offline environments with a high level of sensitivity and specificity in screening for major depressive disorder. A total of 527 individuals completed two versions (online/offline) of the MHS:D and existing depression scales, including the BDI-II, CES-D, and PHQ-9. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for diagnostic sensitivity/specificity was also administered to all participants. Internal consistency, convergent validity, factor analysis, item response theory analysis, and receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis were performed. The MHS:D showed an excellent level of internal consistency and convergent validity as well as a one-factor model with a reasonable level of model fit. The MHS:D could screen for major depressive disorder accurately (0.911 sensitivity and 0.878 specificity for both online and paper-pencil versions). Item response theory analysis suggested that items from the MHS:D could provide significantly more information than other existing depression scales. These statistical analyses indicated that the MHS:D is a valid and reliable scale for screening Korean patients with MDD with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, given that the MHS:D is a considerably brief scale that can be administered in either online or paper-pencil versions, it can be used effectively in various contexts, particularly during the pandemic.

The Multi-Sites Trial on the Effects of Therapeutic Gardening on Mental Health and Well-Being.

Although many people affected by COVID-19 suffer from some form of psychological distress, access to proper treatment or psychosocial interventions has been limited. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effects of a therapeutic gardening program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program consisted of 30 sessions and was conducted at 10 nationwide sites in Korea from June to November 2021. Mental health and well-being were assessed using the Mental Health Screening Tool for Depressive Disorders, Mental Health Screening Tool for Anxiety Disorders, Engagement in Daily Activity Scale, brief version of World Health Organization Quality of Life, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Cohen's d value was calculated for the effect size, and a multilevel analysis was used to determine the longitudinal effects of therapeutic gardening. The effect sizes for depression, anxiety, daily activities, quality of life, and mindfulness were 0.84, 0.72, 0.61, 0.64, and 0.40, respectively. Multilevel analyses showed that all five mental health variables improved significantly over time as the therapeutic gardening program progressed. Therapeutic gardening is promising and applicable as a nature-based intervention to improve the mental health of individuals experiencing psychological distress especially in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mother-Child Social Cognition Among Multicultural Families in South Korea.

Objective: Despite the rapidly growing number of multicultural families in South Korea, factors influencing parenting and mother-child interactions have not been well-understood. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to have examined how maternal social-cognitive capacity is associated with children's social cognition (e.g., theory of mind and emotion recognition) among multicultural families dwelling in South Korea. Methods: Forty-seven multicultural mother-child dyads were recruited. The comprehensive measures on social cognition were administered to both the mothers and children, and social functioning and emotion regulation were administered to the children. Results: A series of hierarchical regressions indicated that mothers' social cognition significantly explained children's ability to recognize static and dynamic emotional expressions, accounting for 27 and 34% of the variance, respectively. Furthermore, mothers' social cognition was significantly correlated to children's social functioning and emotion regulation. However, mothers' social cognition and children's theory of mind were non-significantly related. Discussion: The current study examined the effects of social cognition of immigrant mothers on their children's socio-emotional development. As the findings indicated an important role of maternal factors (i.e., social cognition) for children's social cognition and their functions, psycho-social approaches (e.g., social cognition parenting education and training) should be incorporated in services for multicultural families.

Predicting Personality and Psychological Distress Using Natural Language Processing: A Study Protocol.

Background: Self-report multiple choice questionnaires have been widely utilized to quantitatively measure one's personality and psychological constructs. Despite several strengths (e.g., brevity and utility), self-report multiple choice questionnaires have considerable limitations in nature. With the rise of machine learning (ML) and Natural language processing (NLP), researchers in the field of psychology are widely adopting NLP to assess psychological construct to predict human behaviors. However, there is a lack of connections between the work being performed in computer science and that of psychology due to small data sets and unvalidated modeling practices. Aims: The current article introduces the study method and procedure of phase II which includes the interview questions for the five-factor model (FFM) of personality developed in phase I. This study aims to develop the interview (semi-structured) and open-ended questions for the FFM-based personality assessments, specifically designed with experts in the field of clinical and personality psychology (phase 1), and to collect the personality-related text data using the interview questions and self-report measures on personality and psychological distress (phase 2). The purpose of the study includes examining the relationship between natural language data obtained from the interview questions, measuring the FFM personality constructs, and psychological distress to demonstrate the validity of the natural language-based personality prediction. Methods: Phase I (pilot) study was conducted to fifty-nine native Korean adults to acquire the personality-related text data from the interview (semi-structured) and open-ended questions based on the FFM of personality. The interview questions were revised and finalized with the feedback from the external expert committee, consisting of personality and clinical psychologists. Based on the established interview questions, a total of 300 Korean adults will be recruited using a convenience sampling method via online survey. The text data collected from interviews will be analyzed using the natural language processing. The results of the online survey including demographic data, depression, anxiety, and personality inventories will be analyzed together in the model to predict individuals' FFM of personality and the level of psychological distress (phase 2).

Community-Based Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial of Behavioral Activation for Patients with Depressive Disorders.

Behavioral activation (BA) is a beneficial and relatively cost-effective treatment option for depression. This study utilized a pragmatic randomized controlled research design to investigate whether BA, as compared with treatment as usual (TAU), led to superior treatment effects, when delivered in community mental health settings by retrained community mental health professionals. Patients with depressive disorders (n = 64) were randomly assigned to a 10-session BA (n = 31) or TAU (n = 33) group. The depressive symptoms and behavioral engagement were assessed at the baseline, post-treatment, and a six-month follow-up. Results showed that, as compared to the TAU group, the BA group had: (1) a reduction in depression severity, as evidenced by large effect sizes and greater response rates, and (2) an increase in behavioral engagement. However, the post-treatment gains were not maintained at the six-month follow-up. The implications and limitations of the study are also discussed (KCT0004098, June 27, 2019, retrospectively registered).

Prevalence of gaming disorder: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gaming disorder (GD) has been listed in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. Studies on GD prevalence have been highly heterogeneous, and there are significant gaps in prevalence estimates. Few studies have examined what methodological and demographic factors could explain this phenomenon. Therefore, this meta-analytic study quantifies globally reported GD prevalence rates and explores their various moderating variables. METHODS: Prevalence estimates were extracted from 61 studies conducted before December 3, 2020, which included 227,665 participants across 29 countries. Subgroup and moderator analyses were used to investigate the potential causes of heterogeneity, including region, sample size, year of data collection, age group, study design, sampling method, survey format, sample type, risk of bias, terminology, assessment tool, and male proportion. RESULTS: The overall pooled prevalence of GD was 3.3% (95% confidence interval: 2.6-4.0) (8.5% in males and 3.5% in females). By selecting only 28 representative sample studies, the prevalence estimate was reduced to 2.4% (95% CI 1.7-3.2), and the adjusted prevalence estimate using the trim-and-fill method was 1.4% (95% CI 0.9-1.9). High heterogeneity in GD prevalence rates was influenced by various moderators, such as participant variables (e.g., region, sample size, and age) and study methodology (e.g., study design, sampling method, sample type, terminology, and instrument). The moderator analyses revealed that the sample size, mean age, and study quality were negatively associated with GD prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that GD prevalence studies were highly heterogeneous based on participant demographics and research methodologies. Various confounding variables, such as sampling methods, sample types, assessment tools, age, region, and cultural factors have significantly influenced the GD prevalence rates. Prevalence estimates are likely to vary depending on study quality. Further epidemiological studies should be conducted using rigorous methodological standards to more accurately estimate GD prevalence.

Reliability, and Convergent and Discriminant Validity of Gaming Disorder Scales: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: An association between gaming disorder (GD) and the symptoms of common mental disorders is unraveled yet. In this preregistered study, we quantitatively synthesized reliability, convergent and discriminant validity of GD scales to examine association between GD and other constructs. Methods: Five representative GD instruments (GAS-7, AICA, IGDT-10, Lemmens IGD-9, and IGDS9-SF) were chosen based on recommendations by the previous systematic review study to conduct correlation meta-analyses and reliability generalization. A systematic literature search was conducted through Pubmed, Proquest, Embase, and Google Scholar to identify studies that reported information on either reliability or correlation with related variables. 2,124 studies were full-text assessed as of October 2020, and 184 were quantitatively synthesized. Conventional Hedges two-level meta-analytic method was utilized. Results: The result of reliability generalization reported a mean coefficient alpha of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.85-0.87) and a mean test-retest estimate of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81-0.89). Estimated effect sizes of correlation between GD and the variables were as follows: 0.33 with depression (k = 45; number of effect sizes), 0.29 with anxiety (k = 37), 0.30 with aggression (k = 19), -0.22 with quality of life (k = 18), 0.29 with loneliness (k = 18), 0.56 with internet addiction (k = 20), and 0.40 with game playtime (k = 53), respectively. The result of moderator analyses, funnel and forest plots, and publication bias analyses were also presented. Discussion and Conclusion: All five GD instruments have good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Relatively few studies reported the test-retest reliability. The result of correlation meta-analysis revealed that GD scores were only moderately associated with game playtime. Common psychological problems such as depression and anxiety were found to have a slightly smaller association with GD than the gaming behavior. GD scores were strongly correlated with internet addiction. Further studies should adopt a rigorous methodological procedure to unravel the bidirectional relationship between GD and other psychopathologies. Limitations: The current study did not include gray literature. The representativeness of the five tools included in the current study could be questioned. High heterogeneity is another limitation of the study. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42020219781].

Investigating how individual differences influence responses to the COVID-19 crisis: The role of maladaptive and five-factor personality traits.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic impacted both the physical and psychological aspects of people's lives. Personality traits are one of the factors that explain the diverse responses to stressful situations. This study aimed to investigate whether five-factor and maladaptive personality traits are associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, self-reported COVID-19 symptoms, and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, comprehensively. METHODS: We conducted an online survey among a representative sample of 1000 Koreans between May 8 to 13, 2020. Participants' five-factor and maladaptive personality traits were measured using the multidimensional personality inventory, the Bright and Dark Personality Inventory. COVID-19 symptoms, depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and preventive behaviors were also measured. RESULTS: The results revealed that maladaptive personality traits (e.g., negative affectivity, detachment) had positive correlations with depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and COVID-19 symptoms, and the five-factor personality traits (e.g., agreeableness, conscientiousness) had positive correlations with preventive behaviors. CONCLUSION: Our findings extend the current understanding of the relationship between five-factor and maladaptive personality traits and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal follow-up should further investigate the influence of personality traits on an individual's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Brief Online and Offline (Paper-and-Pencil) Screening Tool for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Final Phase in the Development and Validation of the Mental Health Screening Tool for Anxiety Disorders (MHS: A).

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can cause significant socioeconomic burden and daily life dysfunction; hence, therapeutic intervention through early detection is important. This study was the final stage of a 3-year anxiety screening tool development project that evaluated the psychometric properties and diagnostic screening utility of the Mental Health Screening Tool for Anxiety Disorders (MHS: A), which measures GAD. A total of 527 Koreans completed online and offline (i.e., paper-and pencil) versions of the MHS: A, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). The participants had an average age of 38.6 years and included 340 (64.5%) females. Participants were also administered the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Internal consistency, convergent/criterion validity, item characteristics, and test information were assessed based on the item response theory (IRT), and a factor analysis and cut-off score analyses were conducted. The MHS: A had good internal consistency and good convergent validity with other anxiety scales. The two versions (online/offline) of the MHS: A were nearly identical (r = 0.908). It had a one-factor structure and showed better diagnostic accuracy (online/offline: sensitivity = 0.98/0.90, specificity = 0.80/0.83) for GAD detection than the GAD-7 and BAI. The IRT analysis indicated that the MHS: A was most informative as a screening tool for GAD. The MHS: A can serve as a clinically useful screening tool for GAD in Korea. Furthermore, it can be administered both online and offline and can be flexibly used as a brief mental health screener, especially with the current rise in telehealth.

Personality Traits in Individuals with the Dual Diagnosis of Psychosis and Substance Use Disorders: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Substance abuse comorbidity is highly prevalent and is linked to detrimental outcomes in individuals with psychotic disorder, but the role of personality traits as the underlying mechanism is being increasingly underscored. This study aimed to profile temperamental risks of comorbid substance use disorder in psychotic disorders by performing meta-analyses on personality trait differences between psychotic disorders with comorbidity (dual diagnosis; DD) and without it (psychotic disorders; PSD). Methods: A systematic review of English articles using PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses. Only original empirical studies including participants with diagnosis of psychotic disorders based on structured diagnostic interviews, with and without substance use disorder evaluated with reliable and valid tests were included. Articles were independently extracted by two authors using predefined data fields, including study quality indicators. All pooled analyses were based on random-effect models. Thirteen studies (N = 885) met our inclusion criteria. All effect-size estimates were calculated based on means and standard deviations of included measures. Separate effect size estimates were obtained for four traits in the UPPS model (negative urgency, low premeditation, low perseverance, sensation seeking), four traits in the HS model (unconscientious disinhibition, negative affect, disagreeable disinhibition, positive affect) and trait anhedonia. Results: Negative urgency (four studies with 262 participants; ES = 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.34, 0.84]), low premeditation (five studies with 349 participants; ES = 0.60; 95% CI [0.39, 0.80]), sensation seeking (seven studies with 550 participants; ES = 0.63; 95% CI [0.17, 1.09]) and unconscientious disinhibition (five studies with 291 participants; ES = 0.36; 95% CI [0.13, 0.59]) were elevated in DD than PSD. Heterogeneity of sensation seeking was significant (I2 = 86.2%). Conclusions: The findings of the current meta-analysis highlight a unique profile of impulsive and externalizing trait personality domains pertaining to DD. The study emphasizes the importance of emotion regulation interventions targeting impulsivity or negative affect (i.e. negative urgency, low premeditation) in substance abuse comorbidity patients.