Impact of VR-Based Cognitive Training on Working Memory and Inhibitory Control in IDD Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: Young people with intellectual developmental disabilities have a persistent delay in the development of executive functions. Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used as a cognitive intervention tool, with significant effectiveness demonstrated in different types of populations. METHODS: This pilot study aims to investigate the impact of a cognitive training program utilizing VR on young adults diagnosed with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDDs). The participants (N = 15) served as their own control group and were assessed three times: weeks 0, 8, and 16, with a rest period (0-8 weeks) and an intervention period (8-16 weeks). The assessments included measures of cognitive function provided by E-Prime® (Version 3). RESULTS: Overall, an improvement in working memory and inhibitory control was found after the intervention, but not in sustained attention. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that VR-based cognitive training holds promise as an effective intervention for enhancing cognitive abilities in young adults with intellectual developmental disabilities. This study provides a foundation for future investigations into VR's role in cognitive rehabilitation and its potential to support daily living skills and overall quality of life for individuals with IDDs. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and broader applicability of VR interventions.

Assessing the efficacy of the 'Bicho De 7 Cabeças' B-learning school-based program in enhancing mental health literacy and reducing stigma.

The prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents has a considerable impact on daily life, restricting tasks and diminishing overall quality of life while potentially leading to stigmatization. This study aims to measure the impact of a mental health literacy intervention program, called "Bicho de 7 Cabeças" project, in b-learning format, on the increase of knowledge and the decrease of stigma in young people from Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, from November 2022 to May 2023, involving an experimental group ("Bicho de 7 Cabeças" protocol) and an active control group (informational brochures), utilizing a pre-test/post-test design. Mental Health Literacy Measure-MHLM, Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale-MHPK-10, Mental Illness Knowledge Schedule-MAKS, Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale-RIBS, and Community Attitudes toward People with Mental Illness-CAMI were used. A total of 504 young students from the 9th grade enroll in this study, with a mean age around 14 years old. There is a significant difference between stigma (p <.001) and knowledge (p <.001) scores at baseline and follow-up. The results of this study shows that interventions aimed at young people for the promotion of mental health literacy and stigma reduction are needed and more initiatives should be implemented in schools to address these problems.

Healthcare Professionals' Resilience During the COVID-19 and Organizational Factors That Improve Individual Resilience: A Mixed-Method Study.

Healthcare workers are a susceptible population to be psychologically affected during health crises, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience has been pointed out in the literature as a possible protective factor against psychological distress in crisis situations. This can be influenced by internal and external factors, such as individual characteristics and organizational factors. Thus, this study aims to characterize the overall resilience levels among healthcare professionals in Portugal and to understand the perspectives of this healthcare workers regarding organizational factors that improve individual resilience. This is a mixed-method study: a first quantitative study using a cross-sectional design to administer the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) to 271 healthcare professionals (Mage 33.90, SD = 9.59 years, 90.80% female), followed by a qualitative study through 10 in-depth interviews. The mean score for the total RSA was 178.17 (SD = 22.44) out of a total of 231. Qualitative analysis showed 4 major themes on factors that enhance resilience: "Professional's Training," "Support and Wellbeing Measures," "Reorganization of Services" and "Professional Acknowledgment." The findings may contribute to the development of targeted interventions and support systems to enhance resilience and well-being among healthcare workers.

Mental Health Literacy and Stigma in a Municipality in the North of Portugal: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Portugal has Europe's second-highest prevalence of psychiatric illnesses, and this is the reason why mental health literacy (MHL) and stigma should be addressed. This study aimed to investigate the mental health literacy and stigma levels among different groups of people from Póvoa de Varzim, a municipality in the north of Portugal. Students, retired people, and professionals (education, social, and healthcare fields) were recruited using a convenience sample from June to November 2022. Participants' MHL levels were evaluated using the Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale (MHPK), Mental Health Literacy Measure (MHLM) and Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS). Stigma levels were evaluated using Community Attitudes towards Mental Illness (CAMI) and the Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS). A total of 928 questionnaires were filed. The respondents included 65.70% of women, a mean age of 43.63 (±26.71) years and 9.87 (±4.39) years of school education. MHL increased with age, education level and was higher in women (p < 0.001). A higher level of MHL was seen in health professionals (p < 0.001). Findings revealed that older people stigmatized people with mental illness more (p < 0.001), and the female gender stigmatize less (p < 0.001). In addition, results showed that stigma decreased with higher mental health literacy (r between 0.11 and 0.38; p < 0.001). To conclude, specific campaigns that promote mental health literacy should be tailored to specific profiles within this population to address those that have more stigma.

Systematic overview of neuroanatomical differences in ADHD: Definitive evidence.

OBJECTIVES: This article seeks to identify neuroanatomical differences in ADHD through an overview of systematic reviews that report encephalic differences compared to a control group in volume, area, activation likelihood or chemical composition. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search using Cochrane guidelines and PRISMA criteria in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects. RESULTS: Results revealed broad encephalic involvement that includes a functional frontal and cingulate hypoactivation and structural differences in corpus callosum, cerebellum and basal nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD symptoms might be due to a multi-network unbalanced functioning hypothesis.