The Challenge of Indigenous Healing for Global Mental Health.

Psychiatry and anthropology have a long relationship, and it is worth examining aspects of how that relation is carried over into the developing field of Global Mental Health (GMH). One place at which the two disciplines overlap significantly is in addressing religious phenomena and ritual performance in relation to mental health, and one of the greatest challenges for GMH is how productively to take into account forms of indigenous healing based on religion and ritual. In this paper I compare recent texts in GMH written from the standpoint of psychiatry and anthropology, observing that the psychiatric texts emphasize evidence-based determination of treatment efficacy, while the anthropological texts emphasize ethnographic understanding of treatment experience. Reconciling these two emphases constitutes a challenge to the field, attending to contextual variations in treatment events, illness episodes, phenomenological factors both endogenous and intersubjective, and sociopolitical factors both interpersonal and structural. In addressing this challenge, I propose an approach to therapeutic process that on the empirical level can facilitate comparison across the diversity of healing forms, and on the conceptual level can constitute a bridge between efficacy and experience. This approach is predicated on a rhetorical model of therapeutic process including components of disposition, experience of the sacred, elaboration of alternatives, and actualization of change that highlights experiential specificity and incremental change. Deploying this model can help meet the challenge of understanding efficacy and experience in indigenous healing, and prepare the ground for the further challenge of how practitioners of GMH relate to and interact with such forms of healing.

The state mindfulness scale for physical activity: further psychometrics properties / Escala de estado de mindfulness para atividade física: novas propriedades psicométricas / Escala de mindfulness en la actividad física: nuevas propiedades psicométricas

Mindfulness has been defined as attention and awareness to the present with an attitude of openness, non-judgment, and acceptance. It is suggested that mindfulness can positively influence experiences in sports and physical activity, increasing adherence to these activities. This study aimed to examine new psychometric properties of the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity (SMS-PA) using classical and modern testing theories among Brazilian sport and exercise practitioners. Two studies were conducted. In the first, with 617 Brazilian sports practitioners, confirmatory factor analysis supported the bifactor structure of the SMS-PA composed of two specific (mental and body mindfulness) and one general factor (state mindfulness), which did not vary among genders. The Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM) supported essential one-dimensionality indicated by the general factor with good item fit statistics (infit/outfit 0.62-1.27). The model presented a good level of Rasch reliability (0.85), and the items difficulty estimation provided an understanding of the continuum represented by their content. In the second study, with 249 Brazilian exercise practitioners, the structural equation modeling showed that Body Mindfulness was associated with positive outcomes (positive affect and satisfaction with practice). The mediation analysis showed that people with higher levels of Body mindfulness tend to experience greater levels of Positive Affect and, consequently, greater Satisfaction with exercises. The results suggest that the Brazilian version of the SMS-PA is an appropriate measure of the state of mindfulness.(AU)

Mindfulness pode ser definido como atenção e consciência no momento presente com uma atitude de abertura, não julgamento e aceitação. A literatura sugere que o mindfulness pode influenciar positivamente experiências no esporte e atividade física e pode exercer um papel na adesão a essas atividades. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar novas propriedades psicométricas da State Mindulness Sacale for Physical Activity (SMS-PA) utilizando as teorias clássicas e modernas dos testes em praticantes de exercício físico e esporte brasileiros. Dois estudos foram conduzidos. No primeiro, com 617 brasileiros praticantes de esporte, a Análise Fatorial Confirmatória (AFC) demonstrou adequação à estrutura bifatorial da SMS-PA composta por dois fatores específicos (mindfulness mental e físico) e um fator geral (estado de mindfulness), que apresentou invariância entre sexos. A Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM) corroborou a unidimensionalidade essencial indicada pelo fator geral com bons índices de ajustes (infit/outfit 0.62 -1.27). O modelo apresentou bom nível de precisão Rasch (.85), e a estimação de dificuldade dos itens possibilitou compreensão do continuum representado pelo conteúdo dos itens. No segundo estudo, com 249 brasileiros praticantes de esporte, a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais demonstrou que o mindfulness físico esteve associado a afetos positivos e satisfação com a prática. A análise de mediação mostrou que pessoas com níveis altos de mindfulness físico tendem a apresentar níveis mais elevados de afeto positivo e, consequentemente, níveis mais elevados de satisfação com a prática. Os resultados sugerem que a versão brasileira do SMS-PA é uma medida apropriada do estado de mindfulness para atividades físicas.(AU)

La atención plena puede definirse como la atención y la conciencia en el momento presente con una actitud de apertura, no juicio y aceptación. La literatura sugiere que el mindfulness puede influir positivamente en las experiencias en el deporte y en la actividad física, además de desempeñar un papel en la adherencia a estas actividades. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar nuevas propiedades psicométricas de la State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity (SMS-PA) utilizando las teorías clásicas y modernas de las pruebas en practicantes de ejercicio físico y de deporte en Brasil. Para ello, se realizaron dos estudios. En el primer, participaron 617 practicantes de deporte brasileños, y el análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) demostró adecuación en la estructura bifactorial de la SMS-PA, compuesta por dos factores específicos (mindfulness mental y físico) y un factor general (estado de mindfulness), que mostró invarianza entre sexos. El Rasch Rating Scale Model (RSM) corroboró la unidimensionalidad esencial indicada por el factor general con buenos índices de ajuste (infit/outfit 0,62-1,27). El modelo mostró un buen nivel de precisión de Rasch (.85), y la estimación de la dificultad de los ítems permitió comprender el continuo representado por el contenido de estos. En el segundo estudio, con 249 practicantes de deporte, el modelo de ecuaciones estructurales mostró que el mindfulness físico estaba asociado a resultados positivos (afecto positivo y satisfacción con la práctica). El análisis de mediación reveló que las personas con altos niveles de mindfulness físico tendían a tener mayores niveles de afecto positivo y, en consecuencia, mayores niveles de satisfacción con la práctica. Los resultados sugieren que la versión brasileña de la SMS-PA es una medida adecuada de mindfulness.(AU)

O cuidado em saúde promovido pelas religiões afro-brasileiras / Health care promoted by afro-brazilian religions / El cuidado en salud promovido por las religiones afrobrasileñas

No decorrer da história, sempre foram infindáveis os casos em que os sujeitos recorriam a centros espíritas ou terreiros de religiões de matrizes africanas em decorrência de problemas como doenças, desempregos ou amores mal resolvidos, com o objetivo de saná-los. Por conta disso, este artigo visa apresentar os resultados da pesquisa relacionados ao objetivo de mapear os processos de cuidado em saúde ofertados em três terreiros de umbanda de uma cidade do litoral piauiense. Para isso, utilizamos o referencial da Análise Institucional "no papel". Os participantes foram três líderes de terreiros e os respectivos praticantes/consulentes dos seus estabelecimentos religiosos. Identificamos perspectivas de cuidado que se contrapunham às racionalidades biomédicas, positivistas e cartesianas, e faziam referência ao uso de plantas medicinais, ao recebimento de rezas e passes e à consulta oracular. A partir desses resultados, podemos perceber ser cada vez mais necessário, portanto, que os povos de terreiros protagonizem a construção, implementação e avaliação das políticas públicas que lhe sejam específicas.(AU)

In history, there have always been endless cases of people turning to spiritual centers or terreiros of religions of African matrices due to problems such as illnesses, unemployment, or unresolved love affairs. Therefore, this article aims to present the research results related to the objective of mapping the health care processes offered in three Umbanda terreiros of a city on the Piauí Coast. For this, we use the Institutional Analysis reference "on Paper." The participants were three leaders of terreiros and the respective practitioners/consultants of their religious establishments. We identified perspectives of care that contrasted with biomedical, positivist, and Cartesian rationalities and referred to the use of medicinal plants, the prescript of prayers and passes, and oracular consultation. From these results, we can see that it is increasingly necessary, therefore, that the peoples of the terreiros lead the construction, implementation, and evaluation of public policies that are specific to them.(AU)

A lo largo de la historia, siempre hubo casos en los cuales las personas buscan en los centros espíritas o terreros de religiones africanas la cura para sus problemas, como enfermedades, desempleo o amoríos mal resueltos. Por este motivo, este artículo pretende presentar los resultados de la investigación con el objetivo de mapear los procesos de cuidado en salud ofrecidos en tres terreros de umbanda de una ciudad del litoral de Piauí (Brasil). Para ello, se utiliza el referencial del Análisis Institucional "en el Papel". Los participantes fueron tres líderes de terreros y los respectivos practicantes / consultivos de los establecimientos religiosos que los mismos conducían. Se identificaron perspectivas de cuidado que se contraponían a las racionalidades biomédicas, positivistas y cartesianas, y hacían referencia al uso de plantas medicinales, al recibimiento de rezos y pases y a la consulta oracular. Los resultados permiten concluir que es cada vez más necesario que los pueblos de terreros sean agentes protagónicos de la construcción, implementación y evaluación de las políticas públicas destinadas específicamente para ellos.(AU)

Communication about distress and well-being: Epistemic and ethical considerations.

Communication about well-being and distress involves multiple stakeholders, including experts by experience (EBE), researchers, clinical practitioners, interpreters, and translators. Communication can involve a variety of discourses and languages and each of the stakeholders may employ diverging epistemologies to understand and explain experiences. These epistemologies may link to different sources of authority and be articulated using particular linguistic resources. Epistemic injustice can occur when stakeholders, intentionally or unintentionally, fail to recognise the validity of other stakeholders' ways of conceptualising and verbalising their experience of well-being and distress. Language lies at the heart of the risk of epistemic injustice involved in the process of expressing well-being and distress as seen in: 1) the interface between divergent discourses on well-being and distress (e.g., biomedical vs. spiritual); and 2) communications involving multiple linguistic resources, which can be subdivided into multi-language communications involving a) translation of assessment measures, and b) interpreted interactions. Some of the challenges of multi-language communication can be addressed by translators or interpreters who strive for conceptual equivalence. We argue, however, that all stakeholders have an important role as "epistemic brokers" in the languaging of possible epistemological differences. Effective epistemic brokering requires that all stakeholders are reflexively and critically aware of the risks of epistemic injustice inherent in multi-language communication. The article concludes with a set of prompts to help raise stakeholder awareness and reflexivity when engaging in communication about well-being and distress.

Bajo la influencia del budismo y el animismo: cuerpo, enfermedad, medicina y cuidados en el cine de Apichatpong Weerasethakul (los ejemplos de Syndromes and a Century, 2006 y Cemetery of Splendour, 2015) / Under the influence of Buddhism and animism: body, disease, medicine and care in the cinema of Apichatpong Weerasethakul (the examples of Syndromes and a Century, 2006 and Cemetery of Splendour, 2015)

El modelo biomédico occidental ha sido ampliamente retratado en el cine y las series televisivas. El artículo busca poner ejemplos de modelos terapéuticos alternativos al biomédico que aún tienen mucha presencia en culturas no occidentales, combinándose a menudo con el modelo biomédico y que no han sido tan reflejados en el cine. Ponemos ejemplos de dos películas del director tailandés Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Syndromes and a Century (Sang Sattawat, 2006) y Cemetery of Splendor (Rak Ti Khon Kaen, 2015). Estas películas nos muestran cómo en la región tailandesa de Isan se combina el modelo biomédico, de origen occidental pero ya plenamente asentado en el país, con técnicas meditativas y prácticas mágicas influidas por el budismo theravada y el animismo de origen laosiano practicados en la región. (AU)

The Western biomedical model has been widely portrayed in film and television series. The article seeks to give examples of alternative therapeutic models to biomedical that still have a strong presence in non-western cultures, often combining with the biomedical model and that have not been so reflected in the cinema. We give examples of two films by the Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Syndromes and a Century (Sang Sattawat, 2006) and Cemetery of Splendour (Rak Ti Khon Kaen, 2015). These films show us how in the Thai region of Isan the biomedical model of Western origin but already fully established in the country is combined with meditative techniques and magical practices influenced by Theravada Buddhism and animism of Laotian origin practiced in the region. (AU)

Associations between health-related quality of life and health behaviors in Australian nursing students.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is being increasingly studied as an indicator of wellbeing. This study evaluated the HRQoL of nursing students and relationships between lifestyle behaviors including smoking, diet, alcohol intake and physical activity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 using the Short-Form 12V2 to measure the HRQoL of 475 students from both regional and metropolitan universities in Queensland, Australia. z-scores were aggregated into a Physical Composite Score (PCS) and a Mental Composite Score (MCS). Multivariate linear regression was used to explore the associations. Nursing students (94.5% female) had lower HRQoL scores relative to the general Australian population. Students enrolled at the regional university, with higher income; higher intakes of vitamin A, calcium, and iodine; and more physical activity had a higher Mental Composite Score, but those with health conditions and high intakes of meat, fat, carbohydrates, and sugar reported lower Physical Composite Score compared to their counterparts. Skipping breakfast, physical inactivity, and alcohol score were inversely associated with HRQoL. This study highlights the need for strategies to address the poor lifestyle and HRQoL in nursing students to support their physical and mental health.

Perspectives of people with late age-related macular degeneration on mental health and mental wellbeing programmes: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) experience high rates of depression, but rarely engage in or have access to tailored mental wellbeing programmes. This qualitative study investigated the perspectives of those primarily with late AMD on mental health and mental wellbeing programmes. METHODS: Twenty-eight people with late AMD in at least one eye, and one person with early AMD in both eyes, aged 56-87 years (mean age 78 years) attending a private eye clinic between December 2019 and January 2020 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, participated. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed deductively using content analysis, following the individual level factors for health promotion interventions in the behaviour change wheel: Capability (Physical & Psychological), Opportunity (Physical & Social), and Motivation (Reflective & Automatic). RESULTS: Six major themes were identified: Capability: (1) Impact of vision loss on mobility and leisure pursuits; (2) Adjustment to living with vision loss; Opportunity: (3) Program considerations for those with AMD; (4) Stigma and self-perception of vision loss and mental health; Motivation: (5) Accumulation of vision-related issues as a barrier to participation; (6) Examples of others living with vision loss. General personal factors relevant to delivery of a programme in this age group were also identified: Comorbidities; Limitations using technology; Isolation; Financial concerns and Beliefs that undesired effects of aging are inevitable. CONCLUSIONS: Complex individual, environmental and social factors influence the perspectives of people with late AMD on mental health, and potential participation in mental wellbeing programmes. These factors should be considered when developing and implementing mental wellbeing programmes to improve the emotional and functional rehabilitation outcomes for people with AMD.

Alternative treatment with Johrei: A controlled randomized study evaluating seed physiological potential.

BACKGROUND: Johrei, a noncontact healing therapy that purportedly channels "universal energy", is an easily taught technique with numerous positive reports of healing in human trials. However, studies on humans have been limited by small sample sizes, the placebo effect and baseline differences between groups. Overcoming some of these limitations, this study evaluated the effect of Johrei on the physiological potential of lettuce seeds. METHODS: Lettuce seeds were subjected to thermal stress and then treated with Johrei before and after two years of storage. The seedling emergence percentage, emergence speed index, classification score, percentage of viable seedlings and root and shoot dry mass of the treated seeds were determined. RESULTS: Stress-treated seeds treated with Johrei had a greater seedling emergence percentage than those not treated with Johrei (p<0.0001). Johrei also resulted in a greater emergence speed index (p<0.0001), a higher percentage of viable seedlings with higher classification score (p<0.0001) and greater root and shoot dry mass regardless of the storage duration (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Johrei effectively preserved lettuce seed health, and the efficacy of Johrei can be assessed by evaluating its effects on the physiological potential of stress-treated seeds. Using live plants allows the influence of Johrei to be evaluated without interference from the placebo effect. Future studies should evaluate the influence of Johrei in primary aging processes in plants, such as cellular respiration by mitochondrial analysis, to gain insight into Johrei's mechanisms of action and enable inferences regarding similar cellular-level processes that occur in humans.

[Breast cancer: follow-up, rehabilitation, psycho- oncology]. / Emlorák: gondozás, rehabilitáció, pszichoonkológia Ajánlás a IV. Emlorák Konszenzus Konferencia alapján.

Follow-up includes the permanent contact with and health education of the patient, the surveillance and control of the adverse effects of surgery, oncological therapies or radiotherapy, the screening of metachronous cancers, and the comprehensive (physical, psychological and social) rehabilitation of the patient which may be enhanced by healthy life-style. The early detection and curative management if necessary, of local/regional tumor relapse is still a priority but the routine screening of distant metastases by means of imaging studies or tumor marker tests is not justified. Supportive therapy means to endocrine therapy, available social support in Hungary, and the key issues and managing tools of physical and psychooncological care are provided. Individual solution of special issues (breast cancer risk/genetic mutation, pregnancy) may be served by widening options. Ideally, follow-up is practised by a cooperative team of oncologists, surgeons, breast radiologists, social workers, physiotherapists, psychiatrists. The follow-up approach should be comprehensive and holistic.

One Virus, Four Continents, Eight Countries: An Interdisciplinary and International Study on the Psychosocial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Adults.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about several features that increased the sense of fear and confusion, such as quarantine and financial losses among other stressors, which may have led to adverse psychosocial outcomes. The influence of such stressors took place within a broader sociocultural context that needs to be considered. The objective was to examine how the psychological response to the pandemic varied across countries and identify which risk/protective factors contributed to this response. An online survey was conducted from 29 May 2020-12 June 2020, among a multinational sample of 8806 adults from eight countries/regions (Canada, United States, England, Switzerland, Belgium, Hong Kong, Philippines, New Zealand). Probable generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depression episode (MDE) were assessed. The independent role of a wide range of potential factors was examined using multilevel logistic regression. Probable GAD and MDE were indicated by 21.0% and 25.5% of the respondents, respectively, with an important variation according to countries/regions (GAD: 12.2-31.0%; MDE: 16.7-32.9%). When considered together, 30.2% of the participants indicated probable GAD or MDE. Several factors were positively associated with a probable GAD or MDE, including (in descending order of importance) weak sense of coherence (SOC), lower age, false beliefs, isolation, threat perceived for oneself/family, mistrust in authorities, stigma, threat perceived for country/world, financial losses, being a female, and having a high level of information about COVID-19. Having a weak SOC yielded the highest adjusted odds ratio for probable GAD or MDE (3.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.73-3.77). This pandemic is having an impact on psychological health. In some places and under certain circumstances, however, people seem to be better protected psychologically. This is a unique opportunity to evaluate the psychosocial impacts across various sociocultural backgrounds, providing important lessons that could inform all phases of disaster risk management.

What type of survey research questions are identified by adults as upsetting? A focus on child maltreatment.

BACKGROUND: Research on child maltreatment is imperative to inform evidence-based prevention and intervention efforts. Nonetheless, researchers continue to face barriers due to the perceived sensitivity and possibility of harm when asking about these experiences. While studies have started to explore reactions to participating in research on sensitive topics, there are notable limitations and fewer have focused on child maltreatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to better understand adult respondents' identification of, and reactions to, potentially upsetting questions in the context of a well-being and experiences survey, with a focus on child maltreatment. METHODS: Data were from the first wave of the Well-Being and Experiences Study in Manitoba, Canada: a computerized self-reported community-based survey of adolescents and their parents/caregivers administered individually at a research facility. The current study focused on parents/caregivers' responses (N = 1000). The study utilized a mixed methods approach with descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analyses of open-ended responses of their perceptions of upsetting questions. RESULTS: Overall, few respondents (15.1 %) identified any questions as upsetting. Ten themes emerged in respondents' recall of upsetting questions, including maltreatment and other themes often perceived as less sensitive. Only 4% identified maltreatment-related questions as upsetting. Among those who identified any questions or maltreatment-specific questions as upsetting, most felt they were important to ask and should not be removed (92.7 %-97.5 %). These findings suggest that retrospective survey questions about experiences of child maltreatment involving adult samples are not associated with major upset and should be included in future health and social surveys.

Factors that Influence the Decision to Seek Help in a Police Population.

Police officers face many competing pressures and demands. Exposure to potentially traumatic incidents and significant job-related stressors can place many at higher risk of developing physical and mental health problems. The police culture exerts a pronounced influence on officers, preventing some from asking for or receiving assistance. The stigma of being perceived as weak or incompetent, concerns about being labelled unfit for duty, and worry that accessing psychological support will impact future career advancement can affect the decision to seek help. The Enhanced Critical Incident Technique was utilized to investigate the following research question: What helps or hinders the decision to access psychological services in a police population? Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 serving Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The findings encompass five main themes: the importance of systemic factors, access to information and education, quality and influence of relationships, individual characteristics, and organizational processes that will increase the likelihood of accessing mental health services. The results contribute to the empirical literature by enhancing what is known about elements that influence an officers' decision to seek psychological services, and factors that can enable officers to overcome barriers.

Does the Effect of Internet Use on Chinese Citizens' Psychological Well-Being Differ Based on Their Hukou Category?

This paper draws support from the 2018 wave of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS 2018) and uses unconditional quantile regression, re-centered influence function (RIF) decomposition, linear structural equation modelling, extended regression modelling and censored regression to explore the heterogeneity of the impact of Internet use on the psychological well-being of Chinese non-agricultural and agricultural hukou holders. We find that Internet use better improves the psychological well-being of non-agricultural hukou holders, thereby widening the gap in psychological well-being between urban and rural residents in China. Through RIF decomposition, we observe that, except for the 10th quantile, the expansion effect of Internet use on the inequality in psychological well-being between agricultural and non-agricultural hukou holders is mainly reflected in the structure effect, which shows that compared to non-agricultural hukou holders, the return rate of Internet use on the psychological well-being of agricultural hukou holders is lower. Further mechanism analysis shows that using the Internet to socialize, obtain information and understand politics is more beneficial for the psychological well-being of non-agricultural hukou holders; moreover, Internet use can further exert different effects on the psychological well-being of the two groups by differently influencing their job satisfaction, government evaluation, and sleep quality. This study also confirms that relying only on external scientific and technological progress has a limited corrective effect on existing inequalities.

Effect of Birdsong Soundscape on Perceived Restorativeness in an Urban Park.

Natural soundscapes have beneficial effects on the perceived restorativeness of an environment. This study examines the effect of birdsong, a common natural soundscape, on perceived restorativeness in Harbin Sun Island Park in China. Eight sites were selected and a series of questionnaire surveys on perceived restorativeness soundscape scale (PRSS) of four birdsong types were conducted during summer and winter. Two-hundred and forty respondents participated in this survey. Analysis of the survey results shows that different types of birdsong have different perceived restorativeness effects in different seasons. Crow birdsong has the worst effect on the perceived restorativeness in both summer and winter. Moreover, sound comfort and preference are significantly associated with the perceived restorativeness. The perceived restorativeness soundscape is best when birdsong is at a height of 4 m rather than 0.5 m or 2 m. The demographic/social factors of age, education, and stress level are all correlated with perceived restorativeness. There are suggestions for urban park design, especially with constructed natural elements. Creating a suitable habitat for multiple species of birds will improve perceived restorativeness. Moreover, appropriate activities should be provided in city parks to ensure restorativeness environments, especially for subjects with high levels of education and stress.

[Myofascial facial massage as a possible method of correction of psychoemotional states]. / Miofastsial'nyi massazh litsa kak vozmozhnyi metod korrektsii psikhoemotsional'nykh sostoyanii.

The work highlights the current problems of the relationship between the tonic activity of facial muscles and psychoemotional states. The frequency and severity of psychoemotional conditions and indicators of tonic activity of the facial muscles in 67 healthy women were studied. The currently known methods for the correction of psycho-emotional states based on the feedback mechanism are analyzed. The effectiveness of use of myofascial face massage as an instrument for the correction of psychological status was assessed. The influence of various massage techniques aimed at relaxing facial muscles on the psychoemotional state in the long term has been proved. The most effective tools for correcting muscle tone for the correction of psychoemotional states are proposed.

Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Group Program for Mental Health Promotion of University Students.

This study aimed to explore the effects of a group cognitive behavioral program on depression, self-esteem, and interpersonal relations among undergraduate students. A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. A convenient sample of 37 undergraduates (18 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group) at K university located in Changwon, South Korea was used. Data were collected from February 4, 2019 to June 18, 2019. The experimental group received eight sessions of the program, which were scheduled twice a week, with each session lasting 90 min. Collected data were analyzed using a chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA by SPSS/WIN 23.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The interaction of group and time was significant, indicating that the experimental group showed an improvement in depression, self-esteem, and personal relationship compared to the control group. A significant group by time interaction for depression, self-esteem, and personal relationship was also found between the two groups. The study results revealed that the group cognitive behavioral program was effective in reducing depression and improving self-esteem and interpersonal relation. Therefore, the group cognitive behavioral program can be used for promoting the mental health of students as well as for preventing depression in a university setting.

The health effects of work-family conflict in men and women Japanese civil servants: a longitudinal study.

High level of work-family conflict (WFC) is an important risk factor for stress-related health outcomes. However, many studies are cross-sectional studies. In this study, we aimed to clarify how changes in WFC levels over a period 5 yr can affect workers' mental and physical health, and to clarify whether there are gender differences of them. This study examined 1,808 civil servants (1,258 men and 550 women) aged 20-65 yr working in a local government in the west coast of Japan from 2003 to 2008. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine whether the change in WFC contributes to workers' health problems and whether there are gender differences. This study revealed association sustained high WFC and deterioration of WFC conflict with poor mental health and poor job satisfaction for both men and women. In men high WFC conflict and deterioration was associated with poor mental health (OR=2.74). On the other hand, women had strong relationship between WFC changes and poor physical health (OR=2.64). WFC was an important factor as a social determinant of health of Japanese civil servants, and the change in WFC affects subsequent health problems with different trends in men and women.

[Mental health status and its influencing factors among college students during the epidemic of COVID-19].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mental health status of college students during the epidemic of COVID-19 and identify the factors influencing the mental health of the students. METHODS: Using a general questionnaire, a self-designed new coronavirus pneumonia knowledge and cognitive behavior questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), we conducted an internet-based questionnaire survey of 3881 college students in Guangdong Province. A multinomial-logistic regression model was used to analyze the collected data. RESULTS: The survey showed that 69.47% of the college students had a high level of awareness of COVID-19; the overall incidence of anxiety was 26.60%, and the incidences of mild, moderate and severe anxiety were 23.19%, 2.71%, and 0.70%, respectively. Depressive emotions were detected in 21.16% of the students, and the incidences of mild, moderate, and moderate-to-severe depression were 16.98%, 3.17%, and 1.01%, respectively. The results of multivariate analysis showed that an older age was associated with a higher level of awareness of COVID-19 and greater changes in future health behaviors were associated with less anxiety and depression among the students. The students currently in rural areas, of non-medical majors, and reporting half of their information concerning the epidemic being negative were more likely to have anxiety; female gender, residence in suburbs, a drinking history, and excessive negative information concerning the epidemic were all associated with the likeliness of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The college students have different levels of anxiety and depression during the epidemic. Depression and anxiety are closely related, but the factors contributing to different levels of such emotions can be different, and colleges and related departments are urged to provide precision mental health education for college students.