Bienestar emocional de los padres de niños con lesión del plexo braquial obstétrica: un estudio transversal / Emotional well-being of parents with children with obstetric brachial plexus injury: A cross-sectional study

Hay evidencia de que las madres de niños con lesión de plexo braquial obstétrica (PBO) muestran sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa y presentan baja calidad de vida. La mayoría de estos estudios evalúan solo a las madres (sin considerar a los padres) y no hay datos recientes que recojan su adaptación durante la pandemia por la COVID-19. Además, hasta la fecha no se ha explorado el papel del apoyo social en esta población y su bienestar emocional. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la sintomatología depresiva, ansiedad, apoyo social y calidad de vida esta población. Para ello, todos los participantes fueron entrevistados online con el objetivo de evaluar estas variables. Participaron los padres (90% mujeres; edad media = 37,47; DT = 4,82) de 30 niños entre 0 y 6 años con lesión de plexo braquial (40% mujeres; edad media = 2,80; DT = 1,60). Los niveles de sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa fueron moderados. El nivel de satisfacción respecto al apoyo social recibido fue elevado, mientras que la media de personas que prestan ayuda fue baja. Los participantes presentaron una alta calidad de vida y salud en variables como función física, rol físico, dolor corporal, salud general, función social, rol emocional y salud mental. Sin embargo, presentaron un nivel moderado de calidad de vida y salud en vitalidad. Este estudio aporta evidencia sobre variables relacionadas con la salud mental de los cuidadores primarios de niños con PBO durante la pandemia por la COVID-19 en España. (AU)

There is evidence that mothers of children with obstetric brachial plexus injury (PBO) show depressive and anxious symptoms and have low quality of life. Most of these studies evaluate only mothers (without considering fathers) and there are no recent data that collect their adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the role of social support in this population and their emotional well-being has not been explored to date. The aim of the current study was to evaluate depressive symptoms, anxiety, social support and quality of life in this population. To do this, all participants were interviewed online in order to evaluate these variables. Parents (90% women; mean age = 37.47; SD = 4.82) of 30 children between 0 and 6 years old with brachial plexus injury (40% women; mean age = 2.80; SD = 1, 60) participated. The levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology were moderate. The level of satisfaction regarding the social support received was high, while the average number of people who provide help was low. The participants presented a high quality of life and health in variables such as physical function, physical role, bodily pain, general health, social function, emotional role and mental health. However, they presented a moderate level life quality and health in vitality. This study provides evidence on variables related to the mental health of primary caregivers of children with PBO during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. (AU)

Associations between Social Support Dimensions and Resilience Factors and Pathways of Influence in Depression and Anxiety Rates in Young Adults.

Emerging adulthood is an important developmental period, associated to mental health risk. Resilience research points to both social and personal protective factors against development of psychopathology, but there is paucity with their comprehensive study in young adults. This study provides and initial integrative approach to model multiple dimensions of perceived social support (i.e., from family, friends, significant others) and personal factor of trait resilience (i.e., coping and persistence during stress, tolerance to negative affect, positive appraisals, trust) and their hypothesized contributions to reducing depression and anxiety rates. The study was conducted with a sample of 500 Spanish emerging adults (18 to 29 years old). Regression analyses and multiple mediation models were performed to test our hypotheses. Results showed that social support from family was the dimension with the highest strength relating individual differences in resilience. Furthermore, analyses supported a differential mediating role of specific resilience factors (coping and persistence during stress, tolerance to negative affect, positive appraisals, trust) in partially accounting for the association between higher social support from family and lower depression and anxiety levels in young adults. These results may inform new programs of mental health during emerging adulthood via the promotion of different sources of social support and their related resilience pathways contributing to low emotional symptomatology at this stage of development.

Sense of coherence mediates perceived social support and depressive and anxiety symptoms in cervical cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety symptoms are two common psychological disturbances in cervical cancer patients. We tested whether sense of coherence (SOC) mediates the association of perceived social support (PSS) with depression and anxiety symptoms among cervical cancer patients in China. METHODS: We conducted a survey involving 294 cervical cancer patients aged ≥ 18 years from July to December 2020 at three hospitals in Liaoning Province, China; 269 patients completed the survey. We included a demographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) in this study. We used hierarchical regression analysis to examine the relationship among PSS, SOC, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. We used asymptotic and resampling strategies to explore the mediating effect of SOC. RESULTS: PSS was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (r = - 0.439, P < 0.01) and anxiety symptoms (r = - 0.325, P < 0.01). SOC was negatively related to depressive symptoms (r = - 0.627, P < 0.01) and anxiety symptoms (r = - 0.411, P < 0.01). SOC partially mediated the association between PSS and depressive symptoms (a*b = - 0.23, BCa95% CI: [- 0.31, - 0.14]) and anxiety symptoms (a*b = - 0.15, BCa95% CI: [- 0.23, - 0.08]). The proportions of the mediating effect accounting for SOC were 49.78% and 41.73% for depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms, respectively. CONCLUSION: The study showed that SOC could mediate the association between PSS and symptoms of depression and anxiety. This suggests that SOC might serve as a potential target for intervention in symptoms of depression and anxiety that accompany cervical cancer.

Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression among Parents of Primary School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand, 2022.

One significant concern during the COVID-19 pandemic is parents' mental health, which may consequently affect children's health and well-being. The objective of this study is to investigate generalized anxiety and depression in parents of primary-school-aged children and identify risk factors for mental health problems. A cross-sectional survey comprising 701 parents of primary school children in five of Thailand's major provinces was carried out from January to March 2022. Generalized anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of independent variables on anxiety and depression. Results showed that the prevalence of generalized anxiety and depression was 42.7% and 28.5%, respectively, among Thai parents. Three strong associative factors included: (1) having a youngest child with mental health problems; (2) not assisting their children every day; and (3) drinking alcohol. These findings show that the parents must deal with several difficulties when trying to maintain work and parenting duties while being confined at home during emergency situations. The government should provide sufficient assistance to parents who lack skills in handling children with emotional and behavioral problems. Meanwhile, health promotion to reduce alcohol consumption should continue to be an area of focus.

Personality Traits and Coping Strategies as Psychological Factors Associated with Health-Related Quality of Life in Highly Sensitive Persons.

Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is the reactivity to different stimuli that occurs in some people with sufficient intensity to cause interference in daily life. There are not many previous studies that determine the influence of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies on health-related quality of life through indicators of mental (anxiety and depression) and physical (vitality) health and functioning in their lives in different contexts (emotional role functioning). In this sense, contexts that promote the use of successful stress-coping strategies are related to the presence of positive mental health outcomes. This study focuses on the analysis of indicators of health-related quality of life in people with SPS in relation to certain personality traits and coping strategies. Participants (N = 10,525) completed HSPS-S, NEO-FFI, CSI, and SF-36. Differences were observed between men and women. Differences indicated that women had higher SPS scores compared to men and poorer health-related quality of life. The results showed significant relationships with the three indicators of health-related quality of life. Finally, it is confirmed that neuroticism and the use of maladaptive coping strategies act as risk factors, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, and adaptive coping strategies act as protective factors. These findings highlight the need to develop prevention programs for highly sensitive persons.

Initial Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Middle Adolescents in Portugal.

In its early stage, the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent public health measures brought several challenges to people in general, with adolescents being one of the most affected groups. To assess the psychological reactions of Portuguese adolescents in that early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted an online survey that was filled by a sample of 340 (67.6% female and 32.4% male) middle adolescents (aged 16 and 17 years). Using the Impact Event Scale-Revised and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, we found that most participants reported a normal score for depression, anxiety, and stress. However, 47.1% reported some level of pandemic-related traumatic distress, and 25.6% reported high severity values. The girls' levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and traumatic distress were significantly higher than those of the boys. Regression models showed that gender, number of symptoms experienced in the past days, self-reported health status, and concern with family were significant predictors of these mental health indicators. Our findings underscore the need for future research on the long-term traumatic psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents, and on the gender differences in this group. This will allow the development of strategies to identify and address at-risk adolescents, since the promotion of mental health and the prevention of pathology are imperative for the health of current and future generations.

Combined effects of inflammation and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the risks of anxiety and depression: A cross-sectional study based on UK Biobank.

Infection-induced perturbation of immune homeostasis could promote psychopathology. Psychiatric sequelae have been observed after previous coronavirus outbreaks. However, limited studies were conducted to explore the potential interaction effects of inflammation and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the risks of anxiety and depression. In this study, first, polygenic risk scores (PRS) were calculated for eight COVID-19 clinical phenotypes using individual-level genotype data from the UK Biobank. Then, linear regression models were developed to assess the effects of COVID-19 PRS, C-reactive protein (CRP), systemic immune inflammation index (SII), and their interaction effects on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7, 104 783 individuals) score and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9, 104 346 individuals) score. Several suggestive interactions between inflammation factors and COVID-19 clinical phenotypes were detected for PHQ-9 score, such as CRP/SII × Hospitalized/Not_Hospitalized in women group and CRP × Hospitalized/Unscreened in age >65 years group. For GAD-7 score, we also found several suggestive interactions, such as CRP × Positive/Unscreened in the age ≤65 years group. Our results suggest that not only COVID-19 and inflammation have important effects on anxiety and depression but also the interactions of COVID-19 and inflammation have serious risks for anxiety and depression.

Psychological burden of achalasia: Patients' screening rates of depression and anxiety and sex differences.

OBJECTIVE: Achalasia is associated with reduced quality of life in affected patients but research regarding the psychological burden of achalasia in terms of depression and anxiety is scarce. The current study therefore aims to investigate rates of depression and anxiety in patients with achalasia in relation to prevalence rates in the general population and to examine the extent to which achalasia-related characteristics (time since diagnosis, symptom load, achalasia-related quality of life, treatment history) predict symptoms of depression and anxiety. METHODS: Using validated screening instruments, rates of depression and anxiety were assessed in a cross-sectional survey of a sample of 993 patients with achalasia and compared to population controls stratified by age and sex. Associations between depression and anxiety and achalasia-related factors were explored using linear regression. RESULTS: Compared to population controls, screening rates of female patients with achalasia were between 3.04 (p = .004) and 7.87 (p < .001) times higher for depression and 3.10 (p < .001) times higher for anxiety, respectively. No significant differences were found for male patients with achalasia. Both achalasia-related quality of life and symptom load were independently related to impaired mental health. CONCLUSION: Women appear to be specifically affected by the psychological burden of achalasia, pointing to sex-specific or gendered experiences of the disease. In addition to symptom reduction, psychological support may prove beneficial for improving the well-being of patients with achalasia.

Associations of emotional social support, depressive symptoms, chronic stress, and anxiety with hard cardiovascular disease events in the United States: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the globe and psychosocial factors are not sufficiently understood. AIM: In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the role of different psychosocial factors including depressive symptoms, chronic stress, anxiety, and emotional social support (ESS) on the incidence of hard CVD (HCVD). METHODS: We examined the association of psychosocial factors and HCVD incidence amongst 6,779 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Using physician reviewers' adjudication of CVD events incident, depressive symptoms, chronic stress, anxiety, emotional social support scores were measured by validated scales. We used Cox proportional Hazards (PH) models with psychosocial factors in several of the following approaches: (1) Continuous; (2) categorical; and (3) spline approach. No violation of the PH was found. The model with the lowest AIC value was chosen. RESULTS: Over an 8.46-year median follow-up period, 370 participants experienced HCVD. There was not a statistically significant association between anxiety and HCVD (95%CI) for the highest versus the lowest category [HR = 1.51 (0.80-2.86)]. Each one point higher score for chronic stress (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.08-1.29) and depressive symptoms (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03) was associated with a higher risk of HCVD in separate models. In contrary, emotional social support (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99) was linked with a lower risk of HCVD. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of chronic stress is associated with greater risk of incident HCVD whereas ESS has a protective association.

Mapping associations between anxiety and sleep problems among outpatients in high-altitude areas: a network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and sleep problems are common comorbidities among outpatients living in high-altitude areas. Network analysis is a novel method to investigate the interaction and the association between symptoms across diverse disorders. This study used network analysis to investigate the network structure symptoms of anxiety and sleep problems among outpatients in high-altitude areas, and to explore the differences in symptom associations in various sex, age, educational levels and employment groups. METHODS: The data was collected from the Sleep Medicine Center of The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province from November 2017 to January 2021 with consecutive recruitment (N = 11,194). Anxiety and sleep problems were measured by the Chinese version of the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) respectively. Central symptoms were identified based on centrality indices and bridge symptoms were identified with bridge indices. The difference of network structures in various sex, age, educational levels and employment groups were also explored. RESULTS: Among all the cases, 6,534 (58.37%; 95% CI: 57.45-59.29%) reported experiencing anxiety (GAD-7 total scores ≥ 5), and 7,718 (68.94%; 95% CI: 68.08-69.80%) reported experiencing sleep problems (PSQI total scores ≥ 10). Based on the results of network analysis, among participants, "Nervousness", "Trouble relaxing", "Uncontrollable worry" were the most critical central symptoms and bridge symptoms within the anxiety and sleep problems network structure. The adjusted network model after controlling for covariates was significantly correlated with the original (r = 0.75, P = 0.46). Additionally, there were significant differences in edge weights in the comparisons between sex, age and educational levels groups (P < 0.001), while the employed and unemployed groups did not show significant differences in edge weights (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the anxiety and sleep problems network model, among outpatients living in high-altitude areas, nervousness, uncontrollable worry, and trouble relaxing were the most central symptoms and bridge symptoms. Moreover, there were significant differences between various sex, age and educational levels. These findings can be used to provide clinical suggestions for psychological interventions and measures targeting to reduce symptoms that exacerbate mental health.

Parents of children with hearing loss: Impact and exposure of COVID-19 on mental health.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact and exposure of COVID-19 on parent mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for parents of children with hearing loss. The survey was distributed via an electronic survey to families subscribed to a pediatric program listserv as part of a university medical center. Fifty-five percent of parents reported elevated symptoms of anxiety, while 16% scored in the clinically significant range for depression. In addition, 20% of parents reported elevated symptoms of PTSD. Liner regressions found that impact of COVID-19 predicted anxiety symptoms, while both impact and exposure predicted depression and PTSD symptoms. In addition, both impact and exposure predicted COVID related parental distress. Exposure and impact of COVID-19 has had negative consequences on parents of children with hearing loss. Although exposure influenced parental mental health, impact uniquely affected depression and PTSD. Results highlight the need for mental health screening, as well implementation of psychological interventions using telehealth or in-person consultations. Future work should focus on post-pandemic challenges, including long-term psychological functioning due to the established relationship between parental mental health and pediatric outcomes.

Treatment adherence and anxiety levels of bronchiectasis patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been reported that during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, bronchiectasis patients were adversely affected due to their limited respiratory functions and acute exacerbations which were triggered by viral infections. The increased concern in the population during the pandemic has affected the attitudes of people toward avoiding disease and patients' treatment compliance. It is unclear whether treatment adherence and anxiety levels of bronchiectasis patients have changed during the pandemic. We aimed to evaluate treatment adherence and anxiety levels in patients with bronchiectasis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and November 2021. A total of 123 patients with bronchiectasis and 110 adults without chronic diseases were included in the control group. Patient demographic information, bronchiectasis follow-up data, and COVID-19 history were recorded. Then, patients filled out "MARS-5 Index" (Medical Adherence Report Scale-5), Beck Anxiety Scale and the Effect of Events Scale (IES-R). Responses of questionnaires were statistically analyzed. Our results showed that the majority of patients with bronchiectasis had high Medical Adherence Report Scale-5 index total scores during the COVID-19 pandemic (86.2%). The total scores on the Beck Anxiety Scale of bronchiectasis patients who did not have COVID-19 were significantly higher than those who had COVID-19 (P = .04). The total scores on the IES-R were found to be significantly higher in the control group (P < .001). No significant difference was found in the total scores on the Beck Anxiety Scale between the patients and the control group. The bronchiectasis patients had high adherence to their current treatment during the COVID-19 period and were less affected by the pandemic and its psychological effects compared to the healthy population. Furthermore, individuals diagnosed with bronchiectasis who were not infected with COVID-19 demonstrated increased levels of anxiety compared to those who were infected with COVID-19 which may be due to their concern about contracting the disease.

Moderating effects of resilience and self-esteem on associations between self-reported oral health problems, quality of oral health, and mental health among adolescents and adults in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There is an intersection between oral and mental health though the studies on these intersections are few. This study investigated associations between self-reported oral health problems, quality of oral health, and depression and general anxiety among adolescents and adults in Nigeria; and analysed the moderating effects of resilience and self-esteem on these associations. METHODS: In this secondary analysis, data were extracted from the database of an online survey conducted among participants 13 years and older and living in Nigeria about their self-reported psychological wellbeing. The data was collected between September and October 2020. Dependent variables were self-reported presence of oral health problems (yes/no) and self-reported quality of oral health (using a five-item scale ranging from "very good" to "very poor"). Independent variables were depressive and anxiety symptoms. Moderating factors evaluated were resilience and self-esteem. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associations between the dependent and independent variables after adjusting for confounders (age, sex, employment status and educational status). A path analysis was conducted to determine the moderating effects of self-esteem and resilience on associations between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: We extracted data for 2,757 adolescents and adults aged 13 to 62 years, of which 2,062 (74.8%) reported having oral health problems and 925 (33.6%) reported poor quality of oral health. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher odds of oral health problems (AOR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.10; p<0.001). Higher levels of depressive symptoms (AOR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.07; p<0.001), and higher levels of anxiety symptoms (AOR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04-1.11; p<0.001) were significantly associated with poor quality of oral health. Resilience significantly moderated the association between anxiety symptoms and oral health problems (AOR = -0.004; 95% CI: -0.006 --0.001; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Depression may be a risk indicator for self-reported oral health problems, while depression and anxiety appear to be risk indicators for self-reported poor quality of oral health. These factors could be included as confounders in future studies on oral health problems and quality of oral health among adolescents and adults in Nigeria.

Relationship between self-management of patients with anxiety disorders and their anxiety level and quality of life: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To explore the correlation between self-management and anxiety and quality of life in patients with anxiety disorders and to understand whether self-management can influence the relationship between anxiety and quality of life and provide a basis for improving their anxiety and quality of life. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 245 patients with anxiety disorders in West China Hospital of Sichuan University was conducted using the Self-Management of Anxiety Disorders Scale, Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BBREF. The data were then analyzed using descriptive tests and Pearson correlation in SPSS 25. Bootstrap mediated effects tests were used to test the effect relationship between anxiety, quality of life and self-management scores in patients with anxiety disorders and Amos was used to establish the structural equation model. RESULTS: The results of the correlation analysis showed that the total self-management score was positively correlated with the total quality of life score (r = 0.695, P <0.001), physical domain score (r = 0.552, P <0.001), psychological domain score (r = 0.661, P <0.001), social relations domain score (r = 0.542, P <0.001), and environmental domain score (r = 0.614, P <0.001). Additionally, it was negatively correlated with SAS score (r = -0.470, P <0.001). Self-management partially mediates the relationship between anxiety and quality of life, and the direct effect value of anxiety on quality of life was -0.44. The indirect effect value of self-management was -0.27, accounting for 38% of the total effect value. CONCLUSION: Self-management of patients with anxiety disorders was negatively correlated with anxiety and positively correlated with quality of life. It played a partially mediating effect between anxiety and quality of life. We recommend that healthcare providers pay attention to self-management interventions for patients with anxiety disorders to further improve their quality of life.

COVID-19-related social isolation and symptoms of depression and anxiety in young men in Poland: Does insomnia mediate the relationship?

The need for physical distancing due to COVID-19 mitigation efforts forced prolonged social isolation, which may affect sleep and lead to mental health problems. Previous research has shown that young adults are particularly vulnerable to psychological stress caused by social isolation, the negative psychological impact of the pandemic, and greater frequency and severity of sleep problems. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to examine whether insomnia could constitute a mediation mechanism that explains the relationship between social isolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) reported up to 1.5 years later. The study was conducted among young (M±SD; 24.08±3.75) men (N = 1025) in Poland. Data were collected by means of self-report questionnaires, including The Social Isolation Index, The Athens Insomnia Scale, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II). The results show that insomnia mediates the relationships between social isolation and both anxiety and depression. The current findings emphasize the role of insomnia in the relationships between social isolation experienced during COVID-19 and negative emotional states. From a clinical perspective, the results suggest that implementing therapeutic components that address social isolation in insomnia treatment programs may prevent the development of depression and anxiety symptoms among young men.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Anxiety Disorders in Youth: Coping with Stress, Worry, and Recovering from a Pandemic.

The primary objective of this article is to consider the impact of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic on pediatric anxiety from both a clinical and system-of-care lens. This includes illustrating the impact of the pandemic on pediatric anxiety disorders and consideration of factors important for special populations, including children with disabilities and learning differences. We consider the clinical, educational, and public health implications for addressing mental health needs like anxiety disorders and how we might promote better outcomes, particularly for vulnerable children and youth.

Risk Factors for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders.

This review summarizes risk factors for developing anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. A surfeit of risk factors, including temperament, family environment (eg, parenting style), environmental exposures (eg, particulate matter), and cognitive factors (eg, threat bias), increases the risk of anxiety in children. These risk factors can significantly impact the trajectory of pediatric anxiety disorders. The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on anxiety disorders in children is discussed in addition to its public health implications. Identifying risk factors for pediatric anxiety disorders creates a scaffold for the development of prevention strategies and for reducing anxiety-related disability.

Social Media and Anxiety in Youth: A Narrative Review and Clinical Update.

Social media use and related research on psychiatric symptoms continue to increase and evolve rapidly. The potential bidirectional relationships and correlations between social media use and anxiety seem to be understudied. We examine prior research focused on social media use and anxiety disorders, and thus far, correlations have been weak. Nevertheless, these associations may be poorly understood but important. Fear of missing out has been considered a moderator in earlier research. We discuss the limitations of previous research, guidance for clinicians and caregivers, and challenges for future studies in this area.

The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety of women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Women's mental health has a significant impact on the health of society. Due to the prevalence of mental health problems in women with PCOS, this study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety (primary outcomes) and quality of life (secondary outcomes) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was performed on 84 patients with PCOS referred to Al-Zahra Hospital in Tabriz-Iran, 2021. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 42) and control (n = 42) groups. Counseling with cognitive behavioral therapy was provided in 8 sessions of 60-90 min weekly in groups with 5 to 7 people in each group for the intervention group. Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety, Beck Depression, and Quality of Life Questionnaire for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOSQ) were used to collect data. Independent t-test and ANCOVA were used to compare the outcomes between the two groups. RESULTS: After the intervention, based on ANCOVA test with adjusting the baseline values, mean scores of depression (mean difference (MD): -18.6; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -19.4 to -17.8: P < 0.001), trait anxiety (MD: -15.0; 95% CI: -16.0 to -13.9; P < 0.001), and state anxiety (MD: -15.3; 95% CI: -16.2 to -14.3; P < 0.001), were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. The mean score of quality of life (MD: 19.25; 95% CI: 17.66 to 20.84; P < 0.001) was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that CBT was effective in reducing depression and anxiety and improving the quality of life. Therefore it is recommended that health care providers use this approach to improve the mental health and quality of life of women with PCOS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20110826007418N7. Date of registration: 25/10/2021. URL: https://en.irct.ir/trial/57348 ; Date of first registration: 25/10/2021.