A hierarchy of visual processing deficits in body dysmorphic disorder: a conceptual review and empirical investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Abnormal visual processing has been proposed as a mechanism underlying excessive focus on minor appearance flaws in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Existing BDD research has not differentiated the various stages of face processing (featural, first-order configural, holistic and second-order configural) that are required for higher-order processes such as emotion recognition. This study investigated a hierarchical visual processing model to examine the nature of abnormalities in face processing in BDD. METHOD: Thirty BDD participants and 27 healthy controls completed the Navon task, a featural and configural face processing task and a facial emotion labelling task. RESULTS: BDD participants performed similarly to controls when processing global and local non-face stimuli on the Navon task, when detecting subtle changes in the features and spacing of a target face, and when labelling emotional faces. However, BDD participants displayed poorer performance when viewing inverted faces, indicating difficulties in configural processing. CONCLUSIONS: The findings only partially support prior work. However, synthesis of results with previous findings indicates that heterogenous task methodologies may contribute to inconsistent findings. Recommendations are provided regarding the task parameters that appear most sensitive to abnormalities in BDD.

Aggressive behaviours associated with MDMA and psychedelics: a narrative review.

OBJECTIVE: Monoamine neurotransmitters play a role in aggression, especially when altered by illicit substances. However, some literature suggests that not all illicit substances may lead to aggression, notably psychedelics. This narrative review investigates the associations between serotonergic psychedelics and MDMA on aggressive behaviour. METHODS: PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for original, peer-reviewed articles evaluating the effects of serotonergic psychedelics and 3,4-methyl enedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) on violent and aggressive behaviour using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS: After removing duplicates, a total of 555 articles were screened, with 16 meeting the inclusion criteria. One additional article was obtained through reference screening bringing the total to 17 articles. Of these 17 articles, 14 studies focused on MDMA and three on serotonergic psychedelics. Findings were mixed, with some results demonstrating increased aggression following psychedelics and others suggesting protective effects. Limitations in the current literature include varied definitions of psychedelics, lack of standardised objective outcome measures and failure to control for confounding. CONCLUSION: As psychedelic research continues to expand, further assessment on the effects of serotonergic psychedelics and MDMA on aggressive behaviour is required.

Marked Increase in Amphetamine-Related Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Admissions in Toronto, Canada, 2014-2021.

BACKGROUND: We report emergency department and inpatient amphetamine-related trends focusing on co-occurring substance use and psychiatric diagnoses at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the largest mental health teaching hospital in Canada. METHODS: We describe yearly trends in amphetamine-related Centre for Addiction and Mental Health emergency department visits and inpatient admissions out of all emergency department visits and inpatient admissions between 2014 and 2021, along with proportions of concurrent substance-related admissions and mental/psychotic disorders emergency department visits and inpatient admissions among amphetamine-related contacts; joinpoint regression analyses assessed changes in amphetamine-related emergency department visits and inpatient admissions. RESULTS: Amphetamine-related emergency department visits rose from 1.5% in 2014 to 8.3% in 2021, with a peak of 9.9% in 2020. Amphetamine-related inpatient admissions rose from 2.0% to 8.8% in 2021, with a peak of 8.9% in 2020. Significant increasing trends in the percentage of amphetamine-related emergency department visits happened especially between the second and the fourth quarter of 2014 (quarterly percent change = + 71.4, P <0.01). Similarly, the percentage of amphetamine-related inpatient admissions increased mostly between the second quarter of 2014 and the third quarter of 2015 (quarterly percent change = + 32.6, P <0.01). The proportion of concurrent opioid-related contacts among amphetamine-related emergency department visits and inpatient admission increased markedly between 2014 and 2021; psychotic disorders in amphetamine-related inpatient admissions more than doubled from 2015 to 2021. DISCUSSION: Prevalence of amphetamine use, mostly from methamphetamine, has been increasing in Toronto as have co-occurring psychiatric disorders and opioid use. Our findings highlight the need for increases in accessible efficacious treatments for complex populations with polysubstance use and co-occurring disorders.

Experiences of people with long COVID: Symptoms, support strategies and the Long COVID Optimal Health Programme (LC-OHP).

INTRODUCTION: Long COVID (LC) is a multisystem illness, with fluctuating symptoms that affect the daily activities of patients. There are still no standardised diagnostic criteria or treatment approaches for managing LC. The LC-Optimal Health Programme (LC-OHP) was designed to support the mental wellbeing and physical health of people with LC. Gaining an in-depth understanding of patients' experiences and support strategies is imperative to identifying appropriate supports to guide them through their recovery. This study aimed to elicit the experiences and perceptions of adults with LC regarding symptoms, support strategies and the LC-OHP. METHODS: As part of a wider randomised controlled trial of the LC-OHP, participants in the intervention group had their sessions audio-recorded. Transcripts were thematically analysed to identify common emergent themes. FINDINGS: The LC-OHP was delivered to 26 participants. Data were collected between January 2022 and February 2023. Four main themes emerged: 'Symptoms and impact of LC'; 'Other sources of support and perceived challenges'; 'Strategies to support LC' and 'Perceptions of the LC-OHP'. CONCLUSION: LC experiences were mostly described as fluctuating and burdensome that significantly impacted daily activities, and physical and mental health. The LC-OHP was perceived as beneficial. Access and experiences of other sources of support were varied. Increasing LC awareness amongst health practitioners and the wider community has the potential to improve the experiences of those affected by LC. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The LC-OHP was derived from the OHP. It was adapted to people with LC following consultation with practitioners at an LC clinic. Additionally, the mode and timing of delivering the programme to this population were taken into account for its delivery at the convenience of participating patients. While considering that fatigue and brain fog are amongst the most reported complaints of people with LC, public members with LC were not involved directly in this study; however, feedback obtained from practitioners working with this population was implemented in amending the programme and its delivery. Additionally, feedback from patients with other chronic health conditions who used the OHP in previous studies has been implemented to make the programme more user-friendly. Moreover, feedback obtained from participants receiving this programme in this study was implanted immediately and shared with other participants. Finally, this study was overviewed by a data management committee that included two public members with LC, who contributed and provided guidance to support this study.

Interventions to support mental health in people with long COVID: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Long COVID (LC) is a multisystem disease with symptoms lasting weeks or months beyond the acute COVID-19 infection. Several manifestations are reported by people with LC, including effects on mental health, with varying degrees of psychological distress and disturbances to daily activities. Research conducted to identify effective interventions to support mental health among people with LC has been limited by the breadth and scope of studies. AIM: This review aims to identify interventions being tested to support mental health of people with LC. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted by searching five databases for articles published between January 2020 and early October 2022 to identify research evaluating interventions focused on improving mental health symptoms associated with LC. Results from all sources were checked for eligibility by two reviewers, and agreements were resolved by discussion. Gray literature and reference list of included studies and relevant reviews were scrutinised to identify any additional studies. Data extraction was conducted by one reviewer and checked by another reviewer for accuracy. RESULTS: Of the 940 studies identified, 17 were included, the design of which varied but included mainly case studies (n = 6) and clinical trials (n = 5). Several interventions were described, ranging from single interventions (e.g., pharmacologic) to more holistic, comprehensive suites of services (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic). Several mental health outcomes were measured, mostly anxiety and depression. All included studies were reported to be associated with improvements in participants' mental health outcomes. CONCLUSION: This scoping review identified studies reporting on a variety of interventions to support mental health among people with LC. Although positive changes were reported by all studies, some were case studies and thus their findings must be interpreted with caution. There is a need for more research to be conducted to identify the impact of interventions on mental health of people with LC.

Speech processing in voice-hearers: Bridging the gap between empirical research and clinical implications.

Individuals who hear voices (i.e. auditory verbal hallucinations) have been reported to exhibit a range of difficulties when listening to and processing the speech of other people. These speech processing challenges are observed even in the absence of hearing voices; however, some appear to be exacerbated during periods of acute symptomology. In this advisory piece, key findings from pertinent empirical research into external speech processing in voice-hearers are presented with the intention of informing healthcare professionals. It is the view that through a better understanding of the speech processing deficits faced by individuals who hear voices, more effective communication with such patients can be had.

A systematic review of gender-responsive and integrated substance use disorder treatment programs for women with co-occurring disorders.

Background: Integrated and gender-responsive interventions, designed to target co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders in women, may be effective in addressing gender-specific challenges.Objectives: This systematic review aims to identify integrated gender-responsive substance use disorder treatments for women, summarize evaluations of these treatments, and address gaps in the literature.Methods: We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and MEDLINE on September 24, 2021, and March 10, 2022. Included articles were randomized-controlled trials, secondary analyses of naturalistic studies, or open-label studies of integrated and gender-responsive treatments from any year that assessed both substance use and mental health/trauma outcomes.Results: We identified N = 24 studies (participants = 3,396; 100% women) examining Seeking Safety, Helping Women Recover and Beyond Trauma, A Woman's Path to Recovery, Modified Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM), Breaking the Cycle, VOICES, Understanding and Overcoming Substance Misuse, Women's Recovery Group, Female Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Moment by Moment in Women's Recovery. Across treatments there were significant improvements over time; Seeking Safety, Helping Women Recover, and TREM were associated with significantly better substance use and mental health outcomes relative to the comparison groups.Conclusions: Integrated gender-responsive treatments are a promising approach to treating women with co-occurring substance use and mental health concerns, and broad clinical implementation stands to benefit women. However, there remains a lack of studies evaluating substance use treatments in women with severe mental illness (e.g., psychotic-spectrum disorders) who differ in their needs and capacity.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on illness perceptions, coping, self-efficacy, psychological distress and quality of life.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) negatively impacts psychological well-being and quality of life (QoL). Underpinned by the Common Sense Model (CSM), this study evaluated the potential mediating role of self-efficacy, coping styles and psychological distress on the relationship between illness perceptions and QoL in patients living with CKD. Participants were 147 people with stage 3-5 kidney disease. Measures included eGFR, illness perceptions, coping styles, psychological distress, self-efficacy and QoL. Correlational analyses were performed, followed by regression modelling. Poorer QoL was associated with greater distress, engagement in maladaptive coping, poorer illness perceptions and lower self-efficacy. Regression analysis revealed that illness perceptions predicted QoL, with psychological distress acting as a mediator. The proportion of variance explained was 63.8%. These findings suggest that psychological interventions are likely to enhance QoL in CKD, if they target the mediating psychological processes associated with illness perceptions and psychological distress.

Assessing severity in anorexia nervosa: Do the DSM-5 and an alternative severity rating based on overvaluation of weight and shape severity differ in psychological and biological correlates?

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the severity ratings for anorexia nervosa (AN) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and an alternative severity rating based on overvaluation of weight/shape, on a range of psychological and biological variables. METHOD: A sample of 312 treatment-seeking patients with AN (mean age = 25.3, SD = 7.6; mean BMI = 16.8 kg/m2 , SD = 2.4) were categorised using both DSM-5 severity levels (mild/moderate/severe/extreme) and weight/shape (low/high) overvaluation. The severity categories were compared on a range of psychological (e.g., eating psychopathology) and biological (e.g., sodium) variables. RESULTS: Results showed that the overvaluation of weight/shape appeared better at indexing the level of severity in psychological variables among patients with AN compared to the DSM-5 severity rating with moderate to large effect sizes. Moreover, the DSM-5 mild and moderate severity groups experienced significantly higher eating and general psychopathology than the severe and extreme groups. Finally, neither the DSM-5 nor the weight/shape severity groups differed on any of the biological variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided no support for the DSM-5 severity rating for AN, while initial support was found for the weight/shape overvaluation approach in indexing psychological but not biological correlates.

Over a decade of an eating disorders treatment program: Where to from here?

OBJECTIVE: Currently available treatments for eating disorders lack efficacy resulting in poor outcomes for patients. In this paper, we describe a number of issues that we have identified in our clinical service, which are not unique to our treatment program. CONCLUSIONS: The issues described are common among eating disorder services worldwide and need to be addressed in order to move the field forward. We provide a number of solutions and research areas that need greater focus so that we are able to improve the efficacy of eating disorder treatment services.

Changes in telepsychiatry regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic: 17 countries and regions' approaches to an evolving healthcare landscape.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine as a way to reduce COVID-19 infections was noted and consequently deregulated. However, the degree of telemedicine regulation varies from country to country, which may alter the widespread use of telemedicine. This study aimed to clarify the telepsychiatry regulations for each collaborating country/region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used snowball sampling within a global network of international telepsychiatry experts. Thirty collaborators from 17 different countries/regions responded to a questionnaire on barriers to the use and implementation of telepsychiatric care, including policy factors such as regulations and reimbursement at the end of 2019 and as of May 2020. RESULTS: Thirteen of 17 regions reported a relaxation of regulations due to the pandemic; consequently, all regions surveyed stated that telepsychiatry was now possible within their public healthcare systems. In some regions, restrictions on prescription medications allowed via telepsychiatry were eased, but in 11 of the 17 regions, there were still restrictions on prescribing medications via telepsychiatry. Lower insurance reimbursement amounts for telepsychiatry consultations v. in-person consultations were reevaluated in four regions, and consequently, in 15 regions telepsychiatry services were reimbursed at the same rate (or higher) than in-person consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that, due to COVID-19, the majority of countries surveyed are altering telemedicine regulations that had previously restricted the spread of telemedicine. These findings provide information that could guide future policy and regulatory decisions, which facilitate greater scale and spread of telepsychiatry globally.

A Critical Appraisal of Evidence on the Efficacy and Safety of Serotonergic Psychedelic Drugs as Emerging Antidepressants: Mind the Evidence Gap.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: There has been resurgence of interest in the therapeutic use of serotonergic ("classic") psychedelics in major depressive disorder (MDD) and end-of-life distress. This commentary offers a critical appraisal of current evidence for antidepressant effects of classic psychedelics from contemporary clinical trials and highlights pitfalls that should be addressed before clinical translation. METHODS/PROCEDURES: A narrative review was conducted to identify clinical trials of serotonergic psychedelics for the treatment of MDD and end-of-life distress. Trials published between January 1990 and May 2022 were identified on PubMed using combinations of search terms. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and ayahuasca have clinical trials to evaluate antidepressant effects. Two studies showed preliminary positive effects of single-dose ayahuasca for treatment-resistant depression. Similar results were seen in lysergic acid diethylamide for end-of-life distress. Small randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy showed superiority to waitlist controls and comparable efficacy and safety to an active comparator in MDD, with additional RCTs showing efficacy in end-of-life distress. Adverse events associated with psychedelics were reported as mild and transient. Small homogenous samples, expectancy bias, functional unblinding, and lack of consensus and standardization of psychotherapy are major limitations of all studies. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Given the methodological limitations of published RCTs, the evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of serotonergic psychedelics for depression is currently of low level. Future research should assess the role of expectancy and psychedelic effects in moderating and mediating treatment response. Innovative trial designs are needed to overcome functional unblinding. For now, psychedelics should remain experimental interventions used within clinical trials.

Autonomic nervous system function in women with anorexia nervosa.

PURPOSE: Abnormalities in autonomic function have been observed in people with anorexia nervosa. However, the majority of investigations have utilised heart rate variability as the sole assessment of autonomic activity. The current study utilised a variety of methodologies to assess autonomic nervous system function in women with a current diagnosis of anorexia, a past diagnosis of anorexia who were weight-restored, and healthy controls. METHODS: The sample included 37 participants: 10 participants with anorexia, 17 weight-restored participants (minimum body mass index > 18.5 for minimum of 12 months) and 10 controls. Assessments of autonomic function included muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) using microneurography, heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, blood pressure variability, head-up tilt table test, sudomotor function and assessment of plasma catecholamines. RESULTS: MSNA (bursts/min) was significantly decreased in both anorexia (10.22 ± 6.24) and weight-restored (17.58 ± 1.68) groups, as compared to controls (23.62 ± 1.01, p < 0.001 and p = 0.033, respectively). Participants with anorexia had a significantly lower standard deviation in heart rate, lower blood pressure variability and decreased sudomotor function as compared to controls. Weight-restored participants demonstrated decreased baroreflex sensitivity in response to head-up tilt as compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Women with a current or previous diagnosis of anorexia have significantly decreased sympathetic activity, which may reflect a physiological response to decreased energy intake. During the state of starvation, women with anorexia also displayed decreased sudomotor function. The consequences of a sustained decrease in MSNA are unknown, and future studies should investigate autonomic function in long-term weight-restored participants to determine whether activity returns to normal.

A biomarker and endophenotype for anorexia nervosa?

OBJECTIVE: Recent research has suggested that a type of atypical eye movement, called square wave jerks, together with anxiety, may distinguish individuals with anorexia nervosa from those without anorexia nervosa and may represent a biomarker and endophenotype for the illness. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of this proposed marker in individuals currently with anorexia nervosa relative to healthy controls, and to identify the state independence and heritability of this putative marker by exploring whether it also exists in individuals who are weight-restored from anorexia nervosa and first-degree relatives (i.e. sisters of people with anorexia nervosa). METHODS: Data from 80 female participants (20/group: current anorexia nervosa, weight-restored from anorexia nervosa, sisters of people with anorexia nervosa and healthy controls) were analysed. Square wave jerk rate was acquired during a fixation task, and anxiety was measured with the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: Current anorexia nervosa, weight-restored from anorexia nervosa and sisters of people with anorexia nervosa groups made significantly more square wave jerks than healthy controls, but did not differ from one another. Square wave jerk rate and anxiety were found to discriminate groups with exceptionally high accuracy (current anorexia nervosa vs healthy control = 92.5%; weight-restored from anorexia nervosa vs healthy control = 77.5%; sisters of people with anorexia nervosa vs healthy control = 77.5%; p < .001). CONCLUSION: The combination of square wave jerk rate and anxiety was found to be a promising two-element marker for anorexia nervosa, and has the potential to be used as a biomarker or endophenotype to identify people at risk of anorexia nervosa and inform future treatments.

Evaluation of a Housing First programme for people from the public mental health sector with severe and persistent mental illnesses and precarious housing: Housing, health and service use outcomes.

AIMS AND CONTEXT: This paper reports the evaluation of the Doorway program (2015-18) in Melbourne, Australia. Doorway extends the original Housing First (HF) model in providing housing support to people with precarious housing at-risk of homelessness with Serious and Persistent Mental Illnesses (SPMIs) receiving care within Victoria's public mental health system. Doorway participants source and choose properties through the open rental market, and receive rental subsidies, assistance, advocacy and brokerage support through their Housing and Recovery Worker (HRW). The aim of this study is to estimate Doorway's impact on participants' housing, quality of life and mental health service use. METHODOLOGY: The study employed a a quasi-experimental study design with a comparison group, adjusted for ten potential confounders. The primary outcome measure was days of secure housing per participant. Secure housing status, health service usage and quality of life (HoNOS) data were extracted from participants' electronic hospital and Doorway records in deidentified, non-reidentifiable form. Analysis for continuous outcome variables was based on multivariate GLM modelling. RESULTS: Doorway housed 89 (57%) of 157 accepted participants. The 157 Doorway participants overall were also housed for significantly more days (119.4 extra days per participant) than control participants, albeit after some delay in locating and moving into housing (mean 14 weeks). There was a significant, positive Doorway effect on health outcomes (all and one dimension of the HoNOS). Doorway participants had significantly reduced length of stay during acute and community hospital admissions (7.4 fewer days per participant) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The Doorway model represents a new and substantial opportunity to house, enhance health outcomes and reduce mental health service use for people with SPMIs from the public mental health sector and at-risk of homelessness.

Does cannabis use predict aggressive or violent behavior in psychiatric populations? A systematic review.

Background: Despite an increase in information evaluating the therapeutic and adverse effects of cannabinoids, many potentially important clinical correlates, including violence or aggression, have not been adequately investigated.Objectives: In this systematic review, we examine the published evidence for the relationship between cannabis and aggression or violence in individuals with psychiatric disorders.Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, articles in English were searched on PubMed, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO from database inception to January 2022. Data for aggression and violence in people with psychiatric diagnoses were identified during the searches.Results: Of 391 papers identified within the initial search, 15 studies met inclusion criteria. Cross-sectional associations between cannabis use and aggression or violence in samples with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were found. Moreover, a longitudinal association between cannabis use and violence and aggression was observed in psychotic-spectrum disorders. However, the presence of uncontrolled confounding factors in the majority of included studies precludes any causal conclusions.Conclusion: Although cannabis use is associated with aggression or violence in individuals with PTSD or psychotic-spectrum disorders, causal conclusions cannot be drawn due to methodological limitations observed in the current literature. Well-controlled, longitudinal studies are needed to ascertain whether cannabis plays a causal role on subsequent violence or aggression in mental health disorders.

Anorexia nervosa, weight restoration and biological siblings: Differences and similarities in clinical characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with clinical characteristics including eating disorder symptomatology, negative mood states, perfectionism and cognitive inflexibility. Whether these characteristics differ across illness stages, and are also present in first-degree relatives, demonstrating heritability, is unclear. The aim of this research was to compare current AN (c-AN), weight-restored AN (wr-AN), sisters of individuals with AN (AN-sis) and healthy controls (HC) on these measures. METHOD: Eighty participants (n = 20/group) completed the study. RESULTS: Eating disorder symptomatology was similar among c-AN and wr-AN groups, whereas the AN-sis did not differ from either wr-AN or HC. Anxiety was significantly higher in c-AN, wr-AN and AN-sis groups, relative to HC. Increased perfectionism was identified in the c-AN and wr-AN groups compared to AN-sis and HC on the 'concern over mistakes', 'personal standards' and 'doubt and actions' subscales of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Group differences were not apparent on cognitive flexibility. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that anxiety may be a risk factor or linked to genetic susceptibility for AN, as well as specific aspects of perfectionism that relate to self-imposed standards.

Bridging the gap between diabetes care and mental health: perspectives of the Mental health IN DiabeteS Optimal Health Program (MINDS OHP).

BACKGROUND: Mental health problems are highly prevalent in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), which adversely impact physical health and quality of life. This study aimed to explore the experiences of people with T1DM who had completed the Mental health IN DiabeteS Optimal Health Program (MINDS OHP), a novel intervention developed to bridge the gap between physical and mental health care. METHOD: Participants with T1DM were invited to take part in a focus group or semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited from outpatient and community settings. The focus group and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis was used and identified themes were cross-validated by researchers and member-checked by participants. RESULTS: Ten people with T1DM were included. Two key themes emerged: 'MINDS OHP experiences' and 'lived experiences of diabetes'. MINDS OHP experiences included five sub-themes: program benefits, follow-up and timing, suggested improvements, collaborative partners, and materials suitability. Lived experiences also included five sub-themes: bridging the gap between mental and physical health, support networks, stigma and shame, management intrusiveness, and adolescence and critical life points. CONCLUSIONS: The MINDS OHP for people with T1DM was generally well received, though study findings suggest a number of improvements could be made to the program, such as including family members, and consideration being given to its routine early inclusion in diabetes management, ideally in primary care.

Childhood maltreatment and trauma is common and severe in body dysmorphic disorder.

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment and trauma may be risk factors for the development of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). However, the limited research to date on these topics has been constrained by either the absence of a matched healthy control group or non-comprehensive assessments. METHODS: This study assessed the prevalence and severity of childhood maltreatment and other traumatic events in 52 BDD participants (56% female) and 57 matched controls (51% female) with no history of mental illness, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and a checklist assessing broader traumatic events. RESULTS: In comparison with controls, participants with BDD showed a higher prevalence of emotional abuse (61.5% vs. 33.3%) and physical neglect (59.6% vs. 28.1%), as well as more severe overall maltreatment, emotional abuse, and emotional and physical neglect. BDD participants were also more likely to meet cut-offs for multiple types of maltreatment and reported an elevated number and variety of broader traumatic childhood events (e.g., life-threatening illness). In BDD, increasingly severe maltreatment was correlated with greater severity of BDD symptoms, anxiety and suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that childhood maltreatment and exposure to other traumatic events are common and severe in BDD and are cross-sectionally associated with the severity of clinical symptoms. Adversity linked to maladaptive family functioning during childhood may therefore be especially relevant to people with BDD and could relate to social and emotional processing problems in the disorder.

A psychosocial intervention for individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease: A feasibility randomized controlled trial.

AIM: The current study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a psychosocial intervention, the Kidney Optimal Health Program, in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Patients with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease were randomized to either a nine-session psychosocial intervention programme or usual care. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment and retention rates and programme acceptability. Participants completed assessments of depression, anxiety and psychosocial health at baseline and at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare groups on outcomes over time. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients were screened for eligibility; 84 consented to participant and were randomized to receive the intervention (N = 42) or usual care (N = 42). 27 (32.1%) participants withdrew prior to baseline assessment. Of those who completed the baseline assessment (N = 57), trial retention was high (75.4% at 3-month, 80.7% at 6-month and 70.2% at 12-month follow-up). Participants reported high levels of programme acceptability. The patients who completed the intervention (N = 17) demonstrated significantly decreased depression at 12-month follow-up compared to the usual care group (N = 13). CONCLUSION: The results support the feasibility of the Kidney Optimal Health Program intervention in recruitment, retention and programme acceptability with an improved screening protocol. Preliminary support is provided for improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Further investigation through a fully powered randomized controlled trial is warranted.