scholarly journals The Impact of Psychopathology, Social Adversity and Stress-relevant DNAm on Prospective Risk for Post-traumatic Stress: A Machine Learning Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agaz H. Wani ◽  
Allison E. Aiello ◽  
Grace S. Kim ◽  
Fei Xue ◽  
Chantel L. Martin ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundA range of factors have been identified that contribute to greater incidence, severity, and prolonged course of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including: comorbid and/or prior psychopathology; social adversity such as low socioeconomic position, perceived discrimination, and isolation; and biological factors such as genomic variation at glucocorticoid receptor regulatory network (GRRN) genes. This complex etiology and clinical course make identification of people at higher risk of PTSD challenging. Here we leverage machine learning (ML) approaches to identify a core set of factors that may together predispose persons to PTSD.MethodsWe used multiple ML approaches to assess the relationship among DNA methylation (DNAm) at GRRN genes, prior psychopathology, social adversity, and prospective risk for PTS severity (PTSS).ResultsML models predicted prospective risk of PTSS with high accuracy. The Gradient Boost approach was the top-performing model with mean absolute error of 0.135, mean square error of 0.047, root mean square error of 0.217, and R2 of 95.29%. Prior PTSS ranked highest in predicting the prospective risk of PTSS, accounting for >88% of the prediction. The top ranked GRRN CpG site was cg05616442, in AKT1, and the top ranked social adversity feature was loneliness.ConclusionMultiple factors including prior PTSS, social adversity, and DNAm play a role in predicting prospective risk of PTSS. ML models identified factors accounting for increased PTSS risk with high accuracy, which may help to target risk factors that reduce the likelihood or course of PTSD, potentially pointing to approaches that can lead to early intervention.

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.


Author(s):  
Luvuyo G. Sifo ◽  
Maake J. Masango

This article investigates the impact of spousal violence on children. Spousal violence in the home affects children negatively and its impact goes beyond their childhood years into adulthood. Some children become dysfunctional in life as a result of their exposure to violence between their parents. These children may exhibit symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) later on in life. A case study of a family exposed to violence was undertaken. Findings from this case scenario were measured against existing literature. A pastoral care method of responding to the victims is proposed in order for them to be healed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 142-142
Author(s):  
C. Carmassi ◽  
C. Socci ◽  
M. Corsi ◽  
I. Pergentini ◽  
E. Massimetti ◽  
...  

IntroductionAround 9–20% of bereaved individuals experience symptoms of complicated grief (CG) associated with significant distress and impairment. Increasing research has been focused on identifying the distinctive set of psychiatric symptoms that characterize this condition with respect to major depression, corroborating the need to include this syndrome in the forthcoming DSM-V as a distinctive diagnosis. Vulnerability to CG has been rooted in attachment disturbances and authors reported that symptoms of separation anxiety in childhood should be considered as predictors of CG onset in adulthood.ObjectivesTo date no study explored symptoms of adult separation anxiety among patients with CG with respect to healthy control subjects (HC).AimsTo explore adult separation anxiety and mood spectrum symptoms in patients with CG with respect to HC.Methods53 patients with CG and 50 control subjects were recruited, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pisa. Assessments: SCID-I/P, the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA-27), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Impact of Event Scale (IES) and the Mood Spectrum-Self Report (MOODS-SR) lifetime version.ResultsPatients with CG reported significantly higher scores on the MOODS-SR, ASA_27, IES and WSAS with respect to controls. The scores on the ASA_27 were more strongly associated with IES scores with respect to other scales.ConclusionsOur results suggest a correlation between adult separation anxiety and CG onset after the loss of a loved one in adulthood, with a possible correlation to a post-traumatic stress symptomatology. Further studies are needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Ifthikar ◽  
Saima Sajjad Fakih ◽  
Saumy Johnson ◽  
Johnson Alex

Abstract Background In recent times, COVID-19 has been recognized as a public health emergency and thus far, most papers published on it are focused only on the clinical characteristics of infected patients. This pandemic has also made phenomenal emotional impact among the young and the old. We aimed to find out the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being of medical students in a University at Riyadh. Results There were 309 participants in the study. Out of them 44% did not have PTSD, 29% had score more than 37 which might contribute to immune suppression, in 18.4% PTSD was a clinical concern and 8.6% had probable PTSD. Female participants were the majority in the group and they also had higher chance of having consequences than the male counterparts (P < 0.001). Avoidance score between male and female gender was significantly different. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic has not just affected the physiological functioning of the affected individuals but also has had a probable post-traumatic stress disorder among young college students. Screening for psychological well-being and the treatment for PTSD is imperative in college, school and general population.


Author(s):  
Frederic Busch ◽  
Barbara Milrod ◽  
Cory Chen ◽  
Meriamne Singer

This book, which operationalizes and articulates in detail a unique, brief, tested psychodynamic psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy [TFPP], describes how to perform this helpful treatment. The book provides tailored psychodynamic background that underpins these approaches, and explains the different phases of treatment. Additionally, it articulates common underlying dynamics of PTSD that the treatment commonly addresses in patients to bring about symptomatic relief. TFPP is being tested in two diverse populations: military Veterans with PTSD who are receiving care at three Veterans Administration Hospitals, and also among LGBTQ patients with PTSD. The book is focused on the authors’ experiences treating Veterans and many clinical examples are provided demonstrating how to work with these principles and approaches. In general, patients and therapists have found the treatment to be an extremely useful tool. Veterans have gained insight into the impact of traumatic experiences on various aspects of their lives and had improvements in dissociation, interpersonal engagement, anxiety, and anger/hostility. TFPP appears to be particularly effective for patients with prominent avoidance symptoms and those who are unwilling or unable to recount the details of their trauma directly. Patients have been found to be more affectively engaged and better connected to others (including the therapist) following treatment.


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