Attentional Bias Dynamics and Posttraumatic Stress in Survivors of Violent Conflict and Atrocities

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Yuval ◽  
Ariel Zvielli ◽  
Amit Bernstein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Attentional Bias ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Violent Conflict ◽  
Behavioral Avoidance ◽  
Bias Modification ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

Survivors of violent conflict and atrocities, forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) are at risk for trauma-related mental health problems. Experimental clinical research key to the development of interventions tailored to FDPs is limited. We examined relations among attentional bias (AB) to trauma cues, posttraumatic stress symptom (PTS) severity, and behavioral avoidance of exposure to trauma-related stimuli. A total of 110 Sudanese male asylum seekers (age M = 32.7, SD = 6.5) were recruited from the community in Israel. AB temporal dynamics significantly predicted levels of PTS as well as behavioral avoidance of exposure to trauma stimuli specifically. No effects were observed when AB was quantified traditionally as an aggregated mean representing a static trait. Findings demonstrate the potential role of AB dynamics in PTS among FDPs, help disambiguate extant mixed findings between AB and PTS, and suggest that cognitive bias modification targeting AB dynamics may be a promising new direction for FDP mental health research.

"I'm Not That Innocent": Recruiting Sexual and Gender Minorities for Rural Mental Health Research

2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-14
Author(s):  
Cathleen Willging
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽  
Hidden Populations ◽  
Gender Minorities ◽  
And Gender

There is a dearth of research, anthropological and otherwise, focused on the mental health needs of sexual and gender minorities in rural areas. The risk for mental illness is greater for such groups due to their repeated exposure to psychosocial stressors associated with discrimination, stigmatization, and violence. The consequences of such exposure may be exacerbated in rural areas, where mental health resources are typically insufficient for the general population. Ethnographic research can provide important insights into how sexual and gender minorities cope with mental health problems within rural settings where treatment options are limited. The methodological challenges of undertaking such research are substantial, and include lack of identification among potential participants with externally imposed social categories, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), and the problem of recruiting "hidden" populations to take part in studies on sensitive topics. When taking into account the geographical dispersion of LGBT people in rural areas, these challenges increase substantially.

Psychological distress among Vietnamese adults attending Vietnamese-speaking general practices in South Western Sydney: prevalence and associations

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Nguyen ◽  
Sarah Dennis ◽  
Huy An ◽  
Sanjyot Vagholkar ◽  
Siaw Teng Liaw
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Past History ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
History Of ◽  
General Practices ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

Objective The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of psychological distress among Vietnamese adults attending Vietnamese-speaking general practices and explore possible risk factors in this population. Methods A cross-sectional survey of Vietnamese adult patients was conducted at 25 general practices with Vietnamese-speaking general practitioners (GPs) in south-western Sydney between October 2012 and February 2013. Patients completed the Kessler (K10) scale and a demographic questionnaire, available in Vietnamese or English. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21. Results Of the 350 patients invited to participate, 247 completed surveys (response rate 71%). One-quarter (25%) of participants had a very high K10 score for psychological distress, nearly twice that reported in the NSW Health Survey. Participants with high exposure to trauma were at increased risk of psychological distress (odds ratio 5.9, 95% confidence interval 2.4–14.4; P < 0.0001) compared with those with mild or no trauma exposure. Similarly, risk was increased if there was a past history of mental health problems and a lack of personal and social support. Conclusion The high prevalence of mental health problems in adult Vietnamese people attending Vietnamese-speaking general practices is associated with exposure to trauma. This highlights the importance of personal, social and professional support in effective management. Vietnamese-speaking GPs who see Vietnamese or similar refugee groups should actively seek out a history of exposure to trauma, a past history of mental illness and the existence of support systems.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a mobile phone-based intervention to reduce mental health problems in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial (PsyCovidApp trial) (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Antònia Fiol-DeRoque ◽  
Maria Jesús Serrano-Ripoll ◽  
Rafael Jiménez ◽  
Rocío Zamanillo-Campos ◽  
Aina María Yáñez-Juan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Psychotropic Medications ◽  
Randomized Controlled

BACKGROUND The global health emergency generated by the COVID-19 pandemic is posing an unprecedented challenge to healthcare workers (HCWs), who are facing heavy workloads under psychologically difficult situations. OBJECTIVE This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational mobile Health (mHealth) intervention to reduce mental health problems in HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We carried out a blinded randomized controlled trial. HCWs caring for COVID-19 patients in Spain were randomly assigned (1:1) by a computer-generated randomization sequence to the PsyCovidApp intervention (App targeting emotional skills, healthy lifestyle behavior, burnout, and social support) or a control App (general recommendations about mental healthcare). Data collection was conducted telephonically at baseline and two weeks. The primary endpoint was a composite of depression, anxiety, and stress. Secondary endpoints were insomnia, burnout, posttraumatic stress, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and stress. Differences between groups were analyzed using general linear modeling, according to an intention-to-treat protocol. RESULTS Between 14 May and 25 July 2020, 482 HCWs were randomly assigned to PsyCovidApp (n=248) or the control App (n=234). At two weeks, complete outcome data were available for 436 (91%) HCWs. No significant differences were observed between the groups at two weeks in the primary outcome (standardized mean difference -0.04 [95% CI -0.11 to 0.04]; p=0.15) and in the rest of the outcomes. In our prespecified subgroup analyses, we observed significant (p<0.05) improvements among HCWs consuming psychotropic medications in the primary outcome, and posttraumatic stress, insomnia, anxiety, and stress. Similarly, among HCWs receiving psychotherapy, we observed improvements in the primary outcome, insomnia, anxiety, and stress. CONCLUSIONS In HCWs assisting COVID-19 patients in Spain, PsyCovidApp, compared with a control App, reduced mental health problems at two weeks only among HCWs receiving psychotherapy or psychotropic medications. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04393818

scholarly journals Computational Psychiatry Needs Time and Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter F. Hitchcock ◽  
Eiko I. Fried ◽  
Michael J. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Mental Content ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Computational Psychiatry ◽  
State Variation ◽  
New Generation

Why has computational psychiatry yet to influence routine clinical practice? One reason may be that it has neglected context and temporal dynamics in the models of certain mental health problems. We develop three heuristics for estimating whether time and context are important to a mental health problem: Is it characterized by a core neurobiological mechanism? Does it follow a straightforward natural trajectory? And is intentional mental content peripheral to the problem? For many problems the answers are no, suggesting that modeling time and context is critical. We review computational psychiatry advances toward this end, including modeling state variation, using domain-specific stimuli, and interpreting differences in context. We discuss complementary network and complex systems approaches. Novel methods and unification with adjacent fields may inspire a new generation of computational psychiatry. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Psychology, Volume 73 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

scholarly journals Childhood Adversity, Resilience, and Mental Health: A Sequential Mixed-Methods Study of Chinese Young Adults

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051987603
Author(s):  
G. W. K. Ho ◽  
A. C. Y. Chan ◽  
M. Shevlin ◽  
T. Karatzias ◽  
P. S. Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Chinese Young Adults

Resilience is a key health protective factor for those with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), but little research has explored how it manifests in early adulthood or across cultures. The purpose of this study was to generate a fuller understanding of resilience and its contribution to the relationships between mental health problems and ACEs among Chinese young adults in Hong Kong. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, 433 Chinese young adults aged 18 to 24 years were surveyed online to examine the relationships between ACEs, resilience, and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, maladjustment, and posttraumatic stress symptoms). Among them, 34 participants with ACEs were purposively selected and interviewed to explore cultural factors that influenced their resilience. Quantitative data were analyzed using multiple hierarchical regression analyses; qualitative data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Higher cumulative ACE exposure was associated with higher severity of adjustment disorder and odds for screening positive for posttraumatic stress disorders, but not for symptoms of depression or anxiety. Resilience significantly contributed to explaining variances across all mental health outcomes over and beyond ACEs and in a protective fashion. Four themes emerged from qualitative interviews: (a) Privacy, emotional restraint, and “saving face”; (b) Conforming to preserve harmony; (c) A will to excel; and (d) Viewing adversity as a matter of luck. These findings suggest Chinese young adults’ resilience was influenced by cultural norms of restraint, conformity, competition, and superstition. The present study provides a model for future studies using a mixed-methods design to deeply examine resilience among younger people exposed to early adversities within sociocultural, historical, or geographical contexts.

Violence and Victimization During Incarceration: Relations to Psychosocial Adjustment During Reentry to the Community

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 361-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Schappell ◽  
Meagan Docherty ◽  
Paul Boxer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Positive Relation ◽  
Mental Problems

We surveyed male ex-offenders (N = 100) about their experiences during and prior to incarceration to assess the role of these factors in psychosocial adjustment postrelease. Participants completed measures of preincarceration mental health problems and severe victimization and feelings of safety during incarceration; they also self-reported emotional distress, antisocial behavior, and posttraumatic stress (PTS). Moderator analyses of PTS outcomes revealed two key interactions between preincarceration mental health problems and severe victimization during incarceration as well as preincarceration mental health problems by feelings of safety during incarceration. In those without preincarceration mental health problems, victimization and PTS were significantly positively related; this was not the case for those with preexisting mental problems. Furthermore, the positive relation between feeling unsafe and PTS was stronger among those with preexisting mental problems. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for reentry services.

To The Question of Destigmatization of Psychiatry and Mentally III Persons In The Modern Society

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S523-S523
Author(s):  
S. Vladimirova ◽  
V. Lebedeva ◽  
E. Gutkevich ◽  
A. Semke ◽  
N. Bokhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Research Institute ◽  
Mentally Ill Persons

In recent decades, new medications have been developed that entailed possibility of rehabilitation and socialization of mentally ill persons.PurposeTo consider a phenomenon of destigmatization of mentally ill persons on the example of the analysis of screening-questioning in mental health service.MethodsRandomized screening-questioning of participants of Open Doors Day in the clinics of Mental Health Research Institute (Tomsk, Russia) in connection with World Mental Health Day in October, 2015.ResultsOne hundred and forty-six residents of Tomsk and inhabitants of the Tomsk Region as well as other cities visited Mental Health Research Institute. 76,5% of them visited mental health service for the first time. More than a half of visitors (51%) was the most able-bodied age group – 20-50 years old; elderly people – 20%. According to many-year observation of authors of the work, there is a gradual destigmatization of people with mental health problems. Process of destigmatization will develop further, and mass media should also be engaged in it. One more moment should be emphasized – reduction of self-stigmatization. Though people do not still aim to seek for psychiatric help at the appropriate institutions (they prefer to visit the psychiatrist of the catchment area policlinic), they after all started recognizing presence of the problem, understanding the need of its overcoming, and possibility of its correction.ConclusionThe attitude of society towards people with mental health problems and towards psychiatry reasonably changes, and this promotes further development in the field of help to patients and their relatives.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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