scholarly journals A three-wave network analysis of COVID-19's impact on schizotypal traits, paranoia and mental health through loneliness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keri Ka-Yee Wong ◽  
Wang yi ◽  
Gianluca Esposito ◽  
Adrian Raine
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Peer Review Process ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Anxiety Depression

**This manuscript has been submitted for publication and is likely to be edited as part of the peer-review process. Correspondence regarding this paper should be addressed to Keri Ka-Yee Wong, [email protected].**Background. The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted people’s mental wellbeing. Studies to date have examined the prevalence of mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression, loneliness), yet fewer longitudinal studies have compared across background factors and other psychological variables to identify vulnerable sub-groups. This study tests to what extent higher levels of psychotic-like experiences – indexed by schizotypal traits and paranoia – are associated with various mental health variables 6- and 12-months since April 2020.Methods. Over 2,300 adult volunteers (18-89 years, female=74.9%) with access to the study link online were recruited from the UK, USA, Greece, and Italy. Self-reported levels of schizotypy, paranoia, anxiety, depression, aggression, loneliness, and stress from three timepoints (17 April to 13 July 2020, N1 =1,599; 17 October to 31 January 2021, N2 =774; and 17 April to 31 July 2021, N3 =586) were mapped using network analysis and compared across time and background variables (sex, age, income, country). Results. Schizotypal traits and paranoia were positively associated with poorer mental health through loneliness, with no effect of age, sex, income levels, countries, and timepoints. Loneliness was the most influential variable across all networks, despite overall reductions in levels of loneliness, schizotypy, paranoia, and aggression during the easing of lockdown. Individuals with higher levels of schizotypal traits/paranoia reported poorer mental health outcomes than individuals in the low-trait groups.Conclusion. Schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with poor mental health outcomes through self-perceived loneliness, suggesting that increasing social/community cohesion may improve individuals’ mental wellbeing in the long run.

scholarly journals A three-wave network analysis of COVID-19's impact on schizotypal traits, paranoia and mental health through loneliness.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keri Ka-Yee Wong ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Gianluca Esposito ◽  
Adrian Raine
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Wave Network ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted people’s mental wellbeing. Studies to date have examined the prevalence of mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression, loneliness), yet fewer longitudinal studies have compared across background factors and other psychological variables to identify vulnerable sub-groups. This study tests to what extent higher levels of psychotic-like experiences – indexed by schizotypal traits and paranoia – are associated with various mental health variables 6- and 12-months since April 2020. Methods Over 2,300 adult volunteers (18-89 years, female=74.9%) with access to the study link online were recruited from the UK, USA, Greece, and Italy. Self-reported levels of schizotypy, paranoia, anxiety, depression, aggression, loneliness, and stress from three timepoints (17 April to 13 July 2020, N 1 =1,599; 17 October to 31 January 2021, N 2 =774; and 17 April to 31 July 2021, N 3 =586) were mapped using network analysis and compared across time and background variables (sex, age, income, country). Results Schizotypal traits and paranoia were positively associated with poorer mental health through loneliness, with no effect of age, sex, income levels, countries, and timepoints. Loneliness was the most influential variable across all networks, despite overall reductions in levels of loneliness, schizotypy, paranoia, and aggression during the easing of lockdown. Individuals with higher levels of schizotypal traits/paranoia reported poorer mental health outcomes than individuals in the low-trait groups. Conclusion Schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with poor mental health outcomes through self-perceived loneliness, suggesting that increasing social/community cohesion may improve individuals’ mental wellbeing in the long run.

scholarly journals 'Protection or punishment?' The implications of detention on the mental health and well-being of migrants, a review of the literature.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Stagg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Narrative Synthesis ◽  
Immigration Detention ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Background: The number of individuals forced to leave their home and seek asylum in other countries has risen alongside political instability, conflict and persecution in many parts of the world. These individuals are therefore extremely vulnerable. Many asylum-seekers have witnessed and experienced traumatic events that have contributed to mental illness. Detention is often used to incarcerate asylum-seekers who are waiting for asylum decisions to be made, however many are held in inadequate conditions for long periods of time. With governments using immigration detention increasingly more often, there are serious questions surrounding the impact this has on the mental health of detainees.Methods: A systematic review was undertaken using a comprehensive search strategy across six databases. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in the review providing that the mental health implications of immigration detention were explored or measured. Grey literature was also searched. The quality of the included studies were appraised and a narrative synthesis conducted in order to establish the main findings of the review. The results of the narrative synthesis were included in a conceptual model that explains how detention works to influence mental health. Results: 22 studies were included in the review. Six themes were identified from analysis of study findings from around the world. Five of those themes also occurred within studies conducted within the UK. In both the UK and globally: detention was associated with poor and deteriorating mental health outcomes; specific conditions inside detention centres were found to contribute to poor mental health; longer durations spent in detention were associated with poorer mental health outcomes; several negative behavioural and emotional responses to the detention experience were observed – particularly in children; the trauma of detention and mental health difficulties developed while in detention remained with individuals after release. In addition to these five themes, a higher number of relocations between detention centres contributed to greater mental distress among detainees outside the UK.Conclusions: This review provides evidence to suggest that an association exists between immigration detention and poor mental health outcomes and that many of the mediators of this relationship are universal. The findings of this paper have several implications for further research and policy. The UK must end indefinite detention and move towards alternative solutions for dealing with asylum-seekers. Detention should only be used as a last resort. Vulnerable individuals, such as children and individuals with existing mental health issues should never be detained. Finally, greater care should be taken to ensure that families with young children are not separated from one-another. Due to the implications of the findings included in this review, it is vital that scientific research of this type is allowed to continue. Future research must evaluate the feasibility and suitability of alternative policies to detention.

scholarly journals Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
pp. 776-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracie O. Afifi ◽  
Harriet L. MacMillan ◽  
Tamara Taillieu ◽  
Sarah Turner ◽  
Kristene Cheung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Canadian Community Health Survey ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Abuse History ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Nationally Representative

Objective: Child abuse can have devastating mental health consequences. Fortunately, not all individuals exposed to child abuse will suffer from poor mental health. Understanding what factors are related to good mental health following child abuse can provide evidence to inform prevention of impairment. Our objectives were to 1) describe the prevalence of good, moderate, and poor mental health among respondents with and without a child abuse history; 2) examine the relationships between child abuse and good, moderate, and poor mental health outcomes; 3) examine the relationships between individual- and relationship-level factors and better mental health outcomes; and 4) determine if individual- and relationship-level factors moderate the relationship between child abuse and mental health. Method: Data were from the nationally representative 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health ( n = 23,395; household response rate = 79.8%; 18 years and older). Good, moderate, and poor mental health was assessed using current functioning and well-being, past-year mental disorders, and past-year suicidal ideation. Results: Only 56.3% of respondents with a child abuse history report good mental health compared to 72.4% of those without a child abuse history. Individual- and relationship-level factors associated with better mental health included higher education and income, physical activity, good coping skills to handle problems and daily demands, and supportive relationships that foster attachment, guidance, reliable alliance, social integration, and reassurance of worth. Conclusions: This study identifies several individual- and relationship-level factors that could be targeted for intervention strategies aimed at improving mental health outcomes following child abuse.

scholarly journals Social services Interventions and the Mental Health and Mortality of care leavers: a population based data linkage study in Northern Ireland and Finland

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aideen Maguire ◽  
Anne Kouvonen ◽  
Dermot O'Reilly ◽  
Hanna Remes ◽  
Joonas Pitkänen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Psychiatric Hospital ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Care Intervention ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Self Harm

BackgroundResearch has highlighted the poor mental health of looked after children compared to those never in care. However, little is known on what becomes of these children and their mental health trajectories after they leave the care of social services. In addition, previous studies are limited in their ability to differentiate between type of social care intervention received; kinship care, foster care or residential care. AimTo utilise nationwide social services data from two countries (Northern Ireland (NI) and Finland), with similar populations but different intervention policies, linked to a range of demographic and health datasets to examine the mental health outcomes of young adults in the years following leaving care. MethodsData from both countries on children born 1991-2000 were linked to social services data, hospital admissions, prescribed medication data and death records. Mental health outcomes were defined after the age of 18years (when statutory care provision ends) examined by care intervention and included admissions to psychiatric hospital, for self-harm and death by suicide. ResultsThe gender split in care in Finland is reflective of the population but more males are in care in NI. Initial results from Finnish data suggest those exposed to care in childhood have an increased risk of self-harm, psychiatric hospital admission and suicide after the age of 18years compared to those never in care. After adjusting for gender, age of entry to care and deprivation at birth those exposed to any care intervention had 3 times the risk of suicide (HR=3.06, 95% CI 1.18,7.98). Risk increased with duration in care but was equivalent across care intervention types. Analysis on the NI data is underway. ConclusionFull results will be available December 2019 and will explore which care pathways are most associated with poor mental health outcomes informing discussion around intervention opportunities and policy.

scholarly journals Financial stress and mental health among higher education students in the UK up to 2018: rapid review of evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (10) ◽  
pp. 977-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tayla McCloud ◽  
David Bann
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Financial Stress ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Uk

IntroductionIn the United Kingdom and many other countries, debt accrued during higher education has increased substantially in recent decades. The prevalence of common mental health problems has also increased alongside these changes. However, it is as yet unclear whether there is an association between financial stress and mental health among higher education students.MethodsWe conducted a rapid review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Eligible studies were English-language publications testing the association between any indicator of financial stress and mental health among higher education students in the UK. Papers were located through a systematic search of PsychINFO, PubMed and Embase up to November 2018.ResultsThe search strategy yielded 1272 studies—9 met the inclusion criteria. A further two were identified through hand-searching. The median sample size was 408. Only three of seven studies found an association between higher debt and worse mental health. There was a consistent cross-sectional relationship between worse mental health and both experience of financial difficulties (seven of seven studies) and debt worry/financial concern (four of five studies), though longitudinal evidence was mixed and limited to six studies.ConclusionAmong higher education students in the UK, there is little evidence that the amount of debt is associated with mental health. However, more subjective measures of increased financial stress were more consistently associated with worse mental health outcomes. Nevertheless, the identified evidence was judged to be weak; further research is required to examine whether links between financial stress and mental health outcomes are robust and causal in nature.

Condemning Self, Condemning Other: Blame and Mental Health in Women Suffering Stillbirth

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Cacciatore ◽  
J. Frøen ◽  
Michael Killian
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Counselors ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Hopkins Symptom Checklist ◽  
Born Child ◽  
Abuse During Pregnancy ◽  
Other Blame

Every year around the globe there are more than two million stillbirths, yet stillbirth is generally treated as a non-event, considered less impactful than the death of a live-born child. In up to 60 percent of third-trimester stillbirths, the causes of death were attributed to maternal conditions or were "undetermined." As a result, mothers blame themselves or specific others. This analysis set out to determine how the attitudes of 2,232 bereaved mothers predict their mental health outcomes measuring depressive and anxious symptoms with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL). Of the women sampled, 24.6% reported blaming themselves, and 42.3% reported elevated HSCL mean scores. Self-blame in particular is correlated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multivariate analyses predicting elevated HSCL scores demonstrated the importance of time after death, level of education, and reported abuse during pregnancy in the models, as did self-blame and blaming others. Controlling for other demographic and pregnancy-related variables, self-blame was the strongest predictor of poor mental health outcomes. Implications for mental health counselors are discussed.

scholarly journals Sibling Bullying: A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Associations with Positive and Negative Mental Health during Adolescence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umar Toseeb ◽  
Dieter Wolke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Late Adolescence ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

AbstractSibling bullying is associated with poor mental health outcomes, but the relevance of specific bullying roles remains unclear. Data from a population-based study (n = 17,157, 48% female) focusing on early (11 years), middle (14 years), and late (17 years) adolescence were analyzed. Associations between sibling bullying roles in early adolescence and positive and negative mental health outcomes in late adolescence were investigated. Generally, bullying, irrespective of role, was associated with poorer mental health outcomes in late adolescence. As the frequency of bullying victimization increased between early and middle adolescence so did the severity of mental health outcomes in late adolescence. The developmental trajectories of externalizing problems were influenced by bullying in early adolescence. Sibling bullying, irrespective of role, is associated with poor mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals Loneliness in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional results from The COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Groarke ◽  
Emma Berry ◽  
Lisa Graham-Wisener ◽  
Phoebe McKenna-Plumley ◽  
Emily McGlinchey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health issue. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdown measures limiting social contact. The UK public are worried about the impact of these measures on mental health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of loneliness at this time is a priority issue for research. Design: The study employed a cross-sectional online survey design. Method: Baseline data collected between March 23rd and April 24th 2020 from UK adults in the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study were analysed (N = 1963, 18-87 years, M = 37.11, SD = 12.86, 70% female). Logistic regression analysis was used to look at the influence of sociodemographic, social, health and COVID-19 specific factors on loneliness. Results: The prevalence of loneliness was 27% (530/1963). Risk factors for loneliness were younger age group (OR: 4.67 – 5.31), being separated or divorced (OR: 2.29), meeting clinical criteria for major depression (OR: 1.74), greater emotion regulation difficulties (OR: 1.04), and poor quality sleep due to the COVID-19 crisis (OR: 1.30). Higher levels of social support (OR: 0.92), being married/co-habiting (OR: 0.35) and living with a great number of adults (OR: 0.87) were protective factors. Conclusions: Rates of loneliness during the initial phase of lockdown were high. Risk factors were not specific to the COVID-19 crisis. Findings suggest that supportive interventions to reduce loneliness should prioritise younger people and those with mental health symptoms. Improving emotion regulation and sleep quality may be optimal initial targets to reduce the impact of COVID-19 regulations on mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals Food Insecurity and Mental Health Outcomes among Low Income, Minority Cohorts during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Kodukula ◽  
Amy Han
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Anecdotal Evidence ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
The Impact

Objective:   To examine the impact of the COVID-19 shutdowns on food insecurity and mental health outcomes among low income, minority communities in Northwest Indiana.    Methods:   Surveys were distributed to 160 households during the Northwest Indiana food bank distribution hours to assess food security mental health status. The survey assessed participant food security through questions adapted from the USDA food security survey module. Participant anxiety, depression, and stress scores were aggregated from questions adapted from the PHQ-4. A multiple logit regression model was utilized to estimate the risk associated with food security status and the surveyed variables. Anecdotal evidence was also collected to understand pandemic specific factors impacting participant food security.     Results:   Food insecurity was linked to significantly increased risk of anxiety, depression and stress. Those who identify to be food insecure have an 811 % increased risk of anxiety, 411% increased risk of depression, and 535% increased risk of stress compared to those who are food secure. In addition, a significant correlation exists between median household income and poor mental health. Anecdotal evidence identifies poor job security, food distributions, and support networks as exacerbating factors towards participant’s declining mental health.     Conclusions:   Our findings highlights the exacerbated impact the pandemic has had on the food security and mental health of vulnerable populations. In the light of these results and anecdotal feedback, public health measures must focus on getting increased funding towards local food banks to increase the frequency of mobile distribution markets coupled with direct subsidies to allow for food purchases, especially for those households with children. Given its impact on mental health, food insecurity status should regularly be screened by physicians access to the right resources must be provided for those screening as high risk.   

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