Stigmatizing our own: Self-relevant research is common but frowned upon in clinical, counseling, and school psychology

Researchers often have personal experiences that motivate engagement with a research topic. We performed the first systematic investigation of self-relevant research (SRR; “me-search”) among psychologists. The prevalence of SRR and attitudes towards SRRers were examined in a representative North American sample (N = 1,778) of faculty, graduate students, and others affiliated with accredited doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Over half of participants had engaged in SRR. When judging experimentally manipulated vignettes, those who did not engage in SRR made more stigmatizing judgements of SRR and SRR disclosure than those who engaged in SRR. Psychologists and trainees had more negative attitudes towards SRR on mental health topics (suicide, depression, schizophrenia) than physical health topics (cancer). We discuss the implications of negative evaluations of SRR and mental illness on the health of applied psychology.

Factors Affecting Health-related Quality of Life Among Thalassemia Patients, 2020, Sana’a-Yemen

Background: Identifying and understanding the variables that influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with thalassemia is critical to creating more appropriate clinical, counseling, and social support programs to develop treatment results for these individuals. The purpose of this investigation is to investigate the variables that are related with HRQOL in thalassemic patients in Yemen. Methods: From July to September 2020, a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation was carried out among Thalassemia patients who attended the Yemen Society for Thalassemia. a total of 344 individuals with Thalassemia between the ages of 5 and 18 years old. Data were gathered by utilizing the Pediatric Quality of Life 4.0 as face to face interview with children and their parents. The scale consisted of four domains (Physical, emotional, social, and school functioning) and other related demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients. coefficient tests as appropriate. Two-tailed, p-value <0.05 was regarded statistically considerable.Results:The findings of the investigation displayed that the Thalassemia patients were males with a percentage of (54.9%)Thetotal HRQoL mean score was found to be (50.6±16.5) with the highest mean scores in the social (69.3±20.2) and emotional (55.9±20.7) functioning domains. There was correlation between age, education, residency, and total HRQoL scores, which was statistically significant (P-value<0.05). There was correlation between iron overload complications, pre-transfusion Hb level, received iron chelation, and total HRQoL scores (P-value<0.05).Conclusions:Appropriate programs focused at providing psychological support to thalassemia patients are needed to improve their HRQoL. The results also supported the significance of keeping a pretransfusion hemoglobin level of at least 9-10.5 g/dL prior to the transfusion procedure.

Prophylactic Heme Arginate Infusion for Acute Intermittent Porphyria

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of long-term weekly prophylactic heme arginate (HA) infusions in reducing attack frequency and severity in female AIP patients.Methods: We report the results of five female AIP patients with frequent recurrent attacks (&gt;9/year) before and after institution of weekly prophylaxis with heme arginate (3 mg/kg body weight). All five cases had confirmed disease-associated mutations in the porphobilinogen deaminase gene, and all had received genetic and clinical counseling about AIP.Results: In the five included patients, average annual attack rate (AAR) in the year prior to HA prophylaxis was 11.82 (range 9.03–17.06), and average total HA usage was 32.60 doses (range: 13.71–53.13). After 2.58–14.64 years of HA prophylaxis, average AAR was reduced to 2.23 (range 0.00–5.58), and attack severity (i.e., doses required per attack) was reduced from 2.81 to 1.39 doses/attack. Liver and renal function remained stable during weekly administration of HA prophylaxis. The most common complications were port-A catheter-related events. No other complications or safety concerns occurred with long-term use of HA prophylaxis.Conclusion: Our study demonstrated women with AIP receiving weekly prophylactic HA infusions resulted in fewer episodes that required acute HA treatment while maintaining stable renal and liver function. Weekly prophylactic HA infusions effectively prevent frequent porphyric attacks and reduce attack severity.

Fatmisia and Clinical Counseling Decision-Making in Master’s-Level Counselor Trainees

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have documented an increase in fat people in recent decades, which is being met with a backlash of anti-fat biases, or fatmisia. Fatmisia is prevalent in most aspects of society, especially among fat people who have internalized fatmisia. Utilizing a diagnostic questionnaire in combination with the Fat Phobia Scale–Short Form and the Weight Bias Internalization Scale, this study explored the relationship between client body size, the presence of a major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnosis, and if applicable, the severity of MDD symptoms assigned by counselor trainees (N = 113). Results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and covariance. This sample (N = 113) significantly differed in diagnoses assigned to obese clients by assigning more severe MDD. Study limitations and implications are discussed.

Severity of Downgaze Palsy in the Context of Disease Duration Could Estimate Survival Duration in Patients With Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

It is an unmet need to estimate survival duration for patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with the survival duration in patients with PSP. We followed up 23 patients with probable PSP-RS (Richardson syndrome) or PSP-P (parkinsonism) in our PSP center until death from 2011 to 2019. We prospectively and quantitatively rated their downgaze palsy whenever first noticed in our clinic. This was utilized along with the disease duration, motor function, medication use for parkinsonism, sex, age at onset of PSP, comorbid pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, and the total survival duration from the onset of PSP to death for prediction analysis. A well-fitted linear regression model and a multivariant Cox model were applied to identify predicting factors for total survival duration. All patients had the specific hummingbird sign on brain MRI for PSP when downgaze palsy was documented. We found that the severity of downgaze palsy and the disease duration at the assessment were consistently correlated with the total survival duration in both models. The total survival duration could be further estimated by a formed regression equation. We conclude that severity and time to develop downgaze palsy could help to estimate the total survival duration in patients with probable PSP-RS and PSP-P, the major forms of PSP, which has significant clinical applications in clinical counseling and trial enrollment.

Only human: Mental health difficulties among clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and trainees

How common is mental illness among applied psychologists? This question is paradoxically neglected, perhaps because disclosure and discussion of lived mental health difficulties remains taboo within the field. This study documented high rates of current and lifetime mental health difficulties and diagnoses (MHDD) among faculty, graduate students, and others affiliated with accredited doctoral and internship programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Over 80% of respondents (N = 1,395 of 1,692) reported lifetime mental health difficulties, and nearly half reported a formal mental health diagnosis. The most commonly reported lifetime MHDD were depression (over 55%), generalized anxiety disorder (over 50%), and suicidal thoughts or behaviors (over 40%), while bipolar (&lt; 2%) and psychotic disorders (&lt; 1%) were among the least reported. Most respondents with MHDD (90%) reported mild or no impairment in professional domains due to MHDD. Graduate students were more likely to endorse MHDD than faculty and were more likely to report professional impairment. Overall, lifetime rates of psychopathology within clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and trainees were similar to or greater than those observed in the general population. We discuss the implications of these results and suggest specific directions for future research on this heretofore neglected topic.

Only human: Mental health difficulties among clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and trainees

How common is mental illness among applied psychologists? This question is paradoxically neglected, perhaps because disclosure and discussion of lived mental health difficulties remains taboo within the field. This study documented high rates of current and lifetime mental health difficulties and diagnoses (MHDD) among faculty, graduate students, and others affiliated with accredited doctoral and internship programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Over 80% of respondents (N = 1,395 of 1,692) reported lifetime mental health difficulties, and nearly half reported a formal mental health diagnosis. The most commonly reported lifetime MHDD were depression (over 55%), generalized anxiety disorder (over 50%), and suicidal thoughts or behaviors (over 40%), while bipolar (&lt; 2%) and psychotic disorders (&lt; 1%) were among the least reported. Most respondents with MHDD (90%) reported mild or no impairment in professional domains due to MHDD. Graduate students were more likely to endorse MHDD than faculty and were more likely to report professional impairment. Overall, lifetime rates of psychopathology within clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and trainees were similar to or greater than those observed in the general population. We discuss the implications of these results and suggest specific directions for future research on this heretofore neglected topic.

Leveraging the Strengths of Psychologists with Lived Experience of Mental Illness

Psychopathology is a common element of the human experience, and psychological scientists are not immune. Recent empirical data demonstrate that over 80% of clinical, counseling, and school psychology faculty and graduate students have lived experience of mental illness (Victor et al., under review). This commentary compliments these findings by leveraging the perspectives of the authors and signatories, who all have personal lived experience of psychopathology, to improve professional inclusivity within these fields. By “coming out proud” (Corrigan et al., 2013), the authors aim to foster discussion, research, and inclusion efforts as they relate to psychopathology experiences within psychological science. To that end, the authors describe considerations related to disclosure of lived experience, identify barriers to inclusion, and provide concrete recommendations for personal and systemic changes to improve recognition and acceptance of psychopathology lived experience among psychologists.

Beyond Integration: A Phenomenology of Faith-Informed Clinical Practice

The provision of clinical counseling within the context of a Christian worldview has profound meaning for those who seek education in Christian institutions. This phenomenology explored the essence of faith-informed clinical practice for experienced licensed professional counselors. The following six overarching themes emerged from interviews with 10 clinicians: Faith-Informed Clinical Practice Emerges from an Eternal Perspective, Distinct Aspirations of Faith-Informed Clinicians, The Clinician’s Inner World, Bi-directional Influences of Faith and Professional Development, Clinical Issues Specific to Faith-informed Practice, and Suggestions for Faith-Based Education. Recommendations include the replacement of integration studies with spiritual formation and a more holistic, practical, experiential, and spiritual approach to counselor training in faith-based institutions.