Early Diagnosis and Counseling in Adolescents With Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms

Psychosis is a condition characterized on current diagnostic tests by impairment and may include severe disturbances of cognition, thinking, behaviour, and emotion. The need for early diagnosis and prevention of psychotic episodes in adolescents challenges traditional models of counselling, diagnosis, and treatment. The aim of the present study is to derive the main themes and psychological manifestations in the first psychotic episode in adolescents and to deepen knowledge and raise questions around the specific experiences of psychotic adolescents in order to help the clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in diagnostic and therapeutic counselling. This thus goes beyond the visible behaviour and the medical model that pays little attention to the causal relationships in psychosis and its unconscious components. Thirty-six adolescents (27 girls) with subclinical and clinical psychotic symptoms and 30 adolescents (16 girls) with neurotic symptoms were interviewed. A clinical approach was used – clinical psychological interview followed by psychotherapeutic work. Findings and statements can be found showing that early psychotic signs may change into a more severe adolescent crisis, as well as indications of the nature of anger towards parents, unstable mood and aggressivity. Leading themes in interviews and psychotherapeutic sessions may relate to feelings of insignificance in the world around them, unclear sexual identification, too close a relationship with their mothers, and anxiety about real or symbolic absence such as their mothers’ working away from home for long periods of time. In 79% of the interviews with adolescents with psychotic symptoms, we see a lack of real symbolic play in childhood. suitable for non-psychotic adolescents, in this case to change in the first psychotic episode.****What does this last sentence mean? The importance of early diagnosis is recognized and the known psychotherapeutic techniques must be used. Keywords: early psychosis, adolescent, positive psychotherapy, counselling

Socio-Psychological Impacts of Terminal Illness on Patients and their Spousal Relationship

This phenomenological study was conducted to explore the im- pacts of terminal illness on patients and familial relationships of couples in Pakhtun society. 36 terminally ill patients selected purposively were interviewed separately (24 male & 12 female patients) by the way of open-ended questions. Numerous themes were extracted following verbatim transcripts. All the participants explained the impacts of terminal illness on their social lives and the positive and negative aspects of their spousal relationship. Depression, anger and desperation were apparent in the terminal patients. Similarly bitterness, guilt, persistent sadness and loss were common in the patients and alternatively in their partners as explained by the patients. This research highlights adistinct viewpoint on the damaging influences which terminal illness can have on the marital rela- tionship. However it also recommends how to deal the situation in apositive manner by making adjustments required by the concerned disease. The findings indicate that social scientists need to confess and reply to the incredible psycho-social im- pacts that serious illnesses and related medical procedures can have on the patients and their families even in this modern era of advance technology. Advance social and psychotherapeutic techniques and socio-psychological support of partners can as- sist such patients to live with apositive life style till the end.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE AUTHOR'S STYLE OF MEDIATION USING PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES

Дополнение медиации психотерапевтическими техниками, равно как и дополнение компетенций психотерапевта компетенциями медиатора взаимно обогащают друг друга и создают уникального специалиста.

Augmentation of Psychotherapy with Neurobiological Methods: Current State and Future Directions

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are first-line treatments for mental disorders. Despite recent improvements, only approximately 50% of the patients reach sustained remission, indicating a need for novel developments. The main concept put forward in this systematic review and hypothesis article is the targeted co-administration of defined neurobiological interventions and specific psychotherapeutic techniques. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted a systematic literature search for randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of augmented psychotherapy to psychotherapy alone. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Thirty-five trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority (29 trials) used augmentation strategies such as D-cycloserine, yohimbine, or sleep to enhance the effects of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Fewer studies investigated noninvasive brain stimulation with the aim of improving cognitive control, psychedelic compounds with the aim of enhancing existentially oriented psychotherapy, and oxytocin to improve social communication during psychotherapy. Results demonstrate small augmentation effects for the enhancement of exposure therapy – however, some of the studies found negative results. Other methods are less thoroughly researched, and results are mixed. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> This approach provides an open matrix for further research and has the potential to systematically guide future studies.

Psychological aspects and possibilities of psychological intervention in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Psychological aspects of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) were given less attention in the social space of former Czechoslovak countries. The possibilities of psychological care for patients with IBD have to be re-evaluated due to the new worldwide trends in the management of IBD. In the complex management of IBD treatment arises a demand after psychologist as a helping member of the gastroenterological team in order to be available for patients, as well as to consult the cases with the specialists. In the following article we described psychological interventions (psychotherapeutic techniques), whose effectivity as a supplemental treatment in patients with IBD was examined. Recently, several studies on the effectivity of psychological interventions in patients with IBD have already been available. This trend is in accordance with a bio­psychosocial model of patients‘ care. Promising results were observed in psychotherapeutic techniques which use the work with body feelings, relieving the tension and relaxation training. The presence of psychologist and psychological guidance in difficult periods during chronic diseases such as IBD appears to be helpful. Patients with a psychiatric comorbidity tend to have worse course of disease. It is important to identify the patients who are in need of psychological care, mostly the ones with trauma anamnesis. Overcoming traumatic experience may provide positive impact on the disease course.

Master’s Graduates as State-Licensed Psychotherapists, Both a Challenge and an Opportunity: Practical University Teaching Concepts in Clinical Psychology

Psychotherapeutic training in Germany is about to be changed soon: master’s graduates in clinical psychology will be able to become state-licensed psychotherapists. It is therefore mandatory to teach basic psychotherapeutic skills at the universities. This article presents examples of application-oriented courses in clinical psychology, which have been tried and tested at the Philipps University of Marburg for years. During the practical exercises “Interventions in practice 1 and 2“, students gain initial experiences with psychotherapeutic techniques on personally relevant problems. In the case seminar, the students apply their acquired skills to treat an actual outpatient case, while translating basic psychological knowledge into an individualized treatment plan. The seminar “Different approaches to psychotherapy in practice“ offers the opportunity to explore 6 different patients coming from a variety of treatment settings. The courses are evaluated regularly. An overview of cumulated evaluations shows a high degree of student satisfaction with the course concepts. The described courses meet several requirements of the new licensing regulations, especially regarding job-qualifying and self-reflection. Necessary adjustments and additional requirements are discussed, and possible solutions are presented accordingly. If the licensing regulations are implemented as demanded, receiving a state license after the master’s degree seems justified.

Features of Psychotherapy in Elderly Patients with Affective Disorders in the Outcome of a Pathological Reaction of Grief

The relevance of the work is due to the high prevalence and insufficient degree of study of the outcomes of the pathological reaction of grief (PRG) at a late age. Approaches to the treatment of these disorders, often carried out without taking into account the age factor, are not sufficiently developed. The various psychotherapeutic techniques used in PRG are contradictory and poorly structured. Solving these problems will not only achieve good quality remissions, but also prevent endogenization and chronification of mental disorders. The appearance of a new coronavirus infection, accompanied by high mortality, makes the problem of PRG therapy particularly relevant. Objective: to study the features of psychotherapy of depression in late-aged people with a history of PRG. Design: the work is a fragment of an open non-randomized study of patients with PRG, conducted in the Department of geriatric Psychiatry of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of the National Research Center. Inpatient patients over 60 years of age were studied. The clinical-psychopathological and catamnestic methods were used. Pharmaco-and psychotherapy was used. Results: 60 patients were examined, the majority were women, the average age was 66 years, patients with a first — time depressive episode prevailed-45% and recurrent depressive disorder — 28%. The majority (97.7%) of patients had delayed symptoms of PRG. The features of personality, age factors affecting the course of the disease and the peculiarities of psychotherapy are analyzed. Conclusions: the use of an integrated approach (a combination of psychopharmacotherapy and various types of psychotherapy) to the treatment of depressive disorders in the outcome of PRG is justified.

“Recovering With Nature”: A Review of Ecotherapy and Implications for the COVID-19 Pandemic

Connection with nature has been considered beneficial for psychological well-being since times of evolution. Differences in Indian and Western thoughts have viewed natural elements in different lights, varying between eco-centrism to anthropocentrism. The intrusion of technology and digitalized lives as a result of globalization has decreased connectedness with nature. Ecotherapy is a novel form of psychotherapeutic technique based on explicit environmental or ecological interventions. Social and therapeutic horticulture, animal-assisted interventions, care farming, green exercise, environmental conservation and wilderness therapy are some of the ecosystem-based approaches used in mental health. Based on the principles of positive and client-centered psychology, ecotherapy-related techniques have been shown to be effective in medical disorders like hypertension, obesity, post-surgical recovery and psychosocial conditions like depression, stress reduction, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder (ADHD) and adjustment disorders. The principles of ecotherapy have been integrated into other psychotherapeutic techniques for better efficacy. This review attempts provides an overview of techniques, applications and challenges related to ecotherapy in psychology. The implications of its use during the ongoing Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, social isolation and consequent psychosocial aftermath are also discussed.

Addressing negative psychosocial factors linked to severe injury in professional rugby players: An introduction to a group psychotherapy approach

Background: Negative psychosocial sequelae of severe rugby injury (SRI) in professional rugby players are well documented. Unaddressed, these issues can leave players vulnerable to persistent common mental disorders (CMD) and negatively affect injury recovery processes. Objective: To introduce a psychotherapeutic group intervention aimed at addressing negative psychosocial sequelae linked to SRI in professional rugby player cohorts. Methods: Literature aimed at clarifying the potential efficacy of an integrative group therapy model, the Recovery Mastery Group (RMG), is discussed after which component parts of the intervention are presented. Case illustration: A case illustration is presented comprising examples of how the RMG framework addressed psychosocial recovery issues in a professional South African rugby team during 2019. Conclusion: The proposed Recovery Mastery Group (RMG) is presented as a cost- and time- effective psychotherapeutic intervention that integrates well-researched psychotherapeutic techniques. The RMG appears able to address multiple facets of psychosocial injury recovery, while possibly offering protection from the onset of CMD. This introduction to the RMG can be a forerunner of similar research across larger cohorts, in different team sports, to determine wider therapeutic intervention efficacy.