The Contagion of Psychopathology across Different Psychiatric Disorders: A Comparative Theoretical Analysis

Psychopathology is often studied and treated from an individual-centered approach. However, studies have shown that psychological distress is often best understood from a contextual, environmental perspective. This paper explores the literature on emotional contagion and symptom transmission in psychopathology, i.e., the complex ways in which one person’s psychological distress may yield symptoms among others in his/her close environment. We argue that emotions, cognitions, and behaviors often do not stay within the borders of the individual, but rather represent intricate dynamic experiences that are shared by individuals, as well as transmitted between them. While this claim was comprehensively studied in the context of some disorders (e.g., secondary traumatization and the “mimicking” of symptoms among those close to a trauma survivor), it was very scarcely examined in the context of others. We aim to bridge this gap in knowledge by examining the literature on symptom transmission across four distinct psychiatric disorders: PTSD, major depression, OCD, and psychosis. We first review the literature on emotional contagion in each disorder separately, and then we subsequently conduct a comparative analysis highlighting the shared and differential mechanisms underlying these processes in all four disorders. In this era of transdiagnostic conceptualizations of psychopathology, such an examination is timely, and it may carry important clinical implications.

THE ESSENCE OF TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOTHERAPY PART 1. HEALING OF THE PRIMARY TRAUMAS OF THE THE HUMANITY HUMANITY

Предметом исследования является трансперсональная психотерапия. Ставится вопрос об особенностях её области, метода и культурно исторического пространства её работы. Анализируется причины её особ ого места в семействе различных школ психотерапии. Вводится предположение о том, что эти причины связаны с новым пониманием сознания в трансперсональном подходе. Полученные результаты дают новые возможности понимания того, каким образом и в каком культурно историческом поле работает трансперсональная психотерапия. Метод и методология исследования основаны на анализе незавершённых переходов и связанных с ними первичных травм в историческом развитии человечества вообще и России, в частности, и классификации э тих травм. Основным вкладом автора в исследовании темы является предварительная классификация первичных трав и анализе их роли во вторичной травматизации. Введённые представления о необходимости исцеления первичных травм открывают новые возможности заботы о душе в профессиональной психотерапии. The subject of the study is transpersonal psychotherapy. The question is raised about the peculiarities of The subject of the study is transpersonal psychotherapy. The question is raised about the peculiarities of its its field, methodfield, method, as well as the , as well as the cultural and hcultural and historical space of istorical space of itsits work. The reasons for its special place in the family of various schools work. The reasons for its special place in the family of various schools of psychotherapy are analyzed. The assumption is introduced that these reasons are associated with a new understanding of of psychotherapy are analyzed. The assumption is introduced that these reasons are associated with a new understanding of consciousness in the transpersonal appconsciousness in the transpersonal approach. The obtained results provide new opportunities for understanding in what cultural and roach. The obtained results provide new opportunities for understanding in what cultural and historical field and how transpersonal psychotherapy works. The method and methodology of the study are based on the analysishistorical field and how transpersonal psychotherapy works. The method and methodology of the study are based on the analysis of of incomplete transitions and associaincomplete transitions and associated primary traumas in the historical development of ted primary traumas in the historical development of the the mankind in general and Russia in mankind in general and Russia in particular, and the classification of these traumasparticular, and the classification of these traumas is presentedis presented. The main contribution of the author . The main contribution of the author toto the study of the topic is the the study of the topic is the preliminary classification of ppreliminary classification of primary traumas and the analysis of their role in secondary traumatization. The introduced ideas about rimary traumas and the analysis of their role in secondary traumatization. The introduced ideas about the need to heal primary traumas open up new opportunities for caring for the soul in professional psychotherapy.the need to heal primary traumas open up new opportunities for caring for the soul in professional psychotherapy.

Secondary Traumatization Outcomes and Associated Factors Among the Health Care Workers Exposed to the COVID-19

Background: Secondary traumatization exposure and mental health conditions of health care workers gained importance during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic period. Aims: In our study, we aim to research the secondary traumatization and associated factors among health care workers. Method: This cross-sectional study was applied through an online questionnaire using the snowball sampling method. Two hundred fifty-one health care workers from different units/services and 312 non-medical worker adults attended to the research. Health care workers were divided into two groups based on working with COVID-19 patients at the frontline or not. The data were collected via Introductory Information Form, Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) between 22 May and 30 May 2020. Results: Among the 563 participants, 251 (44.6%) were health care workers and 312 (55.4%) were non-medical workers. The anxiety, depression and secondary traumatization scores of the frontline health care workers for the COVID-19 were found to be significantly higher than those of the other health workers or non-medical workers ( p < .001). Also, we found that being a woman, being in the first years of the work, living with a parent, having a chronic disease, having a trauma history and increased social media use are related to having higher scores from the secondary traumatization scale. Conclusion: The secondary traumatization exposure and the mental health conditions of the health care workers directly working with the COVID-19 patients should be taken into consideration. It is important to provide social support, examine and control riskier groups for mental health regularly during the pandemic.