Learning Difficulties and Loneliness in College and Beyond: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy, Proactive Coping, and Hope

Following the conservation of resources, social-cognitive and hope theories, the goals of this study were to identify the role of self-efficacy, proactive coping, and hope as mediators in the relations between learning difficulties and loneliness distress. A questionnaire was sent to current and past students. The sample consisted of 498 participants. The results demonstrated that individuals with learning difficulties reported higher levels of loneliness compared with individuals without learning difficulties. Moreover, self-efficacy, proactive coping, and hope mediated the relations between levels of learning difficulties and loneliness. Specifically, the final model emphasized the important role of hopeful beliefs, since hope mediated the relations between learning difficulties, self-efficacy, and proactive coping with loneliness. In terms of practical implications, professionals’ awareness as well as psychoeducational programs could be tailor-made to enhance hopeful beliefs and reduce loneliness.

Psychoeducation for Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review

This systematic review presents a brief and comprehensive summary of psychoeducational programs that have been designed for and tested in patients with fibromyalgia, with a focus on the features of the interventions and their main results regarding the patients’ clinical outcome. A bibliographical search performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library and PsycInfo targeted publications, related to the terms “fibromyalgia” and “psychoeducation.” Information regarding the studies’ designs, age criterion, sample size, sex distribution and mean age of participants, and assessment time points, was recorded. If applicable, group distributions along with the main results regarding the patients’ clinical outcome, and features of the psychoeducational interventions were registered. Initial search eliciting 77 citations reduced to 10 relevant papers. Most of the reports come from two research projects from Spain (n = 6), worked with adult samples (n = 9), and most participants were females (88%–98%). Interventions reported significant improvements in the patients’ clinical outcomes in measures of pain intensity, fatigue, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, functional ability cognitive impairment, and quality of life. Results show not only that psychoeducational programs for the treatment of fibromyalgia are feasible, but also that they can be effective for managing physical and emotional symptoms, in particular, pain and depression.

Psychoeducational programs in psychiatry – possibilities and limitations of their application

Psychoeducation is currently used in many areas of life, including psychiatry. It is difficult to imagine the modern process of treating people with mental disorders without the use of psychoeducation as a necessary, permanent element of this process, in addition to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Psychoeducational programs are used primarily in the treatment of people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and those suffering from bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). These programs are not only directed to the patient, but they are also addressed to their family members and friends. The article presents the possibilities of using selected psychoeducational programs, including the PEGASUS program, the Barcelona Psychoeducation Program and the Krakow Program for People with BPAD, as well as limitations of their application. The goals of these programs, their structure and effectiveness were also presented.

Improving Uptake of a National Web-Based Psychoeducational Workshop for Informal Caregivers of Veterans: Mixed Methods Implementation Evaluation

Background Although web-based psychoeducational programs may be an efficient, accessible, and scalable option for improving participant well-being, they seldom are sustained beyond trial publication. Implementation evaluations may help optimize program uptake, but few are performed. When the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched the web-based psychoeducational workshop Building Better Caregivers (BBC) for informal caregivers of veterans nationwide in 2013, the workshop did not enroll as many caregivers as anticipated. Objective This study aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of initial implementation, strategies likely to improve workshop uptake, whether the VA adopted these strategies, and whether workshop enrollment changed. Methods We used mixed methods and the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) implementation evaluation framework. In stage 1, we conducted semistructured interviews with caregivers, local staff, and regional and national VA leaders and surveys with caregivers and staff. We collected and analyzed survey and interview data concurrently and integrated the results to identify implementation strengths and weaknesses, and strategies likely to improve workshop uptake. In stage 2, we reinterviewed national leaders to determine whether the VA adopted recommended strategies and used national data to determine whether workshop enrollment changed over time. Results A total of 54 caregivers (n=32, 59%), staff (n=13, 24%), and regional (n=5, 9%) and national (n=4, 7%) leaders were interviewed. We received survey responses from 72% (23/32) of caregivers and 77% (10/13) of local staff. In stage 1, survey and interview results were consistent across multiple PARIHS constructs. Although participants from low-enrollment centers reported fewer implementation strengths and more weaknesses, qualitative themes were consistent across high- and low-enrollment centers, and across caregiver, staff, and leadership respondent groups. Identified strengths included belief in a positive workshop impact and the use of some successful outreach approaches. Implementation weaknesses included missed opportunities to improve outreach and to better support local staff. From these, we identified and recommended new and enhanced implementation strategies—increased investment in outreach and marketing capabilities; tailoring outreach strategies to multiple stakeholder groups; use of campaigns that are personal, repeated, and detailed, and have diverse delivery options; recurrent training and mentoring for new staff; and comprehensive data management and reporting capabilities. In stage 2, we determined that the VA had adopted several of these strategies in 2016. In the 3 years before and after adoption, cumulative BBC enrollment increased from 2139 (2013-2015) to 4030 (2016-2018) caregivers. Conclusions This study expands the limited implementation science literature on best practices to use when implementing web-based psychoeducational programs. We found that robust outreach and marketing strategies and support for local staff were critical to the implementation success of the BBC workshop. Other health systems may want to deploy these strategies when implementing their web-based programs.

Make Self-help Psychoeducational Programs for Breast Cancer Patients COVID-19 Proof

The Covid-19 pandemic has significant consequences for the many self-help psychoeducational programs for patients with cancer (symptoms), especially in Low-Middle-Income Countries. We recommend several measures to adapt these programs to the COVID-19 era, such as the use of mobile versions, the addition of preventive measures to be taken by health care providers and patients concerning a hospital visit and the inclusion of psychological advice for coping with COVID-19 related stress. In this way, the double task of preventing the (progression of the) target disease and a contamination by COVID-19 might be optimally fulfilled.

The role of intelligence in the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas in psychotherapists

The present study aims to analyze the relationships between attachment styles (avoidant and anxious) and cognitive schemas and also the role of intelligence in this relationship. The participants of the study were 62 psychologists or future psychologists aged between 23 and 51 years, M = 34.38, SD = 7.18. Of these, 12 were psychology students, 54 were autonomous psychologists, and two were experimented psychologists. Four of the participants were men, and 68 were women. As for marital status, 23 were unmarried, 19 were in a relationship, and 30 were married. The instruments used were The Attachment Style Questionnaire, ASQ (α = .94), Young Cognitive Schema Questionnaire - Short Form, YSQ-S3 (α = .98), and Analogical Transfer Test (CAS++) for the measurement of intelligence. The results showed that avoidant and anxious attachment styles are positively associated with the development of maladaptive cognitive schemas in all the five domains. Intelligence does not moderate the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas. In the personal development of psychologists and psychotherapists, it is necessary to augment maladaptive cognitive schemas through specific psychoeducational programs. Further studies are needed to identify other factors that may be involved in the development of cognitive schemas.

The role of intelligence in the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas in psychotherapists

The present study aims to analyze the relationships between attachment styles (avoidant and anxious) and cognitive schemas and also the role of intelligence in this relationship. The participants of the study were 62 psychologists or future psychologists aged between 23 and 51 years, M = 34.38, SD = 7.18. Of these, 12 were psychology students, 54 were autonomous psychologists, and two were experimented psychologists. Four of the participants were men, and 68 were women. As for marital status, 23 were unmarried, 19 were in a relationship, and 30 were married. The instruments used were The Attachment Style Questionnaire, ASQ (α = .94), Young Cognitive Schema Questionnaire - Short Form, YSQ-S3 (α = .98), and Analogical Transfer Test (CAS++) for the measurement of intelligence. The results showed that avoidant and anxious attachment styles are positively associated with the development of maladaptive cognitive schemas in all the five domains. Intelligence does not moderate the relationship between attachment styles and cognitive schemas. In the personal development of psychologists and psychotherapists, it is necessary to augment maladaptive cognitive schemas through specific psychoeducational programs. Further studies are needed to identify other factors that may be involved in the development of cognitive schemas.

The problem of somatization disorders: clinical picture, misdirected health encounter, psychoeducation

In a cross-sectional clinical-psychopathological and psychological trial aiming to study the causes of misdirected health encounter of patients with somatization disorders, the analysis of factors contributing to the emergence of «a psychiatrist avoidance behavior» has been conducted. The influence of somatization disorders clinical manifestations, socio-demographic characteristics, information resources, administrative changes in health care service and psychological features has been demonstrated. The necessity to introduce psychoeducational programs in the primary health care setting has been substantiated for: priority specialists for patients with somatization disorders — therapists, neurologists, cardiologists; somatization disorders patients with «a psychiatrist avoidance behavior»; psychiatrists, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists.

Improving Uptake of a National Web-Based Psychoeducational Workshop for Informal Caregivers of Veterans: Mixed Methods Implementation Evaluation (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Although web-based psychoeducational programs may be an efficient, accessible, and scalable option for improving participant well-being, they seldom are sustained beyond trial publication. Implementation evaluations may help optimize program uptake, but few are performed. When the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched the web-based psychoeducational workshop Building Better Caregivers (BBC) for informal caregivers of veterans nationwide in 2013, the workshop did not enroll as many caregivers as anticipated. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of initial implementation, strategies likely to improve workshop uptake, whether the VA adopted these strategies, and whether workshop enrollment changed. METHODS We used mixed methods and the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) implementation evaluation framework. In stage 1, we conducted semistructured interviews with caregivers, local staff, and regional and national VA leaders and surveys with caregivers and staff. We collected and analyzed survey and interview data concurrently and integrated the results to identify implementation strengths and weaknesses, and strategies likely to improve workshop uptake. In stage 2, we reinterviewed national leaders to determine whether the VA adopted recommended strategies and used national data to determine whether workshop enrollment changed over time. RESULTS A total of 54 caregivers (n=32, 59%), staff (n=13, 24%), and regional (n=5, 9%) and national (n=4, 7%) leaders were interviewed. We received survey responses from 72% (23/32) of caregivers and 77% (10/13) of local staff. In stage 1, survey and interview results were consistent across multiple PARIHS constructs. Although participants from low-enrollment centers reported fewer implementation strengths and more weaknesses, qualitative themes were consistent across high- and low-enrollment centers, and across caregiver, staff, and leadership respondent groups. Identified strengths included belief in a positive workshop impact and the use of some successful outreach approaches. Implementation weaknesses included missed opportunities to improve outreach and to better support local staff. From these, we identified and recommended new and enhanced implementation strategies—increased investment in outreach and marketing capabilities; tailoring outreach strategies to multiple stakeholder groups; use of campaigns that are personal, repeated, and detailed, and have diverse delivery options; recurrent training and mentoring for new staff; and comprehensive data management and reporting capabilities. In stage 2, we determined that the VA had adopted several of these strategies in 2016. In the 3 years before and after adoption, cumulative BBC enrollment increased from 2139 (2013-2015) to 4030 (2016-2018) caregivers. CONCLUSIONS This study expands the limited implementation science literature on best practices to use when implementing web-based psychoeducational programs. We found that robust outreach and marketing strategies and support for local staff were critical to the implementation success of the BBC workshop. Other health systems may want to deploy these strategies when implementing their web-based programs.

Features of the emotional-personal sphere in children with mental retardment

In article the detailed analysis of modern researches in the field of studying of emotional and personal characteristics of mentally retarded children is given. During the carried-out work features of the emotional and personal sphere of the children of younger school age with easy degree of intellectual backwardness who are brought up in families and being in boarding school conditions which are shown that mentally retarded children from families to a thicket are guided by motives of behavior as self-approving and social approved elections and have the increased uneasiness level are revealed; mentally retarded children from families are more disturbing. Authors focus attention on importance of carrying out psychoeducational programs as one of the most important components of system of rehabilitation of the families which are bringing up the mentally retarded child.