Effect of physical therapy on 7- to 10-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder: A retrospective study in a university day hospital

More than half of children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suffer from motor impairment. In a retrospective study, the authors investigated the effect of a body-mediated workshop with dance movement therapy (DMT) on the motor skills and social skills of children with ASD by comparing 10 autistic children aged 7 to 10 years who benefited from DMT with 10 autistic children in a control group. Scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale were compared. The body-mediated workshop had significant benefits for motricity, especially manual dexterity, and for relational skills. A body-mediated workshop may have a multimodal effect and requires transmodal training. Regarding the mechanisms that explain the benefits and the cascading effect, the roles of imitation and multimodal connections are important.

Investigating executive functions in youth with OCD and hoarding symptoms

Executive functions (EF) deficits are hypothesized to be a core contributor to hoarding symptoms. EF have been studied in adult hoarding populations, but studies in youth are lacking. The current study compared multiple EF subdomains between youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and youth with OCD and hoarding symptoms. Forty youth (8–18 years old) with a primary diagnosis of OCD were recruited. Participants were divided by hoarding severity on the Child Saving Inventory (CSI) into either the “hoarding group” (upper 33.3%) or the “low-hoarding group” (lower 66.7%). Groups were compared on EF tasks of cognitive flexibility, decision-making, and inhibitory control. Youth in the hoarding group exhibited significantly higher cognitive flexibility and lowered perseveration than the low-hoarding group. Hoarding and low-hoarding groups did not differ in any other EF subdomain. Hoarding symptoms in youth with OCD were not associated with deficits in EF subdomains; instead, youth who hoard exhibited higher cognitive flexibility compared to youth with low hoarding symptoms.

The vulnerability of insecure minds: The mediating role of mentalization in the relationship between attachment styles and psychopathology

Insecure attachment is linked to mentalizing difficulties and psychopathology. The current study aimed to examine if failures in mentalization, as observed in the form of uncertainty about mental states, mediated the relationship between attachment styles and global psychopathology in a group of 812 adults (66.5% females) from the community. Participants completed measures on attachment styles, uncertainty about mental states, and clinical symptoms. The authors found that uncertainty about mental states was a partial mediator of the associations between attachment styles and psychopathology. Furthermore, the findings supported the role of secure attachment in protecting from mentalization failures and psychopathology; on the contrary, increased scores on attachment styles involving a negative view of the self (preoccupied and fearful attachment styles) predicted high levels of uncertainty about mental states and psychopathology. Accordingly, clinicians may wish to promote mentalizing abilities in individuals who display a negative view of the self embedded in their attachment styles.

Psychometric properties of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale in Ethiopian university students

The prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors in Ethiopians necessitates availability of a valid questionnaire tool to screen for this disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the factor structure, its stability, and psychometric measures of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale GAD-7) in Ethiopian university students. A cross-sectional study with random sampling was carried out in students (n = 354, age = 21.79 ± 4.49) attending Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia. The GAD-7, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and a sociodemographic questionnaire were completed by participants. The unidimensional model of the GAD-7 showed configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance among gender groups. The Cronbach's alpha (0.77), item-total score correlations (r = .51—.72, p < .01), and inter-item correlations (all significant, p < .05) indicated adequate internal consistency. GAD-7 scale scores correlated significantly with the PSS, suggesting desired convergent validity. The GAD-7 has good psychometric validity with Ethiopian university students.

Relationship between defense mechanisms and psychopathic traits in an Internet sample

The authors compared the defense mechanisms used by a community sample of people with and without self-reported psychopathic traits. Defense mechanisms were assessed using the Defense Style Questionnaire-60 and psychopathy was assessed using the Levinson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a sample of 225 adults recruited on the Internet. Results found that people with self-reported psychopathy traits used significantly more immature and neurotic defense mechanisms than people without a psychopathic personality profile. All participants reported equal use of mature defenses.

Weight-related psychological inflexibility as a mediator between weight self-stigma and health-related outcomes

Weight self-stigma, the internalization of negative societal stereotypes, is a problem among populations with high weight. Weight self-stigma is associated with psychological inflexibility and maladaptive health-related behaviors. In this study, the authors explore how weight-related psychological inflexibility may influence weight self-stigma and health-related outcomes in 79 adults with high weight. Participants were primarily White (92.4%) and female (82.3%), with an average age of 39.56 years and average body mass index of 33.78. The study uses baseline, self-report data from a larger trial. Results indicate that weight self-stigma was negatively correlated with maladaptive eating behaviors, weight, and mental health. Weight-related psychological inflexibility was found as a significant mediator for the relationship between weight self-stigma and emotional eating, sedentary behavior, and mental health. Weight-related psychological inflexibility did not mediate the relationships between weight self-stigma and other eating measures and physical activity. These results support targeting weight-related psychological inflexibility and weight self-stigma in interventions.

Overcoming barriers in cognitive-behavioral therapy for youth anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Addressing parent behaviors

Exposure-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-established treatment for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in youth. Although a majority of youth respond to CBT, a substantial portion remain symptomatic and/or experience a return of symptoms after completing a course of treatment. This highlights the need for further improvements to this evidence-based treatment. Given that parent behaviors can negatively influence treatment, addressing parental behaviors in CBT serves as a novel and promising treatment target to improve youth's therapeutic outcomes. The authors review three common parent behaviors that influence anxiety and treatment outcomes: family accommodation, parent anxious behaviors, and management of disruptive behaviors. The authors then discuss each behavior, its effect on anxiety/OCD and treatment, and how to address the behavior within the context of CBT. In doing so, therapeutic learning can be optimized to improve CBT outcomes for youth with anxiety disorders and/or OCD.

Sleep disorders and related factors among frontline medical staff supporting Wuhan during the COVID-19 outbreak

Sleep problems among frontline medical staff during the COVID-19 epidemic require attention. A total of 249 frontline medical staff who were recruited to support Wuhan completed this cross-sectional study. A web-based questionnaire about insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue was used to assess mental health status. The prevalence of sleep disorders among frontline medical staff was 50.6%. More time spent in Wuhan and a history of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue were associated with a higher risk of insomnia. People who stayed in Wuhan for a long time with a history of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and fatigue symptoms might be at high risk of insomnia.