Predictors of quality of life and functioning in schizophrenia

Background: In order to pursue recovery, Quality of life (QoL) and general functioning in patients with schizophrenia are milestones that need to be addressed in the treatment of the disease. The major aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between QoL, functionality and symptoms, and clinical characteristics of the disease, and to identify whether the two domains of negative symptoms, avolition/apathy and diminished expression, are predictive factors for the quality of life and functionality in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. In the present cross-sectional study, 87 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia completed a thorough battery of instruments evaluating: clinical symptoms, stigma, QoL, functionality, socio-demographic and clinical variables. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test the significance of predictor variables for QoL and functionality. Multiple regression analyses revealed that internalized stigma, depression, and excitement were significant predictors for the variability of QoL, and experiential deficit and cognitive symptoms were significant predictors of the variability of functioning. In patients with schizophrenia, functioning and quality of life are two related but different constructs. Even though they are strongly associated, they have different predictive factors. The clinical implication of these results is that both of these constructs should be assessed and that the strategies for improving them should be different.

Global trends on studies with cognitive training: Mapping and bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace

The widespread utility of cognitive training has gained its value in maintaining cognitive performance, reducing neuropsychiatric illnesses, restoring their abilities, and preventing cognitive decline. The objective of this article is to explore the global trends in cognitive training studies. Publication records were obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection for the period of 25 years from 1996 to 2020. CiteSpace 5.7.R5 (64-bit) W version software was used for mapping and bibliometric analysis. Overall, 4,575 records were retrieved and analyzed using bibliometric approaches such as dual-overlay analysis, author co-citation analysis (ACA), document co-citation analysis (DCA), and keyword analysis. It was found that the publication records were increased steadily in the recent five years (2016-2020). The US academic institutions and journals played the dominant role in the field of cognitive training. However, University College London (UCL) had contributed for the highest publication records (128) with a centrality value of 0.12. Few studies were contributed by the developing countries/territories. Author Spector, A had the highest number of publications (47). However, Author Simons, DT as the top-author based on citation burst value (35.15) focused on brain-training interventions. Through the DCA, it was found that working memory training has to be the predominant trend in this domain. The most recent burst keywords such as ‘cognitive intervention,’ ‘plasticity,’ ‘group cognitive intervention,’ ‘virtual reality,’ and ‘prevention’ were considered to be the indicators of emerging trends.

A review on children and adolescents’ mental health indicators: Towards a valid mental health assessment in Hungarian youth

The application of appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators of youth’s mental health is vital for the entire health care system, including the individuals, health care providers, and health policy. These can enable both researchers and policymakers to carry out comparisons across time, interindividual differences and culture. In our scoping review, we aimed to identify psychological, social and systemrelated indicators that can provide direct and indirect information regarding Hungarian youth’s mental health status. Additionally, we focused on providing a model regarding mental health evaluation measures, comparable to the international models. To determine the indicators of mental health, international and Hungarian literature was reviewed through primary and secondary sources. During the analysis, the following databases were searched: ERIC, Google Scholar, MedLine, Pubmed, ResearchGate and Science Direct. A total of 76 papers met the criteria, containing 38 Hungarian studies and 38 international ones. The review revealed that, similar to the international trends, the Hungarian assessment of positive (e.g., satisfaction with life, aspiration index, social support, coping skills, health-preserving behavior), negative (e.g., emotional symptoms, social difficulties, sadness, depression, anxiety) and other mental health indicators (e.g., alcohol abuse, drug-related disorders, suicide, bullying,) can be measured by standardized, validated tests. The indicators identified in the current review can support professionals and policymakers to systematically improve the quality of health care. With the use of appropriate indicators, more accurate results concerning the current mental health status of the children and youth can be provided, which would enable more effective prevention and intervention in the health care system and related domains.

Increased cognitive load during pseudoword processing

Pseudowords (words without semantic meaning) are often used as a control condition in linguistic cognitive experiments, with the expectation that such words, unlike real words, do not activate higher cognitive processes in the brain. However, other theories assume that pseudowords are perceived as new words, leading to an even higher cognitive response. The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive load of processing a pseudoword by observing event-related potentials in a 3-stimulus oddball paradigm using real target words, real non-target words, and pseudowords as oddball stimuli. The results show a clear task-related P3b triggered by target words, but also a prominent P600 component triggered by pseudowords, indicating difficulty in the classification task due to unknown words. Surprisingly, N400 was decreased for pseudowords compared to target and non-target words at the locations where P3b and P600 were observed, suggesting that task-related effects might inhibit other aspects of cognitive processing. These results could lead to better understanding of the components that may overlap temporally and topographically, and to the more precise control of different cognitive generators involved in event-related potential experiments in pseudowords.

Pandemic and resilience: A qualitative analysis of the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer patients in active treatment

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unequivocal disruptive impact on all walks of life. Cancer care and the patients involved have been especially affected due to disruptions in treatment scheduling and enhanced vulnerability to COVID-19 infection. The present study undertook an exploratory qualitative analysis to investigate the emotional impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on breast cancer patients undergoing active treatment. Ten breast cancer patients were interviewed concerning their illness and pandemic perception. To supplement their perspective, we also interviewed six psycho-oncologists on the emotional impact the pandemic has had on the patients they provide care to. The data collected during the interviews was inductively analysed using thematic analysis. The resulting themes showed patients to have experienced increased emotional distress symptoms, while prioritising the cancer treatment over the threat of infection. Those that had developed emotional regulation skills prior to the pandemic, along their cancer journey, made good use of them, providing proofs of emotional resilience. More vulnerable patient groups have also been highlighted, such as those that did not previously develop such healthy emotional regulation skills, newly diagnosed cancer patients and those lacking social support. Our study provides a useful insight into the emotional experience of the assessed oncology patients during the Covid-19 pandemic, and useful insight into the mechanisms that build resilience and flexibility for this population.

Development and psychometric properties of the Anticipatory Anxiety Inventory

Background: Anticipatory Anxiety (AA) is defined as a course of thoughts, feelings, and actions occurring just and only "before" an anxiety-provoking event. In order to explore this construct, the Anticipation Anxiety Inventory (AAI) was developed and its psychometric properties have been investigated in two studies. Methods: Study 1 used an Exploratory Factor Analysis approach to determine the factor structure of the items of the scale. In study 2, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed to assess the scale structure, the validity of the factor solution, and convergent and discriminatory validity. Results: Exploratory factor analysis from study 1 suggested 13 items across four factors for the AAI: Emotional Hypersensitivity, Physical responses to AA, Dysfunctional Cognitions, and Daily Functioning. In study 2, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that the 4-factor solution of the AAI had an acceptable fit, excellent internal consistency (α= 0.92), and displayed good convergent and discriminatory validity. Conclusion: The AAI could be proposed as a useful valid and reliable tool to investigate AA. For future implications, more research is needed regarding the utility of this measure in experimental designs or clinical settings.

Effectiveness of Counselling on Diet Quality and Physical Activity with Cognitive Counselling for Overweight and Obese Women-A Randomized Clinical Trial

Various treatments for obesity exist that actually work, however, a great deal of them face the issue of weight regain. Hence, there is this desire to focus on health measures that can be predictors of weight maintenance. This study explores whether four sessions of group-based cognitive counselling can lead to superior results compared to counselling on diet and physical activity only, in terms of eating behavior, calorie intake, diet quality, weight, and physical activity. We conducted a randomized trial for this purpose. Our findings suggest that a short intervention of cognitive counselling can lead to improved emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. Both conditions showed significant improvement in diet quality, cognitive restraint on eating, weight, BMI, calorie intake, and physical activity, while between group differences remained non-significant. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of brief cognitive counselling on measures of weight maintenance in long term.

The impact of risk perception on emotional distress in individuals with a family history of cancer

Purpose: Understanding the factors impacting individuals’ emotional distress in the context of a family history of cancer is key in designing and implementing psychosocial interventions. Our study investigated the extent to which having a family history of cancer is associated with emotional distress and whether the perceived risk to develop colorectal cancer (CRC) plays any role in this equation. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 253 individuals from the general population who volunteered to take part in this study. We assessed their family history of cancer and perceived risk for developing CRC, and assessed the emotional distress. Findings: Individuals with a family history of cancer have higher levels of emotional distress compared to individuals without a family history, t(251)=-10.16, p<.001. Our data show that risk perception to develop CRC moderates the relationship between the family history of cancer and emotional distress (β=0.38, CI=(1.68, 5.92), r2=0.24, p<.001, d=0.25). Conclusion: This study was aimed at corroborating the role family history of cancer and risk perception have in explaining the emotional distress associated with cancer. Our results contribute to a clearer understanding of the impact family history of cancer has on emotional distress and show that risk perception is key in this relationship.

Switching Between Attentional Demands – A Brief Report Comparing Findings from Younger and Older Adults

The increasing relevance to adapt quickly to changes in the environment is contrasted by an inverted U-shaped curve of task-switching abilities over the lifespan. While previous studies most commonly focused on switching between rules, modalities, and attributes, the process of switching between different attentional demands is somehow neglected. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this gap by applying a recently introduced paradigm on switching between attentional demands to younger and older adults. Within the present study, 116 younger adults (age: minmax: 18-30, M=22.31 years, SD=3.17; 85 women) and 93 older adults (age: minmax: 60-89, M=68.29 years, SD=6.18; 15 women) completed the Switching Attentional Demands-task (SwAD-task). The task enables to quantify single-task performance of selective and divided attention, but more important the ability of switching between these demands. Findings indicate faster response times in selective attention than divided attention for both groups. Furthermore, older adults showed longer response times in selective attention, divided attention, as well as switching attention, compared to their younger counterparts. Age-related changes are discussed by considering the frontal ageing hypothesis, processing-speed theory, as well as common factor theories of cognitive ageing. Furthermore, previous neurophysiological findings are taken into account to explain findings at hand.

Monolingual and bilingual children’s understanding of Moore-paradox sentences

Research of the theory of mind (ToM) has long been a central topic in cognitive science and experimental philosophy. A preliminary example of a Moore-paradox sentence would be: It is raining, but I don’t think it is. Understanding the paradoxes in these sentences is considered part of ToM development. This study focuses on the recognition of Moore’s paradoxical sentences by monolingual and bilingual children. According to the first hypothesis, comprehension of Moore-paradoxical sentences is estimated to start at the age of 7. The second hypothesis assumes that balanced bilingual children develop the ability to understand Moore-paradoxical sentences earlier than Hungarian dominant bilinguals, and balanced bilinguals also outperform their monolingual peers. Romanian monolingual and Hungarian-Romanian bilingual children aged between 5 and 8 (N = 134) participated in the experiment. Balanced and dominant bilingual groups were established based on a questionnaire filled in by the children’s parents. During the experiment, children had to listen to a number of sentences. Each sentence that contained paradoxical statements had control sentences matching syntactically. Children had to choose the sentences they thought to be “silly”. According to the experimental findings, 5- and 6-year-old children performed poorly while the overwhelming majority of 7- and 8-year-olds could select the Moore-paradoxical sentences. There were differences between the performance of monolingual and balanced bilingual groups and between the two bilingual groups. Balanced bilinguals performed better, and their comprehension of understanding Moorean sentences developed earlier than those of the other groups.