Pain Neuroscience Education for Depression: A Pilot Study

Objective: To determine if a brief, one-on-one pain neuroscience education (PNE) session delivered by a physical therapist (PT) can influence depression. Methods: A convenience sample of patients with persistent low back pain (LBP) (n = 23) attending PT with moderate to severe depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) participated in the study. Patients received a standardized, one-on-one 30-minute PNE session by a PT with pre- and post-intervention measures of low back and leg pain (Numeric Pain Rating Scale [NPRS]), pain catastrophization (Pain Catastrophization Scale [PCS]), pain knowledge (Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire [rNPQ] and depression (PHQ-9). Results: Immediately following PNE, all measures improved, with low back and leg pain not being significant (pback = 0.345 and pleg = 0.633), while pain catastrophization (p = 0.047), pain knowledge (p = 0.001) and depression (p = 0.004) reaching significant improvements. The PNE session shifted various patients to lower levels of depression, with 21.8% of the patients’ improvement in depression meeting or exceeding the minimal clinical important difference. Conclusion: PNE may be a safe, clinically effective way to help a subgroup of patients attending PT with depression. More studies are needed to further explore the results from this pilot study.

Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Depression and Anxiety of Patients with Celiac (Coeliac) and It’s Relation to Therapeutic Response in Yazd

Background: Celiac is an inflammatory bowel disease and an autoimmune disorder which is genetically stimulated by gluten-free protein synthesis. Patients with this disease usually suffer from anxiety and depression. Cognitive-behavioural therapy focusing on mindfulness and considering psychological flexibility have been more effective than other treatments on depression and anxiety of psychiatric patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy on depression and anxiety in celiac disease. Method: This Quasi-Experimental study was carried out on celiac patients admitted to the celiac committee, celiac and gastroenterologists' clinics of Yazd in Iran. Thirty participants selected by available sampling and randomly allocated to two experimental and control groups. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Inventory (HADS) and Gastrointestinal Symptom Scale (GIS) Scale used to collect data. The data analysed by Fisher’s exact test, Independent t test and ANOVA. Result: In the experimental group, the mental health variable (anxiety, depression and therapeutic response) significantly improved after the intervention in the post-test. Conclusion: Acceptance and commitment therapy was effective in improving depression and anxiety in celiac disease. Probability, the participation of the patient in a group of people with the same illness and the sharing of therapeutic experiences led to reduction of anxiety and depression and, consequently, improved patient function in their treatment.

Psychiatric Disorders in Diabetic Patients in Rafsanjan

Objective: To determine prevalence rates, associated features, and risk factors for psychiatric disorders subsequent to the diagnosis of IDDM. Methods: In this cross-sectional study were been selected 100 randomly who referred to Rafsanjan Diabetes Center. The data of this study is gathered demographic questionnaire and Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Data was analysed with software SPSS-17. Results: 76% of the patients were female and 24% were men 45.4% of the illiterate population. The results showed hypochondriasis (22%) and schizophrenia (19%) and depression (11%) are three psychiatric disorders that patients with diabetes in high-risk groups have reported. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that about 30-45% of patients with diabetes suffered from common mental disorders. The prevalence of some psychiatric disorders is considerable in diabetic patients in Rafsanjan.

Psychological Problems Experienced by Primary Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Epidemic in South Africa

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on healthcare workers globally. The psychological impact of COVID-19 among primary healthcare workers who constitute a vulnerable group is yet to be evaluated in South Africa. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence and risk factors for stress, anxiety and depression among healthcare workers of a rural primary health care setting in South Africa. Method: Self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional design was implemented among medical and nursing care professionals. Psychological problems were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Logistic regression was performed to determine associated factors for psychological problems. Results: The majority of HCWs were female (82.8%), of which 69.2% nurses and 56.6% single. The prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression disorders were 97.5%, 97.5% and 44% respectively. Females were 5.3 times (p<0.05) more likely to have stress disorder than males. Household size, perceived threat of family member not becoming infected with COVID-19 and having no concern of staff shortage were found to be protective for stress disorder (p<0.05). Healthcare workers who were not worried of getting infection and not worried of their family members getting infected found to be protective (OR<1, p<0.05) for anxiety disorder. Those 55 years or older were four times more likely to have depression (p<0.05) than their younger counterparts. Healthcare workers who were not worried of their family members would get infected and those were not worried to be infected were less likely (OR<1, p<0.05) to have depression disorder compared to those were worried. Conclusion: Higher rates of stress, anxiety and depression were found among these HCWs. It is therefore imperative that appropriate and timely mental health care supports are provided to avert immediate and long term adverse psychological health outcomes of the HCWs.

Graphology: An Interface Between Biology, Psychology and Neuroscience

Handwriting analysis dates back to many centuries ago. Graphology is a discipline that investigates personality and intellect of the individual through writing, indeed handwriting of the human being is an expression of his or her essence. Graphology examines a writing in order to extract unfiltered information about innate temperament and subconscious nature of who has traced the letters. The present paper highlights the historical and methodological approaches of graphology and its usefulness in human knowledge in order to give a glimpse of the complexity of this discipline. We have gradually focused on the description of the various fields with which, over time until today, the graphologists have dealt according to experimental and epistemological methodologies along a spectrum that ranges from studies on the character, the neuronal and biological correlates, the use in the forensic field, until to the contributions to career counseling and personnel selection. This manuscript aims to provide a quantitative picture of the handwriting analysis trying to combine insights from different sources and exploring conditions, limits and possibilities of its subject matter and methods involved. Handwriting analysis draws reliable conclusions about the spirit personality of a writer. We suppose that graphology and psychology could complement each other, and in this perspective, we explore the hypothesis of the existence of a bidirectional relationship between psychology, graphology and neuroscience which allows to gain insight into ourselves and others.

Behavioural Health Screening and Service Use in a Statewide Sample of MedicaidEligible Pediatric Outpatients

Objective: This study explored site-level rates of behavioural health (BH) screening, positive screening, and BH service use in statewide data from the largest Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization in Massachusetts. Methods: Screening rates at annual well-child visits (WCVs) were assessed across 908 sites (practices) for patients ages 4-17 between 2014-2018. The primary analytic sample included WCVs in 2016 (N=76,752) and was restricted to sites with at least 30 WCVs (N=304 sites; N=72,842 patients). Use of BH services was assessed six months before and after the index WCV. Results: The mean WCV screening rate across the analytical sample was 71.2% (SD=31.3; range=0.0- 100.0%) and the mean positive screening rate was 7.2% (SD=12.7, range=0-100%). Using intra-class correlations, small, but meaningful differences, were found between sites in rates of overall (r=0.38; 95% CI=0.25-0.50) and positive (r=0.10; 95% CI=0.00-0.29) screening. Although the relationship between a site’s rate of screening and the rate of BH treatment failed to reach statistical significance, there was a nonsignificant correlation (r=0.08, p=0.17) in the predicted direction and sites that screened at or above the mean screening rate (71.9% of their WCVs) were significantly more likely to have 6.0% or more of their patients receive subsequent BH services than were sites with screening rates below 71.9% (67.2% vs. 51.2%, p<.05). Conclusion: The current study documented a high level of continued compliance with the statewide mandate for routine psychosocial screening after more than a decade, although there were some relatively small decreases in compliance in recent years. The study also found that there were significant differences between sites in rates of BH screening and positive screening and a relationship between site-level rates of screening and service use.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Ways to Deal with it in the General Population and Certain Specific Populations

Background: During this pandemic year, the world has been experiencing an unprecedented situation on several levels. The measures taken, while necessary and vital, are significant stressors and can have, along with many other factors, a psychological impact on the general population and some vulnerable categories. Aim: Here we propose to describe this psychological impact, giving some advice in line with international recommendations. Method and Results: Through a summary of the main recommendations issued in this area recently, we have established a list of advice for professionals and concerned people. Discussion and Conclusion: Protecting ourselves and the most vulnerable people, from the psychological risks to which we are exposed, is currently an absolute necessity in order to be able to get out of this situation with the least possible damage. Learning to cope with these difficult times is also a way to learn how to deal with the adversity that such events can constitute in the future.

Stress, Anxiety & Mental Health Problems in Gifted Adolescents

There has been an open-ended, continuing argumentation whether giftedness is associated with excessive stress burden or mental disorders. Various literature reviews and research articles exist on the subject, however, there has been little outcome concerning direct comparisons among gifted and non-gifted young people. Contemporary research still presents findings which support both views. In the present review, there has been made an attempt to provide a scientific perspective of research related to emotional problems and/or mental disorders of gifted adolescents. We included research concerning depression and suicidal behaviour, and studies which offer ample evidence on the way stress and anxiety are created, and function in gifted young people. We rather concentrated on research and articles focusing on examining gifted young adolescents in comparison with the general, non-gifted population of the same age. The present review has been limited to research published within the past twenty years (2000-2019).

Reductions in Symptomatology from Admission to Discharge at a Residential Treatment Center for Substance Use Disorders: A Replication Study

A replication study of treatment outcomes for patients at a residential treatment center for substance use disorders was conducted. A set of measures was completed on admission and discharge by 200 patients admitted to a residential treatment center for substance use disorders. Participants in the replication sample did not differ from those in the initial sample of 100 on age, gender or average length of stay, or on baseline scores on the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire or the Drug Abuse Screening Test. Nor did they differ on admission or discharge scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory or the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version. The results show that the marked symptom reductions seen in the initial study can be replicated. This is an important step in ongoing research on treatment outcomes for substance use disorders. The treatment provided was multimodal and trauma-informed and incorporated Twelve Step and other approaches.

Depressive Disorders and Incidence of COVID-19: Is There a Correlation and Management Interference?

Corona virus Disease-2019 is a new strain of Coronaviruses (COVID-19) causing an infection which has rapidly spread all over the Globe, where the primary pathways of infection spreading reported to be through large respiratory droplets and the disease severity has varied from mild self-limiting flu like illness to acute pneumonia, respiratory collapse and death. On the other hand, depression is a disease that could be progress to a life-threatening condition that affects globally hundreds of millions of people. The aim of this review is desired to investigate and find a correlation between depressive disorders and the incidence of COVID19, where, pathogeneses of depressive disorder and its effect on the immunity system was addressed, besides the impact of depression on individual food intake and its complications regarding weight gain, insulin resistance, and immune system disruption was also discussed which by turn might increase the risk for infection with COVID-19. Finally, the possible drug-drug interactions between drugs included in management protocols of both depressive disorder including antidepressants and anxiolytics and COVID19 with possible proposed alternatives.