Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) significantly raise the risk of non-suicidal self-injurious (NSSI) in adolescents with mental illnesses. However, the mechanism through which ACEs affect NSSI remains unclear. This study aims to clarify the mechanisms that influence the relationship between types of ACEs, violence exposure, and NSSI and explore the mediating role of positive coping strategies.

A multi-center, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in eight provinces in China, involving 2052 adolescents with mental illness. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Simplified Coping Styles Questionnaire, and the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Screening Scale were utilized for data collection. All data analyses were performed using R version 4.4.2.

A survey of adolescents found that 83.8% had experienced at least one ACE. The prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury among these adolescents was 67.9%. All types of exposure to ACEs increased the likelihood of NSSI among adolescents with mental illness (aOR: 1.409-3.007). Types of violence-related ACEs demonstrated a cumulative effect (aOR: 3.494, 6.246). Positive coping strategies mediate the relationship between ACEs and NSSI (aOR: 1.017-1.039).

Exposure to ACEs increases the likelihood of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in adolescents with mental illness. In particular, it is important to focus on the effects of bullying, emotional neglect, and domestic violence. Developing and employing positive coping strategies can effectively lower the risk of NSSI in adolescents facing mental health challenges. Early screening for adolescents who have experienced ACEs, along with targeted psychological crisis intervention, are future initiatives.

Young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) face elevated risk for co-occurring mental (e.g., depression, anxiety), behavioral (e.g., substance use), and sexual (e.g., HIV-transmission-risk behavior) health challenges compared to their heterosexual peers. LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) targets psychosocial pathways through which minority stress is hypothesized to contribute to these disparities. We evaluated whether LGBTQ-affirmative CBT operates through these candidate mechanisms.

We analyzed trial data from 254 HIV-negative YGBM (ages 18-35; 67.2 % racial/ethnic minority) with mental, behavioral, and/or sexual health concerns randomly assigned to receive LGBTQ-affirmative CBT or one of two control conditions: LGBTQ-affirmative community counseling or HIV testing and counseling. Using baseline and 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up assessments, trajectories of identity-specific (i.e., sexual orientation-related acceptance concerns, concealment motivation, and internalized stigma) and general (i.e., assertiveness, emotion regulation difficulties, rumination, self-esteem, and social support) mechanisms were examined. Additionally, latent change score structural equation models tested whether these mechanisms mediated the relative impact of LGBTQ-affirmative CBT (vs. control) on depression, anxiety, substance use, HIV-transmission-risk behavior, or their co-occurrence.

Across the LGBTQ-affirmative CBT and control conditions, participants showed improvements in all mediators and clinical outcomes. While no formal mediation effects were detected, improvements in sexual orientation-related acceptance concerns were associated with improvements in problematic substance use across conditions, suggesting that this process may represent one promising target irrespective of treatment condition.

Identifying treatment mechanisms may help to maximize the efficacy of LGBTQ-affirmative CBT. While no definitive mediators emerged in this study, the consistent improvement across all candidate processes underscores their potential importance. Our findings highlight several challenges in establishing mechanisms of LGBTQ-affirmative CBT, including statistical power, active comparators, and measurement. We provide recommendations for advancing mechanistic tests in future work.

Schizophrenia patho-etiology may involve endothelial inflammation and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysregulation with cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) as important mediators. CAMs are essential for cellular integrity but can show increased levels in inflammation. Cognitive dysfunction precedes and exists independently of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia patients. CAMs could impact cognition through influence on BBB integrity. To gain insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, we explored the relationship between CAMs protein levels and neurocognitive tests in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in the BeSt InTro study.

Seventy-one in- and out-patients underwent CAMs measurements and neuropsychological testing on a minimum of one time point: baseline, 6, 26, or 52 weeks. Cognitive domains included working memory, processing speed, verbal abilities, executive functions, and overall cognition. CAMs analyzed were neural CAMs: junctional adhesion molecule (JAM-A) and neural cadherin (N-CAD); vascular CAMs: intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MADCAM), and platelet (P)-selectin from fasting blood samples. Linear mixed effects models, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, education, and drug naivety, estimated CAMs effect on cognitive outcome measures.

N-CAD levels correlated positively with overall cognition (p = 0.002), working memory (p = 0.034), and executive functions (p = 0.0011). ICAM-1 levels correlated positively with overall cognition (p = 0.037). Conversely, JAM-A levels correlated negatively with executive functions (p = 0.021).

Associations between CAMs (N-CAD, ICAM-1, JAM-A) and neurocognitive tests suggest CAMs may impact cognition in schizophrenia. Contrary to our hypothesis, most associations between CAMs levels and cognitive tests were positive. Future research on mechanisms is mandatory.

Recent policies by the current United States (US) administration have had significant repercussions for science and the confidence of researchers to continue their work. In this Editorial, we explore the current and future impact of these political actions, and contrast them with the historical scientific developments underpinning schizophrenia research, both in Europe and the US. Europe has an opportunity to shape a future where science has the resources and security it needs to flourish ….

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the psychological well-being of young people, yet the underlying mechanisms linking fear to maladaptive outcomes remain underexplored, particularly in developing countries. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates two parallel mediation models to explain how fear of COVID-19 translates into emotional (negativity) and behavioral (panic buying) outcomes among youth in Pakistan.

A correlational descriptive study was conducted using a purposive sampling technique to collect data in a district of Punjab, Pakistan. We selected 387 literate, knowledgeable, and young students with cognitive and necessary literary skills to understand and accurately respond to the study. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS (parallel mediation model 4) to examine the mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty, COVID-19 stress, negativity, and death anxiety.

Results found a substantial positive relationship between study variables. Parallel mediation examination indicated a positive direct effect of fear of COVID-19 on intolerance of uncertainty, COVID-19 stress, and negativity. Moreover, intolerance of uncertainty and COVID-19 stress mediated the positive relation between fear of COVID-19 and negativity. The second model exposed a positive direct impact of fear of COVID-19 on negativity, panic buying, and death anxiety. Negativity and death anxiety mediated a positive relation between the fear of COVID-19 and panic buying.

This study shows how perceptions and attributions of experiences can create substantial psychological distress. fear, stress, and intolerance of uncertainty often lead to negativity and panic buying. The study recommends training relevant stakeholders in active listening, empathy, and reassurance, which may help them provide immediate support, relief, and comfort to distressed individuals. Governments and policymakers should prioritize mental health as part of their pandemic response.

not applicable.

Autistic symptoms influence functional outcomes in individuals at high clinical risk for psychosis (CHR-P) and in those with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Our recent findings suggest that these symptoms encompass both enduring trait-like and transient state-like features that improve with treatment over a 12-month period. This study aimed to clarify the long-term course of autistic and non-autistic symptoms by comparing individuals with high and low levels of autistic symptoms at the CHR-P and FEP over an extended 18-month period. Sixty-two participants who completed the 18-month follow-up assessment (CHR-P, n = 37; FEP, n = 25) were included. At baseline, the high autistic symptoms (HA) group exhibited a significantly greater severity of autistic symptoms, more severe non-autistic psychiatric symptoms, and lower global functioning than the low autistic symptoms (LA) group. Over the 12- and 18-month follow-up periods, both groups showed significant improvements in non-autistic psychiatric symptoms and global functioning, and the initial group differences in these domains were no longer statistically significant. In contrast, although the autistic symptoms in the HA group decreased over time, a significant difference in the PAUSS total scores between the HA and LA groups persisted throughout the follow-up. While non-autistic psychiatric symptoms and functional impairments are responsive to treatment, autistic symptoms in individuals with CHR-P and FEP may encompass both modifiable, state-like features, and stable, trait-like characteristics, persisting over an 18-month period. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of persistent autistic symptoms in early psychosis.

Time poverty refers to the condition where individuals struggle to secure sufficient free time due to overwhelming responsibilities. This phenomenon has significant physical and mental health implications. Clinical nursing interns are particularly susceptible to time poverty due to demanding schedules, long shifts, and irregular hours during clinical placements. Despite its relevance, limited research explores the subjective experiences of clinical nursing interns regarding time poverty and its implications for their professional development and well-being.

This study aimed to understand the experiences and coping strategies of clinical nursing interns facing time poverty, identify factors that exacerbate time poverty, and provide suggestions to mitigate its negative impact on these interns.

Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to capture the lived experiences of 12 clinical nursing interns. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, ensuring diverse experiences from different clinical environments. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted, focused on: perceptions and experiences of time poverty, emotional and career impacts of insufficient free time, and coping strategies among interns. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to a thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes.

Four primary themes emerged from the data analysis: "Life on the Treadmill"; "The Emotion of Being Chased"; "Professional Shake"; and "Adaptation and Coping Strategies".

The findings highlight that time poverty significantly affects clinical nursing interns' emotional well-being, professional growth, and motivation. Addressing this issue requires institutional reforms and supportive measures, including: formal training in effective time management; structured mentorship programs to guide interns through challenging schedules; enhanced emotional support systems to foster resilience. Such interventions are critical to promoting the health, academic success, and professional identity of clinical nursing interns, ultimately strengthening the future nursing workforce and overall healthcare delivery.

Chronotype manifests trait-like dispositions and age-related developmental shifts; yet the psychometrics of existing morningness-eveningness (ME) scales do not reflect the distinctness of these influences. Three issues contribute to this construct-measurement mismatch: assumed age-invariance of reliability and validity, uniform cutoffs across age/sex, and unwarranted conflation of trait and developmental ME. We aimed to exemplify solutions for these issues and deliver age-stratified psychometrics and augmented regression-based norms (RBN) that disentangle trait and developmental ME for the European Portuguese CSM.

Multi-cohort data from Portuguese residents/native speakers were pooled. Reliability (N = 2890; 12-94 years) and validity (n = 1880; 12-75 years) were examined overall and across five age groups. Hierarchical step-down regression selected predictors for the augmented RBN. Predictive performance was compared with conventional whole-sample norming on sleep timing and mental-health outcomes.

Age-stratified analyses showed adolescents and older adults diverged from overall reliability and validity patterns; nevertheless, indices were adequate. RBN included linear and quadratic age in adolescence and, in adulthood, an additional Age × Sex interaction. Augmented scores' disentangled trait and developmental components better predicted validity indicators and mental-health outcomes than conventionally normed scores. A public calculator returns ME z-scores, percentiles, and a 9-category chronotype classification for trait, developmental, and combined chronotype.

Augmented RBN for the CSM deliver trait, developmental, and combined ME scores and classifications that improve prediction and offer clinical utility for exploring vulnerabilities to psychological distress, sleep problems, and cognitive complaints. The approach may generalize to other ME scales.

Findings conflict regarding the risk of peripartum mental illness in women with multiple sclerosis (MS) and how this compares to the risk among women with other chronic diseases. We compared the incidence and prevalence of peripartum mental illness among women with MS, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, and women without any of these diseases (comparators).

Using population-based Swedish administrative health data we selected women with MS, epilepsy, IBD, diabetes, and comparators who had deliveries between 2002 and 2019. Using validated case definitions for peripartum mental illness we estimated the incidence and prevalence of mental illness during the period encompassing pregnancy and the first post-partum year. We compared incidence and prevalence between cohorts using crude estimates and unadjusted Poisson regression.

We included 1096,814 women (1936 MS; 7709 epilepsy; 7731 IBD; 7182 diabetes; 1072,256 comparators). Mean (SD) age at conception was 30.1 (5.1) years. Compared to comparators, mothers with MS had a higher incidence of any mental illness (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.36; 1.04-1.78), as did mothers with epilepsy (1.78; 1.58-2.00), IBD (1.46; 1.28-1.66) and diabetes (1.61; 1.41-1.83). Mothers with MS, epilepsy, IBD and diabetes also had a higher incidence and prevalence of depression and bipolar disorder than comparators. Mothers with epilepsy had higher incidence rates of anxiety, and higher prevalence ratios of any mental illness and anxiety than mothers with MS.

Women with MS, epilepsy, IBD and diabetes have a similarly elevated incidence and prevalence of peripartum mental illness as compared to mothers without these conditions.

LEGO® based therapy, a social skills program for autistic children and young people, involves collaborative LEGO® building with adult guidance. This paper examines how well the program was delivered in a recent school randomised controlled trial and explores areas for improvement in implementation. The main trial results are published elsewhere.

The I-SOCIALISE trial investigated LEGO® based therapy for autistic children in schools. Researchers recruited 98 schools and randomly assigned them to deliver LEGO® based therapy or usual care. LEGO® based therapy sessions lasted one hour per week for 12 weeks with groups of 3 children. Schools received a 3-hour training session and a manual. Researchers measured fidelity to the LEGO® based therapy programme using self-reported checklists and video analysis. Research team insight and experience of the delivery of the training and intervention are included in this paper.

LEGO® based therapy was delivered to autistic children in schools with high fidelity according to facilitators and independent reviewers. Most groups (69%) received all 12 sessions, and nearly all groups received the minimum dose of 6 sessions (93%). Sessions typically lasted about an hour and had 1-2 autistic children. Facilitators were mostly teaching assistants with moderate experience in autism. Over 90% of sessions included core elements like group building and social interaction. There were disagreements between facilitators and reviewers on adherence to some program elements like rewards and discussing roles.

LEGO® based therapy was delivered with high fidelity in a large school trial, but there were areas for improvement, such as facilitator training and focus on social interaction for and between children. The authors suggest that facilitators may have been more focused on completing LEGO® builds than on facilitating meaningful social interaction and play between children. Three hours of training may not have been enough to prepare facilitators for their role. The study also did not capture young people's experience of the program, which is important for understanding its effectiveness and impact. Future research should explore how to better measure these aspects and develop a stronger theory of how LEGO® based therapy works.