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J. Mind Med. Sci., Volume 13, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 5 articles

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25 pages, 284 KB

Open AccessArticle

Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) in Ireland: A Qualitative Study Exploring Perspectives of Healthcare and Policy Professionals

by Caoimhe Hannigan, Cassandra Dinius, Eve Larkin and Michelle E. Kelly

J. Mind Med. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmms13020012 - 8 May 2026

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Abstract

Background: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is one of the most highly recommended non-pharmacological interventions for people living with dementia. In Ireland, over 650 practitioners have been trained to deliver CST; however, the intervention is not routinely available as a post-diagnostic support. The objective of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of CST within the healthcare system in Ireland, through interviews with healthcare and policy professionals. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 key stakeholders involved in the provision of dementia services in Ireland, either in a policy role (n = 5) or as a healthcare professional (n = 5). Participants were responsible for the leadership of a dementia service and/or the direct provision of clinical care. Data collection and analysis was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Framework analysis was used to identify themes that illustrated key barriers and facilitators to the implementation of this intervention in an Irish context. Results: Findings were organised into five themes: Familiarity, Understanding, and Evidence; Partnerships and Connections; Policy; Resources; and Attitudes and Culture. These themes illustrated barriers and facilitators to implementation operating at the Innovation, Outer Setting, and Inner Setting CFIR domains. Conclusion: Identifying and addressing key barriers and facilitators to the implementation of CST within the Irish healthcare system may help to support successful implementation and sustained use of the intervention in future. The CFIR provides a useful framework for conceptualising pre-implementation barriers and facilitators. The findings of this study can be used to develop specific implementation strategies and/or models to increase the availability of CST in Ireland. Full article

16 pages, 576 KB

Open AccessArticle

An Integrated Student Well-Being and Resilience Model for Health Professions Education in South Africa

by Xolani Lawrence Mhlongo

J. Mind Med. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmms13020011 - 23 Apr 2026

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Abstract

Background: South African university students face escalating levels of psychological distress driven by academic overload, financial precarity, and social challenges. Health professions students are particularly vulnerable due to the demanding nature of clinical training and repeated exposure to human suffering. Aim: This study aims to propose an Integrated Student Well-being and Resilience Model tailored to the South African health professions education context. Methods: This conceptual paper draws on empirical evidence from South African studies on student mental health, global campus well-being frameworks, and socio-ecological theory. Bronfenbrenner’s Socio-Ecological Systems Theory and a tiered public health approach were synthesized to develop a multi-level model aimed at addressing the academic, financial, and social determinants of student mental health. Conceptual synthesis: The study unequivocally identified a syndemic of interconnected factors predisposing students to depression, which included the interplay of academic rigour and cognitive burnout, financial vulnerability as a determinant of mental health, the crisis of social connection and psychological safety, and institutional failure and the resilience fallacy. Conclusions: The Integrated Student Well-being and Resilience (ISWR) Model is a systemic architecture designed to coordinate institutional governance with the complex psychosocial needs of health professions students. The model provides a holistic, scalable framework for strengthening student well-being within health professions education. By shifting from reactive counselling to proactive, system-level interventions, the model offers a strategic blueprint for creating resilient, supportive learning environments capable of improving student mental health and fostering a healthier future healthcare workforce. Full article

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27 pages, 3220 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Impact of Mind–Body Therapies on the Mental Health of Adults with Eating Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

by Sevgi Koroglu Gokbel and Gulgun Durat

J. Mind Med. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmms13020010 - 20 Apr 2026

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Abstract

Background: Eating disorders are among serious psychiatric conditions and are associated with an increased risk of mortality and significant psychological distress. Mind–body therapies are attracting increasing attention as complementary interventions aimed at improving psychological well-being. The aim of this meta-analysis is to examine the effects of mind–body therapies on psychological outcomes in adults diagnosed with an eating disorder or exhibiting clinically significant symptoms associated with it. Methods: Randomized controlled trials published between 2003 and 2026 were identified through a systematic search of the PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Studies were included that involved participants aged 18 years and over who had received a diagnosis of an eating disorder according to standard diagnostic criteria (e.g., DSM-IV, DSM-IV-TR, DSM-5) or who exhibited clinically significant symptoms associated with an eating disorder. Mind–body interventions were compared with control conditions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute assessment tool. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 16.0 software. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials involving a total of 688 participants were included in the meta-analysis. It was found that mind–body interventions significantly reduced levels of depression (Hedges’ g = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.67 to −0.20). Similarly, significant reductions were observed in levels of inadequate self (g = −0.51, 95% CI: −0.84 to −0.18) and self-hated (g = −0.56, 95% CI: −0.89 to −0.23). Although an effect in the direction of an increase was observed for self-compassion (g = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.07–0.54), this effect was not found to be statistically significant following the correction applied for multiple comparisons. In contrast, anxiety (g = −0.19, 95% CI: −0.39 to 0.02), stress (g = −0.48, 95% CI: −1.05 to 0.09), and self-esteem (g = 0.29, 95% CI: −0.16 to 0.73). Conclusions: Mind–body therapies are associated with improvements in certain psychological outcomes among adults with a diagnosis of an eating disorder or those exhibiting clinically significant symptoms. However, the current findings should be interpreted with caution, as the included studies largely relied on waiting-list or usual-care control groups. Full article

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17 pages, 773 KB

Open AccessArticle

“My Eyes Are Open but Sometimes I Want to Close Them”: Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to Explore the Lived Experience of Dyspnea and Quality of Life Before and After Lung-Sparing Surgery for Pleural Mesothelioma

by Melissa J. Culligan, Angela Tod, Mary Regan, N. Jennifer Klinedinst, Joseph S. Friedberg and Kim Mooney-Doyle

J. Mind Med. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmms13020009 - 18 Apr 2026

Viewed by 218

Abstract

Pleural Mesothelioma (PM) is a rare, incurable malignancy of the pleura. Lung-sparing surgery, considered investigational, aims to prolong survival and improve quality of life (QOL). Beyond the standard quantitative measures used to determine successful surgical outcomes, an understanding of an individual’s perception of the impact surgery has had on their symptom burden and QOL has not been reported in the literature. The primary aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of dyspnea and QOL before and after lung-sparing surgery. The philosophical approach to this study was grounded in hermeneutical phenomenology. Participants underwent in-depth semi-structured interviews before and 3–4 months post-surgery, analyzed through Interpretive Phenomenological analysis. The analysis identified Group Experiential Themes (GETs) before and after surgery: Psychological (mind supports body), Physiological (body fighting, enduring, and adapting), Social (others sharing and supporting), and Existential (facing an uncertain future). The emotional impact of PM is multidimensional, involving time, internal psychological struggles, and coping with the diagnosis. The physical impact disrupts normal routines and interactions, while social interactions influence the perception of the illness experience. Facing PM disrupts normal bodily routines and interactions with the world. This study provides qualitative evidence that perceptions of dyspnea and QOL significantly impact the patient experience before and after surgery. The enriched understanding of living with mesothelioma and enduring lung-sparing surgery comes from the patients’ voices, highlighting the continuum of dyspnea and QOL influenced by various factors. Healthcare teams must consider patients’ physical, emotional, social, and existential experiences beyond measurable outcomes. Full article

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14 pages, 1148 KB

Open AccessReview

Comprehensive Review of Worster-Drought Syndrome as a Congenital Suprabulbar Paresis

by Magdalena Dzięgiel, Aleksandra Maciejowska, Dawid Juszkiewicz, Wiktor Kaleta, Marta Zawadzka and Maria Mazurkiewicz-Bełdzińska

J. Mind Med. Sci. 2026, 13(2), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmms13020008 - 3 Apr 2026

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Abstract

Worster-Drought syndrome (WDS), also known as congenital suprabulbar paresis, is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by feeding, swallowing, drooling, and speech disturbances. Currently, it is classified as a subtype of cerebral palsy. However, the limited number of studies and the clinical and radiological overlap with related entities such as congenital bilateral perisylvian syndrome (CBPS) and Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome (FCMS) have contributed to persistent uncertainty regarding its proper classification. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the WDS based on data from published case series. Special emphasis is placed on proposed etiological mechanisms, including recent genetic findings potentially contributing to WDS, as well as on the diagnostic process, ongoing classification dilemmas, and spectrum-based perspective. We point out the need to establish standardized diagnostic criteria and conduct large-scale genetic and neurodevelopmental research. Addressing these gaps may help clarify the underlying pathophysiology, reappraise the classification framework, and ultimately minimize misdiagnosis and time to proper diagnosis to improve outcomes for individuals affected by WDS. Full article

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