Search Results (927)

This title and theme of this study will be preoccupied with the discipline of the psychology of religion. It aims at bringing closer the psychology of religion and the writings of the St Maximus the Confessor in an interdisciplinary perspective. Its objective will be focused on illustrating elements of spirituality as a psychological trend under modern psychological endeavours, such as those associated with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and in terms of identifying mental disorders, like anxiety and depression, and therapeutic interventions of change on them. In addition, it will present and discuss St. Maximus the Confessor’s psychological aspects on man that relate to fallenness, intrapsychic upheaval, and therapeutic suggestions. This topic will be presented as an empirical study, based on an inventory (PIPR—Philautia Inventory for the Psychology of Religion) that I have developed, which outlines items from St. Maximus the Confessor’s Christian Orthodox Psychology that are relevant to the spiritual anthropology and exegetical paradigm of that father’s interpretation of the condition of man. This is the second time that I have employed this inventory, for I have constructed it to be pilot-studied, and then to use it in a main study in the future. The items of the PIPR are validated through this pilot study (the present paper). The discussion which will derive from such a pilot empirical study will look into the interdisciplinary elements of spirituality according to a psychology of religion perspective, and the convergence and divergence between the psychology of religion and St. Maximus the Confessor’s writings. This empirical study will concentrate on the inventory I have suggested based on the pilot study that was conducted on each of its items. Last, but not least, I will also discuss and suggest how, by studying the writings of St. Maximus the Confessor, the psychology of religion can benefit, in view to presenting, discussing, and studying the human condition as a psychosomatic endeavour, and not simply as a psychological edifice, and connecting to how the faculties of the human mind operate and function. Full article

Objectives: To assess associations between body weight metrics and eating disorder (ED)-psychopathology in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) at baseline and four weeks post-discharge (4-week follow-up) from inpatient psychiatric multimodal treatment (IMT), calculating full and partial body mass index (BMI) percentile/ED-psychopathology remission rates. Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective observational cohort study in adolescents (12–18 years) with AN-restricting (AN-R)/-binge–purge (AN-BP), and atypical AN (AAN). Body weight metrics and ED-psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, EDE-Q) were assessed at baseline and 4-week follow-up. Remission at 4-week follow-up was calculated by applying German-AN-S3-guidelines-based vs. DSM-5 criteria. Results: In 40 adolescents (mean age = 15.6 ± 1.5 years; females = 90%; BMI z-score = −2.59 ± 1.07) receiving IMT (median duration = 118 (IQR = 90–150) days), BMI z-score increased (−2.61 to −1.04, p < 0.001) and EDE-Q global score decreased (3.26 to 1.81, p < 0.001) from baseline to 4-week follow-up. Greater weight gain/week during IMT had a positive impact on ED-psychopathology at 4-week follow-up. In multivariable analyses, greater BMI z-score improvement was independently predicted by lower baseline BMI z-score (p < 0.001) and fewer baseline comorbid psychiatric diagnoses (p = 0.034) (R²_Adjusted = 0.545). Greater EDE-Q global score improvement was independently predicted by typical vs. atypical AN (p = 0.005), higher baseline BMI z-score (p = 0.012), and higher baseline EDE-Q restraint (p = 0.048) (R²_Adjusted = 0.376). By applying stricter S3-guideline-based vs. DSM-5 BMI percentile criteria, full BMI percentile/ED-psychopathology remission was lower (12.5% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.001), while non-remission was higher (25.0% vs. 5.0%, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The complex relationships between body weight metrics, ED-psychopathology, and treatment outcome trajectories in AN, including treatment response and remission criteria, require further investigation. Full article

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID-19 syndrome (LC) show substantial clinical overlap, but direct comparative microbiome studies remain limited. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we compared the fecal gut microbiome of patients with ME/CFS, LC, and healthy controls (HC) within a unified analytical framework using 16S rRNA profiling, differential abundance testing, and multivariate modeling. We also examined associations between microbiome variation and questionnaire-derived symptom-domain scores. Results: Alpha-diversity did not differ significantly among groups, whereas beta-diversity analyses showed small but significant disease-associated community differences with broad overlap between cohorts. Differential abundance analysis identified stronger signals in disease-versus-control contrasts than in the direct ME/CFS vs. LC contrast. Both ME/CFS and LC shared enrichment of Sutterella and depletion of Terrisporobacter and Lachnospiraceae relative to HC. Predicted functional profiling showed shared disease-versus-control changes in pathways related to anaerobic acetate/H₂ carbon flow, inositol/polyol degradation, phosphonate/C1-related metabolism, and lysine-derived fermentation. Regression analyses showed the strongest microbiome associations with fatigue-related and physiosomatic domains, while affective, cognitive, and gastrointestinal outcomes showed weaker signals. Conclusions: Overall, these findings support the presence of overlapping but non-identical gut microbiome alterations in ME/CFS and LC. The results provide a basis for future longitudinal and multi-omics studies aimed at clarifying the stability, functional relevance, and clinical utility of these microbial patterns. Full article

Individuals differ in their susceptibility to emotional contagion, i.e., the automatic tendency to mirror and synchronize another person’s expressions and movements, resulting in shared emotional experiences. The objective of this research was to investigate how susceptibility to emotional contagion connects to automatic facial emotion processing and emotional competences. An affective priming task using happy, angry, neutral, and blank faces was administered to a sample of 104 women with a mean age of 24.72 years (SD = 3.63). They completed self-report measures assessing susceptibility to positive and negative emotional contagion, alexithymia, trait emotional intelligence, affectivity, and depression. Although prime valence-congruent evaluative shifts were found in our sample, there were no correlations of susceptibility to positive and negative emotional contagion with affective priming effects. Susceptibility to positive emotion contagion was negatively correlated with alexithymia and positively with emotional intelligence. However, susceptibility to positive emotion contagion predicted only emotional intelligence (but not alexithymia), when controlling for relevant affect variables. Our findings indicate that emotional contagion susceptibility could be less strongly linked to automatic emotion perception than previously suggested. Moreover, the trait-like tendency to resonate with other people’s positive emotions seems to be linked to enhanced capacities in perceiving, interpreting, and regulating emotions. Full article

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long Coronavirus Disease 2019 (long COVID) are complex chronic conditions that often follow infectious triggers with overlapping clinical features but poorly defined pathophysiological relationships. This study aimed to identify disease-specific immune signatures through multiparameter immunophenotyping of monocytes, dendritic cells, and T cell subsets. A total of 207 participants were included (ME/CFS: n = 103; long COVID: n = 63; healthy controls: n = 41). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed using multiparameter flow cytometry. Statistical analyses included non-parametric testing, age-adjusted Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), correlation network analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). Long COVID was characterized by increased M2-like monocyte polarization, elevated CD80 expression across monocyte subsets, expansion of dendritic cells, and reduced expression of activation markers, indicating persistent immune activation with features of immune exhaustion. In contrast, ME/CFS exhibited reduced costimulatory molecule expression, impaired C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7)-mediated immune cell trafficking, and less coordinated activation patterns, consistent with a state of immune suppression. Correlation network analysis revealed more extensive and integrated immune interactions in long COVID, while PCA identified distinct immunophenotypic components and enabled moderate discrimination between the two conditions. These findings demonstrate that ME/CFS and long COVID are characterized by distinct immune profiles, supporting the concept of divergent immunopathological mechanisms. The identified signatures may contribute to biomarker development and guide targeted therapeutic approaches. Full article

Background/Objectives: The increasing reliance on the Internet for health information has contributed to the emergence of cyberchondria, a phenomenon closely associated with health anxiety and potentially linked to sleep disturbances. Evidence remains limited in the Saudi context, particularly regarding differences between individuals with and without psychosomatic disorders. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 1224 Saudi adults (535 with psychosomatic disorders and 689 without). Data were collected using validated instruments, including the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS-12), Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI-18), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients and two-way ANOVA. Results: The prevalence of cyberchondria was 56.78%, health anxiety 38.76%, and poor sleep quality 56.9%. Significant positive correlations were observed between cyberchondria, health anxiety, and poor sleep quality across both groups, with stronger associations among individuals with psychosomatic disorders. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of clinical status on all variables and a significant effect of sex on health anxiety, with higher levels among females. Conclusions: Findings highlight a significant interplay between cyberchondria, health anxiety, and sleep quality, particularly among individuals with psychosomatic disorders. These results underscore the need for targeted public health interventions addressing digital health behaviours and mental health. Full article

Background: Spasticity is a frequent and disabling complication in patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC), yet its prevalence, distribution, evolution, and relationship with recovery of consciousness remain poorly characterized. The aim was to investigate the prevalence, severity, distribution, and evolution of spasticity in PDOC patients undergoing early intensive neurorehabilitation (EIN), and to explore clinical factors associated with spasticity and its relationship with level of consciousness (LOC). Methods: This study was embedded in the nationwide prospective DOCTOR cohort and included 126 PDOC patients admitted for EIN in the Netherlands between 2019 and 2023. Spasticity was assessed at admission and discharge using the Ashworth Scale (AS) across seven bilateral muscle groups. Associations between spasticity, demographic and clinical variables, medication use, nociception, and recovery of consciousness were analyzed. Results: Spasticity was highly prevalent at EIN admission (88%) and discharge (90%), with mostly bilateral and widespread involvement. Elbow flexors, wrist flexors, hip adductors, and knee flexors were most frequently affected. Severe spasticity was present in 19% at admission and 30% at discharge. Spasticity severity correlated positively with pain scores and use of spasmolytics, but not with LOC. No association was found between spasticity at admission and recovery of consciousness. Conclusions: Spasticity is nearly ubiquitous and often progressive in PDOC, even during specialized neurorehabilitation. Its evolution appears independent of recovery of consciousness, underscoring the need to assess and manage spasticity as a distinct clinical entity. Prospective interventional studies are warranted to optimize spasticity treatment in this population. Full article

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) and depression often co-occur. This study compared a fascia-focused physiotherapeutic program with a conventional physiotherapeutic and relaxation-based program in psychosomatic inpatients with CLBP and comorbid depression. Methods: In this exploratory quasi-randomized study, 41 inpatients were allocated to a fascia-focused intervention group (n = 23) or a conventional active control group (n = 18). Over six weeks, the intervention group received Bowen therapy and fascia circuit training, whereas the control group received progressive muscle relaxation and strength circuit training. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after rehabilitation. NRS pain intensity and BDI-II depressive symptom severity were the main clinically relevant outcomes; spinal function, tissue stiffness, pressure pain threshold, and craniovertebral angle were secondary or exploratory outcomes. Results: Both groups improved over time in pain intensity and depressive symptom severity. NRS scores decreased by 3.21 ± 2.61 points in the fascia-focused group and by 2.17 ± 2.34 points in the control group; BDI-II scores decreased by 9.30 ± 13.42 and 7.22 ± 8.57 points, respectively. Repeated-measures ANOVA confirmed significant time effects for NRS and BDI-II, with no significant group differences or time × group interactions. Significant time effects were also observed for thoracic tissue stiffness, lumbar and pelvic posture, thoracic and lumbar mobility, and pelvic stability. Conclusions: Fascia-focused and conventional physiotherapy showed similar observed effects in this exploratory quasi-randomized study. The absence of significant between-group differences should be interpreted cautiously because the study was not designed or powered to establish formal equivalence. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux-induced chronic cough (GERC) is a common cause of chronic cough, and a substantial proportion of patients show an inadequate response to standard anti-reflux therapy. Psychological comorbidities, including somatic symptom disorder (SSD), have been increasingly recognized in this population. However, the prevalence and clinical characteristics of SSD in patients with GERC remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SSD in patients with GERC and to characterize the associated clinical and psychological features. Methods: In this prospective observational study, consecutive patients with GERC diagnosed at Tongji Hospital, Shanghai, China, between January 2024 and June 2025 were consecutively enrolled. SSD was assessed using a structured diagnostic interview based on DSM-5 criteria. Patients were categorized into SSD+ and SSD− groups. Clinical and psychological characteristics were compared between groups, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with SSD. Results: A total of 215 patients with GERC were included, of whom 22.3% (48/215) were diagnosed with SSD. Compared with the SSD− group, patients with SSD had higher healthcare utilization, poorer response to standard anti-reflux therapy, increased cough sensitivity, poorer cough-related quality of life, and greater psychological distress. Multivariate logistic regression identified increased cough sensitivity and higher anxiety and depression scores as independent factors associated with SSD. Conclusions: SSD is relatively common in patients with GERC and is associated with cough hypersensitivity, poorer response to anti-reflux therapy, and greater psychological burden. These findings suggest that SSD may represent a clinically relevant phenotype of GERC, and patients with coexisting SSD may require more comprehensive psychosomatic assessment and multidisciplinary management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a critical period in terms of mental health, with the family environment being a key determinant. Parental resilience, the ability to adapt and recover from stress, is a parental psychological resource that may shape the family context of adolescent development but population-based evidence is scarce. This study examined if parental resilience is linked to adolescent mental well-being, mediated by perceived family support, and whether it varies by sex or developmental stage. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study analyzed data from 2004 adolescents aged 11–19 years from the COP-S Wave 4 survey in Italy. Parental resilience was assessed using a Brief Resilience Scale. Perceived social support was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and mental well-being was assessed across five outcomes: health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN-10), emotional difficulties (SDQ), depressive symptoms (PHQ-2), anxiety symptoms (SCARED), and psychosomatic complaints (HBSC-SCL). Regression models were used to examine associations, and mediation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro with bootstrap confidence intervals (5000 resamples). Results: Parental resilience was independently associated with better health-related quality of life, lower emotional and behavioral difficulties, fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, and fewer psychosomatic complaints, after adjusting for adolescent social support and demographics. Parental resilience showed weak positive associations with the MSPSS subscales; the hypothesis of the strongest family support association was unsupported. The analyses did not support family support as a mediator and no moderation by sex or development was found. Conclusions: In this population-based sample, parental resilience was associated with multiple dimensions of adolescent mental well-being that were distinct from adolescents’ perceptions of social support. These findings suggest that strengthening parental resilience may promote adolescent mental health at the population level. Full article

Diet quality, nutrition knowledge, and psychosomatic literacy—defined as the understanding of the interactions between diet, gut microbiota, and mental well-being—may shape weight-related behaviours in youth. This study used a cross-sectional design to integrate these domains with digital information pathways in Central–Eastern Europe. This study assessed diet quality, nutrition, and psychosomatic knowledge, supplement use, and health-information sources among Polish adolescents and young adults, with emphasis on age-related differences and the role of social media. A cross-sectional, anonymous online survey (October 2025–January 2026) was conducted in Poland (final analytical sample: n = 478; adolescents 15–19 years vs. young adults 20–30 years). Of 591 individuals who accessed the survey, 478 were included in the final analytical sample. Diet quality was estimated from FFQ data using KomPAN-derived indices (pHDI-10, nHDI-14, DQI). Nutrition knowledge (0–25 points), psychosomatic/gut–brain indicators, supplementation, and information sources were analysed using χ²/Fisher tests and Mann–Whitney U tests with effect sizes. The primary outcomes measured were dietary supplement use and excess body weight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). Multivariable logistic regression examined predictors of supplement use and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². Overall diet quality was low to moderate, with limited intake of whole grains, legumes, and fish, and common nutrition misconceptions. Social media was the most frequently indicated source of diet/supplement information and was independently associated with more frequent supplement use (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.43–3.64). Adolescents reported lower whole-grain intake and more misconceptions than young adults. Predictors of BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² included male sex (OR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.46–4.15), lower education, and lower nutrition knowledge, while age showed a non-linear positive association with excess body weight. Polish adolescents and young adults show gaps between declared pro-health attitudes and actual diet quality/competencies. Social media reliance appears particularly linked to product-oriented behaviours (supplementation). Prevention should strengthen nutrition and food safety education, digital health literacy, and professional guidance on supplementation, especially in adolescents. Our findings suggest that social media is a primary driver for dietary supplementation among Polish youth, more so than objective nutrition knowledge. While diet quality is linked to weight status, the relationship is complex. These results may inform future public health interventions targeting digital health literacy to promote balanced nutrition and safe supplementation practices. Full article

Background: A substantial discrepancy exists between the prevalence of perceived food allergy and that of food allergy confirmed by objective diagnostic methods. The misperceptions of food-related symptoms in the absence of a confirmed food allergy may be related to maladaptive personality traits, such as neuroticism, which may shape symptom perception, illness experience, and the therapeutic alliance. From an integrative medicine perspective, maladaptive personality traits may be associated with the reporting and interpretation of food-related symptoms. Objective: This pilot exploratory study examined associations between personality traits and perceived food allergy. Methods: Twenty-one adults reporting food allergy symptoms underwent allergological assessment and standardized psychological evaluation. Participants were classified as having confirmed (n = 10) or excluded (n = 11) immune-mediated food allergy. Maladaptive personality traits were assessed using the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form (PID-5-BF), and quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF. Between-group comparisons were performed using Mann–Whitney U tests. Results: Patients without confirmed food allergy demonstrated significantly higher Antagonism scores compared with those with confirmed allergy (p = 0.003; g = 1.03). No significant differences emerged in other personality domains, although moderate-to-large effect sizes were observed for Negative Affectivity, Disinhibition, and Psychoticism. These findings should be interpreted with caution given the small sample size and the exploratory nature of the study and should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating. Conclusions: Patients with confirmed food allergy may be primarily burdened by environmental limitations associated with disease management, whereas individuals without confirmed allergy may exhibit higher levels of maladaptive personality traits, particularly antagonism. Integrating psychological assessment into allergy care may support patient-centered, evidence-based integrative approaches in conditions marked by diagnostic uncertainty. Full article

Background/Objectives: The intersection of mental health and acute coronary syndromes has become an increasingly prominent area of cardiovascular and psychosomatic research, yet its temporal dynamics and intellectual structure remain incompletely characterized. Methods: This study analyzed 13,646 peer-reviewed documents spanning five decades, employing advanced changepoint detection (PELT) algorithms, network visualization (VOSviewer), and bibliometric performance metrics (Bibliometrix) to quantify the evolution of the mental health–ACS intersection. Results: Statistical analysis identified two robust inflection points at 1990 and 2005 that demarcate distinct developmental periods. The 1990 breakpoint marked an important transition, although additional metadata-completeness analysis indicated that part of the increase from 72 to 142 publications may reflect improved availability of non-title Topic-field metadata in WoSCC around 1990–1991. The 2005 breakpoint represented the most critical transition (Cohen’s d = 4.05, p < 0.000001), initiating exponential growth from 349 to over 600 annual publications by 2022 and coinciding with growing research attention to psychiatric comorbidity within ACS literature. Keyword co-occurrence networks revealed a shift in research focus: early publications predominantly addressed mental health as a psychological reaction to cardiac events, whereas more recent publications increasingly frame depression, anxiety, and PTSD alongside mechanistic constructs such as inflammatory pathways, autonomic dysfunction, and platelet reactivity. Although seminal intervention trials (i.e., ENRICHD, SADHART) established pharmacological safety and symptom improvement, keyword analyses indicate that following these trials, research attention increasingly shifted toward precision psychiatry concepts and mechanistic pathway elucidation. Conclusions: These findings provide a quantitative map of how publication activity at the mental health–ACS intersection has evolved, offering a structured basis for identifying under-researched areas and informing future research agendas. Full article

Background: Effective communication improves patient satisfaction and reduces stress for both patients and physicians. Surveys consistently highlight the importance of strong communication skills among physicians, especially in oncologic settings. Yet, communication training is neither ubiquitous nor standardized in medical studies or residency, and physicians report that this task represents a burden for them. Given the limited data addressing the observations and expectations of patients with gynecologic malignancies when receiving bad news, this survey aimed to assess their perspective on this topic. Methods: We examined throughout an anonymous questionnaire how patients with gynecological and breast cancer experienced the delivery of bad news. Data were collected in Germany from July 2024 to September 2025. The questionnaire was available online and in paper form in four languages (German, English, Turkish, Arabic), with the purpose of recording culture-specific data. Results: A total of 249 patients completed the survey. Regarding the overall need for improvement in delivering bad news, 222 women (94.5%) declared that improvement was necessary, with 92 (39.1%) of them indicating that substantial improvement was required. While 67.9% of patients were content with the physician’s professional competence, 30.5% stated a lack of empathy, and 32.9% stated insufficient time for conversation. When comparing satisfied and dissatisfied patients, significant differences were observed across several aspects, such as consultation length, nonverbal communication, calmness of the setting, stress level after the conversation, and the offer to bring a trusted person or arrange a follow-up conversation. Conclusions: This patient survey highlights a persistent gap between patients’ expectations and physicians’ performance when it comes to delivering bad news. The findings underline the urgent need for the implementation of systematic training programs and structured communication protocols in gynecologic oncology. Full article

Background: Hwabyung is a psychosomatic condition characterized by suppressed anger accompanied by somatic distress. Although traditionally considered a culture-bound syndrome, evidence suggests that Hwabyung reflects culturally shaped manifestations of universal emotional and interoceptive processes. The Hwabyung Comprehensive Test (HCT) was developed to assess Hwabyung symptoms; however, its accuracy for clinical identification and differential discrimination requires further validation in clinically representative samples. Methods: Patients presenting Hwabyung symptoms were recruited from a university hospital and classified using a structured clinical interview as the reference standard. Participants were categorized into a Hwabyung group (HG; n = 100) and a non-Hwabyung group (NHG; n = 82), including a non-Hwabyung clinical group (NHCG; n = 36) and a non-clinical group (NCG; n = 46). The HCT symptom scale, including physical (HCT-P) and emotional (HCT-E) subscales, served as the index test. ROC analyses were conducted to evaluate diagnostic accuracy and optimal cut-off scores. Results: For distinguishing HG from NHG, HCT-total demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for identifying Hwabyung, with an optimal cut-off score of 33.5 (sensitivity = 0.710, specificity = 0.820). In differentiating HG from NHCG, both HCT-total and HCT-P showed fair discriminative performance, with HCT-P exhibiting higher specificity. A cut-off score of 16.5 for HCT-P yielded a sensitivity of 0.540 and a specificity of 0.833. Conclusions: The HCT demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy for identifying Hwabyung and fair performance in differentiating it from psychiatric disorders. These findings support a stepwise clinical application in which HCT-total is used for initial screening and HCT-P is a supplementary measure for supporting differential diagnostic decision-making. Full article