Search Results (7)

Background/Objectives: Bite blocks (BBs) are commonly used in clear aligner therapy, yet their effect on masticatory muscle activity is poorly characterised. This study aims to examine the variability in the effects of anterior and posterior BBs on masticatory muscle activity in healthy participants. Methods: Twenty-four healthy adults were included in a crossover design comparing anterior and posterior BBs in removable passive aligners. Surface electromyography measured muscle activity at baseline, 24 h, 48 h and one week. Participants completed psychosocial questionnaires. Response patterns were identified via cluster analysis, and psychosocial differences were assessed with t-tests. Results: Anterior BBs immediately reduced muscle work intensity, with significant inter-individual variability (p = 0.030 at T1; p = 0.047 at T3). In contrast, posterior BBs altered muscle activity without significant variability over time (p > 0.05). Cluster analysis applied to anterior BB revealed two distinct adaptation patterns, which had significantly different Somatosensory Amplification Scale scores (p = 0.040). Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, in the same participants, wearing passive aligners with anterior bite blocks significantly increased the inter-individual variability of muscular work intensity relative to the no-appliance baseline, whereas passive aligners with posterior bite blocks produced no significant change in variability. Full article

Background: Cyberchondria is characterized by compulsive online health information seeking with additional psychological characteristics of behavioral addictions. Alexithymia, a transdiagnostic factor, is associated with difficulties in recognizing and differentiating emotions from bodily sensations. These characteristics may facilitate cyberchondria as a maladaptive strategy employed to cope with health anxiety. The present scoping review aims to examine the evidence regarding the association between alexithymia and cyberchondria. Methods: The scoping review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive search of major databases (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) and grey literature sources (i.e., ProQuest and Google Scholar) was conducted. Data extraction was centered on the study’s design, the characteristics of the sample, the tools utilized, the primary findings, and other relevant variables. Results: A total of 139 records were identified from the databases, and four studies met the inclusion criteria. An additional study was selected from grey literature. The included studies involved different populations, including healthcare workers, university students, and patients with chronic conditions. Across these populations, a significant association between alexithymia and cyberchondria was consistently reported, considering both total scores and their respective dimensions. Furthermore, alexithymia mediated or moderated the relationship between other psychological factors (e.g., perceived stress, somatosensory amplification) and cyberchondria. Conclusions: The scoping review revealed limited but growing research indicating the potential influence of alexithymia on cyberchondria, with implications for clinical and healthcare contexts. The findings also highlighted gaps in the literature and the need for further research in this area. Full article

Background: The mental health effects associated with weather conditions are diverse, indicating that individual susceptibility may play a significant role in this relationship. This study investigates whether somatosensory amplification is linked to meteosensitivity, meteoropathy, and psychopathological symptoms and whether meteoropathy and meteosensitivity serve as mediators in this relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 523 participants from the general population. Psychopathological symptoms were assessed with the GFQ-58, somatosensory amplification with the SSAS-PL, and meteoropathy and meteosensitivity with the METEO-PL. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine whether somatosensory amplification, meteoropathy, and meteosensitivity explained variance in psychopathological symptoms. A multiple mediator model was then estimated within the structural equation modeling framework using bootstrapping. The model was also tested separately for each of the 13 GFQ-58 symptom domains. Results: Somatosensory amplification accounted for a substantial portion of the variance in psychopathological symptoms (R² = 0.247, p < 0.001). Upon incorporating meteoropathy and meteosensitivity, the explained variance increased to R² = 0.571 (p < 0.001), with the increment being statistically significant (F(2, 521) = 32.12, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of somatosensory amplification via meteoropathy and meteosensitivity was significant (b = 0.851, 95% CI [0.661, 1.042], p < 0.001), and the direct effect also remained significant (b = 0.385, 95% CI [0.177, 0.594], p < 0.001), indicating partial statistical mediation. Significant indirect effects were also observed for poor social relationships, cognitive impairments, depressive symptoms, manic symptoms, anxiety symptoms, eating disorder symptoms, sleep problems, and somatic symptoms. Conclusions: Meteoropathy and meteosensitivity may partially account for the association between somatosensory amplification and psychopathological symptoms. The findings indicate that susceptibility to weather-related symptoms may be pertinent to the association between amplified bodily experiences and specific psychopathological symptoms. Full article

Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Polish version of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS-PL) and examine its psychometric properties in clinical and non-clinical samples. Methods: The study included 1128 participants (711 healthy adults, 194 cardiac patients, 223 psychiatric patients). The analyses were categorized into exploratory and confirmatory phases. Exploratory analyses were conducted on a randomly selected sample that comprised 60% of the study participants (training sample) to estimate the reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) and factorial validity (EFA with varimax rotation). Confirmatory analyses were performed on an independent (test) sample that represented 40% of the total sample size to facilitate the cross-validation of the factor structure (CFA) and to assess the convergent and discriminant validities (using the HTMT method) in relation to health anxiety (SHAI) and psychopathological symptoms (KOFF-58). Additionally, measurement invariance was examined with respect to gender (female vs. male) and health status (healthy vs. clinical). Results: The SSAS-PL demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.75–0.78) after removing item 1. A one-factor structure showed the best fit and theoretical interpretability. The measurement invariance was supported across clinical groups. The SSAS-PL showed convergent validity with the measures of somatic symptoms, anxiety, and health anxiety. It demonstrated discriminant validity from other psychopathology measures. Conclusions: The SSAS-PL was a reliable and valid measure of somatosensory amplification in the Polish population. Its unidimensional structure aligned with most cross-cultural adaptations. The scale may be useful for assessing somatosensory amplification in both research and clinical settings in Poland. Further research on its utility in specific clinical populations is warranted. Full article

Background and Objectives: This present study was aimed at exploring hyperarousal and aberrant salience in a sample of the Italian general population to understand their possible role in the acceptance of anti-COVID-19 vaccination. Materials and Methods: Sociodemographic data questions, the “Acceptance of Vaccination” measure, the Hyperarousal Scale (H-Scale), and the Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) were sent as an unpaid online survey to the general population (age range 18–80 years) within the Italian territory. Results: The enrolled subjects were divided into two subgroups: “Pro-vax” (n = 806; 87.4%) and “No-vax” (n = 116; 12.6%). Statistical analysis showed significant differences between groups in the “Education Level” (p = 0.001) category, higher in the “Pro-vax” group, and in the ASI “Senses Sharpening” (p = 0.007), “Heightened Emotionality” (p = 0.008), and “Heightened Cognition” (p = 0.002) subscales with the “Total Score” (p = 0.015), all higher in “No-vax” subjects. Furthermore, a linear regression model evidenced that only ”Education Level” (β = 0.143; p < 0.0001) and “Senses Sharpening” (β = −0.150; p = 0.006) were, respectively, direct and inverse predictors of “Acceptance of Vaccination”. Conclusions: Our results show that several subthreshold conditions, such as somatosensory amplification, anxiety traits, and panic experiences, should be taken into account by authoritative sources involved in health education, communication, and policy to alleviate public concerns about vaccine safety, for the present and also future pandemics, and to provide more inclusive, informed, and accurate public health preventive and treatment programs. Full article

The early stages of orthodontic treatment are frequently associated with pain that can vary in intensity and duration, representing one of the main reasons for treatment discontinuation. Whilst the use of drugs is recognised as being effective to control orthodontic pain, there are no reliable data indicating the best first archwire for efficacy and minimum discomfort. A prospective controlled cohort study was conducted to compare the intensity and the characteristics of orthodontic pain during the first 15 days of treatment with 2 archwires. Fifty subjects were enrolled and divided into two groups: one received 0.012 inch stainless steel (SS) as the first archwire; the other, a 0.014 inch super-elastic nickel–titanium (Ni-Ti) archwire. Patients compiled a visual analogue scale to measure pain intensity over 15 days, a questionnaire for pain characteristics, the Somatosensory Amplification Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to control the psychosocial component of pain. Dental casts were digitally analysed to evaluate the initial arch length discrepancy. In the first 3 days of treatment, the mean VAS values of the SS group were significantly lower than those of the Ni-Ti group (p < 0.05). No significant differences emerged between the groups concerning pain characteristics. The 0.012 inch SS archwire could be used at the beginning of orthodontic treatment to minimise pain perception and improve compliance. Full article

Background: Psychosomatic patients often complain of a variety of somatic symptoms. We sought to clarify the role of clinical predictors of complaints of somatic symptoms. Methods: We enrolled 604 patients visiting a psychosomatic outpatient clinic. The outcome was the total number of somatic symptoms, and the candidate clinical predictors were perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, somatosensory amplification, adaptation, anxiety, and depression. All participants completed questionnaires assessing the outcome and the predictors. Results: The average number of reported somatic symptoms was 4.8; the most frequent was fatigue (75.3%), followed by insomnia (56.1%), low-back pain (49.5%), headache (44.7%), and palpitations (43.1%). Multiple regression analysis showed that the total number of somatic symptoms was significantly associated with the degree of perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, somatosensory amplification, and depression. Also, structural equation models indicated links between excessive adaptation (via perceived psychosocial stress, alexithymia, and somatosensory amplification) and the total number of somatic symptoms. Conclusion: The results suggested that the association between psychosocial stress and reported somatic symptoms is mediated by alexithymia and somatosensory amplification in psychosomatic patients. Full article