Search Results (1,961)

Considering the high prevalence of adolescent depression and anxiety, the profound functional consequences of untreated early psychosis and suicide being the number one cause of death in Australia among 15–19-year-olds, ensuring that teachers are literate about these disorders should be a high priority. Teachers’ disorder-specific literacy is a pragmatic response to healthcare system constraints. This scoping review aimed to map the evidence of teacher mental health literacy training programs, specifically for depression, anxiety, early psychosis and suicide risk. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed. Included studies were published in English between 2000 and 2024, focused on teachers working with students in Year 7–12 and measured teachers’ knowledge of depression, anxiety, psychosis or suicide risk. Studies were appraised for quality. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine evaluated knowledge of student depression, five evaluated knowledge of anxiety and five evaluated knowledge of psychosis, while nine studies focused on suicide risk. Providing disorder-specific training and evaluation, rather than general mental health literacy training, is recommended for future research. When healthcare systems lack the capacity to provide care for ill adolescents, schools often function as frontline sites for recognition and triage. Disorder-specific literacy is recommended for teachers so they can manage their real-world, health-system compensation role. Full article

Emotional dysregulation (ED) reflects a heightened reactivity to stimuli, characterized by excessive negative affect and impulsive behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate ED in workers seeking care for occupational stress and to examine its associations with sociodemographic characteristics, occupational stress, and the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Eighty-seven workers referred for work-related stress were assessed using the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM) and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) for stress, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) for psychopathology, and the RIPoSt-40 for ED. Group comparisons and correlation analyses were conducted using parametric or non-parametric tests, as appropriate. Forty-six percent of participants met criteria for Adjustment Disorders and 54% for Major Depressive Disorder. No significant differences between diagnostic groups emerged for ED or symptom severity. Women reported higher perceived stress and anxiety than men. Negative ED domains—affective instability, negative emotionality, and emotional impulsivity—showed moderate-to-strong positive correlations with stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Affective instability was also related to job stress dimensions, correlating negatively with decision latitude and positively with job demands. Negative emotional dysregulation appears to be a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for stress-related psychopathology. Screening for ED may support early detection and targeted preventive interventions in occupational settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) require contextual approaches emphasizing family roles. Parents of children with NDDs face a complex socio-emotional reality. They may experience high levels of stress, fatigue, depression, and feelings of guilt and uncertainty, and they are often left feeling isolated and unsupported. All of these factors increase their socio-emotional vulnerability and affect their children’s wellbeing. A significant part of the available evidence has focused on parents of typically developing children or on a single construct. For these reasons, and considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this study was to review interventions targeting the improvement of the socio-emotional wellbeing of parents of children with NDDs, in order to characterise recent research, the specific constructs addressed, and the effectiveness of interventions. Methods: No prior protocol/registration. ERIC and Web of Science databases (selected for their broad multidisciplinary coverage in psychology and social sciences) were searched from 2020–2025 (last search: 7 September 2025), limited to English/Spanish publications. Inclusion criteria encompassed parents/primary family caregivers of children with NDDs receiving socio-emotional programs. Two independent reviewers screened the titles/abstracts and full texts, resolving disagreements through discussion. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review employed narrative synthesis without risk-of-bias assessment and included 16 studies (approximately, 1100 participants). Results: The analysis indicated a scarce but growing scientific output, with a complex methodological landscape showing promising preliminary convergence in intervention outcomes. Interventions effects appeared mediated by cultural suitability, accessibility, and contextual alignment. Conclusions: Future work should pursue multisystemic approaches engaging diverse societal contexts and agents to optimize child and family wellbeing. Full article

Nowadays, the population is subject to a lot of stress, being one of society’s most encountered problems affecting people all over the world. Being under a lot of stress for prolonged periods of time impacts the physical and mental health of individuals with effects on society as an economic burden. Cortisol is one of the main indicators of stress. Long-term exposure to this stress hormone can lead to severe medical conditions such as heart disease, lung issues, obesity, anxiety, or depression. In this context, the current review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent advances made in the development of versatile and efficient cortisol devices and biosensors capable of monitoring the cortisol levels in biofluids. Lately, both non-plasmonic (polymer-based sensors, optical sensors, electrochemical sensors) and plasmonic sensors (mono- and multiple-metallic nanoparticles-based sensors) have shown great results in cortisol detection. The work focuses on the advantages, remaining restrictions, and limitations in the field of cortisol biosensors from solution-based immunosensors to wearable and Lab-on-Skin monitoring devices, providing a better understanding of the fulfilled requirements and persisting challenges in the accurate detection and monitoring of the cortisol stress hormone. Full article

Background/Objectives: The Korean Survey for Cancer Survivorship (KSCS) aims to comprehensively assess cancer survivors’ health behaviors, quality of life (QoL), and socioeconomic challenges. This study evaluated the feasibility of the KSCS protocol and identified key factors influencing psychological health and QoL among cancer survivors. Methods: The nationwide survey targeted survivors diagnosed with breast, colorectal, liver, lung, stomach, prostate, and gynecological cancers who had completed active treatment within 1 to 10 years. The respondents were given the option to participate in the survey either online or in-person. The questionnaire has 229 questions, including internationally validated tools such as the EQ-5D-3L, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Results: A total of 983 cancer survivors completed the survey (92.7% online, 8.3% in-person) and were categorized by post-diagnosis duration. Survivors diagnosed within 1–3 years reported higher rates of moderate-severe depression (11.4% vs. 8.3%), moderate-severe anxiety (5.9% vs. 5.1%), and poorest QoL (63.0% vs. 50.9%) compared to those diagnosed more than 5 years ago. Employment changes, such as loss of job, change of workplace, or work leave, were significantly associated with worse health outcomes, including higher rates of moderate-severe depression (OR = 4.39; 95% CI 2.43–7.96), moderate-severe anxiety (OR = 3.63; 95% CI 1.68–0.88), and having extreme QoL problems (OR = 6.37; 95% CI 2.03–20.00). Conclusions: The KSCS protocol is feasible for nationwide implementation and provides comprehensive data on health, psychological, and socioeconomic challenges among cancer survivors. Preliminary findings highlight employment’s critical role in cancer survivors’ well-being and the need for survivorship care that integrates socioeconomic and clinical factors. Full article

Background: In Bangladesh, a number of sex workers are involved in commercial sex work in different brothels in both legal and illegal settlements due to reasons such as lack of social support, depression, forced sex, abuse, violence, polyamory, being kidnapped, and unemployment. In this study, we tried to evaluate the demographic characteristics and prevalence of viral and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among the study population. Methods: A total of 250 female sex workers were interviewed and tested from the Daulatdia brothel of Rajbari district, Bangladesh, who had been working there for at least 1 month. Through questionnaires, demographic data were collected. Primarily, lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) tests were used to investigate HCV (Hepatitis C Virus), HBV (Hepatitis B Virus), and Syphilis, which were reconfirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in cases of positive results. Results: The mean age was 27.51 ± 6.69 years with a range of 18–50 years. Most of them (n = 243, 97.98%) had elementary knowledge of STDs. We determined that overall, 96 (38.40%) were positive for either of these diseases. Individually, 10 (4.00%), 18 (7.20%), and 68 (27.20%) were positive for HCV, HBV, and syphilis, respectively. Conclusions: Our observation indicates that females of all ages should be strictly protected from forced sex work. Current sex workers should be educated regarding the dangers and protective mechanisms of STDs. In addition, as a public health concern, regular clinical check-ups and STD associated diagnoses are necessary to ensure the safety of FSW from these highly infectious and concerning diseases. Due to their socio-economic condition, proper treatment and rehabilitation are highly recommended. Full article

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have an elevated risk of developing chronic psychiatric and behavioral disorders, including impairments in motor function, memory deficits, anxiety, and depression. Although a substantial body of work has addressed the treatment and rehabilitation of sensory, motor, and cognitive symptoms after TBI, there is a relative scarcity of comprehensive behavioral assessments targeting neuropsychiatric manifestations in preclinical models. This study aims to investigate the connections between emotional sequelae after TBI and modifications in local field potentials (LFPs). Following cryogenic lesion-induced TBI, animals exhibited anxiety-like behaviors as assessed by the open field test (p < 0.001), light/dark box test (p < 0.001), and elevated plus maze test (p < 0.01). Depression-like behavior was observed using the forced swim test (p < 0.001). LFP analysis demonstrated a marked elevation in neural oscillatory activity associated with anxiety and depression in the contralateral hemisphere relative to the ipsilateral side (p < 0.001). These results indicate that the emotional consequences triggered by TBI may be linked to dysregulated synchronous neural activity between the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres. Full article

Adolescent mental health conditions, particularly treatment-resistant depression (TRD), represent a growing public health challenge associated with high morbidity, functional impairment, and elevated suicide risk. Psychedelic-assisted therapies have shown robust antidepressant and transdiagnostic effects in rigorously controlled adult trials. Extending this work to adolescents is scientifically compelling yet ethically complex, given neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities and the paucity of pediatric data. This review examines the historical context of psychedelic use, summarizes adult efficacy and mechanistic insights, explores adolescent-specific opportunities and risks, and considers applications in co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders. Conventional treatments, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and psychotherapy, are often inadequate for a narrow but substantial subset of clinical phenotypes, prompting interest in novel and rapid-acting interventions. Psychedelic-assisted therapies have shown promising results in adults with refractory mood disorders, yet their applicability to adolescents remains uncertain due to ongoing neurodevelopment and ethical constraints. This review critically examines evidence from adult psychedelic and psychedelic-adjacent interventions, including esketamine, and evaluates their potential relevance to adolescent populations through a developmental, mechanistic, and ethical lens. Rather than advocating for premature clinical adoption, we highlight translational gaps, developmental risks, and research priorities paramount to responsibly assess these approaches in youth. Full article

Background: Functional constipation (FC) represents a highly prevalent gastrointestinal disorder, affecting approximately 8.5% of the population in China. It is frequently associated with anxiety and depression, significantly impairing patients’ quality of life. Conventional microecological therapeutic approaches predominantly rely on empirical probiotic–prebiotic combinations. However, these pairings are seldom selected based on strain-specific metabolic characteristics, ultimately leading to suboptimal therapeutic synergy. Methods: The generation time (GT) of four constipation-relief strains was measured across eight oligosaccharides to identify optimal substrates for synbiotic formulation. The GT-optimized synbiotic was verified in a loperamide-induced mouse model vs. single probiotics/prebiotics. The related mechanisms of were assessed through 16S rDNA sequencing, targeted metabolomics, and qPCR. Results: The GT-optimized synbiotic significantly outperformed all single components. Specifically, the synbiotic significantly decreased the time to first black stool and increased fecal water content. Mechanistically, it restored colonic neurotransmitter balance, suppressed aquaporin expression, enriched butyrate-producing bacteria, and repaired barrier integrity. Overall, these effects work together, increasing the moisture content of the feces and accelerating intestinal peristalsis, ultimately alleviating constipation. Conclusions: We propose a GT-guided precision-pairing strategy that identifies optimal prebiotics based on strain-specific generation times, demonstrating synergistic enhancement of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, enteric neurotransmitter signaling, and aquaporin-mediated water transport. This GT guided synbiotic approach shows promise in preclinical models and warrants validation in human trials. Full article

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. Natural products can offer a possible option of neuroprotective agents for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. D-Pinitol is a cyclic polyol with anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in acute assays. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of D-Pinitol (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg p.o.) in a chronic reserpine-induced depression model (19 days), using the forced swimming and tail suspension tests in female Balb/c mice, and the neuroprotective effects in an MPTP-induced Parkinsonism model (30 days) in male C57bL/6 mice, using behavioral tests such as wire grip, rotarod, catalepsy, and others. D-Pinitol showed low antidepressant-like effects in the reserpine-induced chronic depression model, compared to amitriptyline (25 mg/kg p.o.). D-Pinitol protected MPTP-treated mice from motor impairment with similar effects to those shown by L-Dopa (25 mg/kg p.o.) as evaluated in different behavioral tests. The inhibition of oxidative stress markers, increase in dopamine levels, and avoidance of apoptosis in neuronal cells were the mechanisms by which D-Pinitol protects MPTP-treated mice from motor impairment. Full article

The Eocene fourth member of the Shahejie formation (Es4x) in the Bonan Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, records syn-rift sedimentation under alternating arid and humid climates. It provides insight into how orbital-scale climatic fluctuations influenced tectonics, facies patterns, and reservoir distribution. This study integrates 406 m of core data, 92 thin sections, 450 km² of 3D seismic data, and multiple geochemical proxies, leading to the recognition of five facies associations (LFA): (1) alluvial fans, (2) braided rivers, (3) floodplain mudstones, (4) fan deltas, and (5) saline lacustrine evaporites. Three major depositional cycles are defined within the Es4x. Seismic reflections, well-log patterns, and thickness trends suggest that these cycles represent fourth-order lake-level fluctuations (0.8–1.1 Myr) rather than short 21-kyr precession rhythms. This implies long-term climate and tectonic modulation, likely linked to eccentricity-scale monsoon variability. Hyperarid phases are marked by Sr/Ba > 4, δ¹⁸O > +4‰, and thick evaporite accumulations. In contrast, Sr/Ba < 1 and δ¹⁸O < −8‰ reflect humid conditions with larger lakes and enhanced fluvial input. During wet periods, rivers produced sand bodies nearly 40 times thicker than in dry intervals. Reservoir quality is highest in braided-river sandstones (LFA 2) with 12%–19% porosity, preserved by chlorite coatings that limit quartz cement. Fan-delta sands (LFA 4) have <8% porosity due to calcite cementation, though fractures (10–50 mm) improve permeability. Floodplain mudstones (LFA 3) and evaporites (LFA 5) act as seals. This work presents a predictive depositional and reservoir model for arid–humid rift systems and highlights braided-river targets as promising exploration zones in climate-sensitive basins worldwide. Full article

The DAIC-WOZ dataset is a widely used benchmark for the task of depression severity estimation from multimodal behavioral data. Yet the reliability, reproducibility, and methodological rigor of published machine learning models remain uncertain. In this systematic review, we examined all works published through September 2025 that mention the DAIC-WOZ dataset and report mean absolute error as an evaluation metric. Our search identified 536 papers, of which 414 remained after deduplication. Following title and abstract screening, 132 records were selected for full-text review. After applying eligibility criteria, 66 papers were included in the quality assessment stage. Of these, only five met minimal reproducibility standards (such as clear data partitioning, model description, and training protocol documentation) and were included in this review. We found that published models suffer from poor documentation and methodology, and, inter alia, identified subject leakage as a critical methodological flaw. To illustrate its impact, we conducted experiments on the DAIC-WOZ dataset, comparing the performance of the model trained with and without subject leakage. Our results indicate that leakage produces significant overestimation of the validation performance; however, our evidence is limited to the audio, text, and combined modalities of the DAIC-WOZ dataset. Without leakage, the model consistently performed worse than a simple mean predictor. Aside from poor methodological rigor, we found that the predictive accuracy of the included models is poor: reported MAEs on DAIC-WOZ are of the same magnitude as the dataset’s own PHQ-8 variability, and are comparable to or larger than the variability typically observed in general population samples. We conclude with specific recommendations aimed at improving the methodology, reproducibility, and documentation of manuscripts. Code for our experiments is publicly available. Full article

Background: This study aimed to validate the Ambivalence and Uncertainty Scale (AUS), developed to measure dispositional ambivalence, ambivalence intolerance, and decision-making difficulties, particularly among healthcare professionals during high-stress situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Cross-sectional data from 1240 German healthcare professionals were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to evaluate the scale’s dimensionality, while internal consistency and construct validity, including convergent and divergent validity, were assessed using correlations with relevant psychological constructs. Results: The EFA revealed a unidimensional structure explaining 64.33% of variance, indicating a single underlying trait. The AUS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.86) and strong convergent validity, evidenced by significant positive correlations with anxiety and depressive symptoms (r = 0.63) and burnout (r = 0.48), and a negative correlation with sense of coherence (r = −0.60). Divergent validity was supported through minimal correlation with unrelated constructs such as fatigue (r = −0.02) and a moderate correlation with work–family conflict (r = 0.31). The AUS effectively captures dispositional ambivalence and uncertainty tolerance, highlighting its relevance in psychological adaptation and resilience among professionals in stressful environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Since October 2019, Lebanon has faced continuous sociopolitical and economic instability. Clinical psychologists have played a central role in responding to rising mental health needs, yet little is known about their own psychological well-being. Methods: This study examined mental health outcomes among 157 certified psychologists (clinical and educational psychologists) working in Lebanon. A cross-sectional study was conducted with psychologists aged 30–53 years across all Lebanese governorates, who were recruited through snowball and word-of-mouth sampling. Participants completed validated measures of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (LAS-10), perceived stress (PSS-10), subjective well-being (WHO-5), eating attitudes (EAT-26), and self-esteem (A-SISE). Results: Results showed that 44% of participants reported at least mild depressive symptoms, 14% met criteria for anxiety, and 57% experienced moderate to high perceived stress, while most showed no risk for eating disorders. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified self-esteem as a predictive factor, negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, and positively associated with subjective well-being. Additional risk factors included younger age, being unmarried, not having children, prior psychological history, health problems, lower income, and working as an educational rather than clinical psychologist. Conclusions: These findings highlight aspects of vulnerability among psychologists and underline the need for targeted interventions for at-risk groups. Strengthening self-esteem may contribute to enhancing clinicians’ mental health. However, these conclusions should be interpreted in light of several limitations, including the small sample size, the non-probability and gender-skewed nature of the sample, partly due to the relatively limited number of practicing psychologists in Lebanon. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nutritional patterns influence the gut–brain axis and immune signaling with potential consequences for depression and anxiety. We conducted a review focused on clinically meaningful psychiatric outcomes (symptom severity/diagnosis) to synthesize recent evidence (2020–2025) on Mediterranean-style dietary interventions; ultra-processed food (UPF) exposure; and psychobiotic/prebiotic strategies, integrating mechanistic insights relevant to practice. Methods: Searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2020–October 2025) combined terms for diet, Mediterranean diet (MD), UPF, microbiota, probiotics, psychobiotics, depression, and anxiety. Eligible designs were randomized/controlled trials (RCTs), prospective cohorts, and systematic reviews/meta-analyses reporting clinical psychiatric outcomes in adults. We prioritized high-quality quantitative syntheses and recent RCTs; data were extracted into a prespecified matrix and synthesized narratively. Results: Recent systematic reviews/meta-analyses support that MD interventions reduce depressive symptoms in adults with major or subthreshold depression, although large, long-term, multicenter RCTs remain a gap. Exposure to UPF is consistently associated with higher risk of common mental disorders and depressive outcomes in large prospective cohorts. Psychobiotics (specific probiotic strains and prebiotics) show small-to-moderate benefits on depressive symptoms across clinical and nonclinical samples, with heterogeneity in strains, dosing, and duration. Mechanistic reviews implicate microbiota-derived metabolites (short-chain fatty acids) and immune–inflammatory signaling (including tryptophan–kynurenine pathways) as plausible mediators. Conclusions: Clinically, emphasizing Mediterranean-style dietary patterns, reducing UPF intake, and considering targeted psychobiotics may complement standard psychiatric care for depression. Future work should prioritize adequately powered, longer RCTs with standardized dietary protocols and microbiome-informed stratification to clarify responders and mechanisms. Full article