Global Mental Health Trends

Individuals with depression may have alterations in attention that begin at the sub-threshold stage. This study explored attention bias from the perspectives of early attention orientation and late attention disengagement in individuals with sub-threshold depression (SD) and healthy control (HC) individuals using a cue-target paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs). The study enrolled 46 participants, comprising 23 males and 23 females, with 25 individuals in the SD group and 21 in the HC group, exceeding the calculated sample size requirement. The data were analyzed from two aspects. Behavioral data showed that SD individuals had difficulty in attention disengagement and that the time of attention transfer was delayed. Analysis of ERP data revealed that, regardless of the attributes of the emotional stimulus, the cue information promoted participants’ response to the target stimulus. While SD individuals did show directional acceleration of attention to the emotional stimulus, no significant negative attention bias was observed. Taken together, these findings suggest that SD individuals do not show specific directional acceleration of attention to negative stimuli in the early stage of attention processing, although there may be attention avoidance. Full article

Objective: The Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 (TOSCA-3) is a scenario-based measure of self-conscious emotions. We aimed to create an abridged version of the TOSCA-3 that is appropriate for Japanese populations and has a good fit with the data, as well as validate its subscales. Methods: The TOSCA-3 was distributed to (a) a university student population (n = 512: Study 1) and (b) a parent population (n = 260: Study 2). In both studies, items with factor loading < 0.33 were deleted one by one to select culturally appropriate scenarios for each of the six domains of self-conscious emotions. In Study 1, self-conscious emotions were correlated with the other correlates. Results: Most of the final models showed a good fit with the data. In Study 1, the six domains of self-conscious emotions showed correlations with depression and related items, dispositional coping styles, experiences in childhood, ego function, borderline and narcissistic personality traits, and adult attachment styles, almost in the expected fashions. Conclusions: The TOSCA-3 is a useful tool to measure self-conscious emotions among Japanese student and parent populations if a few culturally inappropriate scenarios are deleted. Full article

Previous studies have shown that the transition from the University environment to remote learning impacted student mental health. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of university environment on anxiety and depressive symptoms in health sciences students. Students at the Technical University of Manabí, Ecuador, with 6–10 in-person semesters, who shifted to remote learning and then returned to face-to-face learning were selected. Students responded to the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In addition, questions regarding social interaction, physical exercise, mood and sleep habits were also asked. This longitudinal study tracked 323 students during the return to in-person classes and term end. The results showed similar rates of anxiety (GAD-7, p = 0.011-p = 0.002) and depression (PHQ-9 p = 0.001-p = 0.032) among students at week 1 and week 15. Previous diagnosis of depression (OR, 0.171; CI 0.050–0.579, p < 0.005) was shown to correlate with depression levels in week 1, with no changes seen at follow-up. Anxiety levels were shown to be associated with a previous diagnosis of the disorder at week 1, but not at follow-up (OR 0.233; CI 0.085–0.643, p < 0.005). The return to in-person learning among university students maintained levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, underscoring ongoing vulnerabilities to mental health disorders in this group. Full article

Community inclusion is a human right for all people, including people with mental illness. It is also an important part of individualized support to enable people experiencing mental illness to live in their preferred communities and to recover. In Taiwan, no study has investigated the social experiences of healthcare professionals. To fill this knowledge gap and inform ongoing mental health system strengthening, this study examined the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) phenomenon observed while establishing community mental health clubhouses in Taiwan and corresponding experiences of community inclusion. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 16 purposively sampled frontline healthcare professionals from Taiwanese mental health clubhouses. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Two themes were identified: “NIMBY phenomenon: Community residents’ resistance to clubhouses” and “Measures adopted by the clubhouse for community inclusion”. Two categories with eleven subcategories emerged. The findings demonstrate the following conclusions. First, the NIMBY phenomenon is related to the stigmatization and discrimination faced by individuals with mental disorders in society. Second, in Asian societies, mental disorders are associated with a particular social and cultural context. Third, the fear and rejection of individuals with mental disorders deepen their social exclusion. Forth, community mental health clubhouse models employ seven strategic approaches to community inclusion, listed as follows: capacity building for individuals, direct interaction with the public through community activities, provision of community services, life skills training, repairing and managing neighborhood relationships, assisting individuals in obtaining community employment, and conducting social education for community residents. Clearly, we need to combat social exclusion of people with mental illness and promote inclusive and accessible services and systems across sectors. Full article

Traumatic experiences can have long-lasting negative effects on individuals, organizations, and societies. If trauma is not addressed, it can create unsafe cultures with constant arousal, untrusting relationships, and the use of coercive measures. Trauma-informed care (TIC) can play a central role in mitigating these negative consequences, but it is unknown how and in which way(s) TIC should be implemented. Our objective was to conduct a scoping review that systematically explored and mapped research conducted in this area and to identify existing knowledge about the implementation of TIC. The search was conducted on the CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, ERIC, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, and more than 3000 empirical papers, published between 2000 and 2022, were identified. Following further screening, we included 157 papers in our review, which were mainly from the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, focusing on study settings, methodologies, and definitions of TIC, as well as the types of interventions and measures used. This review shows that TIC is a complex and multifaceted framework, with no overarching structure or clear theoretical underpinnings that can guide practical implementations. TIC has been defined and adapted in varied ways across different settings and populations, making it difficult to synthesize knowledge. A higher level of agreement on how to operationalize and implement TIC in international research could be important in order to better examine its impact and broaden the approach. Full article

Taiwanese community mental health facilities encounter opposition/resistance from residents, commonly known as “Not-In-My-Backyard” (NIMBYism). This study investigated NIMBYism during the establishment of such facilities and how they respond to such resistance. A qualitative study through semi-structured interviews was used to obtain purposively sampled data. Fifteen frontline healthcare professionals from community mental health facilities in Taiwan were interviewed individually, using an organizational analysis structure. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Two themes: “Reasons for Resident Resistance” and “Institutional Response Strategies”, two categories, and 11 subcategories emerged. The findings demonstrated the following: (1) Reasons behind residents’ resistance toward establishing community mental health facilities are diverse. (2) Communities lack understanding regarding people with mental disorders, leading to irrational beliefs. (3) Fear and negative perceptions toward people with mental disorders exist. (4) Strategies employed by the facilities include providing community services to foster amicable relationships, organizing community outreaches, training people with mental disorders within communities, nurturing neighborhood connections, establishing and sustaining friendships within communities, inviting residents to visit community mental health facilities or introducing the facilities to communities, and leveraging governmental support. The government should adopt regulations or laws to reduce discrimination, promote human rights, and legislate to demarcate the use of community land. Full article

(1) Background: The surge in vape (e-cigarette) use among young adults is concerning, as there is limited knowledge about risk factors and health consequences. This study explores the personality traits linked to vape use, and associations between vaping and chronotype, sleep quality, and mental health, among young adults. (2) Methods: 316 participants, aged 18–25, completed measurements of mindfulness, rumination, self-compassion, anxiety/depression, chronotype, and sleep quality. (3) Results: the vape user group scored significantly lower on mindfulness, higher on rumination, and lower on self-compassion. Vape users were more likely to be evening types and had significantly lower sleep quality and higher anxiety symptoms, as well as higher alcohol use and loneliness (at trend) (4) Conclusions: These novel findings enhance our understanding of what might predispose young adults to vaping and the potential impact on their mental health and sleep quality. Findings point to specific cognitive/personality traits as vaping risk factors, which could inform intervention strategies. Full article

This study conducted a meta-analysis to identify the primary risk and protective factors associated with the revictimization in intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW). Out of 2382 studies initially identified in eight databases, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria and provided the necessary data for calculating pooled effect sizes. The analysis focused on non-manipulative quantitative studies examining revictimization in heterosexual women of legal age. Separate statistical analyses were performed for prospective and retrospective studies, resulting in findings related to 14 variables. The Metafor package in RStudio was used with a random-effects model. The meta-analysis revealed that childhood abuse was the most strongly associated risk factor for revictimization, while belonging to a white ethnicity was the most prominent protective factor. Other significant risk factors included alcohol and drug use, recent physical violence, severity of violence, and PTSD symptomatology. The study also found that older age was a protective factor in prospective studies. The consistency of results across different study designs and sensitivity analyses further supported the robustness of the findings. It is important to note that the existing literature on revictimization in women facing intimate partner violence is limited and exhibits significant heterogeneity in terms of methodology and conceptual frameworks. Full article

Background: This study investigated whether combining simultaneous physical and cognitive training yields superior cognitive outcomes compared with aerobic training alone in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and whether these benefits persist after four weeks of detraining. Methods: Forty-four people with MCI (11 males and 33 females) aged 65 to 75 years were randomly assigned to an 8-week, twice-weekly program of either aerobic training (AT group, n = 15), aerobic training combined with cognitive games (ACT group, n = 15), or simply reading for controls (CG group, n = 14). Selective attention (Stroop), problem-solving (Hanoi Tower), and working memory (Digit Span) tasks were used to assess cognitive performances at baseline, in the 4th (W4) and 8th weeks (W8) of training, and after 4 weeks of rest (W12). Results: Both training interventions induced beneficial effects on all tested cognitive performance at W4 (except for the number of moves in the Hanoi tower task) and W8 (all p <0.001), with the ACT group exhibiting a more pronounced positive impact than the AT group (p < 0.05). This advantage was specifically observed at W8 in tasks such as the Stroop and Tower of Hanoi (% gain ≈40% vs. ≈30% for ACT and AT, respectively) and the digit span test (% gain ≈13% vs. ≈10% for ACT and AT, respectively). These cognitive improvements in both groups, with the greater ones in ACT, persisted even after four weeks of detraining, as evidenced by the absence of a significant difference between W8 and W12 (p > 0.05). Concerning neuropsychological assessments, comparable beneficial effects were recorded following both training regimens (all p < 0.05 from pre- to post-intervention). The control group did not show any significant improvement in most of the cognitive tasks. Conclusions: The greater mid-term and long-lasting effects of combined simultaneous physical–cognitive training underscores its potential as a cost-effective intervention for the prevention and management of cognitive decline. While these results are valuable in guiding optimal physical and mental activity recommendations for adults with MCI, further neurophysiological-based studies are essential to offer robust support and deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these promising findings. Full article

Psychological disorders have become more prevalent in the presence of modernization and societal changes. Community-based mental health is important in healthcare. Taiwan has passed the Mental Health Act, and county governments have established community-based mental healthcare centers. This study aimed to fill the research gap regarding the operational status of these centers. A qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews was used to obtain data from a purposive sample. Seventeen healthcare professionals who were front-line workers of a community-based mental healthcare center in Taiwan were interviewed individually. This study uses the organizational analysis structure as the research base. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The theme—“operational status and difficulties”—and two categories with twelve subcategories emerged. The findings demonstrate (1) unclear objectives and imprecisely defined roles, (2) incomplete services provided, an overly defined area, and ineffectiveness, (3) the central government lacking clear objectives and operational strategies, (4) the public being ignorant of mental diseases and the operation of the centers, and (5) the lack of local resources for mental and social welfare. The government should immediately form clear policies to improve community-based mental healthcare, clarify the structure and models, increase resources for the centers, and provide direct services. Full article