Psychological flexibility is characterised as an individual's capacity to accurately adjust behaviour and cognitions in face of obstacles. It has been acknowledged to influence coping strategies as...Show morePsychological flexibility is characterised as an individual's capacity to accurately adjust behaviour and cognitions in face of obstacles. It has been acknowledged to influence coping strategies as well as increase quality of life. Because migrants and religious individuals have been shown to cope differently with life stressors compared to non-migrants and non-religious people, it is pertinent to examine whether this also applies for psychological flexibility. As a result, this study investigated which potential role psychological flexibility has the association of migrant status and religiosity with quality of life. This online study was conducted in the Netherlands in 2022. This offered a unique opportunity to examine the mentioned link, as this occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The design of the study was cross-sectional, and the number of participants accumulated to 1610 (M age: 37.8, 69.0% females). Out of which 323 (20.1%) identified as migrants and 415 (25.8%) affirmed to be religious. The screening instruments which measured psychological flexibility and quality of life were the FIT18 and the RAND-SF-36. In reference to the later the composite dimensions of physical health-related quality of life (PQOL) and mental health-related quality of life (MQOL) were used. Regression analyses examining the association of migrant status with PQOL and MQOL yielded insignificant results, with (p=.203) and (p=.577), respectively. In like manner, was no evidence found of an association of religiosity with PQOL (p=.573) and MQOL (p=.392). There was further no substantiation for a moderation effect of psychological flexibility on the association of migrant status and religiosity with quality of life. The interaction between migrant status and psychological flexibility were non-significant for PQOL (p=.160) and MQOL (p=.651). The interaction between religiosity and psychological flexibility was also non-significant for PQOL (p=.487) and MQOL (p=.530). Similarly, was no mediation effect found of psychological flexibility on the association of migrant status and religiosity with quality of life. Nevertheless, was greater psychological flexibility associated with better physical (β=.337, p<.001) and mental quality of life (β=.695, p<.001). In conclusion, this study emphasised the pivotal relation of psychological flexibility to both physical and mental quality of life during distressing circumstances.Show less
Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important aspect of disease management in patients with dementia. Yet, little is known about this from a patient’s perspective. The aim of this study is to...Show moreBackground: Quality of life (QoL) is an important aspect of disease management in patients with dementia. Yet, little is known about this from a patient’s perspective. The aim of this study is to gain insight in the QoL and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in patients with (early onset) dementia and to examine the possible relationships with openness to discuss concerns (ODC), perceived social support (PSS) and problem-focused coping. The main hypothesis tested if more ODC, PSS and a problem-focused coping strategy were related to higher QoL and IADL. Methods: We studied patients visiting the Amsterdam Alzheimer center for a screening-day, who consented to research in the ADC cohort. Of 206 patients visiting the clinic, 162 patients (35-82 years, M = 63.59, 63,6% male) completed an 88-item self-reported questionnaire. Patients were categorized by their cognitive diagnosis (SCD = 42 , AD = 48, other dementia = 33, psychiatric disorder = 20 or other neurological disorder = 19). Correlations and multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the relationships between QoL, IADL, and the social factors. In addition, we performed a linear regression to track down group differences. Tests with a p < .05 after correction for multiple testing using a False Discovery Rate (FDR), were considered significant. Results: The distribution of the QoL scores was widespread (range 0-96) with a low median (50). Correlations showed that both PSS (r = .41, p = 5.5×10-6), ODC (r = .17, p = .02) and problem-focused coping (r = .19, p =.02) correlated with higher QoL scores. For IADL (median = 15.3) this was, only true for the ODC (r = .22, p = .01). There were no differences found between patient groups. Conclusion: This study indicates that PSS, ODC and problem focused coping are related to higher QoL in patients with (early onset) dementia. There were no group differences, but the average QoL score was lower than expected. Improving patients’ psychosocial factors has the potential to optimize QoL in patients visiting a tertiary memory clinic.Show less
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the SMILE intervention (Sleep Mood Intervention – Live Effectively) on the quality of life and depressive symptoms among university students...Show moreThis study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the SMILE intervention (Sleep Mood Intervention – Live Effectively) on the quality of life and depressive symptoms among university students experiencing sleep difficulties. The SMILE intervention is a four-week group therapy program integrating elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques, and lifestyle guidelines. A total of 35 English-speaking participants were randomly allocated to either the SMILE intervention group or a waitlist control group in a 2:1 ratio. The study used a randomized controlled trial design and utilized the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for assessments at baseline and post-treatment. Contrary to our hypotheses, the SMILE intervention did not significantly improve Q-LES-Q or BDI scores compared to the waitlist control group. The influence of gender was not significant on either measure. Although alcohol consumption was found to be a significant covariate in BDI scores, it was not a significant predictor of post-intervention depressive symptoms when adjusting for baseline values. This suggests that while alcohol consumption is a confounder in the effectiveness of the intervention on depressive symptoms, its ability to predict changes in depressive symptoms due to the intervention itself is not statistically significant. These findings indicate that the SMILE intervention did not significantly impact university students’ quality of life or depressive symptoms. Future research may consider exploring additional or alternative interventions to improve quality of life and depressive symptoms among university students.Show less
Itch is a sensation that draws attention. However, this becomes dysfunctional when more attention is given to itch related stimuli compared to other stimuli, e.g. Attentional Bias (AB), which might...Show moreItch is a sensation that draws attention. However, this becomes dysfunctional when more attention is given to itch related stimuli compared to other stimuli, e.g. Attentional Bias (AB), which might be the case for chronic itch. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify the existence of an AB. It was expected that people with chronic itch would have an AB towards itch related visual stimuli and that a higher level of psychological distress could predict a higher level of AB. Finally, it was expected that a higher level of AB would be associated with a more severe impact on quality of life. A sample of five patients with chronic itch, as a result of atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, participated in the study. To test the presence of an AB towards itch related visual stimuli, a dot-probe test was performed. Furthermore, the level of psychological distress and quality of life were measured using the DASS-21 and the DLQI, respectively. A paired-samples t-test, multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. The results do not indicate the presence of an AB toward visual itch related stimuli in a population with chronic itch. Furthermore, psychological distress was not a significant predictor for the level of AB. Finally, no significant association was found between the level of AB and quality of life. Future research should examine different stadia of the attentional process towards itch related stimuli. This would help guide the development of interventions for patients with chronic itch.Show less
Background and aim: Although literature suggests that quality of life (QoL) in women with substance use disorders (SUDs) is lower than in men, it remains unknown whether this 1) applies to SUD...Show moreBackground and aim: Although literature suggests that quality of life (QoL) in women with substance use disorders (SUDs) is lower than in men, it remains unknown whether this 1) applies to SUD patients with psychiatric comorbidities in the Netherlands; and 2) whether there is a gender difference in QoL gain during treatment. This study therefore aimed to compare QoL (gain) between genders. Because research linked mood problems to worse QoL and substance usage in women, it was also the aim to compare genders in the association between (change in) mood problems and (change in) QoL. Methods: The longitudinal design involved data of day-patient treatments between 2018-2020. Sixty nine females and one hundred and thirty males with SUDs and comorbidities were assessed, using the EQ-5D-3L and the ICECAP-A. Analysis of variance and moderation analyses were performed with multiple imputation, controlling for treatment group. Results: At pretest, QoL in women was significantly lower when compared to men. There was no significant gender difference concerning gain in QoL, as well as regarding the association between mood problems and QoL at pretest and posttest. Conclusions: Women with SUDs and comorbidities experience lower QoL than men, a gender gap that is less profound in the normal population. Stigma and adverse life conditions arguably play a role. There is no evidence that men and women profit differently from treatment. In any case, mood problems, trauma experiences and meaningful activities could be considered more in future studies, as their association with QoL seems to be critical.Show less
