Mental health issues impact a significant portion of the population worldwide, and result in the acquisition of therapy. Despite its efficaciousness, individuals experience several barriers in...Show moreMental health issues impact a significant portion of the population worldwide, and result in the acquisition of therapy. Despite its efficaciousness, individuals experience several barriers in entering therapy. External factors such as financial constraints or availability can impact internal factors such as one’s motivation or self-stigma. Previous literature has established that motivation influences treatment entry and therapeutic outcomes, and that self-stigma impacts such motivation. It is also established that self-stigma may impact self-disclosure during therapy; however, the manner in which motivation, self-stigma, and self-disclosure interact cohesively is unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated the following research question: How does self-stigma in seeking help and motivation to join therapy impact an individual’s self-disclosure during therapy? It was hypothesised that high levels of self-stigma would lead to low levels of self-disclosure during therapy, mediated by motivation. It was further hypothesised that this relationship would correlate with the unsolved issues after therapy. A custom-made questionnaire was utilised, consisting of pre-existing scales. An ANOVA, mediation analysis, and MRA all yielded non-significant results. The effect of the proposed relationship on therapeutic outcomes could not be investigated. Thus, two other relationships were investigated, yet both yielded non-significant results. The direct effect of self-stigma on self-disclosure was significant. The non-significant results may be attributed to confounding variables, or the study’s limitations. This study encourages future research into the relationship between variables influencing the therapeutic process and its outcomes given the prevalence of mental health issues.Show less
The Biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans inherently need nature for their mental well-being. Hence, the current contrast between natural environments and artificial urban settings may...Show moreThe Biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans inherently need nature for their mental well-being. Hence, the current contrast between natural environments and artificial urban settings may contribute to modern stress levels. Studies show that adolescents, who out of all the age groups feel the least connected to nature, are highly prone to mental health problems. However, research on the relationship between nature connectedness and mental health in adolescents remains scarce. This paper analyzed scores from the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in 214 adolescents (172 women, 39 men, 2 non-binaries, 1 genderqueer) between the age of 16-25, M = 20, to investigate the association between mental health and connectedness to nature. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a non-significant and negative relationship between adolescents’ mental health and their connectedness to nature. Although this finding contrasts with prior literature, the relationship seems to be more complex with other contextual factors that were not included in the study. CNS might positively impact mental health only as a moderator between mental well-being and exposure to green spaces, although this study did not test this moderating relationship. Possible influential factors include sensitivity to climate change at high CNS levels. Avenues for future research include studying connectedness to nature as a moderator in the relationship between exposure to green spaces and mental health as well as including contextual variables to inform nature-based therapies.Show less
With the growing complexity of nowadays society and challenges that are putting a strain on humanity, it becomes more urgent for children to grow resilient and develop the skills to prevent mental...Show moreWith the growing complexity of nowadays society and challenges that are putting a strain on humanity, it becomes more urgent for children to grow resilient and develop the skills to prevent mental health issues and enhance psychological well-being. School-based interventions that focus on enhancing self-awareness could help achieve these goals. The aim of this research project was to create an overview of what kind of interventions effectively enhance self-awareness and offer insight into possible moderators and implementation practices. A systematic search was performed: 41 studies were systematically reviewed, and 28 studies were included in a meta-analysis. The mean effect size was statistically significant and showed a small to moderate, positive, pooled effect (Hedge’s g = .307). Statistical heterogeneity was high, yet gender and the mental health-status of participants did not explain the variance in the effectiveness between the interventions in this study sample. From the included studies, 13 interventions showed significant, positive effects. Most of these interventions utilized a SEL-framework or mixed different theoretical backgrounds and techniques. Findings suggested that interventions seem to thrive when implemented with a whole-school approach: integrated in school-curricula on an ongoing basis, executed by teachers when used with a universal approach, with family involved, and health practitioners engaged to offer support and guidance to school-staff and teachers.Show less
The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical and mental health of a significant proportion of the world population. This meta-analysis was part of a broader study funded by the Dutch...Show moreThe global COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical and mental health of a significant proportion of the world population. This meta-analysis was part of a broader study funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and examined the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on sleep health. Sleep effects are important to analyze because they are considered a crucial, bi-directional aspect of mental well-being. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related safety measures on sleep. Specifically, both sleep quality and sleep quantity were analyzed. Furthermore, potential co-determinants of this effect were identified, such as gender, age, geographical area and health status. It was expected that overall, sleep would be negatively impacted. Twelve studies involving 62,225 participants from Europe, North America, and South America were analyzed in a meta-analysis. In contrast to the hypothesis, sleep was not negatively impacted overall. In some studies sleep worsened while in other studies sleep improved. Based on this study it is yet unclear what caused these inconsistent effects. Although there was no effect found for sleep overall, effects were found for mental health status and geographical area. Sleep worsened in South America compared to Europe and North America, while it improved in Europe relative to South America. Sleep improved in the population with mental illness compared to the general population. Given the considerable variability of the results found, a nuanced interpretation of the results is advisable. It seems that sleep health was impacted differently in a non-systematic way. Thus, for future health interventions, an individualized approach to sleep health is advised. Adding more recent datapoints to an ongoing monitoring of sleep health could provide more knowledge and a deeper understanding of long term and cumulative effects beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.Show less
The aim of the present study was to investigate the moderating effect of self-compassionate coping on the association between academic stress and depressive symptoms in Dutch secondary vocational...Show moreThe aim of the present study was to investigate the moderating effect of self-compassionate coping on the association between academic stress and depressive symptoms in Dutch secondary vocational education (MBO) students and whether this effect differed on gender. This cross- sectional study consisted of an online questionnaire, completed by 158 MBO students and which measured academic stress, related constructs and coping strategies. Data was investigated through two multiple linear regressions: one investigating the whole sample and one investigating men and women separately. An independent samples t-test analyzed gender differences in self-compassion. Results indicated a positive association between academic stress and depressive symptoms in both the total sample and the two gender groups, as well as a negative association between self-compassionate coping and depressive symptoms. Self- compassionate coping was found not to have a moderating effect in the total sample, nor in either gender group. Moreover, no significant gender differences were found in either the amount of self-compassion students experienced, or its moderating effect. Findings showed that non- university students experience many of the same issues as university students do. Despite no moderating effect being found, a direct negative association between self-compassionate coping and depressive symptoms was established. These findings indicate that existing interventions for academic stress in university students need to be applied to non-university students, as such interventions could be of help in reducing this student population’s mental health issues. Additionally, interventions aimed at non-university students’ mental health should take self- compassionate coping into account as a possible protective factor for depressive symptoms.Show less
Bullying at the workplace has been shown to negatively impact employees’ mental health. Advancements in communication technology have opened the floodgates for workplace bullying to proliferate and...Show moreBullying at the workplace has been shown to negatively impact employees’ mental health. Advancements in communication technology have opened the floodgates for workplace bullying to proliferate and continue online, which is referred to as cyberbullying. A consolidation of knowledge and research findings would aid in better understanding the impact of workplace cyberbullying on mental health. Thusly, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on cross-sectional data retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science in January 2023. Pooled analyses showed that both traditional workplace bullying (r = .405, 95% CI = .375 - .435, k = 148, n = 206974) and workplace cyberbullying (r = .266, 95% CI = .215 - .317, k = 10, n = 8870) are associated with mental health declines. Yet, the effect of traditional bullying was somewhat stronger (p = .013). Although significant associations were found, the effects appear to be weak to moderate. The small difference between traditional and cyber workplace bullying might be better explained by the general effects of online interactions displacing traditional face-to-face communication thereby possibly differentiating from the working mechanism of traditional bullying. A major limitation is the use of self-report questionnaires for bullying and mental health outcomes, resulting in possible reporting bias. Future research might benefit from using one universal and standardized questionnaire to assess workplace bullying experience. These findings emphasize the need for corporations to focus on the prevention of workplace bullying to safeguard employees’ mental wellbeing and promote a healthier and more productive work environment.Show less
This research paper aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of the newly emerging online approach to psychedelic ceremonies as well as explore the impact set and setting have on the experience....Show moreThis research paper aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of the newly emerging online approach to psychedelic ceremonies as well as explore the impact set and setting have on the experience. Previous research has demonstrated and explored the benefits of psychedelics and their impact on mental health. Nonetheless, no study has yet investigated the potential benefits of psychedelics in an online setting. Therefore, this study recorded the experiences of average people who participated in Spinoza’s online psychedelic ceremonies by means of a voluntary questionnaire. Results showed a significant increase in mental health, compared to baseline, for almost all participants. Additionally, individual differences and setting seemingly had no significant impact on the trip experience. This study provides an insight into the potential experiences of virtual psychedelic ceremonies, contributing to the growing research within the field of psychedelics.Show less
Sexual minority individuals (SMI) are at high risk of developing mental health problems. Building upon the concepts of the minority stress and minority strength models, this cross-sectional...Show moreSexual minority individuals (SMI) are at high risk of developing mental health problems. Building upon the concepts of the minority stress and minority strength models, this cross-sectional secondary data analysis aimed to identify further factors that impact the mental health of SMI. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) the higher the parental acceptance (PA), the lower the internalized homonegativity (IH), (2) the higher the parental acceptance, the higher the self-respect (SR), (3) the higher the IH, the lower the SR, and (4) the relationship between PA and SR will be mediated by IH. Self-identified SMI respondents - mainly young, educated, Western European women - filled out an online survey consisting of the Parental Acceptance of Sexual Minority Identity questionnaire, the Internalized Homonegativity scale, and the Self-Respect scale (n = 249; nbisexual = 131; ngay = 59; nother = 59; Mage = 21.6). Hypothesis one was rejected as there was no significant correlation between PA and IH (r(247) = -.06, p = .38). In contrast, there was a moderate positive correlation between PA and SR (r(247) = .34, p < .001) confirming hypothesis two, and a weak negative correlation between IH and SR (r(247) = -.17, p = .008) confirming hypothesis three. The conditions for a mediation analysis were not satisfied and therefore hypothesis four was not tested. These results provide preliminary support for relationships between different constructs that implicate mental health in SMI. Future research should investigate the causal relationship between these constructs before any interventions can be applied.Show less
Background: The relationship between contraceptive use, past mental health problems, and current disordered eating behaviors is an emergent area of exploration in behavioral health research. With...Show moreBackground: The relationship between contraceptive use, past mental health problems, and current disordered eating behaviors is an emergent area of exploration in behavioral health research. With the evolution of contraceptive methods over time, understanding their potential interplay with mental health conditions is pivotal, especially among younger populations, for whom reproductive decisions and disordered eating behaviors are most prevalent. Objective: This exploratory study sought to determine if contraceptive use has an influence on current disordered eating behaviors and if past mental health problems serve as a mediating factor in this relationship. Methods: A nationally representative sample of students from occupational, applied science, and university institutions was utilized. Employing a cross-sectional design, extensive baseline data were collected through questionnaires. Respondents were classified into hormonal oral contraception and non-hormonal contraception groups. Mediation analyses were conducted to ascertain if any direct or indirect effects of contraceptive use on disordered eating behaviors were mediated through past mental health problems. Results: The mediation analyses did not identify significant direct or indirect effects of contraceptive use on current disordered eating behaviors through the lens of past mental health problems. Influential factors shaping the relationship between the studied variables included age, social support, and cognitive and behavioral coping mechanisms. No evidence was found to suggest past mental health issues mediated the connection between contraceptive use and current disordered eating. Limitations: The cross-sectional design of the study hampers causation or directional conclusions. The broad categorization of contraceptive methods and the aggregate scoring for past mental health problems may obfuscate specific influences. Relying on self-reported data also raises concerns of potential biases like recall and social desirability biases. Conclusion: This exploratory study offers an in-depth assessment of the proposed relationships between contraceptive use, past mental health conditions, and disordered eating behaviors in a student demographic. Although no significant associations were unearthed, the findings should be interpreted with circumspection due to the study's inherent constraints. Future research should emphasize longitudinal frameworks, delve into the granularities of contraceptive types and mental health conditions, and encompass more diverse cohorts to foster a richer understanding of these complex interrelationships.Show less
Aim: Considering the vital role of nurses in healthcare, especially amidst the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging society, understanding the implications of workplace bullying becomes...Show moreAim: Considering the vital role of nurses in healthcare, especially amidst the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging society, understanding the implications of workplace bullying becomes crucial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to summarize the cross-sectional literature on the association between workplace bullying and mental health in nurses. Methods: A systematic review of 37 relevant articles out of 8458 identified was conducted, using a random-effects model for statistical analysis, alongside assessments of moderating factors. Results: The cross-sectional data showed a positive association between workplace bullying and mental health issues (r = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.418 – 0.53, p < 0.001, k = 40), more specifically depression, anxiety, burnout, stress-related complaints, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and general mental health complaints. In this study, r represents Pearson’s correlation coefficient, 95% CI signifies the 95% confidence interval, p the significance level and k denotes the number of studies. Geographic differences in the data, (r = - 0.01, CI = -0.06 – 0.04, p = 0.61, k = 40) and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (r = 0.05, CI = -0.09 – 0.19, p = 0.51, k = 32) were not associated with an impact on the association between workplace bullying and mental health. Gender (r = -0.004, CI = -0.01 – 0, p = 0.04, k = 37) and age (r = -0.01, CI = -0.02 - -0, p = 0.03, k = 30) had a small negative moderating effect on the relation. Key conclusions: Workplace bullying significantly impacts nurses’ mental health emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and robust support systems. Promoting a healthier work environment for nurses holds the potential to enhance both their well-being and overall patient care quality.Show less
Research into Adverse Life Events (ALE) is rarely focused on students. ALE are a common experience among students and may have significant effects on mental health outcomes such as depression,...Show moreResearch into Adverse Life Events (ALE) is rarely focused on students. ALE are a common experience among students and may have significant effects on mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, stress, and lifetime depression. In this study we use multiple measures for ALE, which assess several types of ALE, including life trauma, childhood trauma, bullying, childhood adversities and negative life experiences. These outcomes are measured by the PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS-10 and the LIDAS. This study investigated the relationships between ALE and these mental health outcomes, together with the predictive role of childhood trauma, negative life experiences, being bullied and childhood adversities by using multiple regression. In addition, we explored the role of gender as a control variable and conducted an exploratory network analysis. A multicohort study provided data from a sample of 449 Dutch higher education students who completed self-report measures of mental health outcomes and ALE experiences. The results showed that negative life events are significant predictors for all four mental health outcomes. Childhood trauma predicted depression, lifetime depression and stress, and life trauma were predictive of depression. Overall, these findings were supported by network analysis. They suggest that negative life events may be more impactful to current mental health than life trauma, and that both can have a lasting impact on the mental health of students. The implications and alternative explanations for these findings are discussed, together with suggestions for future research.Show less
More than a third of students worldwide suffer from psychological problems - a concerning number that could rise in upcoming years. Caring Universities (CU) is an initiative of nine Dutch...Show moreMore than a third of students worldwide suffer from psychological problems - a concerning number that could rise in upcoming years. Caring Universities (CU) is an initiative of nine Dutch institutions to combat these issues. With eight evidence-based online programmes, CU strives to improve student wellbeing. The programmes include self-help, psychoeducation, and the weekly tracking of an e-coach. However, there is a large number of dropouts across programmes. Using a mixed-method design, potential reasons for dropout were investigated qualitatively, while medication and additional psychotherapy were researched quantitatively as predictors of dropout. Participants completed a demographic and dropout questionnaire on the CU platform. Results of the qualitative analysis (N = 40) showed that time pressure and a lack of motivation were the most prevalent reasons for dropping out. Experiencing stress and the lack of feedback were recurring themes of the narrative accounts. In the quantitative investigation (N = 4331), neither medication nor psychotherapy significantly affected dropout, meaning that future CU programmes will not have to correct or account for them. Limitations include the measurements based on self-report and the way dropout was defined. Future research should take into account more reasons for and predictors of dropout from eHealth programmes for students, like language.Show less
The current study focused on the future orientation of students with low mental wellbeing and the effectivity of the smartphone-based FutureU-intervention. FutureU intended to stimulate the...Show moreThe current study focused on the future orientation of students with low mental wellbeing and the effectivity of the smartphone-based FutureU-intervention. FutureU intended to stimulate the development of a future- oriented mindset and goal attainment by strengthening people’s ability and motivation to consider their future. The aims of the study were to examine if FutureU was an effective intervention to improve students’ future orientation and mental wellbeing, and to identify if and how self-efficacy mediated the effect of the intervention on future orientation. First-year students (N=166) were randomly assigned to two conditions: 1) the smartphone-based intervention FutureU, or (2) a goal-setting control group. The intervention consisted of three week-long modules, data was collected at the start of the intervention and directly after the intervention. With a median split, the group was divided into two groups based on mental wellbeing. Results showed that there were no significant differences in the future-orientation of students with low mental wellbeing compared to those with high mental wellbeing post-intervention. There were no significant differences between the future orientation of students with low mental wellbeing who received the intervention compared to the students in de control group. Self-efficacy did not mediate the effectivity of the intervention on future orientation of students with low mental wellbeing. The wellbeing of students with low metal well-being who received the intervention did not improve significantly more than that of students with low mental wellbeing in de control group. This study will help clarify why the intervention was not effective in the way that was expected and how it did lead to improving mental health but not future orientation. Future research should further examine the working elements of the intervention in order to develop a future-oriented mindset.Show less
The prevalence rate of suicidal ideation among university students is high. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as a social determinant of mental health, are amongst many predictive factors that...Show moreThe prevalence rate of suicidal ideation among university students is high. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as a social determinant of mental health, are amongst many predictive factors that influence suicidal ideation. This research paper aimed to investigate the effect that different childhood maltreatment types (physical abuse/ neglect, emotional abuse/ neglect, and sexual abuse) have on adolescents’ suicidal ideation (aged 17-26). To investigate those effects in a non-clinical population, a cross-sectional study was conducted amongst Leiden University students (N = 133). The data was collected via two online Self-Report Questionnaires (the Suicidal Ideation Attribution Scale and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form). While adverse childhood experiences were reported in 35,3 percent of respondents, suicidal ideation was present in 51,9 percent of the respondents. Overall, the simple linear regression model provided clear results on the predictive effect ACEs have on adolescents’ suicidal ideation (F(1, 131) = 17.419, p < .001, R² = 0.117). According to the multiple linear regression model, only emotional abuse proved to be a significant maltreatment predictor of suicidal ideation (t(127) = 3.989, p < .001, f ² = .27). The obtained results can serve as a justification for the inclusion of social determinants as a direct predictor of suicidal ideation in existing theories and models. Further, the findings can provide vindication for policy changes and the execution of better suicide prevention work on multiple levels of society. If the findings are implemented successfully, then “one’s Beginning no longer has to be one’s End”.Show less
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s life since its outbreak, with the lockdown having a negative reputation on mental health. This study examined mental health levels of undergraduate...Show moreThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s life since its outbreak, with the lockdown having a negative reputation on mental health. This study examined mental health levels of undergraduate students during and one year after the lockdown, with the expectation that they would experience more mental health problems. Mood and anxiety problems were assessed through an online questionnaire in two collection waves. The first wave was conducted between September and October 2020, after the first lockdown. The participants were reassessed one year later. The sample consisted of N = 478 undergraduates (mean age = 22,3; 55,6% female). A binary logistic regression revealed that during the lockdown, half of the students (50,8%) reported that the COVID-19 crisis had impacted their mood in a negative way. One year after the lockdown fewer students reported that the COVID-19 crisis had negatively impacted their mood (41,3%), F (1, 205) = 17.91, p < .001. Less than half of the students (38,9%) reported that the COVID-19 crisis had impacted their anxiety levels. One year after the lockdown 25,6% reported that the coronavirus had negatively impacted their anxiety levels, F (1, 206) = 7.49, p = .007. Previous mental health problems were associated with mood and anxiety problems in both waves. In contrast to preregistered hypotheses, experiencing mood and anxiety problems during the COVID-19 lockdown did not predict having more mood and anxiety problems one year after the COVID-19 lockdown. Undergraduate students were found to be largely resilient to the effects of lockdown measures on mental health.Show less
In recent years, more attention has been paid to the importance that coping strategies play in the development of psychopathology. This attention is well needed in the academic sector with high...Show moreIn recent years, more attention has been paid to the importance that coping strategies play in the development of psychopathology. This attention is well needed in the academic sector with high numbers of students going through mental health crises during their studies. The present study focused on the effects of using different cognitive and behavioral coping strategies on mental health and academic stress. We extended the investigation to examine cross-cultural differences within these effects. The relation of cognitive and behavioral coping strategies to anxious and depressive symptoms as well as academic stress was studied among university students from three different countries (N = 521, the United States; N = 279, China; N = 175, the Netherlands). All of the students filled in self-report questionnaires on perceived academic stress (LSPSS), anxious symptoms (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), cognitive coping strategies (CERQ), behavioral coping strategies (BERQ), and self-compassion (SCCM). The results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed significant differences on perceived academic stress, and anxious and depressive symptoms with American students scoring significantly higher on all three scales than Chinese and Dutch students. Remarkable differences between the samples were also found on most of the subscales of behavioral and cognitive coping strategies. Furthermore, regression analyses demonstrated consistencies and discrepancies in the relationships between mental health, academic stress and coping strategies across countries. Most notably, consistencies across samples were found for self-blame and withdrawal predicting anxious and depressive symptoms, and rumination and withdrawal predicting academic stress. Discrepancies were mainly found in how the strategies ignoring, rumination, catastrophizing, seeking social support and low self-compassion predicted anxious and/or depressive symptoms and/or academic stress. This suggests cultural variations in the efficacy of coping strategies to alleviate mental health problems and academic stress and provides useful directions for the development of interventions for students.Show less
Currently, there is a lot of evidence that physical activity has a positive effect on the amount of anxiety and depressive complaints. Many therapists, coaches, and others will advise someone with...Show moreCurrently, there is a lot of evidence that physical activity has a positive effect on the amount of anxiety and depressive complaints. Many therapists, coaches, and others will advise someone with these types of symptoms to exercise regularly. However, little research has been done into what type of sport should be practiced to achieve this positive effect. This cross-sectional research is therefore aimed at researching the question if practicing individual sports, team sports or both types of sports influences the extent of the complaints experienced. This involves controlling for the effect of gender and age. A non-random sample of respondents was examined using a self-report questionnaire based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. The data was analyzed with a multivariate analysis. No significant effect was found of the type of sport on the degree of anxiety and depressive complaints. According to these data, when one takes up sports to combat these complaints, one specific category of sport has no benefit over the others. Tegenwoordig is er veel bewijs dat fysieke activiteit een positief effect heeft op de hoeveelheid angst- en depressieve klachten. Veel therapeuten, coaches en anderen zullen iemand met dit soort symptomen adviseren om regelmatig te sporten. Echter is er weinig onderzoek gedaan naar welk type sport beoefend moet worden om dit positieve effect te bewerkstelligen. Dit cross-sectionele onderzoek is derhalve gericht op het beantwoorden van de vraag of het beoefenen van individuele sport, teamsport of beide typen sport invloed heeft op de mate van de ervaren symptomen. Hierbij is gecontroleerd voor het effect van gender en leeftijd. Een niet-random sample van respondenten is onderzocht met behulp van een zelfrapportage vragenlijst, gebaseerd op de Patient Health Questionnaire-9 en de Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. De data is geanalyseerd met een multivariate analyse. Er is geen significant effect gevonden van het type sport op de mate van angst- en depressieve klachten. Wanneer men sporten op zich neemt om deze symptomen tegen te gaan, heeft men volgens deze data geen baat bij een specifieke categorie van sport ten opzichte van de andere categorieën.Show less
Objective: Fibromyalgia is a disease constituted of both somatic and psychological symptoms. Prior research found that multidisciplinary treatment approaches are the most effective. The present...Show moreObjective: Fibromyalgia is a disease constituted of both somatic and psychological symptoms. Prior research found that multidisciplinary treatment approaches are the most effective. The present study wants to elaborate whether general practitioners apply a multidisciplinary approach when referring patients with fibromyalgia to health care professionals. Design: An observational between-subject study has been conducted. The data used is taken from routine primary care databases of 82 general practices longitudinally. A patient group with depression acts as a control group to whom referral behaviour of general practices is compared. Participants: Patients who were older than 18, have had either a diagnosis of fibromyalgia or depression, and who were registered at their general practice at least one year were included (N=2443). Measures: Three outcome measures have been used: type of registration consisting of the two possible levels of fibromyalgia or depression, type of referral consisting of the three levels of mental health care, physical health care or both, and type of general practice consisting of 82 levels. Statistics: Descriptive and frequency tables have been evaluated regarding case numbers per type of registration, type of referral and general practice. Further, chi-square tests with Monte Carlo’s estimation of significance have been computed to analyse (in)dependence between registration type and referral type, and to analyse general practice-specific referral behaviour. Results: Of the fibromyalgia patient group, 2.6% received multidisciplinary referrals. Patients were referred to MHC less than to PHC. Patients with depression were referred to MHC in the majority of cases. Further, statistical significance has been found for a dependence between registration and referral type (p=<.001). Taking the different general practices into account, statistical significance has been found for a dependence between type of registration and general practice within the PHC referral sample (p=.01). Conclusion and implication: Multidisciplinary treatment seems to not always be facilitated by general practitioners even though previous research showed that it seems to be the best treatment option. Thus, a change in general practitioner’s referral behaviour might be needed. Future research should repeat the study with larger sample sizes per registration type to investigate general practices’ specific referral behaviour more in depth.Show less
Background: The measures concerning COVID-19 may increase Mental Health problems and decrease Friendship Quality. It is unclear how the measures around COVID-19 affect adolescents who are already...Show moreBackground: The measures concerning COVID-19 may increase Mental Health problems and decrease Friendship Quality. It is unclear how the measures around COVID-19 affect adolescents who are already at risk of Mental Health problems and who benefit from good Friendship Quality; adolescents with a history of childhood adversity (CA). Research is required to see how Mental Health and Friendship Quality possibly changes during the COVID-19-pandemic. Insight into this relationship can contribute to the improvement of care for adolescents with CA who struggle with Mental Health problems and Quality of Friendship. Methods: We recruited adolescents (N = 76, M_age= 22,41, SD = 2,68)who have experienced CA from the Resilience after Individual Stress Exposure(RAISE) which filled in a questionnaire before the lockdown(October 2019), in the first lockdown(April 2020) and during the relaxation of the COVID-19-measures(July 2020). The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire(MFQ) measured Mental Health and the Cambridge Friendship Questionnaire(CFQ) measured Friendship Quality. Results: The findings confirmed that Friendship Quality increased between October 2019 and April 2020(1, 70) = 8,032 p = .006). Also between October 2019 and July 2020 the Friendship Quality increased (F(1, 70) = 4,757, p = .033). Mental Health problems increased during the lockdown April 2020 and during the relaxation from the measures in July 2020 compared to October 2019 (oct-apr:F(1, 70)=6,595, p=.012; oct-jul: F(1, 70)=8,289, p= .005). Friendship and Mental Health interconnect with each other; adolescents with improved Friendship Quality between October 2019 and April 2020 and between October 2019 and July 2020 also have increased Mental Health during this periods (oct-apr: β=.301; t(71) =2.608; p=.011; oct-jul: β=.418; t(72)=3.731; p<.001). Conclusions: The increased Quality of Friendship could be caused by the use of social media to keep in touch with friends. CA is a risk factor to develop mental health problems and so is COVID-19. Therefore, it is not unlikely that mental health decreases during lockdown and relaxations. The mental health problems are not solved when there are more relaxations, this could be caused by the long waiting lists for receiving mental health care and suggests that the mental health problems are long-lasting. When friendships improve, mental health problems decrease. This indicates that friendship increases the resilience of adolescents.Show less
Different studies have researched the effect of optimism on health-related quality of life in various patient groups. The relationship between these two constructs in a healthy population has not...Show moreDifferent studies have researched the effect of optimism on health-related quality of life in various patient groups. The relationship between these two constructs in a healthy population has not been studied yet and thus the aim of this study was to look at the potential effects of optimism on different aspects of health-related quality of life in a healthy population. This was tested with an independent samples t-test using data from online self-administered questionnaires. These were the Life Orientation Test-Revised, which measures optimism, and the 12 Item Short Form Survey (SF-12), which measures health-related quality of life. The main finding was that higher scores on optimism were associated with significantly better ratings of health-related quality of life. This significant association was found for both components of health-related quality of life assessed in the SF-12. Those with higher optimism scores had both a significantly higher physical component score (p < .05) and a significantly higher mental component score (p < .001) than those with lower optimism scores. A possible explanation for this finding is argued to be that the relation between optimism and health-related quality of life is mediated by engagement in health-enhancing behaviors. A limitation was that the research design of the study was cross-sectional, limiting the interpretations that could be made about the directionality of the established association. A longitudinal and experimental design would be beneficial in future research to examine whether optimism has a direct effect on health-related quality of life.Show less
