Psychiatry Int., Volume 4, Issue 2 (June 2023) – 9 articles

Sexual dysfunctions are common among females with common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. However, discussion on this topic remains taboo in many cultures, including India. Worldwide, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is the most used tool to evaluate sexual functioning in females. Researchers across the globe attempted to translate and validate this scale in native languages (e.g., Japanese and Spanish); however, such translations are not available in Hindi. Strikingly, although there is literature informing us about the regional validation process of this scale, little has been discussed about qualitative nuances of the process of translation, the expert panel discussion, and cognitive interviewing during pilot testing. The lack of such procedural qualitative data limits the replicability of such translations in different cultures; furthermore, it can adversely influence the parameters of the validation study. Hence, the current study was conducted to highlight the process of Hindi translation of the FSFI and illustrate the challenges faced at various stages of translation and testing. The study was conducted in the multidisciplinary hospital of Central India by involving five translators, five expert panel discussants, and 15 patients with common mental health conditions or their caregivers. The significant findings of the current work include the requirement of semantic and grammatical changes and rephrasing of the sentences for improving comprehensibility and applicability in the Indian population (during the panel discussion). Additionally, it informed us to use alternate or more than one word to capture a concept, including English words written in Hindi (during preliminary pilot testing). Critical roadblocks were inadequate awareness of the issues, lack of typical/comprehensive terminologies to capture the ideas, and significant stigma attached to the subject. Full article

Background: Major Depressive Disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide and one of the most common disorders in the United States. Contributors to an individual’s risk for experiencing depressive disorders include individual and social factors. Although the social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions that contribute to healthy functioning, health outcomes, and quality of life, it is unclear to what extent adverse SDOH experiences are associated with self-reporting depressive disorder (DD). Methods: Data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a population-based telephone survey of noninstitutionalized U.S. adults, was employed in this study. Lifetime diagnosis of DD was self-reported among survey participants who also completed the Social Determinants of Health optional module within 17 participating BRFSS states and entities. Rao-Scott chi-square analysis was used to determine the association of individual and SDOH measures with DD. Results: The prevalence of DD among participating states was 19.85%. Among respondents, significant proportional differences were observed for each SDOH indicator regarding DD status. However, significant differences in health insurance coverage were not observed. Conclusion: Survey respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of DD experienced adverse SDOH conditions in greater proportion than individuals not reporting DD. Individual and community-based approaches to address the contextual influences of depressive disorders should be aggressively implemented. Full article

Background: There is clear evidence showing an increase in mental health symptoms along with an increased demand for mental health services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to determine the rates of elevated anxiety symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Qatar. It also explored any correlated factors. Method: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study with 199 participants (children aged 6–16 years) consulting a dental care center. We used the original English version as well as a previously validated Arabic version of the Parent Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale to measure anxiety symptoms. Results: A total of 29.6% (n = 59) of our sample met the respective elevated cut-off score for overall anxiety disorder. The largest group among the children was elevated levels of physical injury fears 37.6% (n = 75), followed by Social Phobia 36.1% (n = 72). Younger children showed significantly higher scores for total anxiety, separation anxiety, physical injury fears, and generalized anxiety score. Among the gender groups, females reported significantly higher scores of General anxiety disorder. When comparing natives to expatriates, expatriates showed higher scores for total anxiety, physical injury fears score, social phobia score, and generalized anxiety. Conclusions: Overall, this study shows increased rates of clinically elevated anxiety symptoms in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Qatar. Younger children, females, and expatriates were more vulnerable to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study highlights the specific psychological vulnerability of this population group during major health crises like the current pandemic. Full article

Miscarriage or perinatal loss constitutes one of the most important emotional stressors a woman can experience and can be associated with bereavement. This mourning is a way of adapting and coping with the circumstances. However, inadequate management of this process can lead to the development of complicated grief and psychopathologies such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the prevalence of psychopathology (anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder) in women with a history of miscarriage or perinatal loss in the year prior, and to compare these results with women without this history. A peer review was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. We included (1) articles that included women of any age who had had a miscarriage or perinatal loss in the year prior, and (2) articles with a longitudinal cohort design with a comparison group of women without a history of miscarriage or perinatal loss. After the screening process, three articles met these inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Psychopathology in women after miscarriage or perinatal loss was higher than in the control groups. In addition, it was observed that these psychopathologies gradually decreased over the first year from the loss. In conclusion, abortion and perinatal loss pose a risk factor for the development of psychopathology. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of implementing a mental health plan for these women. Full article

This study aims to analyze the main and most recent forms of gambling and related psychopathological disorders, also proposing psychological clinical recommendations. From November 2022 to February 2023, we searched the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Health & Medical Collection, Elsevier Journal, and Springer for relevant studies performing different searches through different search strings. New forms of gambling are mostly related to new technological tools, such as the Internet, smartphones, social media, or electronic machines. The prevalence of online gambling affects all demographic groups, although 35–44-year-olds appear to have the largest share. Online gambling can lead to addiction, financial hardship, and mental health problems. It has also been statistically significantly associated with high levels of Gambling disorder, high levels of depression and anxiety, poor overall mental health, and alcohol use. Furthermore, it has been noted that online gamblers are more likely to engage in high-risk gambling behaviors and have a higher prevalence of comorbid mental disorders. The review highlights the need for continued research on the impact of new forms of gambling and the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. Further research is needed to better understand the complex relationship between new forms of gambling and the development of gambling disorders. Full article

The study of wording and its impact on medical practice is key for the training of future physicians. Negative, imprecise, and disrespectful terms are still widespread in the medical field and contribute to the stigmatization of people in treatment, which ultimately limits their access to care. In this study, we explore the feasibility and acceptability of a method to investigate medical students’ perceptions of wording and stigma. This method involves a questionnaire that medical students complete after having read a clinical vignette. One of the two versions of the vignette is made available, which only varies in the way the patient is referred to (“substance abuser” vs. “having a substance use disorder”). Medical students from the University of Lausanne between their first and sixth year were contacted via the university’s mailing lists. They were randomly exposed to one of the two versions of the vignette and responded to the questionnaire online. This exploratory study shows that it is feasible and acceptable to assess the influence and perceptions of stigmatizing terminology among students through a vignette-based questionnaire comparing two wording options. In line with the initial study, we find trends in favor of the non-stigmatizing terminology; however, beliefs are widely held about the need for judicial “punishment” to address consumption behavior. No statistically significant differences are found between the two groups. The study of wording and its impact on access to care is a crucial issue which seems necessary to integrate into pre-graduate training. It permits the deconstruction of prejudices related to medical knowledge and offers perspectives for intervention and research to improve the right to health, which includes the fundamental right to access to care. Full article

This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate how rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) works in Indonesian outpatient settings, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated depression, anxiety, and sleep among 60 Atma Jaya Hospital patients (public and private) using several assessment tools (PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSQI). The majority of participants were under 40 (53.3%), female (58.3%), married (56.6%), and working formally (65%), with either high school or diploma/bachelor’s level education (86.6%). After six REBT therapy sessions, significant improvements were evident in anxiety, depression, and sleep quality scores (p < 0.001). Participants showed improvements in anxiety and depression during the third and sixth sessions; and in sleep quality during the sixth session. These findings suggest that REBT-based interventions are effective in public and private outpatient settings, highlighting the importance of psychotherapy and cross-division collaboration in the Indonesian healthcare system. Full article

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is described as the tendency to avoid uncertain states and exhibit negative responses to uncertain situations on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral levels. It is considered a transdiagnostic cognitive bias that plays a role in developing and maintaining psychopathology. The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12) has proven to be a sound measure of intolerance of uncertainty with excellent validity and reliability. Although research has supported a two-factor structure of IUS-12, most recent studies also suggest a bifactor model. The present study examines the factorial structure, validity, and reliability of the Greek version of IUS-12 with a sample of 959 university students (66.6% female) aged 19.63 years (SD = 3.20). Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that although the two-factor solution adequately fit the data, the bifactor model better fit with IU total as an underlying one-factor. Internal consistency and validity were excellent for the total IUS-12 and Prospective and Inhibitory Anxiety subscales. Our findings support recent findings concerning the factorial structure of IUS-12 and the scale’s psychometric qualities in a Greek undergraduate sample. We expect that future research with clinical samples will confirm the screening and clinical utility of IUS-12. Full article