Telenursing in mental health: effect on anxiety symptoms and alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. / Teleenfermería en salud mental: efecto sobre los síntomas de ansiedad y el consumo de alcohol durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: (1) A remote intervention with a positive impact on reducing anxiety and alcohol use. (2) Nursing as a protagonist of preventive care in mental health (3) A low-cost intervention that covers several population groups. (4) Telenursing in mental health as a care strategy during COVID-19. to investigate the effect of a remote intervention on anxiety symptoms and alcohol use in users of the Primary Health Care service. METHOD: a quasi-experimental study conducted with 1,270 participants who answered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-6. Of these, 1,033 interviewees scored for moderate/severe anxiety symptoms (STAI-6 > 3) and moderate/severe risk alcohol use (AUDIT-C > 3), and received the interventions via telephone calls with follow-up periods lasting seven and 180 days. For data analysis, a mixed-effects regression model was used. RESULTS: the effect of the intervention performed was positive in reducing anxiety symptoms between T0 and T1 (µ=1.6, p<0.001) and in reducing the alcohol use pattern between T1 and T3 (µ=1.57, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: the follow-up results suggest a positive effect of the intervention in reducing anxiety and the alcohol use pattern, which tends to be maintained over time. There is diverse evidence that the intervention proposed can be an alternative for preventive care in mental health, in situations where accessibility of the user or the professional is compromised.

Implementation of a brief online skills group of dialectical behaviour therapy for emotional dysregulation in Latinx: a withdrawal experimental single-case design.

BACKGROUND: Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills groups have shown promise as an effective treatment for clients with emotional dysregulation, especially when combined with individual DBT. However, their efficacy is not well established as an online therapy, or in the Latinx population. AIMS: This study aimed to explore satisfaction, retention and effects of an internet-based DBT group added to individual online sessions. METHOD: An ABAB withdrawal experimental single-case design was conducted to evaluate the effect of a brief online DBT skills group on emotional dysregulation, anxiety and depression for five Latinx participants. DBT skills group (phase B) were compared with placebo group sessions (phase A) and fortnightly individual DBT sessions were offered throughout to manage risk. RESULTS: Visual inspection showed a decrease in level of emotional dysregulation and a large effect size according to the Nonoverlap of All Pairs when comparing group DBT and placebo phases. Although depression symptoms decreased after introducing group DBT, anxiety indicators decreased most during the second round of group placebo sessions. DISCUSSION: Whilst only a pilot, this study suggests that online group DBT in Latinx populations is feasible and effective for changing emotional regulation processes but may not effectively target anxiety. Future research might increase the number of DBT sessions in order to enhance learning opportunities and generalization. Replication with larger sample sizes and diverse modalities is needed.

Help-seeking and treatment delivery preferences for women experiencing perinatal anxiety symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is common during the perinatal period and despite effective treatments being available, many women with perinatal anxiety disorders experience barriers when accessing treatment. AIMS: The aims of the current study were to explore women's perceived barriers to treatment uptake; cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment delivery preferences; and the utility of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in predicting intention to seek psychological help for women with perinatal anxiety symptoms. METHOD: This study employed a cross-sectional design consisting of women with self-reported anxiety in the perinatal period. A total of 216 women (Mage=28.53 years; SD=4.97) participated in the study by completing a battery of online self-report measures. RESULTS: The results indicated that the most salient barriers to accessing care were: (1) the cost of treatment, (2) wanting to solve the problem on their own, and (3) thinking the problem would go away without treatment. Group-delivered CBT was the least acceptable treatment method, while face-to-face individual CBT was the most acceptable treatment method. The HBM variables predicted approximately 35% of the variance in help-seeking intention. DISCUSSION: This study has important implications for the delivery of psychological care in the perinatal period and may be used to improve treatment uptake.

The impact of COVID-19 on the interpretation of psycho-oncological support trial results: a quasi-experimental approach using the data from the new form of care "Integrated cross-sectoral psycho-oncology (nFC-isPO)".

OBJECTIVE: In addition to the common difficulties of ongoing trials, the COVID-19 pandemic posed several challenges to scientists worldwide and created an additional burden for vulnerable patient groups. In the nFC-isPO of individualised treatment for anxiety and depression in newly diagnosed patients with cancer caregivers (e.g. psycho-oncologists) reported elevated HADS scores in newly enrolled patients after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the question arises whether the pandemic affected HADS scores. Therefore, stratified analyses by the time of enrolment (T1) were performed for patients with 12 months of care (T3). METHODS: Patients with 12 months of care (N = 1,140) were analysed. A comparison within the regression discontinuity design according to the time points at which patients completed the baseline (T1) HADS questionnaire was conducted to examine differences between patients recruited before Q2/2020 (pre-pandemic) and after the coronavirus outbreak. Furthermore, mean HADS scores at T1 and T3 for all quarters during the study were compared. RESULTS: Mean T1 and T3 HADS scores of patients with cancer during the pandemic are only slightly higher than those of the pre-pandemic group. No significant treatment effect was observed in either the pre-pandemic (p = 0.5495, Late = 1.7711) or the post-pandemic group (p = 0.9098, LATE=-0.2933). In contrast, the average local treatment effect in the post-pandemic group suggests a minimal decrease in HADS score in the predefined range and thus a positive treatment effect for isPO. Comparison of mean HADS scores at T1 and T3 did not show a large increase by pandemic-related timepoints, however, a decrease of approximately 2-3 points over each quarter at 12 months compared to baseline is observed. CONCLUSION: The existing nFC-isPO care is resilient to crisis and may counteract external influences such as the Corona pandemic. Accordingly, the pandemic had little influence on the fears of patients with cancer in the nFC-isPO. This emphasises that psycho-oncology is vital for the reduction of stress, anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Registry on 30 October 2018 under the ID "DRKS00015326".

Psychological intervention for negative emotions aroused by COVID-19 pandemic in university students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been suggested to cause psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, panic, and insomnia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy of psychological interventions (including CBT, DBT, and mindfulness based interventions) in reducing distressing feelings in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on psychological interventions for reducing negative emotions among college students during the COVID-19 epidemic were searched in databases Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, PsychInfo, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP. We utilized Cochrane risk of bias assessment technique to assess the quality of included RCTs. The data were analyzed using RevMan 5.4. Eight RCTs were finally included involving 1,496 participants. According to the meta-analysis results, psychotherapies could significantly alleviate anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms among university students, [MD = -0.98, 95%CI (-1.53, -0.43), p<0.001] [SMD = -0.47, 95%CI (-0.77, -0.16), p = 0.003] [MD = -1.53, 95%CI (-2.23, -0.83), p <0.001]. The difference in attenuation of somatization symptoms between the two groups was not statistically significant [SMD = -0.42, 95%CI (-1.41, 0.56), p = 0.40]. Psychotherapy might effectively alleviate anxiety, depression, and stress in university students caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It could be considered the preferred strategy for reducing negative emotions and improving the quality of life of university students.

The impact of technology systems and level of support in digital mental health interventions: a secondary meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The majority of people with a chronic disease (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, COPD) have more than one concurrent condition and are also at higher risk for developing comorbidities in mental health, including anxiety and depression. There is an urgent need for more relevant and accurate data on digital interventions in this area to prepare for an increase demand for mental health services. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the digital mental health interventions for people with comorbid physical and mental chronic diseases to compare the effect of technology systems and level of support. METHODS: This secondary meta-analysis follows a rapid review of systematic reviews, a virtual workshop with knowledge users to identify research questions and a modified Delphi study to guide research methods: What types of digital health interventions (according to a recognized categorization) are the most effective for the management of concomitant mental health and chronic disease conditions in adults? We conducted a secondary analysis of the primary studies identified in the rapid review. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and applied inclusion criteria: RCT design using a digital mental health intervention in a population of adults with another chronic condition, published after 2010 in French or English, and including an outcome measurement of anxiety or depression. RESULTS: Seven hundred eight primary studies were extracted from the systematic reviews and 84 primary studies met the inclusion criteria Digital mental health interventions were significantly more effective than in-person care for both anxiety and depression outcomes. Online messaging was the most effective technology to improve anxiety and depression scores; however, all technology types were effective. Interventions partially supported by healthcare professionals were more effective than self-administered. CONCLUSIONS: While our meta-analysis identifies digital intervention's characteristics are associated with better effectiveness, all technologies and levels of support could be used considering implementation context and population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this review is registered in the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) COVID-19 Rapid Evidence Service (ID 75).

Virtual Reality for Addressing Depression and Anxiety: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Virtual reality is an emerging field in mental health and has gained widespread acceptance due to its potential to treat various disorders, such as anxiety and depression. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of virtual reality (VR) use in addressing depression and anxiety from 1995 to 2022. The study analysed 1872 documents using the Scopus database, identifying the field's most relevant journals and authors. The results indicate that using VR for addressing anxiety and depression is a multidisciplinary field with a wide variety of research topics, leading to significant collaborative research in this area. The Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine was identified as the most relevant journal, while Behavior Research and Therapy was found to be the most cited journal. The analysis of keywords suggests that there is more research on using VR for anxiety and related disorders than for depression. Riva G. was identified as the top author in producing research outputs on VR-AD, and the University of Washington emerged as the leading institution in scientific outputs on VR-AD. Thematic and intellectual analyses helped identify the main themes within the research domain, providing valuable insight into the current and future directions of the field.

Comparing the effectiveness of virtual and semi-attendance Stress Inoculation Training [SIT] techniques in improving the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress of pregnant women with psychological distress: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Some studies indicate that more than 10% of pregnant women are affected by psychological problems. The current COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health problems in more than half of pregnant women. The present study compared the effectiveness of virtual (VSIT) and semi-attendance Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) techniques on the improvement of the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress of pregnant women with psychological distress. METHODS: This study was conducted on 96 pregnant women with psychological distress in a 2-arm parallel-group, randomized control trial between November 2020 and January 2022. The semi-attendance SIT received treatment for six sessions, sessions 1, 3 and 5 as individual face-to-face and sessions 2, 4 and 6 as virtual once a week for 60 min continuously [n = 48], and the virtual SIT received six sessions simultaneously once a week for 60 min (n = 48) in pregnant women of 14-32 weeks' gestation referred to two selected hospitals. The primary outcome of this study was BSI-18 [Brief Symptom Inventory] and NuPDQ-17 [Prenatal Distress Questionnaire]. The secondary outcomes were the PSS-14 [Cohen's General Perceived Stress Scale]. Both groups completed questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, pregnancy-specific stress, and generally perceived stress questionnaires before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The post-intervention results showed that the stress inoculation training technique in both VSIT and SIT interventions effectively reduced anxiety, depression, psychological distress, pregnancy-specific stress and general perceived stress [P < 0.01]. Also, the SIT interventions on decreasing anxiety [P < 0.001, η2 = 0.40], depression [P < 0.001, η2 = 0.52] and psychological distress [P < 0.001, η2 = 0.41] were more considerable than that of VSIT. However, There was no significant difference between SIT and VSIT intervention in terms of their effects on pregnancy-specific stress [P < 0.38, η2 = 0.01] and general stress [P < 0.42, η2 = 0.008]. CONCLUSION: The semi-attendance SIT group has been a more effective and practical model than the VSIT group, for reducing psychological distress. Therefore, semi-attendance SIT is recommended for pregnant women.

Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a virtual reality intervention targeting distress and anxiety in primary brain tumor patients at the time of clinical evaluation: Study protocol for a phase 2 clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Primary brain tumor (PBT) patients experience higher levels of distress and anxiety than other solid tumor patients, particularly at the time of clinical evaluation when uncertainty about disease status is high ("scanxiety"). There is promising evidence supporting use of virtual reality (VR) to target psychological symptoms in other solid tumor patients, though PBT patients have not been studied extensively in this context. The primary aim of this phase 2 clinical trial is to establish the feasibility of a remote VR-based relaxation intervention for a PBT population, with secondary aims designed to determine preliminary efficacy of improving distress and anxiety symptoms. METHODS: PBT patients (N = 120) with upcoming MRI scans and clinical appointments who meet eligibility will be recruited to participate in a single arm trial conducted remotely through the NIH. Following completion of baseline assessments, participants will complete a 5-min VR intervention via telehealth using a head-mounted immersive device while under supervision of the research team. Following the intervention, over the course of 1 month patients can use VR at their discretion with follow-up assessments done immediately post-VR intervention, as well as 1 week and 4 weeks later. Additionally, a qualitative phone interview will be conducted to assess patient satisfaction with the intervention. DISCUSSION: Use of immersive VR is an innovative interventional approach to target distress and scanxiety symptoms in PBT patients who are at high risk for experiencing these symptoms leading into their clinical appointments. Findings from this study may inform design of a future multicenter randomized VR trial for PBT patients and may aid in development of similar interventions for other oncology populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04301089), registered 9 March 2020.

The Effect of Internet-delivered Mindfulness Stress Reduction Combined with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Health Anxiety and Quality of Life of Caregiver of Patients Infected by COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a widespread disease all over the world that has caused many psychological complications such as health anxiety (HA) and low quality of life (QOL). Mindfulness-based approaches could improve these complications. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Internet-delivered mindfulness stress reduction combined with acceptance and commitment therapy (IMSR-ACT) on QOL and HA of caregivers of patients infected by COVID-19. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 72 people from Golpayegan city, Iran, who had a patient with COVID-19 in their family were selected from March to June 2020. A caregiver with a score above 27 on the Health Anxiety inventory (HAI-18) was selected using simple random sampling. Participants were assigned in the intervention or control group by permuted block random allocation. The intervention group was trained by MSR and ACT techniques for 9 weeks accomplished via WhatsApp. All participants completed the QOLQuestionnaire-12 (SF-12) items and HAI-18 before and after completing IMSR-ACT sessions. The data were analyzed through SPSS-23 software, using Chi square, independent and paired t-test, and analysis of covariance, and P-value<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The results showed that the intervention group compared to the control group had a significant decrease in all subscales of HAI after the intervention including worry about consequences (5.78±2.66 vs. 7.37±1.34, P=0.004) and awareness of bodily sensation or changes (8.90±2.77 vs. 11.75±2.30, P=0.001), worry about health (10.94±2.38 vs. 13.09±1.92, P=0.001), and total score of HAI (25.62±4.93 vs. 32.25±3.93, P=0.001). Also, the intervention group compared to the control group had better QOL after the intervention in general health perceptions (3.03±0.96 vs. 2.43±0.95, P=0.01), mental health (7.12±2.25 vs. 6.34±1.85 and P=0.01) and mental component summary) 16.78±3.75 vs. 15.43±3.05, P=0.01), physical component summary (16.06±2.66 vs. 15.19±2.25, P=0.01), and total score of SF-12 (32.84±5.39 vs. 30.62±4.34, P=0.004). Conclusion: Internet-delivered MSR combined with ACT could improve the HA and QOL of caregivers with patients infected by COVID-19. Thus, it can used in other similar situations for now and future. Also, it seems to be a useful approach for caregivers of the other illnesses. Trial Registration Number: IRCT20180909040974N.

Progressive muscle relaxation exercises in patients with COVID-19: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with COVID-19 will experience high levels of anxiety and depression and poor levels of sleep and quality of life (QoL) due to isolation treatment and uncertain outcomes. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercises show promising treatment effects on mental health and sleep problems and overall QoL in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PMR exercises in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Both experimental and non-experimental studies related to PMR and COVID-19 were systematically searched in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, PEDro and HINARI databases for studies published from the occurrence of the pandemic to December 2022. Study selection, methodological quality assessment and data extraction were carried out by 2 independent authors. Efficacy outcomes were evaluated for sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and QoL. The safety outcomes were evaluated based on adverse events reported. Review manager (RevMan 5.4, Cochrane collaboration) was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Four studies with 227 subjects were included in this systematic review. The pooled results indicated that PMR interventions improved the sleep quality score standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.54, 0.07; P = .13, level of anxiety SMD: -1.35; 95% CI -2.38, -0.32; P = .01 compared to the usual care. Depression level, disease severity and QoL were also improved following PMR interventions. Only 1 study reported worsening of 1 patient clinical status while all other studies did not report any adverse events during the interventions. CONCLUSIONS: PMR interventions can improve the sleep quality, anxiety, depression, disease severity and QoL in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in a short-term period compared to the usual care. However, there was indecision about the safety and long-term effects of PMR.

Digital Addiction Intervention for Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review.

Digital devices play a significant role in the learning and living of children and adolescents, whose overuse or addiction has become a global concern. This scoping review seeks to synthesize existing studies to investigate relevant interventions and their effects on digital addiction in children (ages 0-18). To understand the latest advances, we have identified 17 studies published in international peer-reviewed journals between 2018-2022. The findings revealed that, first, most interventions for digital addiction in children and adolescents were cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) or CBT-based interventions, which could improve anxiety, depression, and related symptoms of digital addiction. Second, rather than directly targeting addictive behaviors, some family-based interventions aim to strengthen family functions and relationships. Finally, digital-based interventions, such as website-based, application-based, and virtual reality interventions, are promising in adolescent digital addiction interventions. However, these studies shared the same limitations: small sample sizes, short intervention durations, no control group, and nonrandomized assignments. The small sample size problem is difficult to solve by offline intervention. Meanwhile, online digital-based intervention is still in its infancy, resulting in limited generalizability of the findings and the inability to popularize digital intervention. Accordingly, future intervention studies should integrate various assessments and interventions to form an integrated platform to provide interventions for addicted children and adolescents worldwide.

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OBJECTIVES: Shelter hospital was an alternative way to provide large-scale medical isolation and treatment for people with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Due to various reasons, patients admitted to the large shelter hospital was reported high level of psychological distress, so did the healthcare workers. This study aims to introduce a comprehensive and multifaceted psychosocial crisis intervention model. METHODS: The psychosocial crisis intervention model was provided to 200 patients and 240 healthcare workers in Wuhan Wuchang shelter hospital. Patient volunteers and organized peer support, client-centered culturally sensitive supportive care, timely delivery of scientific information about COVID-19 and its complications, mental health knowledge acquisition of non-psychiatric healthcare workers, group activities, counseling and education, virtualization of psychological intervention, consultation and liaison were exhibited respectively in the model. Pre-service survey was done in 38 patients and 49 healthcare workers using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item (PHQ-2) scale, and the Primary Care PTSD screen for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (PC-PTSD-5). Forty-eight healthcare workers gave feedback after the intervention. RESULTS: The psychosocial crisis intervention model was successfully implemented by 10 mental health professionals and was well-accepted by both patients and healthcare workers in the shelter hospital. In pre-service survey, 15.8% of 38 patients were with anxiety, 55.3% were with stress, and 15.8% were with depression; 16.3% of 49 healthcare workers were with anxiety, 26.5% were with stress, and 22.4% were with depression. In post-service survey, 62.5% of 48 healthcare workers thought it was very practical, 37.5% thought more practical; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to relief anxiety and insomnia, and 27.1% thought much helpful; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to recognize patients with anxiety and insomnia, and 29.2% thought much helpful; 35.4% of them thought it was very helpful to deal with patients' anxiety and insomnia, and 37.5% thought much helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological crisis intervention is feasible, acceptable, and associated with positive outcomes. Future tastings of this model in larger population and different settings are warranted.

Effects of a online brief modified mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy for anxiety among Chinese adults: A randomized clinical trial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated anxiety and related symptoms among the general population. In order to cope with the mental health burden, we developed an online brief modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (mMBSR) therapy. We performed a parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the mMBSR for adult anxiety with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as an active control. Participants were randomized to mMBSR, CBT or waitlist group. Those in the intervention arms performed each therapy for 6 sections in 3 weeks. Measurements were conducted at baseline, post-treatment and 6 months post-treatment by Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, reverse scored Cohen Perceived Stress scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. 150 participants with anxiety symptoms were randomized to mMBSR, CBT or waitlist group. Post intervention assessments showed that mMBSR improved the scores of all the six mental problem dimensions (anxiety, depression, somatization, stress, insomnia, and the experience of pleasure) significantly compared to the waitlist group. During 6-month post treatment assessment, the scores of all six mental problem dimensions in the mMBSR group still showed improvement compared to baseline and showed no significant difference with the CBT group. Our results provide positive evidence for the efficacy and feasibility of an online brief modified MBSR program to alleviate anxiety and related symptoms of individuals from the general population, and the therapeutic benefits of mMBSR persisted for up to six months. This low resource-consuming intervention could facilitate the challenges of supplying psychological health therapy to large scale of population.

The Therapeutic Impact of Plant-Based and Nutritional Supplements on Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Quality among Adults and Elderly: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: The emerging research in the literature continues to forecast a drastic and alarming increase in negative mental health and sleep health outcomes among populations, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly influenced people's way of life. With mental health pharmaceutical interventions continuing to be stigmatized and inaccessible among populations, natural supplements provide an opportunity for intervention. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the most recent comprehensive evidence for which nutritional supplements have the greatest therapeutic impact on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature, utilizing several databases, including PubMed and Web of Science, was conducted on 29 April 2022. We used developed keywords and MeSH terms for the search. The study eligibility criteria included (1) a randomized control trial; (2) investigating a plant-based therapeutic or natural supplement as the intervention; (3) measuring at least one health outcome of the following: anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, or sleep health outcomes; (4) utilizing validated measurement tools to measure the outcome of interest; (5) written in the English language; (6) peer reviewed; and (7) focused on adults and elderly populations. MAIN RESULTS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, 76 studies were included in this review. We used the revised Risk of Bias tool (RoB2) to assess the quality of all included randomized control trials. A qualitative data synthesis was conducted. Overall, we found several valuable insights from the evidence in the literature, including evidence that demonstrates the benefits of probiotics and vitamin B complexes on anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality. Implication of Key Findings: This review provides the most updated findings in the literature on the topic, including an abundance of research that was published in the past 5 years. Given the expected rise in negative mental and sleep health outcomes following the pandemic, the supplements and therapeutics identified in this study should be the target of intervention measures to increase their accessibility and affordability and allow them to be incorporated into clinical guidelines of treatment. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022361130.

Clinical outcomes of a short-term family-focused intervention for patients with atrial fibrillation-A randomised clinical trial.

AIMS: To evaluate a family-focused intervention for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in addition to conventional care and to establish its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety, depression, AF symptoms, and family support. BACKGROUND: AF is a widespread heart disease affecting the well-being of patients and their family members physically and psychologically. Supporting patients and their family members could potentially facilitate regaining family strength and improve HRQoL. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed AF were randomised to standard care or additional family-focused intervention with change in global score of the Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire (AFEQT) as primary outcome after six months' follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score, the European Heart Rhythm Association score, the Ice Expressive Family Functioning Questionnaire, and the Ice Family-Perceived Support Questionnaire (ICE-FPSQ). RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients received standard care (n = 35) or family focused intervention (n = 33). The median change at the six-month follow-up on the global AFEQT score was 4.17 (-1.46-9.17) in the control group and 5.83 (-2.5-30) in the intervention group, yielding a median difference of -1.67 (p = 0.500). Change in ICE-FPSQ showed significant positive scores in favour of intervention (p < 0.001); other secondary outcome changes were non-significant. CONCLUSION: The family-focused intervention had a small positive but non-significant effect on HRQoL compared to standard care. To address the impact of AF on the patients and family members seems to improve anxiety and depression scores and perceived family support.

Effect of Teleyoga Before COVID-19 and During Pandemic: A Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Yoga plays a beneficial adjunctive role in various disorders due to its physiological and psychological benefits. COVID-19 pandemic led to a paradigm shift in delivery of health interventions from on-site to online/ tele-intervention mode. Focus shifted to tele-yoga as a reasonable and feasible alternative to in-person yoga. Studies have evaluated its effect among patients suffering from various disorders, their care givers, healthcare workers, and the general public. We have assessed the effect of tele- Yoga, including its appropriateness, acceptability, and benefits, via this narrative review. METHODS: We searched PubMed data base using predefined keywords. Inclusion criteria included controlled trials and Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) which are completed and published in English language up to February 2022 with tele-yoga/online yoga as part of intervention. Exclusion criteria included articles in other language or articles whose full text is unavailable. RESULTS: After removing duplications and reviewing articles based on title, abstracts, and available full texts, seven studies with 391 participants were included. Majority of the trials took place in United States, with United Kingdom, Canada, and India following closely behind. Yoga can be safely administered via various online /tele interventions in both diseased and healthy individuls. Tele yoga or modules incorporating tele-yoga has been shown to improve symptoms like dyspnea, psychiatric/psychological burden including stress, anxiety and depression levels and may promote positive effects like spirituality. CONCLUSION: Tele-yoga is feasible and beneficial in healthy and diseased individuals. Larger well-designed RCTs comparing in-person yoga with tele-yoga are needed to ascertain their full benefits.

Psychological treatments for the mental health symptoms among individuals infected with COVID-19: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety and sleep problems are commonly observed in individuals suffering from acute COVID-19 infection to post-COVID-19 syndrome. Studies have provided preliminary evidence for the efficacies of cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, acceptance and commitment therapy, and many other treatments for this population. Although there have been attempts to synthesise the literature on these psychological interventions, previous reviews have been limited in terms of the sources, symptoms and interventions that they included. Furthermore, most studies reviewed were conducted in early 2020, when COVID-19 had only recently been classified as a global pandemic. Since then, substantial research has been conducted. As such, we sought to provide an updated synthesis of the available evidence of treatments for the range of mental health symptoms associated with COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review protocol was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Systematic searches were carried out on scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus) and clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP, EU Clinical Trials Register and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) to identify studies that have or will assess the efficacy or any aspects of psychological treatment for acute to post-COVID-19 syndrome. The search was conducted on 14 October 2022 and identified 17 855 potentially eligible sources/studies published since 1 January 2020 (duplicates removed). Six investigators will independently carry out titles and abstract screening, full-text screening and data charting and the results will be summarised using descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this review. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal, conference presentations and/or academic newspapers. This scoping review has been registered with Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/wvr5t).

Effects of a Video Sequence Based Intervention on Anxiety, Fatigue and Depression in Cancer Patients: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients often suffer from psychological symptoms and need psychological support. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, eHealth interventions might be helpful to overcome the obstacles of the pandemic. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a video sequence-based eHealth intervention on anxiety, fatigue, and depression in cancer patients. METHODS: Patients (N = 157) with different tumor entities were randomly assigned to the video intervention group (IG) and the waiting control group (CG). Patients in the IG received a video intervention comprising 8 video sequences over 4 weeks. The videos included psychoeducation on distress and psychological symptoms, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy elements, and Yoga and Qigong exercises. Patients' anxiety and fear of progression (primary outcomes) and secondary outcomes were assessed before randomization (T1) and after the end of the intervention for IG or the waiting period for CG (T2) using self-reported questionnaires (GAD-7, PA-F-KF, EORTC QLQ-FA12, PHQ-8). RESULTS: Patients of the IG showed no significant improvement in anxiety (GAD-7; P = .75), fear of progression (FoP-Q-SF; P = .29), fatigue (EORTC QLQ-FA12; P = .72), and depression (PHQ-8; P = .95) compared to patients in the waiting CG. However, symptoms of anxiety, fatigue, and depression decreased in both groups. Exploratory subgroup analysis regarding sex, therapy status, therapy goal, and tumor entity showed no effects. Overall, the intervention had a high level of acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: The video intervention was ineffective in reducing the psychological burden compared to a waiting CG. The findings support prior observations of the value of therapeutic guidance and promoting self-management for improving patients' psychological burdens. Further studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of psycho-oncological eHealth delivered through video sequences.

Sound healing reduces generalized anxiety during the pandemic: A feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound healing treatment to reduce anxiety for individuals meeting criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. DESIGN: This one-group, mixed-method feasibility study was conducted virtually via Zoom during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Fifteen participants with moderate to high levels of anxiety as determined by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (≥10), were enrolled. INTERVENTION: Five certified Biofield Tuning Practitioners performed the interventions. Participants were given three weekly, hour-long sound healing treatments virtually, over a month's period. OUTCOME MEASURES: Attrition rates and reports on feasibility of intervention delivery and outcomes assessment were obtained by participants. Data on anxiety, positive and negative affect, spiritual experience, perceived stress, and quality of life were obtained via validated surveys and analyzed via repeated-measures analysis of variance with intention-to-treat. Linguistic inquiry and word count was utilized to assess changes in affective processing as reflected in participants' spoken words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative interviews were conducted to further determine tolerability and experiences with receiving BT that may not have been captured by survey and language data. RESULTS: Attrition rates were 13.3%, with two participants dropping out of the study after one session. The remaining participants reported acceptability of the data collection process and intervention delivery. Intention to treat analyses revealed statistically significant reductions in anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Scale), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) (p < .001 in all cases). Linguistic and word count analysis revealed a significant linear decrease (p = .01) of participants' use of negative affect words over the course of the intervention. Qualitative data results are reported in another paper. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that BT delivered virtually is feasible and amenable to study, and that the impact of BT may be substantial in reducing anxiety and improving mental health. This is the first study of its kind to report clinically significant reductions in anxiety levels in response to a virtually-delivered, biofield-based sound therapy. Data will be used to power a randomized controlled trial to more deeply examine the effects of BT on whole-person healing for those suffering from anxiety.