Between the Facts and a Hard Place: Trust Judgments and Affective Responses in Information-Seeking Processes During Early COVID-19.

This study examined the formation of trust judgments of information sources about COVID-19 and the role played by emotions in this information seeking process. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews with Americans revealed that both trust and affective responses were present in information seeking of health messages, thus discovering the applicability of Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model's propositions during pandemics. Using qualitative methods to assess RISP variables in a new context (COVID-19), the study proposes modifications to the existing model. It also extends the socio-psychological traditions on which the RISP model was based, by finding that when evaluating information sources during pandemics, under conditions of high issue relevance, individuals' peripheral evaluation of messages might precede systematic evaluation and might be used as a selection criteria for further elaboration. Finally, the assessments of source credibility as a peripheral cue in this study expand current theoretical understandings by including compassion as a possible new dimension.

Emotional Eating in College Students: Associations with Coping and Healthy Eating Motivators and Barriers.

BACKGROUND: Emotional eating, or eating in response to stress and other negative affective states, bears negative consequences including excessive weight gain and heightened risk of binge eating disorder. Responding to stress with emotional eating is not universal, and it is important to elucidate under what circumstances and by what mechanisms stress is associated with emotional eating. This is particularly important to understand among college students, who are at risk of experiencing heightened stress and negative changes to dietary habits. METHOD: The present study investigated the relationships among perceived stress, emotional eating, coping, and barriers to and motivators of healthy eating both concurrently and 1 year later in a sample of young adult college students (n = 232). RESULTS: At baseline, emotional eating was significantly associated with perceived stress (r = 0.36, p < .001), barriers to (r = 0.31, p < .001) and motivators of (r = - 0.14, p < .05) healthy eating, and avoidance coping (r = 0.37, p < .001), but not approach coping. Furthermore, avoidance coping mediated (indirect effect b = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.61) and moderated (b = - 0.07, p = 0.04) the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating. Contrary to study hypotheses, baseline stress levels were not associated with emotional eating 1 year later. CONCLUSION: College students who utilize avoidance coping strategies may be particularly susceptible to the effects of stress on emotional eating. Healthy eating interventions targeting college students might address stress coping strategies in addition to reduction of barriers to healthy eating.

Momentary fluctuations in emotional intelligence and stress predict changes in disordered eating.

Objective: Low emotional intelligence and symptoms of disordered eating are connected, however, whether daily fluctuations in emotional intelligence predict daily changes in disordered eating symptoms has not been examined, nor has stress been explored as a potential moderator of this relationship. Participants: Participants were undergraduate students (n = 100). Methods: Participants completed baseline questionnaires, then responded to random ecological momentary assessment prompts 3 times daily for 2 weeks. Results: Results indicated that when individuals had higher momentary emotional intelligence, they had lower disordered eating at the same time point (within subjects estimate = -0.30, p < .001) and following time point (within subjects estimate = -0.08, p = 0.03). Momentary stress moderated the relationship between baseline emotional intelligence and momentary disordered eating (b = -0.02, p < .01). Conclusions: Changes in emotional intelligence predict day-to-day changes in disordered eating, and stress moderates the connection between emotional intelligence and disordered eating.

Being PAL: Uncertainty and Coping in r/PregnancyAfterLoss.

Women who become pregnant again following miscarriage or stillbirth are in a particularly vulnerable position as they grapple with uncertainty about the current pregnancy's viability and outcomes. In this study, we examine the types of uncertainty that emerge in pregnancy after loss (PAL) and how women manage that uncertainty. Framed by the theory of communication and uncertainty management, we thematically analyzed threads (N = 636) from the online discussion board Reddit, focusing on the specific subreddit community r/PregnancyAfterLoss. Themes of physiological, emotional, and social uncertainty dominated the PAL experiences of these online community members. Uncertainty management and coping strategies included direct information seeking, bracing, mantras, and accepting uncertainty as part of the PAL experience. Theoretical contributions of this study include an initial conceptualization of emotional uncertainty in health communication. In addition, we draw parallels between uncertainty in PAL and in illness and highlight the unique features of PAL that expand our understanding of uncertainty in health. Practical implications are drawn from members' expressed needs and uncertainty management practices, and provide direction for supporting women through the PAL experience.

Exercise-related coping beliefs predict physical activity levels in response to naturally occurring stress: A daily diary study of college students.

Objective The present study sought to examine whether beliefs about physical activity as a means of coping with stress predicted college students' exercise levels following naturally occurring stressors. Participants: One-hundred and twenty-seven undergraduate students were recruited from psychology courses at a large, urban university in the southwestern United States. Methods: Participants completed baseline measures and daily assessments for two weeks; data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Results: Beliefs about the coping properties of physical activity significantly moderated the effects of daily stress (b = 0.19, SE = 0.09, p = .02), and combined daily and chronic stress (b = 0.01, SE = 0.01, p < .01), on students' daily exercise. Conclusions: College students' beliefs about physical activity are associated with changes in their daily exercise following exposure to naturally-occurring stressors. Such beliefs may be amenable to intervention to promote adaptive coping with stress and enhanced physical activity.

From Vulnerability to Disclosure: A Normative Approach to Understanding Trust in Obstetric and Intrapartum Nurse-Patient Communication.

This study qualitatively examined how nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives construct the meaning of patient trust in their work caring for pregnant and laboring women. Twenty-two interviews were conducted with nurse participants employed at clinics, hospitals, and birth centers across Southeastern United States. Using a normative theoretical approach within the multiple goals framework, we identified five emergent themes that characterize trust as it shapes nurses' communicative goals: trust as the woman's acceptance of vulnerability and risk, the woman relinquishing control, the woman conceding to the nurse's expertise, the woman feeling heard, and the woman's disclosure of information. The results support previous studies, which conceptualized trust as vulnerability, risk, and disclosure whereas the remaining themes are original to this study. The results are interpreted both in light of existing links between trust and communication and the shifting and conflicting goals of nurses as they attempt to achieve their primary goal of optimal health outcomes. Passive constructions of trust that conflate it with women's acquiescent behaviors could have implications for the quality of communication between nurses and patients. In addition, trust, as understood by these participants, becomes situated as an instrumental means to achieving patient cooperation and desired health outcomes rather than a relational goal that supports women's agency throughout obstetric and intrapartum processes. This may be at odds with the modern movement toward patient-centered care and shared decision-making in U.S. maternity care.

Independent and relative effects of stress, depressive symptoms, and affect on college students' daily health behaviors.

Stress and depressive symptoms are associated with maladaptive health behavior practices such as unhealthy eating, sedentary behavior, insufficient sleep, and substance use. The relative and interactive effects of stress and depressive symptoms on health behavior practices are less well understood. The present study examined these processes in a daily diary study of 127 college students. Results from hierarchical generalized linear models indicated that depressive symptoms, and chronic and daily stress, but not acute stressful life events, were significantly associated with a composite score of daily maladaptive health behavior engagement (depressive symptoms b = .01, SE= .00, p < .01; chronic stress, b = .03, SE= .01, p < .01; daily stress, b = .01, SE= .01, p = .02); unexpectedly, the effect of stress on health behaviors was not moderated by depressive symptoms. Additionally, results demonstrated that the effect of depressive symptoms on health behaviors was mediated by fluctuations in daily negative affect. These results bear implications for intervention during a crucial period in the development of mental and physical health.

Attitudes and norms affecting scientists' data reuse.

The value of sharing scientific research data is widely appreciated, but factors that hinder or prompt the reuse of data remain poorly understood. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action, we test the relationship between the beliefs and attitudes of scientists towards data reuse, and their self-reported data reuse behaviour. To do so, we used existing responses to selected questions from a worldwide survey of scientists developed and administered by the DataONE Usability and Assessment Working Group (thus practicing data reuse ourselves). Results show that the perceived efficacy and efficiency of data reuse are strong predictors of reuse behaviour, and that the perceived importance of data reuse corresponds to greater reuse. Expressed lack of trust in existing data and perceived norms against data reuse were not found to be major impediments for reuse contrary to our expectations. We found that reported use of models and remotely-sensed data was associated with greater reuse. The results suggest that data reuse would be encouraged and normalized by demonstration of its value. We offer some theoretical and practical suggestions that could help to legitimize investment and policies in favor of data sharing.

"Pain Is What the Patient Says It Is": Nurse-Patient Communication, Information Seeking, and Pain Management.

Nurse-patient conversations about pain management are complex. Given recent increases in prescription pain pill abuse, such interactions merit scholarly attention. In-depth interviews with 21 nurses were conducted to explicitly explore nurses' information seeking about pain. The participants in this study gathered pain information from patients through a variety of means and reported facing challenges and dilemmas when communicating with patients about pain management and medicinal preferences. These results have important implications for nurses, patient outcomes, and the broader health-care system and imply that continued educational and intervention efforts are essential in this complicated communicative context.

Pathways maintaining physical health problems from childhood to young adulthood: The role of stress and mood.

OBJECTIVE: Poor physical health in childhood is associated with a variety of negative health-related outcomes in adulthood. Psychosocial pathways contributing to the maintenance of physical health problems from childhood to young adulthood remain largely unexamined, despite evidence that factors such as negative mood and stress impact physical health. DESIGN: The current study tested the direct and indirect effects of ongoing health, chronic stress, health-related chronic stress, and depressive symptoms at age 20 on the link between health problems in childhood and young adulthood (age 21) in a longitudinal sample (n = 384). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The hypotheses were tested using a multiple mediation path analysis framework; the primary outcome measure was a composite index of health status markers in young adulthood. RESULTS: The proposed model provided an adequate fit for the data, with significant total indirect effects of the four mediators and significant specific indirect effects of health-related chronic stress and depressive symptoms in maintaining health problems from childhood into young adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Health problems are maintained from early childhood into young adulthood in part through psychosocial mechanisms. Depressive symptoms and health-related chronic stress have significant, unique effects on the relationship between health problems in early childhood and young adulthood.

Changes in Data Sharing and Data Reuse Practices and Perceptions among Scientists Worldwide.

The incorporation of data sharing into the research lifecycle is an important part of modern scholarly debate. In this study, the DataONE Usability and Assessment working group addresses two primary goals: To examine the current state of data sharing and reuse perceptions and practices among research scientists as they compare to the 2009/2010 baseline study, and to examine differences in practices and perceptions across age groups, geographic regions, and subject disciplines. We distributed surveys to a multinational sample of scientific researchers at two different time periods (October 2009 to July 2010 and October 2013 to March 2014) to observe current states of data sharing and to see what, if any, changes have occurred in the past 3-4 years. We also looked at differences across age, geographic, and discipline-based groups as they currently exist in the 2013/2014 survey. Results point to increased acceptance of and willingness to engage in data sharing, as well as an increase in actual data sharing behaviors. However, there is also increased perceived risk associated with data sharing, and specific barriers to data sharing persist. There are also differences across age groups, with younger respondents feeling more favorably toward data sharing and reuse, yet making less of their data available than older respondents. Geographic differences exist as well, which can in part be understood in terms of collectivist and individualist cultural differences. An examination of subject disciplines shows that the constraints and enablers of data sharing and reuse manifest differently across disciplines. Implications of these findings include the continued need to build infrastructure that promotes data sharing while recognizing the needs of different research communities. Moving into the future, organizations such as DataONE will continue to assess, monitor, educate, and provide the infrastructure necessary to support such complex grand science challenges.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of maca root as treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction in women.

Objective. We sought to demonstrate that maca root may be an effective treatment for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction (AISD) in women. Method. We conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of maca root (3.0 g/day) in 45 female outpatients (mean age of 41.5 ± 12.5 years) with SSRI/SNRI-induced sexual dysfunction whose depression remitted. Endpoints were improvement in sexual functioning as per the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) and the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Function Questionnaire (MGH-SFQ). Results. 45 of 57 consented females were randomized, and 42 (30 premenopausal and 12 postmenopausal women) were eligible for a modified intent-to-treat analysis based on having had at least one postmedication visit. Remission rates by the end of treatment were higher for the maca than the placebo group, based on attainment of an ASEX total score ≤ 10 (9.5% for maca versus 4.8% for placebo), attaining an MGH-SFQ score ≤ 12 (30.0% for maca versus 20.0% for placebo) and reaching an MGH-SFQ score ≤ 8 (9.5% for maca versus 5.0% for placebo). Higher remission rates for the maca versus placebo group were associated with postmenopausal status. Maca was well tolerated. Conclusion. Maca root may alleviate SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women. This trial is registered with NCT00568126.

The Protective Effects of Adolescent Motherhood in South Central Appalachia: Salvation From Drugs and Emptiness.

This study qualitatively explored the meaning of teenage motherhood to young Appalachian mothers. Fourteen in-depth interviews at the homes of mothers between the ages of 18 and 22 from the South Central Appalachian region were conducted. Findings indicate that teenage motherhood is symbolically reproduced by filling a void and providing escape from the drug culture. Analysis of these findings indicates that the meaning of motherhood is characterized by salvation. This salvation is shaped by the emotional chasm that motherhood fills, as well as the protective barrier it provides between the mother and the surrounding drug culture. Implications of these findings might include a need to examine the protective effects of motherhood from negative sociocultural forces among other subcultures. Also, the pervasive drug culture that surrounds young people in Appalachia should be taken into consideration when shaping policy and interventions for teenage pregnancy prevention.

Genetic susceptibility to family environment: BDNF Val66met and 5-HTTLPR influence depressive symptoms.

Functional genetic polymorphisms associated with Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and serotonin (5-HTTLPR) have demonstrated associations with depression in interaction with environmental stressors. In light of evidence for biological connections between BDNF and serotonin, it is prudent to consider genetic epistasis between variants in these genes in the development of depressive symptoms. The current study examined the effects of val66met, 5-HTTLPR, and family environment quality on youth depressive symptoms in adolescence and young adulthood in a longitudinal sample oversampled for maternal depression history. A differential susceptibility model was tested, comparing the effects of family environment on depression scores across different levels of a cumulative plasticity genotype, defined as presence of both, either, or neither plasticity alleles (defined here as val66met Met and 5-HTTLPR 'S'). Cumulative plasticity genotype interacted with family environment quality to predict depression among males and females at age 15. After age 15, however, the interaction of cumulative plasticity genotype and early family environment quality was only predictive of depression among females. Results supported a differential susceptibility model at age 15, such that plasticity allele presence was associated with more or less depressive symptoms depending on valence of the family environment, and a diathesis-stress model of gene-environment interaction after age 15. These findings, although preliminary because of the small sample size, support prior results indicating interactive effects of 5-HTTLPR, val66met, and environmental stress, and suggest that family environment may have a stronger influence on genetically susceptible women than men.

L-methylfolate as adjunctive therapy for SSRI-resistant major depression: results of two randomized, double-blind, parallel-sequential trials.

OBJECTIVE: The authors conducted two multicenter sequential parallel comparison design trials to investigate the effect of L-methylfolate augmentation in the treatment of major depressive disorder in patients who had a partial response or no response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). METHOD: In the first trial, 148 outpatients with SSRI-resistant major depressive disorder were enrolled in a 60-day study divided into two 30-day periods. Patients were randomly assigned, in a 2:3:3 ratio, to receive L-methylfolate for 60 days (7.5 mg/day for 30 days followed by 15 mg/day for 30 days), placebo for 30 days followed by L-methylfolate (7.5 mg/day) for 30 days, or placebo for 60 days. SSRI dosages were kept constant throughout the study. In the second trial, with 75 patients, the design was identical to the first, except that the l-methylfolate dosage was 15 mg/day during both 30-day periods. RESULTS: In the first trial, no significant difference was observed in outcomes between the treatment groups. In the second trial, adjunctive L-methylfolate at 15 mg/day showed significantly greater efficacy compared with continued SSRI therapy plus placebo on both primary outcome measures (response rate and degree of change in depression symptom score) and two secondary outcome measures of symptom severity. The number needed to treat for response was approximately six in favor of adjunctive L-methylfolate at 15 mg/day. L-Methylfolate was well tolerated, with rates of adverse events no different from those reported with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive L-methylfolate at 15 mg/day may constitute an effective, safe, and relatively well tolerated treatment strategy for patients with major depressive disorder who have a partial response or no response to SSRIs.

Comparison of academic and nonacademic sites in multi-center clinical trials.

The selection of appropriate subjects is a critical element of successful clinical trials. Failure to properly identify, select, and retain subjects in clinical trials of antidepressant medications may affect the ability to show separation from placebo. Little is known about which type of site, academic or nonacademic, is superior in selecting and retaining appropriate subjects. In the present investigation, the authors conducted a retrospective analysis comparing the performance of academic and nonacademic sites in selecting and retaining appropriate subjects in a recently completed multi-site clinical study of aripiprazole augmentation. The authors used a set of operationalized criteria called the SAFER to identify appropriate study subjects. No significant differences were found in rates of SAFER interview passing, study completion, and clinical outcomes between academic and nonacademic sites. Our findings suggest that academic and nonacademic sites are equally effective in their ability to identify and retain appropriate study participants.

Second-tier natural antidepressants: review and critique.

The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for physical and mental problems has increased significantly in the US over the past two decades, and depression is one of the leading indications for the use of CAM. This article reviews some of the lesser-known natural products with potential psychiatric applications that are starting to emerge with some scientific and clinical evidence and may constitute a next wave of natural antidepressants: Rhodiola rosea, chromium, 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and inositol. Background information, efficacy data, proposed mechanisms of action, recommended doses, side effects, and precautions are reviewed. We found some encouraging data for the use of these natural products in specific populations of depressed patients. R. rosea is an adaptogen plant that can be especially helpful in treating asthenic or lethargic depression, and may be combined with conventional antidepressants to alleviate some of their common side effects. Chromium has a beneficial effect on eating-related atypical symptoms of depression, and may be a valuable agent in treating atypical depression and seasonal affective disorder. Inositol may be useful in the treatment of bipolar depression when combined with mood stabilizers. Evidence for the clinical efficacy of 5-HTP is also promising but still preliminary. Although more well-designed and larger controlled studies are needed before any substantive conclusions can be drawn, the available evidence is compelling and these natural products deserve further investigation as a possibly significant addition to the antidepressant armamentarium.