Background Climate change is increasingly recognized as a source of significant psychological distress. How can we best minimize its mental health impacts? This study examines community-grounded theories of change by modelling how cognitive, emotional, and social processes shape climate-related psychological distress and adaptation. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed Canadian adults, measuring climate change perceptions (reality, causes, consequences, and psychological distance), climate worry, psychological distress, climate change anxiety, resilience, social support, belonging, and pro-environmental behaviour. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test three theoretically informed models: (1) a cascade from climate perceptions to distress via worry and impairment, (2) a social-ecological model of support, resilience, and belonging, and action and (3) a combined model integrating cognitive, emotional, and social pathways. Results Of 840 participants, 665 completed the survey. The mean sample age was 45·3 years (SD = 18·17). 70·3% identified as women, 18·3% as men, and 11·4% as gender diverse. Model 1 and Model 2 showed excellent fit. Model 3, which had a strong fit, showed that greater climate change perceptions predicted higher climate worry (β = 0·46, p <0·001), which led to greater impairment (β = 0·91, p <0·001), which led to distress (β = 0·32, p <0·001). Greater climate change perceptions had a buffering effect on impairment (β = -0·21, p < 0·001) and predicted distress (β = 0·55, p < 0·001). Stronger social networks predicted increased belonging (β = 0·85, p <0·001) and resilience (β = 0·61, p <0·001), each of which buffered psychological distress (resilience: β = -0·29, p <0·001; belonging: β = -0·06, p = 0·028). Resilience was a buffer against climate change perceptions (β = -0·43, p <0·001) and climate change worry (β = -0·28, p <0·001). Pro-environmental action predicted stronger climate change perceptions and climate worry (perceptions: β = 0·38, p <0·001; worry: β = 0·33, p <0·001). Conclusion These findings support the value of community-based and psychologically informed approaches for minimizing climate-related psychological distress. Interventions that prioritize social support and emotional skills, together with accurate climate communication, may be critical for fostering mental health and collective resilience in a changing climate.
Background Childhood trauma is highly prevalent among psychiatric populations and represents a major risk factor for a wide range of mental disorders. Exposure to childhood maltreatment has also been consistently associated with dissociative symptomatology, yet epidemiological data from Italian psychiatric outpatient populations remain limited. This study examined the prevalence of clinically significant childhood trauma and its association with dissociative symptoms in a multicentre sample of Italian psychiatric outpatients. Methods This cross-sectional study included 104 psychiatric outpatients recruited from Community Mental Health Centres across Sardinia. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II). Participants scoring at or above the moderate threshold on at least one CTQ-SF subscale were classified as trauma-exposed. Descriptive analyses examined the prevalence of clinically significant childhood trauma exposure, and group comparisons were conducted to evaluate differences in dissociative symptoms. Results Clinically significant childhood trauma exposure was reported by 76.9% of participants. Trauma-exposed participants reported significantly higher levels of dissociative symptoms than non-trauma-exposed participants (M = 24.3 vs. 16.1). An independent-samples t-test indicated a significant group difference, t(102) = 1.99, p = .049, with a moderate effect size (d = 0.46). Conclusions Childhood trauma and dissociative symptoms appear highly prevalent among individuals receiving care in community mental health services. These findings support the clinical relevance of routinely assessing both trauma exposure and dissociative symptomatology and highlight the potential value of trauma-informed approaches within public mental health settings.
Background Chronic stress exposure has been linked to cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases, but not to coronary artery calcification (CAC). Hair cortisol concentrations is a potential biomarker of chronic stress. Atherosclerosis is the predominant cardiovascular disease and the leading cause of death in developed countries. Coronary artery calcification is a sign of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries and predicts coronary heart disease. Most men and women are to some degree affected by coronary artery calcification at the age of 65. Objectives To analyse if increased hair cortisol levels are associated with CAC in a middle-aged population with special focus on women. Further, to analyse the relative importance of HCC for CACs in relation to established cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Hair samples, cardiac computed tomography data, health questionnaires, and anthropometric measures were collected in 4821 men and women aged 50-65 years, from the Swedish Cardio Pulmonary bioImage Study. A competitive radioimmunoassay was used to analyze cortisol levels in extracts of hair. Correlation, descriptive, regression and path analyses were applied. Results A significant association between high HCC and high CAC score was found among women (p=0.007), but not among men. HCC was significantly directly associated with a higher CAC score among women, as were the other classical cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusion The amount of calcified plaque (CAC score) in the coronary arteries of women was significantly associated with higher cortisol levels in hair, while this association was not observed in men.
Background Climate change anxiety is increasingly recognized as a mental health concern, with emerging evidence linking it to poorer well-being and highlighting the need to clarify its cognitive-emotional and functional dimensions. Methods The current research explored the relationship between climate anxiety and mental health outcomes, using a large nationally representative sample. Results The results revealed that climate change anxiety was positively related to negative affect and anger. Climate anxiety cognitive impairment was positively related to positive affect and life satisfaction. However, climate anxiety functional impairment showed a different pattern, being negatively associated with life satisfaction at the bivariate level but no longer remaining a significant predictor once generalized anxiety state and trait were included in the model. Climate change anxiety showed moderate positive correlations with generalized anxiety, both state and trait. Finally, in exploratory cross-sectional mediation models, anger statistically accounted for part of the association between climate change anxiety and both negative affect and life satisfaction, but not positive affect. Conclusion This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the psychological processes involved in climate anxiety and its relation with subjective well-being.
Background Individual treatment outcome in mental healthcare strongly correlates with the therapeutic relationship. Healthcare studies show that therapist clothing influences patients’ trust. In military mental healthcare, wearing a military uniform may facilitate the therapeutic bond. However, previous findings suggest that a military uniform may also negatively influence therapy and openness about sensitive themes like substance use. This study therefore compared the influence of military and civilian attire on the therapeutic bond alliance in military mental healthcare. Methods Before start of therapy, 142 Dutch military mental healthcare patients completed the Bond Alliance subscale of the Working Alliance Inventory together with four extra questions about confidence in the therapist, discussing personal topics and discussing substance use specifically. Respondents completed all items both for a military uniform and civilian attire. Results Average ratings showed very small differences between clothing styles. For Bond Alliance, civilian attire ratings were slightly more positive, although most respondents (79%) showed no preference for either clothing style. Confidence and comfort in discussing personal topics and substance abuse was rated more positive for the military uniform; while the majority of respondents (65% and 77%) remained neutral to clothing style, of patients with a preference, most favored the military uniform (29% and 17%). Conclusion Military or civilian clothing style did not substantially influence the anticipated therapeutic bond. Interestingly, a military uniform does not harm and may even help military patients to discuss sensitive themes including substance use. Further research is needed to understand the impact of clothing style in relation to other factors like military rank, symptomatology and therapist behavior.
Background Climate change increasingly poses a threat to psychological health. The Domain-Specific Climate Change Distress Scale (DCCDS) was developed to capture climate-related distress across six thematic (ecology, existence, food supply, future generations, society, and wealth) and one generic domain. Building on its theoretical foundation, the present study extends initial validation efforts by providing large-scale psychometric data and normative values, drawing on a large, diverse sample to further substantiate the scale’s psychometric properties and practical utility. Methods We pooled data from seven independent German-speaking samples (N = 894; Mage = 39.2, SD = 13.5; 53% women). We replicated the bifactor S-1 model using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), tested measurement invariance across gender, and estimated a regularized network. Exploratory graph analysis (EGA) served as a dimensionality check. Bootstrap stability analyses and a network comparison test (NCT) assessed the robustness of network indices and gender differences. Results CFA confirmed acceptable fit of the bifactor S-1 model. Metric invariance across gender was fully supported; partial scalar invariance was established after freeing intercepts for three items. In the regularized network, items related to food supply, future generations, and generic climate anxiety showed the highest centrality. EGA identified six stable empirical dimensions, with society and wealth items loading onto a single community. NCT revealed equivalent global network structure across gender. Gender-stratified and age-stratified normative percentiles are provided. Conclusion The DCCDS demonstrates robust psychometric properties across independent samples and is largely measurement-equivalent across gender. Findings support its use for individual diagnostics and group comparisons in climate psychology research and clinical settings. The empirical identification of six rather than seven dimensions further invites reconsideration of the Society and Wealth domain distinction. Normative data facilitate score interpretation in applied settings.
Introduction Doomscrolling refers to a problematic pattern of compulsive engagement with negative or distressing news, particularly through social media, which may be difficult to interrupt despite its adverse emotional consequences, such as high distress and low well-being levels. However, more research is required to explain the link between doomscrolling and mental health in the context of other phenomena related to addiction-like behavior, such as problematic social media use (PSMU) and fear of missing out (FOMO). This study examines for assessing doomscrolling in the Polish cultural setting associations between doomscrolling, maladaptive media use and mental health dimensions. Methods The total sample of 585 adults aged 18 to 79 ( M = 27.66, SD = 10.37), including 49% men, participated in the cross-sectional study. The sample was divided into Sample 1 ( n = 291) and Sample 2 ( n = 294) to examine structural validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), respectively. The following tools were used to assess criterion validity: Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Fear of Missing Out scale (FOMO), the 4-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results Both EFA and CFA revealed a one-factor structure for the DS-15, with a single factor explaining 65% of the variance in doomscrolling. Reliability of the DS-15 was 0.96 for Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω, in both samples, and an adequate fit to the data in Sample 2, including χ 2 / df = 2.44, SRMR = 0.042, RMSEA = 0.070 (95% CI = 0.029; 0.112), and CFI = 0.964. Although EFA yielded a one-factor solution for the brief 4-item version of the scale (DS-4), the fit indices were unacceptable in CFA. Doomscrolling, assessed by the DS-15, was negatively related to life satisfaction and positively related to daily smartphone and social media use, PSMU, FOMO, distress symptoms, and self-rated socioeconomic status. No relationships were found between doomscrolling and age, gender, and education levels. Conclusions The unidimensional DS-15 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing doomscrolling in Polish-language samples. It is not recommended to use the short version of the Doomscrolling Scale.
Ongoing global environmental change has given rise to a growing body of research on emotional and affective responses to ecological degradation. This study investigated eco-anxiety, eco-guilt, and eco-grief among Generation Z Filipinos, thereby contributing to the Global South perspective in a literature dominated by Western samples. Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory (QUAN → qual) design, Study 1 employed a cross-sectional survey of 616 Gen Z Filipinos (aged 18–29) using the Eco-Anxiety Questionnaire, Eco-Guilt Questionnaire, and Ecological Grief Questionnaire. Study 2 involved qualitative interviews with nine participants. Quantitative findings revealed that participants exhibited high levels of habitual ecological worry, eco-guilt, and eco-grief, but relatively low functional impairment from eco-anxiety. Significant gender differences emerged, with females reporting higher levels of habitual ecological worry, eco-guilt, and eco-grief than males, although both genders experienced similar negative consequences. Place of residence also mattered: rural residents reported significantly greater negative consequences from eco-anxiety than urban residents, despite comparable levels of ecological worry, guilt, and grief. Qualitative analysis identified five themes— Gendered Emotional Expression, Responsibility Rooted in Nurturing Roles, Emotional Resonance and Collective Grief, Proximity to Environmental Harm, and Disruption of Tradition and Place Identity —that illuminate how gender socialization and environmental exposure shape ecological emotions. Our preliminary empirical insights and findings highlight the importance of recognizing ecological emotions as legitimate psychological phenomena warranting further investigations and attention in mental health practice and environmental education, particularly among climate-vulnerable youth populations.
Treatment-resistant juvenile depression is a globally prevalent issue, with a need for better pharmacotherapy. Typically, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are front line, but recently there is interest in examining using ketamine or esketamine adjunct in adolescents. In this study, a novel method is used to explore the adverse effects of sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine in a female pre-pubescent rat model, to assess its potential clinical implications. We assessed the severity and duration of dissociative behavior at three sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine (40, 50, and 60 mg•kg −1 ). Dissociative behaviors cause a subject to feel apart from their reality and ketamine is often abused for such effects. Dissociative behaviors, such as circling and ataxia, were observed following ketamine administration, with higher doses leading to increased severity and duration of symptoms up to 120 min post-injection. Our findings revealed that increasing doses of ketamine intensified both the severity and duration of dissociative behaviors. In conclusion, these results suggest a correlation underlying ketamine's rapid-acting antidepressant effect, particularly with higher sub-anesthetic doses associated with more pronounced dissociative behaviors and a rapid-acting antidepressant effect. Further investigation into ketamine's impact on longer-term dissociative effects is warranted to deepen our understanding of its therapeutic risks of ketamine treatment of adolescent depression.
Background Children's exposure to climate change information through educational and media channels can lead to experiencing eco-anxiety. When children use maladaptive coping strategies such as avoidance and de-emphasizing the seriousness of the threat, their anxiety and distress levels increase significantly. Research indicates that creative arts and existential psychology interventions grounded in self-determination theory may promote healthier coping mechanisms like creating meaning. Methods This randomized cluster pilot study examined whether a creative arts and philosophical inquiry intervention could foster adaptive coping strategies in elementary school children. Eighty-seven students across four classrooms participated. The experimental group ( n = 46) received a seven-week intervention addressing eco-anxiety themes, while control groups ( n = 41) remained on a waiting list. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessed climate change coping strategies, eco-anxiety dimensions, and self-determination. Results Results showed significant decreases in overall eco-anxiety, affective eco-anxiety, and rumination eco-anxiety scores from pre- to post-intervention, regardless of group assignment. No significant interaction effects emerged between the intervention and time on any of the measured variables, indicating the intervention did not produce differential outcomes compared to the control condition. Implications: Results suggest that discussing climate change in the classroom through artistic creation and philosophical inquiry did not promote adaptive coping nor impact eco-anxiety. The observed reductions in eco-anxiety across both groups could reflect external factors or contamination effects rather than intervention effectiveness. Future research should employ longitudinal designs with larger, more diverse samples and incorporate more sensitive measurement tools, shorter questionnaires, and child-appropriate assessments to better understand intervention impacts on children's climate-related mental health.
Background Despite efforts in the literature to address posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) linked to COVID-19, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the specific role of resilience as a potential mitigator in this scenario, particularly in the setting of future medical professionals. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter study among medical students from 13 Latin American countries between June and September 2020, using a non-probabilistic convenience sampling strategy. PTSD symptoms, resilience, sleep quality, insomnia, burnout syndrome, physical activity, and socioeducational variables were assessed using validated instruments. Associations between PTSD and resilience, as well as other covariates, were evaluated using generalized linear models with Poisson distribution and robust variance, reporting prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A total of 2019 medical students were included in the analysis. Results The prevalence of PTSD was 12.3% (95%CI: 10.88-13.79) and 37.5% had high resilience (95%CI: 35.38-39.65). Students with high levels of resilience had a 37% lower prevalence of PTSD compared with students with low resilience (PR: 0.63). Conclusions Higher levels of resilience were associated with a lower prevalence of PTSD symptoms among medical students. These findings underscore the substantial psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this population and support the implementation of institutional resilience-building and mental health support strategies, integrated into medical education, as a preventive approach to mitigate the mental health consequences of future epidemics and health-related disasters.
Background Climate anxiety is a rational response to climate change that can impact wellbeing, particularly for young people. As the climate crisis unfolds, promoting psychological resilience and adaptive coping will help young people to maintain health and wellbeing long-term. This study examined the correlates of adaptive and maladaptive forms of coping in young people. Methods A sample of Australian young people aged 12–25 years ( N = 741, M age = 18.5 years) were recruited via social media and panel sampling. Young people completed an online questionnaire comprised of the Climate Coping Scale (CCS), comprising Adaptive Coping (meaning-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and problem-focused coping) and the Maladaptive Coping (impaired regulation, distancing and de-emphasising). Hypothesised correlates (ie, affective symptoms of climate distress, agency, pro-environmental behaviour, efficacy beliefs, autonomy, and perceived social support) were also measured. Results Young people who experienced affective symptoms of climate distress were more likely to engage in adaptive styles of coping (meaning-focused, emotion-focused, and problem-focused coping; β = .37, .37, .64, respectively), and were less likely to employ maladaptive coping styles (de-emphasise or distance themselves from climate change; β = −.24, −.45, respectively), or experience impaired regulation (β = −.77). Pro-environmental behaviour was associated with greater use of adaptive coping styles (meaning-focused, emotion-focused, and problem-focused coping; β = .15, .16, .25, respectively), but also greater de-emphasising the threats of climate change (β = .11). Those who felt more socially supported were more likely to use meaning-focused and emotion-focused coping (β = .10, .14, respectively). Efficacy beliefs, agency and autonomy were related to coping in diverse ways. Conclusion Affective symptoms of climate distress are related to more helpful forms of coping and less maladaptive coping. Rather than focus on reducing affective symptoms, it may be best to validate emotional experiences and support individuals to engage in adaptive coping. Interventions that focus on increasing agency and autonomy should be delivered with care, by taking into account a young person's coping skills and resources. Overall, these findings provide evidence on what can support adaptive coping and psychological resilience in the face of climate change.
Background:Adolescent suicide is a leading cause of death globally and remains a major public health concern in the United States. Chronic stress perspectives suggest that suicidal behaviors emerge from cumulative and interacting stress exposures that become biologically and psychologically embedded across development. This study applies an integrated chronic stress framework to examine how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), victimization, and protective relational resources jointly shape suicide-related behaviors among U.S. high school students. Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2023 combined National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System dataset (N = 254,675). National-level proportional outcomes included serious suicidal ideation, suicide planning, suicide attempts, and medically treated suicide attempts. Standardized composite indices were constructed for ACEs, victimization, and protective resources (school connectedness and parental monitoring). Fractional logistic regression models estimated average marginal effects (AMEs), adjusting for persistent sadness/hopelessness, poor mental health, sleep duration, unstable housing, and demographic characteristics. Interaction terms tested cumulative and conditional stress processes. Results:Higher ACE and victimization indices were independently associated with greater prevalence of all suicide-related outcomes. A one-unit increase in the ACE index was associated with increased ideation (AME = 0.0534, 95%CI [0.0411, 0.0656]) and attempts (AME = 0.0240, 95%CI [0.0148, 0.0332]). Victimization demonstrated comparable or stronger associations, particularly for planning (AME = 0.0723, 95% CI [0.0605, 0.0841]) and attempts (AME = 0.0571, 95%CI [0.0472, 0.0670]). Protective resources were inversely associated with planning (AME = -0.0130, 95%CI [-0.0192, -0.0067]) and attempts (AME = -0.0110, 95%CI [-0.0159, -0.0060]). Interaction analyses revealed diminishing marginal effects at higher combined levels of ACEs and victimization (eg, ACE × victimization for ideation AME = -0.0395, 95% CI [-0.0567, -0.0223]), indicating nonlinear accumulation of stress burden. A significant three-way interaction for ideation (AME = 0.0193, 95%CI [0.0045, 0.0342]) suggested conditional buffering by protective resources. Persistent sadness/hopelessness remained the strongest correlate across outcomes. Conclusions:Adolescent suicidality reflects cumulative and interacting stress processes rather than isolated risk factors. Early adversity establishes foundational stress load, ongoing victimization compounds risk, and protective relational assets provide partial-but not complete-buffering. These findings support multilevel prevention strategies that reduce chronic stress exposure while strengthening relational protection across developmental contexts.
Background:Depression and suicidal behaviors among young adults have emerged as pressing public health concerns in the United States. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of depression and suicidal behaviors among U.S. young adults, focusing on the intersecting roles of family structure, economic status, and minority status. Guided by intersectionality, minority stress, and family stress frameworks, the research addressed how structural disadvantages and social marginalization contribute to mental health disparities in the study population. Methods:This cross-sectional study used data from the Spatial Social Network and Environmental Exposure (SSNE) Project containing sample of 2446 young adults aged 18-29 years. Chi-square test examined group differences by family income and minority status, while logistic regression models identified predictors of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors, controlling for demographic and social factors. Results:Overall, 60.3% of participants reported depressive symptoms, while 50.6% endorsed passive suicidal thoughts, 41.8% reported active suicidal ideation, and 16.6% indicated preparatory suicidal behaviors. Young adults from single-parent, lower-income households showed the highest levels of depression (70.8%) and suicidality, with elevated odds persisting even among single-parent households in mid-upper income categories. Minority participants (racial and LGBTQ+) exhibited substantially higher rates of depression (74.8%) and active suicidal ideation (57.8%) compared with non-minority group. Younger adults (18-24 years) demonstrated increased vulnerability to depression and suicidality, whereas higher parental education and stronger peer support served as protective factors. Conclusion:Findings highlight the compounded influence of family structure, socioeconomic status, and minority stress on young adult mental health. Policies and interventions that address family dynamics, economic inequality, and social inclusion are critical for reducing depression and suicidality in vulnerable populations.
Background:Nursing students who are currently enrolled in colleges and live in conflict-torn regions have faced unique and sustained experiences of psychological distress related to both the demands of their studies and their long history of living under constant war-related pressure. Palestinian nursing students face challenges to their resilience from long-term armed conflict, continuous military escalations, ongoing states of military occupation and warfare, ongoing trauma, and continuing uncertainty. Objectives:This study aimed to identify predictors of war-related stress and resilience among Palestinian nursing students who were exposed to war on a long-term basis. Method:This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to collect data from 650 nursing students attending Al-Quds University from March to May 2025. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and academic characteristics, to assess the level of war-related stress and levels of resilience. The war-related stress scale and the resilience inventory were used to assess war-related stress and the level of resilience among students. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze predictions of war-related stress and resilience. Results:The mean score for war-related stress was 3.30 ± 1.36. Almost half of students reported moderate to high levels of stress. The mean resilience score was 4.33 ± 2.98, and the majority possessed normal levels of resilience. The relationship between older age, enrollment in upgrading courses, greater academic success, and low-income stress from war is significant. Students who are married also reported significantly less stress than unmarried students. Female students and students with low and high incomes are less resilient than other students; first-year nursing students are less resilient than fourth-year nursing students. The regression analyses accounted for 11.9% of the variance in war-related stress and 6.9% of the variance in resilience. Conclusion:Palestinian nursing students experience high levels of psychological stress from the continuous long-term conflict in which they live, and resilience is influenced by sociodemographic and academic characteristics. Therefore, there is an urgent need for gender-sensitive, academic, focused resilience building and mental health supports in nursing education programs for students affected by the conflict.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on the mental and physical health of U.S. citizens, particularly among females. This study used a large sample of post-9/11 veterans to examine how their psychological stress levels and satisfaction with certain aspects of life changed prior to and then after the COVID-19 pandemic. Life domains included employment, social, relationships, and parenting. Data examined were collected from a large sample of post-9/11 veterans approximately four years after leaving the military (pre-COVID-19; n = 5258) and six years after separation (post-COVID-19; n = 3180). Data on the relationship and parenting domains were gathered from post-9/11 veterans living with a partner or married or cohabitating (n = 4714), while data on parenting was collected from those who had children aged 18 or younger ( n = 3835). In general, female post-9/11 veterans reported significantly higher levels of stress both before and after COVID-19 and lower levels of life satisfaction relative to their male veteran peers. Female veterans also evidenced steeper increases in stress and declines in satisfaction from pre-to-post-COVID-19. Work, child-rearing, and household management demands of the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected female veterans. As a result, the gender-specific vulnerabilities found in this study were not surprising. To bolster the well-being of female veterans who may face future life shocks, such as a pandemic, targeted support such as respite care and female veteran support groups should be available.
Introduction:Psychiatric disorders have their genesis in early life. Standard screening approaches during well child visits for pathological infant distress, maternal depression, and dysfunctional parenting behaviors are likely inadequate. Microbiome measures and infant vocalizations have promise as scalable psychiatric biomarkers for infants. The purpose of this study was to examine associations among infant gut colonization based on microbiome measurements with maternal distress and maternal depressive symptoms in a sample of infants. Methods:This study sought to examine infant microbiome correlates of infant distress, parent-infant interactions, maternal distress, and maternal depressive symptoms. We collected (N = 31) microbiome samples, infant vocalizations during vaccination, and behavioral measures during a 4 month well child visit (WCV) and did a battery of clinical assessments to assess for maternal depression, parent-child interactions, family characteristics and family stress. Whole-genome SHOTGUN sequencing was utilized to identify three types of associations: alpha-diversity using Shannon and Inverse-Simpson indexes, beta-diversity using Bray-Curtis and Jaccard distances, and differential abundance using LinDA. Spectral measures of infant cries were also modeled to assess potential relationships with clinical assessments and the microbiome. Results:There were 19 phyla, 417 genera, and 1246 species identified with taxonomic classification. Maternal distress as measured by PHQ-9 scores obtained when infants were 2 months old were associated with 4 bacterial species (Actinomyces johnsonii, Bilophila wadsworthia, Clostridium dakarense and Ruminococcus flavefaciens; FDR < 0.1) and beta-diversity (p = 0.006-BC; p = 0.005-Jaccard). Infant cries with greater high frequency band power (p < 0.03) and a greater high-to-mid frequency ratio-metrics (p < 0.05) were associated with altered α-diversity of the microbiome. No correlations were present between maternal PHQ-9 at 4 months, PSI-IV and microbiome diversity. Conclusion:The present findings suggest that an infant stress (assessed by quality of crying) is associated with lower microbiome diversity. Decreased diversity reflects an unhealthy microbiome. Parental depressive symptoms may also influence infant microbiome. Future interventional studies focused on the quality of the infant-caregiver relationship should examine related changes in intestinal microbiota.
Background:Displacement caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has subjected millions of Ukrainians to forced displacement, migration, exposing them not only to direct war-related trauma but also to substantial post-displacement stress. Refugees face disrupted employment, residential instability, and ongoing uncertainty in host countries. While prevalence of stress-related disorders is well established, less is known about how war-related stress and life satisfaction evolve over time in this population. Methods:A longitudinal cohort study was conducted among Ukrainian refugees in Germany. The analytic sample comprised 164 participants who completed at least two of five survey waves over a six-month period (September 2022-March 2023). Post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed with the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale at each wave and validated against the Impact of Event Scale - Revised at baseline and follow-up. Life satisfaction was assessed with the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Distinct adjustment patterns were identified through group-based multi-trajectory modelling. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and linear mixed-effects modelling were additionally used to contextualize data. Results:Multi-trajectory analysis yielded four main groups: persistently high stress with poor satisfaction with life; broadly diverse, but stable profiles; stress reduction without parallel gains in life satisfaction; and combined stress reduction with later improvements in life satisfaction. More favourable courses were associated with younger age, higher education, urban residence, and prior public-sector employment. Across the full sample, post-traumatic stress symptoms declined sharply over time, with the proportion meeting the cutoff for probable PTSD decreasing, whereas mean life satisfaction remained low and showed no systematic change. Conclusion:Adjustment following war-related displacement is highly heterogeneous. Although acute symptoms of traumatic stress tended to subside, life satisfaction showed little recovery, underscoring a divergence between symptom relief and overall well-being. Patterns of adaptation were shaped not only by individual resources but also by structural constraints such as job loss and residential downgrading. Interventions for displaced populations should therefore address both clinical needs and socioeconomic integration to enable sustainable recovery of refugees.
Decision-making in military occupations is vital for operational success and personnel safety and relies on situational awareness, executive control, and strategic alignment of operational goals. This study examined the effects of acute operational and passive heat stress on cognitive performance in a randomized controlled trial with 68 service members. Participants were assigned to either a low- or high-stress group and completed two military scenarios using a desktop simulator. Passive heat stress was applied only to the high-stress group in a portable environmental facility. Decision-making and situational awareness were scored from scenario recordings, while executive functioning was assessed through a cognitive test battery. In addition to the group comparison, a heat index capturing individual variability in thermal strain was calculated. Contrary to expectations, heat stress did not impair cognitive performance across most domains. Decision-making performance actually improved over time in the high-stress group, with significantly better performance during the second assessment compared to the low-stress group. Cognitive flexibility also improved significantly within both groups. These changes are attributed primarily to learning effects rather than stress-induced performance. Situational awareness showed no significant differences between groups. Exploratory heat index analyses revealed that participants in the high heat index group exhibited increased situational awareness over time, suggesting a possible inverted U-shaped relationship between thermal strain and performance. In contrast, inhibition improved only in the low heat index group. Together, these findings emphasize that the heat stress protocol may not have been potent enough to generate the cortisol response needed to detrimentally affect higher-order cognition. Nevertheless, the findings highlight that thermal strain can interact with cognitive performance in complex, nonlinear ways. While passive heat stress remains a promising stressor for research, its effect may only become fully apparent under more intense or physiologically demanding conditions, warranting further investigation into its potential impact on higher-order cognitive functions in military contexts.
This commentary highlights the significance of Patricio et al.'s (2025) findings on the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between shyness and help-seeking among Filipino college students. The study challenges assumptions that shyness directly hinders help-seeking and emphasizes the cultural influence of hiya. Notably, self-efficacy mediates help-seeking for suicidal ideation, underscoring its importance in high-risk situations and its relevance for suicide-prevention initiatives in higher education. We further discuss the roles of stigma, social support, and cultural expectations, as well as the need for gender-sensitive research. The commentary advocates culturally grounded interventions to strengthen student mental-health help-seeking.
