Aspects of prosody, such as speech rate and pitch, influence how speakers are perceived and are likely to be relevant in psychotherapy. However, the role of prosody in therapy and how therapists use it is not well understood. This study aims to understand how therapists experience the role that their prosody plays in their daily work. We conducted 25 semi-structured interviews and analyzed accounts by therapists from different theoretical backgrounds. Responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Therapists attributed important functions to their use of voice and variations in prosody during therapeutic interactions. We describe key functions of prosody in five themes: Theme I: creating a feeling of calm, safety, consolation and benevolence; Theme II: making patients feel acknowledged and understood empathically; Theme III: providing a holding and stable counterpart; Theme IV: Create space and awareness for new depth; Theme V: Model affectivity. Prosodic variations that respond to patients' needs are thought to facilitate emotion regulation and insight. Studying prosody in therapy enables researchers to examine micro-level processes and unconscious dynamics.
This cross-sectional study examined the impact of parental marital conflict on adolescent anxiety and the moderating roles of physical activity and gender, with additional gender-stratified analyses to test differences between boys and girls. A total of 3974 adolescents participated in this study. Standardized questionnaires assessed perceived parental marital conflict, anxiety symptoms and physical activity behaviours. Stepwise regression analyses were conducted using SPSS to examine associations among parental marital conflict, anxiety, physical activity and gender. The findings revealed that parental marital conflict was positively associated with adolescent anxiety ( r = .344, p < .001) and negatively associated with physical activity ( r = −.047, p < .01), while physical activity was inversely related to anxiety ( r = −.087, p < .001). Moderation analyses showed that physical activity exerted a significant buffering effect on the relationship between parental marital conflict and anxiety ( β = −.040, p < .01). Gender also moderated this association ( β = .045, p < .01), with girls being more vulnerable to anxiety under parental marital conflict. Gender-stratified analyses indicated that the buffering effect of physical activity was more pronounced among boys than girls. This study suggested that physical activity may support the alleviation of adolescent anxiety related to parental marital conflict; however, its effects are limited and subject to individual differences. Accordingly, interventions should not rely solely on physical activity but adopt more comprehensive strategies that consider gender differences and psychological vulnerability to promote adolescents' mental health under family stress.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious health worldwide issue, and current treatment options are far from satisfactory. In this case series, we focused on male domestic offenders (MDO) as they are the most frequently responsible for IPV and targeted individuals displaying personality disorders (PDs) features and emotion dysregulation who were willing to accept court-mandated treatment. The underlying idea was that addressing PD factors through a specific treatment would help form and sustain a working alliance, understand the psychological triggers of violent behaviours, and then develop strategies to reduce them. We evaluated an adaptation of metacognitive interpersonal therapy (MIT) for MDO. The primary qualitative outcome was a reduction in violent behaviour. The main quantitative outcome was the reduction in manifestations of PD features. Secondary outcomes were reductions in global symptoms and interpersonal problems. We also analysed changes in emotion dysregulation, impulsivity and metacognition. In a case series design, three court-mandated MDO underwent 24 individual sessions of MIT-MDO. They were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. All participants ceased all forms of violence post-treatment, and results were stable at follow-up, reported by both participants and their partners. Two participants achieved significant reductions in PD scores, global symptoms and interpersonal problems. MIT-MDO is a promising new approach for tailoring treatment for MDO willing to undergo psychological treatment. MIT-MDO is a suitable candidate for further evaluation in larger effectiveness studies.
Experience of child psychological abuse in college students is likely to increase their risk of depression, but the potential psychological mechanisms between the two require further exploration. This study supplemented the risk and protective factors between child psychological abuse and depression in college students by introducing social network sites addiction (SNSA) as a mediating factor and psychological flexibility as a moderating factor. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 655 college students from two universities in Hunan Province, China. Self-reported measures included childhood psychological abuse, depression, SNSA, and psychological flexibility. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed on these variables, followed by the establishment of a structural equation model. Child psychological abuse was positively associated with depression ( r = .507, p < .001) and SNSA ( r = .208, p < .001) in college students and negatively associated with psychological flexibility ( r = −.293, p < .001). SNSA played a mediating role between childhood psychological abuse and depression ( β = .170, SE = 0.035, p < .001) in college students, while psychological flexibility attenuated the strength of the relationship between the latter two ( β = −.095, SE = 0.031, p < .01). The study further elucidates the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood psychological abuse and depression in college students. SNSA may mediate the relationship between the two, while psychological flexibility may buffer the strength of the relationship between them. Future research should explore interventions enhancing college students' psychological flexibility after childhood psychological abuse to cut the risk of depression.
Many people who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) do not access support from health services, and evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions is mixed. Despite this, NSSI prevalence rates decrease from adolescence into adulthood. Little is known about what helps alleviate difficulties with NSSI beyond psychological or medical intervention. This study sought to understand factors influencing naturalistic improvements in NSSI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over video call with 16 participants who believed their difficulties with NSSI had improved due to factors not attributed to psychological or medical intervention. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed four main themes. Increased insight into NSSI experiences promoted self-compassion and self-acceptance and enabled participants to reflect on the conflicting role of NSSI. Safe and supportive relationships helped alleviate loneliness, and developing alternative coping strategies enhanced feelings of control over self-injury. Creating a life guided by personal values promoted independence, choice, and self-esteem. The findings of the study highlight several internal and external naturalistic processes deemed meaningful in improving difficulties with NSSI. Clinical implications include the importance of developing and embedding these approaches within services and interventions to improve outcomes for individuals who self-injure while promoting a person-centred approach.
