scholarly journals Healing by Gentle Touch Ameliorates Stress and Other Symptoms in People Suffering with Mental Health Disorders or Psychological Stress

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Weze ◽  
Helen L. Leathard ◽  
John Grange ◽  
Peter Tiplady ◽  
Gretchen Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Treatment Changes ◽  
Standard Medical Treatment ◽  
Analogue Scales ◽  
Impaired Quality

Previous studies on healing by gentle touch in clients with various illnesses indicated substantial improvements in psychological well-being, suggesting that this form of treatment might be helpful for people with impaired quality of mental health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of healing by gentle touch in subjects with self-reported impairments in their psychological well-being or mental health. One hundred and forty-seven clients who identified themselves as having psychological problems received four treatment sessions. Pre- to post-treatment changes in psychological and physical functioning were assessed by self-completed questionnaires which included visual analogue scales (VAS) and the EuroQoL (EQ-5D). Participants recorded reductions in stress, anxiety and depression scores and increases in relaxation and ability to cope scores (allP< 0.0004). Improvements were greatest in those with the most severe symptoms initially. This open study provides strong circumstantial evidence that healing by gentle touch is safe and effective in improving psychological well-being in participants with self-reported psychological problems, and also that it safely complements standard medical treatment. Controlled trials are warranted.

scholarly journals Efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 1990-2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. van der Spek ◽  
J. Vos ◽  
C. F. van Uden-Kraan ◽  
W. Breitbart ◽  
P. Cuijpers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Group Psychotherapy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Meaning ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Mental Adjustment

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors (MCGP-CS) to improve personal meaning, compared with supportive group psychotherapy (SGP) and care as usual (CAU).MethodA total of 170 cancer survivors were randomly assigned to one of the three study arms: MCGP-CS (n = 57); SGP (n = 56); CAU (n = 57). The primary outcome measure was the Personal Meaning Profile (PMP; total score). Secondary outcome measures were subscales of the PMP, psychological well-being (Scales of Psychological Well-being; SPWB), post-traumatic growth (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory), Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), optimism (Life Orientation Test-Revised), hopelessness (Beck's Hopelessness Scale), psychological distress (anxiety and depression, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HADS) and quality of life (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire; EORTC QLQ-C30). Outcome measures were assessed before randomization, post-intervention, and after 3 and 6 months of follow-up (FU).ResultsLinear mixed model analyses (intention-to-treat) showed significant differences between MCGP-CS, SGP and CAU on the total PMP score, and on (sub)scales of the PMP, SPWB, MAC and HADS. Post-hoc analyses showed significantly stronger treatment effects of MCGP-CS compared with CAU on personal meaning (d = 0.81), goal-orientedness (d = 1.07), positive relations (d = 0.59), purpose in life (d = 0.69); fighting spirit (d = 0.61) (post-intervention) and helpless/hopeless (d = −0.87) (3 months FU); and distress (d = −0.6) and depression (d = −0.38) (6 months FU). Significantly stronger effects of MCGP-CS compared with SGP were found on personal growth (d = 0.57) (3 months FU) and environmental mastery (d = 0.66) (6 months FU).ConclusionsMCGP-CS is an effective intervention for cancer survivors to improve personal meaning, psychological well-being and mental adjustment to cancer in the short term, and to reduce psychological distress in the long run.

scholarly journals Psychological Well-Being of Children in Covid Scenario – Ayurvedic Approach

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Febin H ◽  
◽  
Jithesh M ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Psychological Issues ◽  
The Social ◽  
Learning Platforms

The entire health scenario have been transformed or even altered with the COVID pandemic. Each and every one in the society is being affected in the scenario of mental health, with the resulting drastic changes happened in the society. One of the key vulnerable groups in the society is none other than children. Even though the educational scenario has been supplemented by the learning platforms, the social scenario have been affected so adversely. They are having several psychological issues as per reported studies from various parts of the globe. Ayurvedic principles of psychiatry and psychology including preventive principles, medicines and psychotherapy will do fine if applied in this area, so as to enhance the quality of life of the affected children. The various possibilities are discussed in the article

scholarly journals The COVID-19-Related Lockdown in Qatar: Associations Among Demographics, Social Distancing, Mood Changes, and Quality of Life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Megreya ◽  
Robert D. Latzman ◽  
Aisha M. Al-Ahmadi ◽  
Nasser F. Al-Dosari
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Mood Changes

AbstractThe worldwide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the absence of medical treatment and vaccination, the delayed onset of symptoms, and the rapid human-to-human transmission have led the vast majority of countries to impose strict social distancing procedures. Whereas it appears that social distancing is an effective strategy for mitigating spread, it may also result in a variety of unintended negative consequences to individuals’ psychological well-being and mental health. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study examined associations among some demographic variables (gender, age, marital and working statuses, and having a family member or a friend infected with COVID-19), acceptance of social distancing, mood changes, and quality of life (QoL) in Qatar, a high-income Middle Eastern Arabic-speaking country. Older, married, and working participants were more accepting of social distancing than younger, unmarried, and non-working participants, respectively. Participants indicated that, during this time, they became more distressed, upset, scared, irritable, nervous, and afraid, and less inspired and determined. In a stark contrast, more individuals indicated that they became more interested, alert, and attentive, whereas higher percentages of participants reported feeling less guilty, hostile, and ashamed. Social distancing correlated positively with negative affect, whereas social avoidances correlated positively with positive affect and with physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL. Finally, positive affect correlated positively, and negative affect correlated negatively, with these four domains of QoL. These results highlight the need for public health and clinical providers to consider peoples’ psychological well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of anxiety and depression in the quality of life and psychological well-being of Greek hematological cancer patients on chemotherapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-213
Author(s):  
Thalia Bellali ◽  
Georgios Manomenidis ◽  
Eirini Meramveliotaki ◽  
Evgenia Minasidou ◽  
Petros Galanis
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Hematological Cancer ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals The 10-year course of mental health, quality of life, and exile life functioning in traumatized refugees from treatment start

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244730
Author(s):  
Marianne Opaas ◽  
Tore Wentzel-Larsen ◽  
Sverre Varvin
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Symptom Reduction ◽  
Life Functioning

Refugee patients with severe traumatic experiences may need mental health treatment, but treatment results vary, and there is scarcity of studies demonstrating refugees’ long-term health and well-being after treatment. In a 10-year naturalistic and longitudinal study, 54 multi-origin traumatized adult refugee patients, with a background of war and persecution, and with a mean stay in Norway of 10.5 years, were recruited as they entered psychological treatment in mental health specialist services. The participants were interviewed face-to-face with multiple methods at admittance, and at varying points in time during and after psychotherapy. The aim was to study the participants’ trajectories of symptoms of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression, four aspects of quality of life, and two aspects of exile life functioning. Linear mixed effects analyses included all symptoms and quality of life measures obtained at different times and intervals for the participants. Changes in exile life functioning was investigated by exact McNemar tests. Participants responded to the quantitative assessments up to eight times. Length of therapy varied, with a mean of 61.3 sessions (SD = 74.5). The participants improved significantly in symptoms, quality of life, and exile life functioning. Improvement in symptoms of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression yielded small effect sizes (r = .05 to .13), while improvement in quality of psychological and physical health yielded medium effect sizes (r = .38 and .32). Thus, long-time improvement after psychological therapy in these severely traumatized and mostly chronified refugee patients, was more notable in quality of life and exile life functioning than in symptom reduction. The results imply that major symptom reduction may not be attainable, and may not be the most important indication of long-term improvement among refugees with long-standing trauma-related suffering. Other indications of beneficial effects should be applied as well.

scholarly journals Factors mediating the psychological well-being of healthcare workers responding to global pandemics: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532110127
Author(s):  
Jekaterina Schneider ◽  
Deborah Talamonti ◽  
Benjamin Gibson ◽  
Mark Forshaw
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Organisational Support ◽  
As Stress

This paper reviewed mediators of psychological well-being among healthcare workers responding to pandemics. After registration on PROSPERO, a systematic review was performed in four databases and 39 studies were included. Worse mental health outcomes, such as stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety and burnout were related to demographic characteristics, contact with infected patients and poor perceived support. Self-efficacy, coping ability, altruism and organisational support were protective factors. Despite limitations in the quality of available evidence, this review highlights the prevalence of poor mental health in healthcare workers and proposes target mediators for future interventions.

scholarly journals The role of psychological well-being in obese and overweight older adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cinzia Giuli ◽  
Roberta Papa ◽  
Fiorella Marcellini ◽  
Marco Boscaro ◽  
Emanuela Faloia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Impaired Quality

Being obese or overweight is often associated with impaired quality of life and psychological well-being (PWB) in comparison with normal-weight people (Giuli et al., 2014), both in developed and developing countries. PWB is considered a very important correlate of subjective well-being in people with excess weight. The concept of PWB is based on Ryff's multidimensional model (Ryff, 2014), which considers well-being as eudaemonic concept, and includes six dimensions: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Few studies have analyzed the role of specific correlates of perceived well-being in the obese and overweight Italian older population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of perceived well-being in obese and overweight older adults. Our study included 124 overweight and obese older participants, aged 60 years or more, selected from patients attending the Division of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences of Polytechnic University of Marche (Italy). As previously described (Giuli et al., 2014), the participants were recruited on the basis of specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, in a period of three years (January 2010–December 2012).

Quality of supervisor behaviour, workplace social capital and psychological well-being

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-250
Author(s):  
Masashi Kizuki ◽  
Takeo Fujiwara
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
European Working ◽  
Workplace Social Capital

Abstract Background Employees with a higher level of workplace social capital (i.e. relationships, trust and reciprocity at work) have a lower risk of mental health problems. Supervisor behaviour may be a predictor of workplace social capital. Aims To examine the associations between supervisor behaviour, workplace social capital and psychological well-being. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of the sixth European Working Conditions Survey. The study sample included 28 900 employees in 35 European countries with an immediate line manager. Depression was assessed with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Supervisor behaviour quality and workplace social capital were each measured with a 6-item question. Association between quality of supervisor behaviour and workplace social capital was analysed using a hierarchical linear modelling. A mediation analysis was conducted by using hierarchical logistic models of depression with and without workplace social capital index. Results A higher supervisor behaviour quality index was associated with an increased workplace social capital index (β, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51–0.59). A higher workplace social capital index was associated with lower odds of depression (odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.87–0.90). A higher supervisor behaviour quality index was associated with lower odds of depression (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.89–0.92); 58% of the effect was mediated by workplace social capital. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that better supervisor behaviour quality increases workplace social capital and contributes to psychological well-being of employees. This may be useful for planning organizational interventions to enhance mental health of workers.

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