Quality of life and psychiatric work impairment in compulsive buying: increased symptom severity as a function of acquisition behaviours

The aims of the current study were to determine if compulsive acquisition behaviours are meaningfully related to quality of life and psychiatric work impairment and to determine if compulsive buyers who engage in two forms of acquisition (buying and excessive acquisition of free items) are more impaired than individuals who only engage in one form of acquisition. In a community-recruited sample, analysis of covariance conducted between groups identified as non-compulsive buyers (NCB; n = 30), compulsive buyers who did not acquire free items (CBB; n = 30), and compulsive buyers who also acquired free items (CBF; n = 35) revealed that both acquisition groups reported higher levels of depression and stress, and lower quality of psychological well-being than the NCB group, despite a comparable number of individuals self-reporting a current mental health disorder in each group. The CBF group reported higher levels of anxiety and general distress, as well as greater work inefficiency days compared to the NCB and CBB groups. Furthermore, regression analyses supported the unique contribution of acquisition of free items to the prediction of psychiatric work impairment. Taken together, the findings highlight the serious impact of compulsive buying on work functioning, general quality of life, and psychological well-being and provide avenues for future research to investigate the role of acquisition of free items in symptom severity. Limitations and future directions are discussed

З історії запровадження метричних книг на українських землях

In article features of introduction of metric books on the Ukrainian earths in XVII-XVIII cent are considered and analyzed

Імпакт-фактори наукових журналів та індекси цитування вчених: проблеми точності, моралі, етики та можливості використання

Показано всебічно позитиви та негативи оцінки наукової діяльності за допомогою імпакт-факторів наукових журналів та індексів цитування вчених. Дано огляд дискусій західних вчених щодо цього.Показаны всесторонне позитивы и негативы оценки научной деятельности с помощью импакт-факторов научных журналов и индексов цитирования ученых. Дан обзор дискуссий западных ученых относительно этого.The author examines positive and negative implications of the R&D performance evaluation by use of impact-factors of scientific journals and citation indices of scientists, and reviews the debate among Western scientists about it

Psychological interventions for depression in Chinese university students:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: University students in China are vulnerable to depression with a high estimated prevalence. It is currently unknown which types of psychological interventions are being delivered to treat depression in this population and whether they are effective. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to address this issue. Methods: We searched records in English and Chinese databases up to January 2019. Results: From 2,739 records, we identified 39 randomized controlled trails (RCTs) and 54 non-RCTs. A range of psychological interventions were identified including cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy, and local interventions. Hedge's g pooled effect size of 23 comparisons from 21 RCTs (N =858) compared to a control group (N = 802) was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.72 to 1.45). Heterogeneity was moderate with I2 = 47 (95%CI: 14 to 68). Type of control group was significantly associated with the effect size (p =0.039). Comparisons between the intervention condition and the ‘no intervention’ condition yielded a higher effect size (Hedges’ g =1.38, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.87) than comparisons between the intervention condition and the ‘usual care/control’ condition (Hedges’ g = 0.56, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.05). No other significant differences based on the study characteristics were observed. Limitations: Publication bias and quality of inclusions. Conclusions: Collectively, there is evidence that psychological interventions for depression in Chinese university students are effective as compared to control groups, although the effects merit further examination by research of higher quality. Innovations in treatment delivery could facilitate wider dissemination of evidence-based interventions

Tapering Antidepressants While Receiving Digital Preventive Cognitive Therapy During Pregnancy:An Experience Sampling Methodology Trial

Background: Previous studies indicated that affect fluctuations, the use of antidepressant medication (ADM), as well as depression during pregnancy might have adverse effects on offspring outcomes. The aim of the current proof-of-principle study is to explore the effect of tapering ADM while receiving online preventive cognitive therapy (PCT) on pregnant women and the offspring as compared to pregnant women continuing ADM. Objectives: We sought to compare positive and negative affect fluctuations in pregnant women receiving online PCT while tapering ADM vs. pregnant women continuing ADM, and to investigate if affect fluctuations in early pregnancy were related to offspring birth weight. Method: An experience sampling methodology (ESM)-trial ran alongside a Dutch randomized controlled trial (RCT) and prospective observational cohort of women using ADM at the start of pregnancy. In the ESM-trial fluctuations of positive and negative affect were assessed in the first 8 weeks after inclusion. Recurrences of depression were assessed up to 12 weeks post-partum, and birth records were used to assess offspring birth weight. The RCT has been registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR4694, ). Results: In total, 19 pregnant women using ADM at start of their pregnancy participated in the ESM-trial. There were no significant differences in positive and negative affect fluctuations, nor recurrence rates between women receiving PCT while tapering ADM vs. women continuing ADM. We found no association between affect fluctuations, pre-natal depressive symptoms, and birth weight (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: This explorative study showed that tapering ADM while receiving online PCT may protect pregnant women against recurrences of depression and affect fluctuations, without affecting birth weight. There is a high need for more controlled studies focusing on tapering ADM with (online) psychological interventions during pregnancy

Offspring outcomes after prenatal interventions for common mental disorders:a meta-analysis

Background: It is presumed that pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of prenatal common mental disorders can mitigate associated adverse effects in offspring, yet strong evidence for the prophylactic benefits of treatment is lacking. We therefore examined the effect of prenatal treatments for common mental disorders on offspring outcomes. Methods: For this meta-analysis, articles published up to August 31, 2017, were obtained from PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Included studies needed to be randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of treatment of prenatal common mental disorders comparing an intervention to a control condition, including offspring outcome(s). Random effects models were used to calculate Hedges' g in the program Comprehensive Meta-Analysi

Recurrence of depression in the perinatal period:Clinical features and associated vulnerability markers in an observational cohort

Objective Antidepressant medication is commonly used for the prevention of depression recurrence in the perinatal period, yet it is unknown what vulnerability markers may play a role in recurrence. The objective of the current study was to provide a descriptive overview of the associated characteristics of women who experienced a perinatal recurrence of depression despite ongoing antidepressant use, and further, to identify clinically measurable vulnerability markers associated with recurrence. Methods Eighty-five pregnant women with a history of depression who used antidepressants (e.g. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors) at the start of the study were included. Clinical features, including information on psychiatric history and antidepressant use, were collected throughout the perinatal period (in this study defined as the period between 12 weeks of pregnancy untill three months postpartum). The clinical features of women experiencing recurrence of depression were described in detail. To identify vulnerability markers associated with recurrence of depression, we performed exploratory univariable logistic regression analyses. Results Eight women (9.4%) experienced a recurrence of depression; two during pregnancy and six in the first 12 weeks postpartum. All women with recurrence of depression had first onset of depression during childhood or adolescence and had at least 2 psychiatric co-morbidities. Identification of vulnerability markers associated with recurrence of depression yielded associations with depressive symptoms around 16 weeks of pregnancy (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.08–1.52), number of psychiatric co-morbidities (OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.16–3.09) and duration of antidepressant use (OR 1.01, 95%CI 1.00–1.02). Conclusion Implementing adequate risk assessment in pregnant women who use antidepressants can help identify predictors for recurrence of depression in future studies and thus ultimately lead to improved care

Distress Tolerance and Experiential Avoidance in Compulsive Acquisition Behaviours

Compulsive buying (CB) is not only associated with impulse control disorders and specific domains of impulsivity, but is also highly comorbid with negative affect and depression, making it a candidate disorder to be characterised by poor emotion regulation. Despite emerging research supporting an association between distress tolerance and disorders of dysregulated behaviour, no study has investigated distress tolerance in the context of CB. The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between CB and four specific domains of distress tolerance (appraisal, tolerance, absorption, regulation) and experiential avoidance. In a community-recruited sample of compulsive buyers (n = 47) and healthy controls (n = 38), CB was significantly associated with each of the domains of distress tolerance (Distress Tolerance Scale). Furthermore, CB was associated with greater experiential avoidance (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire), which was in turn associated with each domain of distress tolerance. Analysis of variance demonstrated significant group differences in all measures. Nonparametric bootstrapping analysis revealed that general psychopathology, impulsivity, and experiential avoidance could not fully account for the relationship between distress tolerance and CB severity. Results suggest that distress tolerance and experiential avoidance may represent therapeutic targets in CB. Limitations and future directions are discussed

Internet psychotherapy and the future of personalized treatment

Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) was developed to overcome some of the barriers in accessing best practice face-to-face CBT. iCBT affords many benefits, such as high fidelity, greater accessibility, convenience, and reduced cost to patients and health-care systems. Recent meta-analyses of iCBT for depressive and anxiety disorders demonstrate large effect size for superiority of iCBT over control conditions (ES>.95; number needed to treat (NNT) = 2) and data collected in routine practice supports the effectiveness of these programs. Tailoring treatment to match patient variables may be one means to increase adherence and optimize clinical outcomes. However, we propose that a "personalized medicine" approach will require looking beyond patient characteristics and comorbidities to consideration of the cognitive processes that subserve depression and anxiety symptomatology