Coping with Illness Experiences in Patients with Schizophrenia: The Role of Peacefulness

Background: The relationship between spirituality and schizophrenia is a largely unexplored, yet important area of research in psychiatry given its role in recovery from mental illness and in long-term care. Peacefulness, as one of the primary consequences of spirituality, was found to be most prominently associated with the emotional well-beings. This analysis aims to explore the concept of peacefulness among schizophrenic patients and its effect on their illness experiences. Methods: Eighteen early-stage schizophrenic patients were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a hospital in Hong Kong for an in-depth individual interview. Data were analyzed with grounded theory techniques. Results: Peacefulness has an emotional component and a cognitive component. The participants described peacefulness as a carefree state of mind that consisted of an inner sense of tranquility (the emotional component) and perceived freedom (the cognitive component). Their illness experiences were a vicious circle that was formed and maintained by distress (negative emotions) and preoccupation (distorted cognition). They believed that an inner sense of tranquility (the emotional component) facilitated the regulation of their distress, leaving them more cognitive resources to stabilize their chaotic minds, whereas perceived freedom (cognitive component) created an intra psychic moment and space with no stress to free the patients from their preoccupation. Conclusion: Peacefulness is able to break the vicious circle of patient’s illness experiences by moderating distress and preoccupation. In addition, it may help promote patients’ personal resilience and self-efficacy, which are important for coping with residual symptoms, maintaining the patients’ mental health and preventing relapse.published_or_final_versio

Clinical trials on the effectiveness of an innovative powered toothbrush

published_or_final_versio

Gender difference in schizophrenic symptomatology and subjective stress of Chinese adults with schizophrenia in a long-stay residential setting

Congress Theme: Ying and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PrioritiesOral Presentation 3.3 – Severe Mental Illness (III)OBJECTIVES: Males showed a higher risk of schizophrenia.1 This study aimed to explore the manifestation of schizophrenia between genders, focusing on schizophrenic symptomatology and perceived stress in Chinese adults with schizophrenia at long-term care residential setting. Results of the present study yield implications for effective health care strategies for this ...postprin

Factors associating with independent daily living of adults with schizophrenia in a residential rehabilitation setting: results from a cross-sectional study

Congress Theme: Ying and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PrioritiesOBJECTIVES: The ability to live independently is an important aspect of rehabilitation of schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore the factors associating with independent daily living of adults with ...postprin

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes

dentification of sequence variants robustly associated with predisposition to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has the potential to provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of DKD in type 2 diabetes (T2D) using eight complementary dichotomous and quantitative DKD phenotypes: the principal dichotomous analysis involved 5,717 T2D subjects, 3,345 with DKD. Promising association signals were evaluated in up to 26,827 subjects with T2D (12,710 with DKD). A combined T1D+T2D GWAS was performed using complementary data available for subjects with T1D, which, with replication samples, involved up to 40,340 subjects with diabetes (18,582 with DKD). Analysis of specific DKD phenotypes identified a novel signal near GABRR1 (rs9942471, P = 4.5 x 10(-8)) associated with microalbuminuria in European T2D case subjects. However, no replication of this signal was observed in Asian subjects with T2D or in the equivalent T1D analysis. There was only limited support, in this substantially enlarged analysis, for association at previously reported DKD signals, except for those at UMOD and PRKAG2, both associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate. We conclude that, despite challenges in addressing phenotypic heterogeneity, access to increased sample sizes will continue to provide more robust inference regarding risk variant discovery for DKD.Peer reviewe

Hands on Practice on Scaling & Root Debridement

Sponsored by Nanjing University (NJU) and the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN

Spirituality in schizophrenia: how spirituality relates to mental health through a sense of peacefulness

Oral Presentation 2.3 – Severe Mental Illness (II): no. OP2.3.4Congress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PolaritieOBJECTIVES: Investigations on the influences of spirituality on mental health — whether beneficial or detrimental — were usually framed by researchers’ own definitions of spirituality and the concepts of religion, thus leading to inconsistent results. The present study aimed to explore how people with schizophrenia relate spirituality to their illness, based on their understanding of spirituality. METHODS: A total of 19 outpatients with schizophrenia (aged 18-48 years) were recruited from a hospital in Hong Kong through psychiatrist referral. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants were first invited to talk about the way they made sense of spirituality, then their opinions on the relationship between spirituality and their illness. Data were collected and analysed based on grounded theory. Trustworthiness was assured through member checking and inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: A sense of peacefulness emerged as one of the major components of spirituality. When compared to other components, most patients believed that it provided a direct interference on the impacts caused by the psychotic symptoms. During the acute phase, patients’ emotions and cognition were highly irritated and disturbed by the symptoms. They could no longer stay calm and clear-minded so that their judgement and capacity of handling difficulties were severely affected. Yet, the sense of peacefulness brought stability and comfort to them, and stabilised their chaotic mood and mind. As a result, they could remain tranquil in the adverse situations and think properly. Patients also pointed out that such peacefulness could be, but was not necessarily, induced by religion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided another perspective on understanding the relationship between spirituality and mental health besides fitting the concepts of religion / the supernatural into the box. It also furnished new directions for mental health research and clinical practices.link_to_OA_fulltex

The protector, the coach and the nurse: the experiences of parents of young adults with early psychosis

Oral Presentation 1.2 – Severe Mental Illness (I): no. OP1.2.1Congress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PolaritieBACKGROUND: Family support is considered a crucial element of positive rehabilitation outcomes for early psychosis. This interpretive phenomenological study provides insights on the beliefs, roles, struggles, and needs of parents of young adults with early psychosis. METHODS: Eight parents of young adults (under 30 years old) identifying themselves as main caregivers were recruited via a hospital psychiatric clinic. Seven mothers and one father (aged 41-62 years) participated in a semi-structured interview on the illness experience and their parenting capacities. RESULTS: Almost all parents assumed full responsibility to take care of their child’s condition (as with other illnesses), placing upon themselves the obligation to help patients recover. Most parents learned to relinquish prior academic / career expectations or family rules, shifting the parental priority towards creating peaceful, stabilising environments and maintaining harmonious relationships with patients. To stabilise patient emotions, parents may even fulfill patients’ superstitious requests. A struggle which prevailed across families was balancing unconditional acceptance and support with disciplining (avoiding over-indulgence and patient-identities) which was manifested when patients were seen as ‘lazy’, emotional outbursts, etc. Parents saw upon themselves a need to coach patients on coping with auditory hallucinations and handling emotions, often with self-derived tactics or through value cultivation. Underlying that was a deep-seated belief that a change in cognition, rather than medicine, would be the ultimate cure for their child. Parents were also the keystones for medication adherence, battling personal beliefs about medication efficacy while advocating for dose reduction. While trying to understand their child, parents put up with constant blame despite an utter lack of support. CONCLUSIONS: Lived experiences provided insight on effective and non-stigmatising services for family members which they themselves felt was lacking. Practical suggestions proposed by parents would be shared.link_to_OA_fulltex

Diurnal pattern of salivary cortisol and its relationships with psychosocial factors in breast cancer patients: a latent growth modeling approach

Theme: Technology: the Excitement and the Evidenc

Motivational interviewing for changing oral health behaviours of adolescents

Duplicate ROS 21393