Randomized controlled trial of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and compassion-based group intervention for persons with inflammatory bowel disease: the LIFEwithIBD intervention

ObjectivesThis study tested the acceptability and efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and compassion-based intervention (LIFEwithIBD) in people with IBD through a two-arm RCT.MethodsParticipants were recruited at the Gastroenterology Department of the Coimbra University Hospital between June and September 2019. Of the 355 patients screened, those who accepted to participate were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: experimental group (LIFEwithIBD; n = 25) or control group (waitlist; n = 29). Participants completed self-report measures at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and 3-month (T2) and 12-month (T3) follow-ups. Intervention acceptability was assessed. Efficacy was examined using intent-to-treat ANCOVA at post-intervention after adjusting for baseline values of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms (primary outcomes). Linear mixed models for all longitudinal outcomes were also analysed. Inflammatory and disease biomarkers were determined at T0 and T3.ResultsAcceptability results revealed a high level of satisfaction and perceived usefulness regarding the intervention. Both groups experienced a significant decrease in stress symptoms and IBD symptom perception at T1. No significant differences were observed at follow-up for the primary outcomes. The experimental group reported significantly lower Crohn’s disease Symptom severity at T2 than the control group. Post-hoc analyses designed to mitigate floor effects revealed substantial treatment effects for the experimental group regarding anxiety symptoms. No significant differences were observed in clinical biomarkers from T0 to T3.ConclusionThe LIFEwithIBD intervention shows promising, although preliminary, benefits for managing disease activity and reducing anxiety symptoms in IBD patients with high severity of psychological distress.Clinical trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03840707, identifier NCT03840707

O papel da vergonha externa e interna na saúde psicológica em pessoas com e sem doença crónica: Exploração dos processos mediadores adaptativos

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Psicologia apresentada à Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da EducaçãoAbstract Objective: This study explores the impact of external and internal shame on the psychological health both in people with and without a chronic disease diagnosis. Specifically, we aimed to examine the roles of decentering and committed action as potential mediators of the relationship between the experience of shame in its two dimensions and psychological health. Method: The sample was composed by 230 participants without a chronic disease diagnosis and by 223 participants with chronic disease. Participants completed a set of self-report measures on an online platform. Path analysis and multigroup analysis were performed. Results: The results from path analysis showed that external and internal shame presented direct and indirect effects on psychological health (R2 = 0.56). The indirect effects of external and internal shame were mediated by decentering and committed action. The tested model explains 56% of the variance of psychological health. The results from multigroup analysis revealed that the model is invariant. However, the link between shame and decentering is invariant between the groups. Conclusions: This study shed some light on possible psychological adaptive mechanisms linking the experience of shame in its two dimensions with psychological health. Our findings underline the relevance of promoting decentering and committed action for the improvement of psychosocial functioning in people with and without chronic disease. Keywords: committed action; decentering; external shame; internal shame; psychological healthResumo Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo explorar o impacto da vergonha externa e interna na saúde psicológica, em pessoas com e sem diagnóstico de doença crónica. Especificamente, procurou-se examinar os papéis da descentração e da ação comprometida como potenciais mediadores dessa relação. Método: A amostra foi constituída por 230 participantes sem diagnóstico de doença crónica e por 223 participantes com doença crónica. Os participantes completaram um conjunto de medidas de autorresposta numa plataforma online. Foram realizadas uma análise de vias e uma análise multigrupos. Resultados: Os resultados da análise de vias mostraram que tanto a vergonha externa como a vergonha interna apresentaram efeitos diretos e indiretos na saúde psicológica (R2 = 0,56). Os efeitos indiretos foram mediados pela descentração e ação comprometida. O modelo testado explicou 56% da variância da saúde psicológica. Os resultados da análise multigrupos revelaram que o modelo é invariante. No entanto, verificou-se que a ligação entre a vergonha e a descentração é invariante entre os grupos. Conclusões: Este estudo veio clarificar o papel de possíveis mecanismos psicológicos adaptativos que ligam a experiência de vergonha, nas suas duas dimensões, à saúde psicológica. Os nossos resultados sublinham a importância da promoção da descentração e da ação comprometida para a melhoria do funcionamento psicossocial em pessoas com e sem doença crónica. Palavras-chave: ação comprometida; descentração; vergonha externa; vergonha interna; saúde psicológic

Internal and External Shame in Healthy and Chronically Ill Samples: Exploring Links to Psychological Health

This study aimed to examine the role of decentering and committed action as mediators of the link of external and internal shame with psychological health, in people with a chronic disease diagnosis (n=223) and without chronic disease (n=230). Participants with chronic disease presented higher levels of both external and internal shame. Path analysis results showed that these variables seem to be negatively linked to psychological health and that their efects on this outcome seem to be reduced by the mechanisms of decentering and committed action. The tested model explained 56% of psychological health’s variance and was invariant across groups. This study emphasizes the importance of taking a decentered stance towards internal experiences and behaving accordingly to one’s personal values on psychosocial functioning, independently of disease status. These results may have particular relevance to individuals with high levels of shame.1C10-4700-B30C | Inês Matos Pinainfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The contribution of the components of self-compassion and self-judgment in depressive symptomatology and psychological health in patients with chronic physical disease

The current study aimed at examining the potential role of selfcompassion and self-judgment components on depressive symptomatology and psychological health in people with a diagnosis of chronic physical disease. The sample included 223 participants with a diagnosis of chronic physical disease, aged between 18 and 45 years, who completed an online survey. The tested model showed an excellent fit to the empirical data and path analysis results indicated that mindfulness, self-judgment, and isolation have a significant impact on depressive symptomatology (explaining 40% of its variance) and also on psychological health (explaining 45% of its variance). This study shed some light on the role of both self-compassion and self-judgment components, suggesting the importance of the promotion of mindfulness skills and the reduction of self-judgment and feelings of isolation in people with chronic physical disease. These findings seem to support the development of more effective interventions for the promotion of psychological health and reduction of depressive symptoms in people diagnosed with a chronic physical disease.1C10-4700-B30C | Inês Matos Pinainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Non-polarized cytokine profile of a long-term non-progressor HIV infected patient

The HIV-1 initial viral infection may present diverse clinical and laboratory course and lead to rapid, intermediate, or long-term progression. Among the group of non-progressors, the elite controllers are those who control the infection most effectively, in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this paper, the TH1, TH2 and TH17 cytokines profiles are described, as well as clinical and laboratory aspects of an HIV-infected patient with undetectable viral load without antiretroviral therapy. Production of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-17 was detected; in contrast IL-4 was identified. Host-related factors could help explain such a level of infection control, namely the differentiated modulation of the cellular immune response and a non-polarized cytokine response of the TH1 and TH2 profiles. Keywords: Interleukins, HIV seropositivity, Disease progression, Antiretroviral therap

Design and development of a web-based prospective nationwide registry for ocular inflammatory diseases: UVEITE.PT - The Portuguese Ocular Inflammation Registry

© 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLCUveitis is a heterogeneous collection of infrequent diseases, which poses significant challenges to cost-effective research in the field. Medical registries are being increasingly recognized as crucial tools to provide high-quality data, thus enabling prospective clinical research. This paper describes the design and technical structure development of an innovative countrywide electronic medical record for uveitis, Uveite.pt, and gives an overview of the cohort registered since its foundation, March 2020.Uveite.pt is an electronic medical record platform developed by the Portuguese Ocular Inflammation Group (POIG), a scientific committee of the Portuguese Ophthalmology Society. This is a nationwide customized web-based platform for uveitis patients useful for both clinical practice and real-world-based research, working as a central repository and reporting tool for uveitis. This paper describes the technical principles, the design and the development of a web-based interoperable registry for uveitis in Portugal and provides an overview of more than 400 patients registered in the first 18 months since inception.In infrequent diseases, the existence of registries enables to gather evidence and increase research possibilities to clinicians. The adoption of this platform enables standardization and improvement of clinical practice in uveitis. It is useful to apprehend the repercussion of medical and surgical treatments in uveitis and scleritis, supporting clinicians in the strict monitoring of drug adverse reactions and surgical outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ciência, Crise e Mudança. 3.º Encontro Nacional de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia. ENHCT2012

III Encontro Nacional de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia. O Centro de Estudos de História e Filosofia da Ciência, organiza o 3.º Encontro Nacional de História da Ciência e da Técnica, sob o tema «Ciência, Crise e Mudança» que tem lugar na Universidade de Évora, nos dias 26, 27 e 28 de Setembro de 2012. O Primeiro Encontro Nacional de História da Ciência teve lugar em 21 e 22 Julho de 2009, no seguimento do programa de estímulo ao de¬senvolvimento da História da Ciência em Portugal e de valorização do património cultural e científico do País, lançado pelo Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES) em 31 de Janeiro desse ano. A sua organização coube a investigadores do Instituto de História Contemporânea (IHC), da FCSH da UNL, e do Centro Científico e Cultural de Macau (CCCM), em cujas instalações se realizou. De en¬tre as conclusões do Encontro, destacou-se a de realizar periodicamen¬te novos Encontros Nacionais, a serem organizados de forma rotativa por diferentes centros e núcleos de investigadores. Na sequência deste Primeiro Encontro, o Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT) organizou, entre 26 e 28 de Julho de 2010, o II Encontro, dedicado ao tema “Comunicação das Ciências e da Tecnologia em Portugal: Agentes, Meios e Audiências”. Cabe agora ao CEHFCi cumprir o que foi decidido no final deste Encontro. Na situação económica e política que hoje vivemos torna-se particularmente urgente aprofundar o estudo e o debate sobre a interação entre a Sociedade, a Ciência e a sua História. Coordenação Científica e Executiva do encontro estiveram a cargo de dois investigadores CEHFCi: Maria de Fátima Nunes, José Pedro Sousa Dia