Gratitude and suicide risk among college students: Substantiating the protective benefits of being thankful

Objective: Gratitude, or thankfulness for positive aspects of life, is related to psychosocial well-being and decreased psychopathology, and may reduce suicide risk. We explored four potential hypotheses purported to explain the beneficial outcomes of gratitude (schematic, positive affect, broaden-and-build, and coping), hypothesizing that hopelessness (schematic), depression (positive affect), social support (broaden-and-build), and substance use (coping) would mediate the gratitude-suicide linkage. Participants: 913 undergraduate students from a mid-size, southeastern U.S. university. Methods: Respondents completed online self-report questionnaires including the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Gratitude Questionnaire, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Duke Social Support Index, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and Drug Abuse Screening Test. Results: Supporting theory and hypotheses, gratitude was related to less suicide risk via beneficial associations with hopelessness, depression, social support, and substance misuse. Conclusions: The linkage between gratitude and suicide risk appears to be predicated on the beneficial association of gratitude to negative mood and interpersonal functioning

A study of acromegaly-associated headache with somatostatin analgesia.

To characterise somatostatin analogue responsive headache in acromegaly, hitherto not systematically documented in a significant cohort. Using the UK pituitary network, we have clinically characterised a cohort of 18 patients suffering from acromegaly-related headache with a clear response to somatostatin analogues. The majority of patients had chronic migraine (78%) as defined by the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria. Headache was present at the time of acromegaly presentation and clearly associated temporally with disease activity in all cases. Short-acting somatostatin analogues uniquely resolved pain within minutes and the mean duration of analgesia was 1-6 hours. Patients on long-acting analogues required less short-acting injections (mean 3.7 vs. 10.4 injections per day, p=0.005). 94% used somatostatin analogues to control ongoing headache pain. All patients presented with macroadenoma, most had incomplete resection (94%) and headache was ipsilateral to remnant tissue (94%). Although biochemical control was achieved in 78% of patients, headache remained in 71% of them. Patients selected for this study had ongoing headache post-treatment (mean duration 16 years after diagnosis); only 4 patients reached headache remission 26 years (mean, range 14-33) after the diagnosis. Headache in acromegaly patients can be persistent, severe, unrelieved by surgery, long-lasting and uncoupled from biochemical control. We show here that long-acting analogues allow a decrease in the number of short-acting analogue injections for headache relief. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms, markers and tumour tissue characteristics of acromegaly-related headache. Until then, this publication serves to provide the clinical characteristics as a reference point for further study

Influence of psychophysiological features of the 3-d course students on their training at the department of pathological physiology SE "DMA".

The article presents the results of the individual psychophysiological features analysis of the 3-d course students of the Dentistry Faculty, who have completed studying pathological physiology. The obtained data were compared with the results of the complex exam and the results of the licensing exam STEP-1. As a result, it was found that the psychophysiological indicators of students affect on learning performance. The main psychological differences between successful and unsuccessful students are in the intellectual and emotional-will spheres. Therefore, conducting psychophysiological testing among students and familiarizing them with the results obtained makes it possible for future doctors to take into account their personal and psychophysiological characteristics not only during the training period, but also in their professional activities. Such information, on the one hand, may induce many students to work on themselves, and on the other - not to fall into illusions. Further research in this direction and carrying out correlations of the obtained results will allow to find and eliminate the causes of unsatisfactory students’ studying. Work in this direction will contribute to the development of fundamentally new teaching methods in accordance with the requirements of time and scientific-technical progress

Impact of a Prison Therapeutic Diversion Unit on Mental and Behavioral Health Outcomes

Introduction: Incarcerated individuals with mental health disorders are disproportionally sent to restrictive housing (i.e., solitary confinement), which is known to have deleterious impacts on mental health. In response, North Carolina's prison system developed Therapeutic Diversion Units, treatment-oriented units for incarcerated individuals with high mental health needs who cycle in and out of restrictive housing. This analysis compares the impact of restrictive housing and Therapeutic Diversion Units on infractions, mental health, and self-harm among incarcerated individuals. Methods: Data were 2016–2019 incarceration records from North Carolina prisons. Outcomes were rates of infractions, inpatient mental health admissions, and self-harm in restrictive housing and Therapeutic Diversion Units. Inverse probability of treatment weights was used to adjust for confounding, and Poisson regression with generalized estimating equations was used to estimate adjusted rate ratios. Analyses were conducted between January and December 2020. Results: The analytic sample was 3,480 people, of whom 463 enrolled in a Therapeutic Diversion Unit. Compared with Therapeutic Diversion Unit rates, the rate of infractions was 3 times as high in restrictive housing (adjusted rate ratio=2.99, 95% CI=2.31, 3.87), the inpatient mental health admissions rate was 3.5 times as high (adjusted rate ratio=3.57, 95% CI=1.97, 6.46), and the self-injury incident rate was 3.5 times as high (adjusted rate ratio=3.46, 95% CI=2.11, 5.69). Conclusions: Therapeutic Diversion Unit use had strong impacts on infractions, mental health, and self-harm. Therapeutic Diversion Units provide a promising alternative to restrictive housing for individuals with mental health disorders

Influence of psychophysiological features of the 3-d course students on their training at the department of pathological physiology SE "DMA".

The article presents the results of the individual psychophysiological features analysis of the 3-d course students of the Dentistry Faculty, who have completed studying pathological physiology. The obtained data were compared with the results of the complex exam and the results of the licensing exam STEP-1. As a result, it was found that the psychophysiological indicators of students affect on learning performance. The main psychological differences between successful and unsuccessful students are in the intellectual and emotional-will spheres. Therefore, conducting psychophysiological testing among students and familiarizing them with the results obtained makes it possible for future doctors to take into account their personal and psychophysiological characteristics not only during the training period, but also in their professional activities. Such information, on the one hand, may induce many students to work on themselves, and on the other - not to fall into illusions. Further research in this direction and carrying out correlations of the obtained results will allow to find and eliminate the causes of unsatisfactory students’ studying. Work in this direction will contribute to the development of fundamentally new teaching methods in accordance with the requirements of time and scientific-technical progress

АНАЛІЗ ВІДНОШЕННЯ СТУДЕНТІВ ВИЩОГО МЕДИЧНОГО НАВЧАЛЬНОГО ЗАКЛАДУ ДО САМОСТІЙНОЇ РОБОТИ ЯК ВИДУ НАВЧАЛЬНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ

The aim of the study – to investigate organization and higher medical educational institutions student’s attitude to independent work.The main body. The results of a survey among students of 3rd and 6th years of State Establishment “Dnipropetrovsk Medical Academy of Health Ministry of Ukraine”, citizens of Ukraine and foreigners, about their attitude to independent work during theoretical and practical courses study are represented in the article.Сonclusion. The results of the survey among students of 3rd and 6th years of higher medical educational institutions show the necessity of finding effective methods to enhance their responsibility for the result of education and the vast changes the passive ideology of education. It was shown that the majority of students (66,5 %) have negative attitude towards an independent search and acquisition of new professional knowledge, which necessitates the implementation of effective tools to enhance their responsibility for the outcome of their education and the vast changes of passive ideology of learning.Мета роботи – вивчення організації і відношення до самостійної роботи студентів медичного вищого навчального закладу.Основна частина. У статті наведено результати опитування серед студентів 3 та 6 курсів ДЗ “Дніпропетровська медична академія МОЗ України”, громадян України та іноземців, про їх відношення до самостійної роботи при вивченні теоретичних та практичних дисциплін.Висновки. Результати опитування серед студентів 3 та 6 курсів вищого медичного навчального закладу свідчать про необхідність пошуку ефективних засобів для підвищення їх відповідальності за кінцевий результат своєї освіти та зміни переважної пасивної ідеології навчання і відходу від споживчої парадигми при отриманні професійних знань. Показано, що більшість вітчизняних студентів (66,5 %) негативно ставляться до самостійного пошуку і здобуття нових професійних знань, що обумовлює необхідність впровадження ефективних засобів для підвищення їх відповідальності за кінцевий результат своєї освіти та зміни переважної пасивної ідеології навчання

ОЦІНКА СТУДЕНТАМИ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ САМОСТІЙНОЇ РОБОТИ ПРИ ВИВЧЕННІ ГІГІЄНІЧНИХ ДИСЦИПЛІН

The aim of the work – to analyze the attitude of students of the institution of higher medical education to the independent study of a certain part of the educational material at the Department of Hygiene and Ecology. The main body. Recent reforms in higher medical education which initiated a dramatic increase in hours for self-training students at higher education institutions gradually begin to be perceived by the student community. The results of the questionnaires of students of the higher medical institution – the students of secondary and post-graduate students are considered. The obtained data testify to a gradual change in the attitude of contemporary students to the need for self-mastering of a part of professional knowledge as a traditional component of the educational process. Most of the polled second-year students, both Ukrainians and foreign English-speaking, are self-employed not less than 50 % and 40 % of the time, respectively. Conclusions. Independent work of students in medical institutions of higher education is not only a way of obtaining specific professional knowledge, but also to a greater extent, an indicator of the readiness of the future doctor for continuous professional growth, a sense of social and corporate responsibility, the ability to make decisions in complex life and work situations. Analysis of the data of questioning of students of different courses about their relation to independent non-auditing work showed that these features are more inherent in a new generation of both domestic and foreign English-speaking students.Мета роботи – проаналізувати ставлення студентів закладу вищої медичної освіти до самостійного вивчення певної частини навчального матеріалу на кафедрі гігієни та екології. Основна частина. Останні реформи вищої медичної освіти, що започаткували кардинальне збільшення годин для самостійної підготовки студентів закладів вищої освіти, починають потроху усвідомлюватися студентською громадою. Розглянуто результати анкетування студентів вищого медичного закладу – другокурсників та випускників. Отримані дані свідчать про поступову зміну ставлення сучасних студентів до необхідності самостійного опанування частини професійних знань як традиційної складової навчального процесу. Більшість опитаних студентів-другокурсників, як вітчизняних, так і іноземних англомовних, ­готові займа­тися самостійно не менше 50 % та 40 % часу відповідно. Висновки. Самостійна робота студентів у медичних закладах вищої освіти є не тільки способом отримання специфічних професійних знань, але й, більшою мірою, індикатором готовності майбутнього лікаря до безперервного професійного зростання, відчуття соціальної та корпоративної відповідальності, вміння самостійно приймати рішення у складних життєвих та виробничих випадках. Аналіз даних анкетування студентів різних курсів про їх ставлення до самостійної позааудиторної роботи показав, що ці риси більш притаманні новій генерації як вітчизняних, так і іноземних англомовних студентів

Improving health-related quality of life and reducing suicide in primary care: Can social problem–solving abilities help?

Problem-solving deficits and poor health–related quality of life are associated with suicide risk; yet, little is known about the interrelations between these variables. In 220 primary care patients, we examined the potential mediating role of physical and mental health–related quality of life on the relation between social problem–solving ability and suicidal behavior. Participants completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised, and Short-Form 36 Health Survey. Utilizing bootstrapped mediation, our hypotheses were partially supported; mediating effects were found for mental health–related quality of life on the relation between social problem-solving and suicidal behavior. Physical health–related quality of life was not a significant mediator. Greater social problem–solving ability is associated with better mental health–related quality of life and, in turn, to less suicidal behavior. Interventions promoting social problem–solving ability may increase quality of life and reduce suicide risk in primary care patients

“We Are Just Magic”: A Qualitative Examination of Self-Love Among Black Same-Gender Loving Men

Objectives: Black same-gender loving men (BSGLM) represent a population with understudied lived experiences as both racial and sexual minority individuals. Most existing research among BSGLM focuses on sexual health outcomes in the context of minority stress, without consideration of the full experiences of BSGLM or strengths-based approaches. The present study aimed to address this gap in the literature by examining self-love among BSGLM using a phenomenological qualitative approach. Method: Adult BSGLM in the U.S. (n = 19; Mage = 31.79 years [SD = 8.88]) were recruited online and completed interviews via phone and video conferencing. Data were coded independently by two trained coders via an iterative approach that included in vivo coding and line-by-line comparative coding. Codes were grouped thematically, guided by sexual minority identity and positive psychology literature. Results: Three major themes related to self-love among BSGLM emerged: (a) Freedom of identity, meaning participants’ ability to construct an identity outside of societal expectations; (b) Community connection and pride, or participants’ connection to and pride derived from the BSGLM community; and (c) Adversarial growth and resilience, or ways that adversity related to BSGLM identity generated personal growth. Conclusions: Current findings may have clinical implications. Using narrative therapy approach, facilitating connectedness to the BSGLM community, and implementing gratitude interventions in therapeutic settings may enhance self-love and positive self-regard among BSGLM. Future research should continue to give voice to the full lived experience of BSGLM