Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy for depression in routine practice

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown that cognitive- behavioral group therapy (group CBT) is an effective treatment for depression. However, the effectiveness of this approach in routine care needs more research. The current study retrospectively examines the outcomes of patients who received group CBT for depression at a psychiatric outpatient clinic between 2003 and 2013. METHODS: Based on patient records, 143 patients were identified as having received the treatment, and 88 patients were included in the outcome analyses. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) score was the main outcome measure. RESULTS: The dropout rate was 17.5%. The average BDI-II score decreased from 28.5 to 18.5 from pre-treatment to post-treatment and remained stable at 3-months follow-up. The effect sizes at post-treatment and follow-up were large (d = .97 and d = 1.10, respectively). At post-treatment, 44% of the patients showed a significant improvement in depression, including 30% who recovered; at follow-up, the proportions increased to 57% and 40%, respectively. No predictors of dropout or treatment response were found. CONCLUSIONS: Group CBT for depression can be delivered in routine care settings with good results. However, there are still many patients who drop out or do not benefit from treatment. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-014-0292-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Early Maladaptive Schemas and Mental Disorders in Adulthood: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are broad and pervasive themes regarding oneself and one’s relationships with others originating from adverse childhood experiences. Although the concept of EMSs was initially developed for the treatment of personality disorders, the associations of EMSs with a variety of other mental disorders have been investigated. The goal of the present study was to summarize and analyze the EMSsdisorder associations in studies in which patients with specifc psychiatric diagnoses were compared to healthy controls. Of the 28 studies that met the inclusion criteria, 27 were included in a meta-analysis. Across diagnoses, all EMSs were elevated in the clinical groups. The largest efect sizes were observed for the social isolation, the negativity/pessimism, the defectiveness/shame, and social undesirability schemas. Depression (n=8), borderline personality disorder (n=5), and obsessive–compulsive disorder (n=5) were the most frequently studied mental disorders. Heterogeneity between studies was high. Results suggest that mental disorders are not characterized by specifc EMSs

The Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised (LEIDS-R) and its revision (LEIDS-RR): An investigation of the internal structure and conceptual validity in a Norwegian sample

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Nordic Psychology on 19 Feb 2020, available at http://wwww.tandfonline. com/https://doi.org/10.1080/19012276.2020.1727359.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency, factor structure, and validity of the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised (LEIDS-R) and a recent revision of the LEIDS-R (LEIDS-RR) in Norway. The LEIDS-R is a self-report inventory measuring cognitive reactivity. Cognitive reactivity is defined as the relative ease with which negative thinking is activated by mild low mood and has been shown to be a strong predictor of relapse of depression. Hospital employees and psychology students (N = 240) completed the LEIDS-R and measures of depression, repetitive negative thinking, and mindfulness. The results showed that Cronbach’s alpha was equally high for both the LEIDS-R and LEIDS-RR total score (α = .92), indicating good internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis of the LEIDS-R suggested an acceptable model fit for the original first-order six-factor model. Confirmatory factor analyses of the LEIDS-RR suggested the best fit for a bifactor five-factor model. Correlational analyses showed positive associations of the LEIDS-R and LEIDS-RR scales with depression and repetitive negative thinking and negative relationships with mindfulness. It is concluded that the Norwegian versions of the LEIDS-R and LEIDS-RR appear to be both reliable and valid for future use

Mindfulness training for chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study

Source at: http://doi.org//10.5114/hpr.2017.65469 Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition characterized by persistent and unexplained fatigue that may result in severe impairment of daily functioning. Currently, there is no curative treatment for CFS, and many patients experience the existing interventions as ineffective. Thus, there is a need for new approaches that target psychological maintenance factors and coping. Mindfulness is an approach to increasing awareness and acceptance of ongoing mental processes. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce stress and enhance quality of life in patients with chronic diseases, to increase the tolerance of unpleasant feelings and bodily dysfunction, as well as to facilitate use of appropriate coping skills. This pilot study examined the effect and acceptability of a mindfulness-based intervention for patients with CFS. Participants and procedure: Ten patients with CFS (eight women, two men) participated in the study. The mindfulness training had a duration of eight weeks with 2-hour weekly meetings. The effect of the intervention was evaluated using a single case series design with a 3-month follow-up. Results: All patients completed the intervention. Medium to large effect sizes were found for anxiety, fatigue, rumination, depression, and mindfulness. The participants’ feedback indicated increased quality of life and more adaptive coping. Conclusions: It is concluded that mindfulness-based interventions have a potential to improve the condition of patients with CFS

Prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and functional impairment in parents and siblings 8 years after the 2011 Utøya terror attack

Background: Research on bereavement after terrorism is limited and primarily aiming on short-term consequences. Objective: To better understand the long-term health consequences of terrorism, we studied bereaved parents and siblings eight years after the Utøya terrorist attack in Norway. We examined the participants’ symptom levels of prolonged grief (PG) and post-traumatic stress (PTS), as well as their psychosocial functioning and employment status. Method: Bereaved parents (n = 88) and siblings (n = 34) aged 19 and above (mean age = 49.7 years, SD = 13.8 years, 59.8% female) completed the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) to assess PG, PTS, and functional impairment, respectively. In addition, information about employment status was obtained. The proportion of participants scoring above recommended thresholds on the ICG, IES-R, and WSAS was calculated. Differences between parents and siblings and gender differences on these measures were examined. Results: In total, 62.3% of the participants had scores on the ICG indicating a risk for prolonged grief, while 45.9% scored over cutoff on the IES. There was a high overlap between symptoms of PG and PTS. Females had significantly higher scores on both the ICG and the IES compared to males. There were no differences between parents and siblings regarding PG and PTS symptoms. One out of three showed severe functional impairment on the WSAS. Approximately 30% of all the bereaved were outside the labour force, and one third of the parents had become unable to work after the terrorist attack. Conclusion: Many bereaved parents and siblings, following the Utøya terror attack, report long-lasting health consequences with symptoms of PG and PTS and functional impairment. The results suggest a need for follow up of bereaved after a terror attack and identify family members in need of health services

Experiences of Norwegian Mothers Attending an Online Course of Therapeutic Writing Following the Unexpected Death of a Child

The unexpected death of a child is one of the most challenging losses as it fractures survivors’ sense of parenthood and other layers of identity. Given that not all the bereaved parents who have need for support respond well to available treatments and that many have little access to further intervention or follow-up over time, online interventions featuring therapeutic writing and peer support have strong potential. In this article we explore how a group of bereaved mothers experienced the process of participating in an online course in therapeutic writing for the integration of grief. Our research questions were: How do parents who have lost a child experience being part of an online course in therapeutic writing? What are the perceived benefits and challenges of writing in processing their grief? We followed an existential phenomenological approach and analyzed fieldwork notes (n = 13), qualitative data from the application and assessment surveys (n = 35; n = 21), excerpts from the journals of some participants (n = 3), and email correspondence with some participants (n = 5). We categorized the results in three meaning units: (1) where does my story begin? The “both and” of their silent chaos; (2) standing on the middle line: a pregnancy that does not end; (3) closures and openings: “careful optimism” and the need for community support. Participants experienced writing as an opportunity for self-exploration regarding their identities and their emotional world, as well as a means to develop and strengthen a bond with their children. They also experienced a sense of belonging, validation, and acceptance in the online group in a way that helped them make sense of their suffering. Online writing courses could be of benefit for bereaved parents who are grieving the unexpected death of a child, but do not replace other interventions such as psychotherapy. In addition to trauma and attachment informed models of grief, identity informed models with a developmental focus might enhance the impact of both low-threshold community interventions and more intensive clinical ones. Further studies and theoretical development in the area are needed, addressing dialogical notions such as the multivoicedness of the self.publishedVersio

Asociaciones entre eventos vitales estresantes en la niñez/adolescencia y en la edad adulta: resultados de la 7.ª encuesta de Troms

Background: Exposure to highly stressful life events (SLEs), such as accidents, violence, or serious illness, is common. With the accumulation of SLEs, the risk of detrimental somatic and mental health outcomes increases. To understand patterns of SLE exposure, research into the associations between SLEs is needed. Method: The sample comprised 21,069 participants of the population-based Tromsø7 (2015/ 2016) study (52.7% female, mean age = 57.3 years, SD = 11.4 years). Participants were asked whether they had experienced eleven SLEs in childhood/adolescence and adulthood. Correlations, network analysis, and logistic regression analysis were used to examine the associations between SLEs. Results: Medium-sized to large correlations between SLEs in childhood/adolescence and SLEs in adulthood were found. Two clusters of SLEs emerged in the network analysis in childhood/ adolescence and in adulthood, respectively, interpreted as interpersonal (e.g. violence and sexual abuse) and impersonal SLEs (e.g. a life-threatening illness or serious accident). SLEs in childhood/adolescence predicted the number of SLEs in adulthood as well as exposure to the specific SLE categories in adulthood. Childhood neglect was an important predictor of SLE exposure in adulthood. Conclusions: Public health policies should focus on the prevention of SLEs and the early intervention after SLE exposure, especially childhood neglect

The prevalence of potentially traumatic events in the seventh survey of the population-based Tromsø study (Tromsø 7)

Aims: Potentially traumatic events (PTEs) can have detrimental consequences for an individual’s physical and mental health. Exposure to PTEs is therefore increasingly assessed in population-based studies. Consistent with this trend, the most recent wave of the longitudinal population-based Tromsø study (Tromsø 7) in Northern Norway included a list of PTEs. The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of PTEs in the sample and examine demographic correlates of reported PTE exposure in this group. Methods: In Tromsø 7, a total of 21,083 participants aged ⩾40 years (52.5% female, mean age 57.3 years) were asked about exposure to nine PTEs that occurred in childhood, in adulthood and in the previous year. Differences between demographic groups in exposure to PTEs were examined using chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses. Results: Overall, 67% of the participants reported at least one PTE across the three time intervals. A life-threatening illness or serious accident of a loved one (36.8%) or of the respondent (24.0%) and bullying (21.5%) were the most frequently reported PTEs. Female sex, younger age, indigenous or immigrant ethnicity and higher education were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting at least one PTE. Group differences with respect to specific PTEs were observed. Conclusions: The experience of PTEs is common among the participants in the Tromsø 7 study. The current study lays the foundation for further research into the associations between PTEs and physical and mental health within the Tromsø study

A TESTING BATTERY ON BALANCE AND PERFORMANCE SYMMETRY FOR TEAM SPORTS – AN EXAMPLE FROM ICE HOCKEY

The purpose of this study was to develop and apply an injury and performance screening programme for team sports and exemplify this for ice hockey. A set of four tests including landing, jumping and turning was employed and performance and balance related symmetry was extracted from force plate data and velocity measures in a test group of 28 elite ice hockey players. In this team, certain exercises showed a reflection of individual injury history while players showed a high symmetry for single leg landing task. This may be an effect of the specific training this group of athletes had undergone prior to the tests. Currently, we are assessing other teams who followed different training programs and apply these tests as a longitudinal screening tool. While final results are still outstanding, the potential of this approach was discussed