Gender Differences in Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Drinking to Cope in Undergraduates with Problematic Consumption

Undergraduate students show the highest rates of problematic alcohol consumption compared to any other non-clinical category of individuals, and coping-motivated drinking has been consistently shown to be the most problematic. The present study examines associations between mindfulness facets, self-compassion, and coping-motivated drinking, and how these associations differ by gender. Undergraduate problematic drinkers (N = 146) completed self-report measures assessing their motives for drinking (coping-depression, coping-anxiety, enhancement, social, conformity) and levels of dispositional mindfulness (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reactivity) and self-compassion. Regression analyses revealed that for both genders, mindfulness facets and self-compassion were statistically significantly negatively associated with coping-depression, but not coping-anxiety. Non-judging was uniquely associated with coping-depression in women, but in men, non-reactivity was the sole unique association. Unexpectedly, describing was negatively associated with conformity-motivated drinking in women. Mindfulness and self-compassion based programs for undergraduate problematic drinkers may be most effective if they target students who drink to cope with depression and emphasize different skills depending on the student’s gender

A synopsis of the MusiQual feasibility study into the effectiveness of music therapy in palliative care inpatient settings

The research team involved in conducting the MusiQual study – carried out in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Queen’s University Belfast, Every Day Harmony Music Therapy, and Marie Curie Northern Ireland – aimed to ascertain the feasibility of carrying out a larger multicentre trial into the effectiveness of music therapy in improving the quality of life of palliative care inpatients. This synoptic paper summarises a number of publications which resulted from developing and implementing the MusiQual study. Those publications include the main findings paper (Porter et al., 2018) and a number of supplementary publications: a systematic review of the literature (McConnell et al., 2016a), a realist review of the literature (McConnell & Porter, 2016), a critical realist evaluation (Porter et al., 2017a), an outline of the theoretical model which resulted from the realist review of the literature (McConnell & Porter, 2016), and the treatment manual for music therapy in palliative care drafted for use in the potential multicentre trial and recently published (Kirkwood et al., 2019). The purpose of this synopsis is to consolidate information in one single, accessible place in order to advance knowledge in this area of work and support the evidence-informed practice of music therapists and others in this field

Protocol: Non-antibiotic, alternative approaches to the nursery phase of swine production: a scoping review

It is widely accepted that antibiotic use drives the development of antibiotic resistance. Hence it is important that swine production uses antibiotics in a judicious manner. In addition, the label claim for livestock antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) of importance to humans has been removed in Canada. In reality, antibiotics have contributed greatly to efficiencies in meat production and animal health. A reduction in the use of growth promoting antibiotics has ramifications for costs of meat production and animal welfare given that sick animals need to be treated, often with antibiotics. Consequences of similar AGP bans in swine production in Europe included an immediate increase in therapeutic use of antibiotics considered important for humans, particularly for nursery stage pigs in Denmark and the Netherlands. It is important to identify and advance our knowledge through the existing research of alternative approaches to antibiotic use, in the nursery stage of pig production. Scoping reviews are a relatively novel approach for synthesizing research evidence in the veterinary and livestock production research literature (Pham MT., 2014). They are useful for mapping the extent, range, and nature of existing literature on a broad topic area. In addition, scoping reviews are useful for identifying gaps in the literature and for determining the feasibility of conducting one or more systematic reviews to help answer a specific question about the effectiveness of a specific intervention in a specific population measuring a specific outcome (Arksey and O’Malley, 2005)

Loneliness in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional results from the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study

ObjectivesLoneliness is a significant public health issue. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdown measures limiting social contact. The UK public are worried about the impact of these measures on mental health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of loneliness at this time is a priority issue for research.MethodThe study employed a cross-sectional online survey design. Baseline data collected between March 23rd and April 24th 2020 from UK adults in the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study were analysed (N = 1964, 18–87 years, M = 37.11, SD = 12.86, 70% female). Logistic regression analysis examined the influence of sociodemographic, social, health and COVID-19 specific factors on loneliness.ResultsThe prevalence of loneliness was 27% (530/1964). Risk factors for loneliness were younger age group (OR: 4.67–5.31), being separated or divorced (OR: 2.29), scores meeting clinical criteria for depression (OR: 1.74), greater emotion regulation difficulties (OR: 1.04), and poor quality sleep due to the COVID-19 crisis (OR: 1.30). Higher levels of social support (OR: 0.92), being married/co-habiting (OR: 0.35) and living with a greater number of adults (OR: 0.87) were protective factors.ConclusionsRates of loneliness during the initial phase of lockdown were high. Risk factors were not specific to the COVID-19 crisis. Findings suggest that supportive interventions to reduce loneliness should prioritise younger people and those with mental health symptoms. Improving emotion regulation and sleep quality, and increasing social support may be optimal initial targets to reduce the impact of COVID-19 regulations on mental health outcomes