Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100633
Evelina Marie Stender , René Freichel , Arne Doose , Inger Hellerhoff , Clara Marie Breier , Ute Lewitzka , Klara Schacht , Daniel Geisler , Joseph A. King , Veit Rössner , Stefan Ehrlich
Background
Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder with a high mortality rate, ranking among the most lethal mental health conditions. This is not only due to sequelae of cachexia, but also due to suicidality. The present study employs a network analysis approach to determine whether there are unique associations between suicidal ideation and eating disorder-specific symptoms in anorexia nervosa, or if suicidal ideation is more influenced by other symptoms such as those more loosely related to eating disorders or general internalizing symptoms, as well as biological factors. Additionally, we examined the potentially changing impact of symptoms after intensive treatment. Methods: The study involved female patients with anorexia nervosa admitted to intensive inpatient treatment. Eating disorder-specific and -related symptoms, depressive, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, nutritional data as well as suicidal ideation were assessed at two points: immediately after admission (n = 313) and following partial weight gain (n = 217) and were examined together in a network analysis model. Results: The nodes that were most strongly related to suicidal ideation at both timepoints were feelings of ineffectiveness, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Eating disorder-specific symptoms were found to be not significantly related to suicidal ideation. Conclusions: The results indicate that suicidal ideation in anorexia nervosa is primarily related to broader psychological symptoms rather than eating disorder-specific symptoms. The prominence of feelings of ineffectiveness within the network highlights the need for clinical interventions that focus on the enhancement of self-efficacy in anorexia nervosa.
{"title":"The association of eating disorder specific and unspecific symptoms with suicidal ideation in patients with anorexia nervosa","authors":"Evelina Marie Stender , René Freichel , Arne Doose , Inger Hellerhoff , Clara Marie Breier , Ute Lewitzka , Klara Schacht , Daniel Geisler , Joseph A. King , Veit Rössner , Stefan Ehrlich","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder with a high mortality rate, ranking among the most lethal mental health conditions. This is not only due to sequelae of cachexia, but also due to suicidality. The present study employs a network analysis approach to determine whether there are unique associations between suicidal ideation and eating disorder-specific symptoms in anorexia nervosa, or if suicidal ideation is more influenced by other symptoms such as those more loosely related to eating disorders or general internalizing symptoms, as well as biological factors. Additionally, we examined the potentially changing impact of symptoms after intensive treatment. <em>Methods:</em> The study involved female patients with anorexia nervosa admitted to intensive inpatient treatment. Eating disorder-specific and -related symptoms, depressive, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, nutritional data as well as suicidal ideation were assessed at two points: immediately after admission (<em>n</em> = 313) and following partial weight gain (<em>n</em> = 217) and were examined together in a network analysis model. <em>Results:</em> The nodes that were most strongly related to suicidal ideation at both timepoints were feelings of ineffectiveness, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Eating disorder-specific symptoms were found to be not significantly related to suicidal ideation. <em>Conclusions:</em> The results indicate that suicidal ideation in anorexia nervosa is primarily related to broader psychological symptoms rather than eating disorder-specific symptoms. The prominence of feelings of ineffectiveness within the network highlights the need for clinical interventions that focus on the enhancement of self-efficacy in anorexia nervosa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100633"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100628
Tongyi Zhang , Meifang Su , Xiaoning Huo , Xin Zhao
Background
Executive dysfunction in schizophrenia profoundly impairs functional outcomes and remains insufficiently addressed by standard pharmacological treatments. While computerized cognitive training offers promise, traditional evaluation methods often fail to capture nuanced improvements along the psychosis-health continuum. This study aims to quantify executive function (EF) profile changes following working memory training and identify robust baseline predictors of treatment response.
Methods
Ninety-four schizophrenia patients were randomized to adaptive N-back training (n = 32), non-adaptive 1-back control (n = 33), or treatment-as-usual (n = 29). EF was assessed across working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control domains. A support vector machine classifier, trained on an independent sample (195 patients, 169 controls) and calibrated via Platt scaling, quantified EF profile changes. An exploratory framework based on Granger causality principles identified baseline treatment predictors.
Results
Adaptive training produced significant near-transfer effects on untrained working memory tasks and reduced general psychopathology (pfdr < 0.05), but no far-transfer effects to other EF domains. The probability of neurotypical EF classification increased substantially in the adaptive group (13.21 % to 38.79 %, p < 0.001), correlating with symptom reduction. Working memory maintenance and response inhibition emerged as the most robust baseline predictors of treatment response.
Conclusions
Working memory training induces meaningful shifts in EF profiles in schizophrenia, promoting movement along the psychosis-health continuum toward neurotypical functioning. The classifier-based approach provides a more refined assessment compared to traditional binary measures, while the exploratory framework identifies specific EF domains predicting treatment response with potential causal relevance. These findings warrant validation through larger, multi-center trials with extended follow-up periods.
{"title":"Rethinking the effects of working memory training on executive functions in schizophrenia: A machine learning approach","authors":"Tongyi Zhang , Meifang Su , Xiaoning Huo , Xin Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Executive dysfunction in schizophrenia profoundly impairs functional outcomes and remains insufficiently addressed by standard pharmacological treatments. While computerized cognitive training offers promise, traditional evaluation methods often fail to capture nuanced improvements along the psychosis-health continuum. This study aims to quantify executive function (EF) profile changes following working memory training and identify robust baseline predictors of treatment response.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Ninety-four schizophrenia patients were randomized to adaptive <em>N</em>-back training (<em>n</em> = 32), non-adaptive 1-back control (<em>n</em> = 33), or treatment-as-usual (<em>n</em> = 29). EF was assessed across working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control domains. A support vector machine classifier, trained on an independent sample (195 patients, 169 controls) and calibrated via Platt scaling, quantified EF profile changes. An exploratory framework based on Granger causality principles identified baseline treatment predictors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Adaptive training produced significant near-transfer effects on untrained working memory tasks and reduced general psychopathology (<em>p<sub>fdr</sub></em> < 0.05), but no far-transfer effects to other EF domains. The probability of neurotypical EF classification increased substantially in the adaptive group (13.21 % to 38.79 %, <em>p</em> < 0.001), correlating with symptom reduction. Working memory maintenance and response inhibition emerged as the most robust baseline predictors of treatment response.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Working memory training induces meaningful shifts in EF profiles in schizophrenia, promoting movement along the psychosis-health continuum toward neurotypical functioning. The classifier-based approach provides a more refined assessment compared to traditional binary measures, while the exploratory framework identifies specific EF domains predicting treatment response with potential causal relevance. These findings warrant validation through larger, multi-center trials with extended follow-up periods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100628"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100636
Jingni Ma , Haoke Li , Mengya Zhao , Joanne Williams
The mental health of young adults, particularly university students, has become a global concern. Nature-based interventions have shown promise in alleviating anxiety and negative emotions. This study explored the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR)-based nature therapy in reducing anxiety, negative mood, and stress while enhancing mindfulness among university students. A three-armed randomised controlled trial was conducted. Two hundred thirty-six students with anxiety symptoms were randomly assigned to either a VR intervention group, a placebo control group, or an inactive control group after the baseline assessment. We developed a VR intervention system called Mind Nature, featuring nature-based activities such as planting, observing natural environments, rowing across the water, and personal reflection, all accompanied by mindful audio guidance within a fully immersive 360-degree, three-dimensional VR environment. The placebo control group engaged in a VR sports game using a VR headset, while the control group received no intervention. Each session lasted approximately 30 min. Anxiety, mood, stress, mindfulness, and nature-relatedness were measured three times: pre- and post-intervention and at a 2-week follow-up. Results revealed significant group-time interaction effects, with greater reductions in anxiety, negative affect, and stress in the VR intervention group compared to the placebo and control groups. This study highlights the effectiveness of VR-based nature therapy and its potential as an effective and convenient mental health intervention for university students, offering a promising complement to traditional therapeutic approaches.
The study was registered online at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ID: ChiCTR2400089445)
{"title":"Mind nature: a virtual reality nature therapy for reducing anxiety and negative mood in University Students","authors":"Jingni Ma , Haoke Li , Mengya Zhao , Joanne Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The mental health of young adults, particularly university students, has become a global concern. Nature-based interventions have shown promise in alleviating anxiety and negative emotions. This study explored the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR)-based nature therapy in reducing anxiety, negative mood, and stress while enhancing mindfulness among university students. A three-armed randomised controlled trial was conducted. Two hundred thirty-six students with anxiety symptoms were randomly assigned to either a VR intervention group, a placebo control group, or an inactive control group after the baseline assessment. We developed a VR intervention system called <em>Mind Nature</em>, featuring nature-based activities such as planting, observing natural environments, rowing across the water, and personal reflection, all accompanied by mindful audio guidance within a fully immersive 360-degree, three-dimensional VR environment. The placebo control group engaged in a VR sports game using a VR headset, while the control group received no intervention. Each session lasted approximately 30 min. Anxiety, mood, stress, mindfulness, and nature-relatedness were measured three times: pre- and post-intervention and at a 2-week follow-up. Results revealed significant group-time interaction effects, with greater reductions in anxiety, negative affect, and stress in the VR intervention group compared to the placebo and control groups. This study highlights the effectiveness of VR-based nature therapy and its potential as an effective and convenient mental health intervention for university students, offering a promising complement to traditional therapeutic approaches.</div><div>The study was registered online at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ID: ChiCTR2400089445)</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100636"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100640
Berta Obispo , Caterina Calderon , Alberto Carmona-Bayonas , Ismael Ghanem , Juana Maria Cano-Cano , Paula Jiménez-Fonseca
Introduction
Depression is common among cancer patients, adversely affecting treatment adherence, toxicity, and quality of life (QoL). However, its course during adjuvant therapy and its impact on outcomes in resected cancer remain poorly understood. This study evaluated changes in depression from treatment initiation (T1) to six months later (T2) and examined associations with demographic, clinical, and psychological factors, treatment-related toxicities, and QoL.
Methods
In this multicenter, prospective observational study, 927 patients with resected, non-metastatic cancer receiving adjuvant treatment were enrolled. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) at T1 and T2. Patients were classified as “never” (no symptoms at T1 or T2), “new-onset” (absent at T1, present at T2), “remission” (present at T1, absent at T2), or “persistent” (present at both time points). Treatment-related toxicities were evaluated according to CTCAE v4.0, and QoL was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30.
Results
At T2, 50.8% of patients remained asymptomatic, 12.3% experienced remission, 23.4% exhibited persistent depression, and 13.5% developed new-onset depression. Persistent depression was more common among women, younger patients, those without a partner, and breast cancer patients. Patients with persistent symptoms showed significantly higher toxicities—including hematologic, digestive, and neuropathic events, as well as increased asthenia (p < .001)—and poorer functioning with greater symptom burden, resulting in markedly reduced overall QoL. In multivariate analyses, baseline depression and ECOG performance status were the main predictors of depressive symptoms at six months, while age predicted changes over time; other sociodemographic or clinical factors were not significant. Logistic regression confirmed that younger age, female sex, breast cancer, and poorer ECOG were associated with higher odds of persistent depression compared with never-depressed patients.
Conclusion
Both baseline depression and functional impairment (ECOG) are independent predictors of depressive symptoms during adjuvant therapy. Persistent depression is significantly associated with increased treatment toxicity and poorer QoL in patients with early-stage resected cancer, highlighting the need for routine screening and early psychological intervention during adjuvant treatment.
{"title":"The role of baseline and persistent depression in adjuvant cancer therapy: impact on toxicity and quality of life","authors":"Berta Obispo , Caterina Calderon , Alberto Carmona-Bayonas , Ismael Ghanem , Juana Maria Cano-Cano , Paula Jiménez-Fonseca","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Depression is common among cancer patients, adversely affecting treatment adherence, toxicity, and quality of life (QoL). However, its course during adjuvant therapy and its impact on outcomes in resected cancer remain poorly understood. This study evaluated changes in depression from treatment initiation (T1) to six months later (T2) and examined associations with demographic, clinical, and psychological factors, treatment-related toxicities, and QoL.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this multicenter, prospective observational study, 927 patients with resected, non-metastatic cancer receiving adjuvant treatment were enrolled. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) at T1 and T2. Patients were classified as “never” (no symptoms at T1 or T2), “new-onset” (absent at T1, present at T2), “remission” (present at T1, absent at T2), or “persistent” (present at both time points). Treatment-related toxicities were evaluated according to CTCAE v4.0, and QoL was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>At T2, 50.8% of patients remained asymptomatic, 12.3% experienced remission, 23.4% exhibited persistent depression, and 13.5% developed new-onset depression. Persistent depression was more common among women, younger patients, those without a partner, and breast cancer patients. Patients with persistent symptoms showed significantly higher toxicities—including hematologic, digestive, and neuropathic events, as well as increased asthenia (<em>p</em> < .001)—and poorer functioning with greater symptom burden, resulting in markedly reduced overall QoL. In multivariate analyses, baseline depression and ECOG performance status were the main predictors of depressive symptoms at six months, while age predicted changes over time; other sociodemographic or clinical factors were not significant. Logistic regression confirmed that younger age, female sex, breast cancer, and poorer ECOG were associated with higher odds of persistent depression compared with never-depressed patients.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Both baseline depression and functional impairment (ECOG) are independent predictors of depressive symptoms during adjuvant therapy. Persistent depression is significantly associated with increased treatment toxicity and poorer QoL in patients with early-stage resected cancer, highlighting the need for routine screening and early psychological intervention during adjuvant treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100640"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100635
Alejandra Arizu-Onassis , Joan C. Medina , María Lleras de Frutos , Aida Flix-Valle , Maria Serra-Blasco , Laura Ciria-Suarez , Cristian Ochoa-Arnedo
Objective
To explore the role of group cohesion (GC) in-person positive group psychotherapy (PPPC) and online positive group psychotherapy (OPPC).
Method
A sample of 126 female cancer survivors experiencing emotional distress following primary oncological treatment was randomized to PPPC or OPPC. Measures of emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, and post-traumatic growth were taken at pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 12 weeks), and 3-month follow-up (from post-treatment), with GC assessed at post-treatment for this secondary analysis.
Results
There were no significant differences in GC levels between the PPPC and OPPC groups. Higher GC was associated with greater reductions in depressive symptoms (b= -0.80, CI(95 %)= -1.18 – -0.42, p< 0.001) and post-traumatic stress (b= -1.38, CI(95 %)= -2.42 – -0.34, p< 0.010) in both modalities. Participants with higher GC reported immediate post-traumatic growth at post-treatment, while those with lower GC achieved similar growth levels by 3-month follow-up. No specific sociodemographic or clinical variables were associated with higher GC.
Conclusions
In group psychotherapy for cancer survivors, GC is associated with a more pronounced reduction of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress, and with earlier post-traumatic growth in both OPPC and PPPC. Findings suggest that all cancer survivors have equal potential to develop GC, regardless of clinical or sociodemographic characteristics.
{"title":"Group cohesion in online and in-person psychotherapy in a randomized control trial for cancer survivors","authors":"Alejandra Arizu-Onassis , Joan C. Medina , María Lleras de Frutos , Aida Flix-Valle , Maria Serra-Blasco , Laura Ciria-Suarez , Cristian Ochoa-Arnedo","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To explore the role of group cohesion (GC) in-person positive group psychotherapy (PPPC) and online positive group psychotherapy (OPPC).</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A sample of 126 female cancer survivors experiencing emotional distress following primary oncological treatment was randomized to PPPC or OPPC. Measures of emotional distress, post-traumatic stress, and post-traumatic growth were taken at pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 12 weeks), and 3-month follow-up (from post-treatment), with GC assessed at post-treatment for this secondary analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were no significant differences in GC levels between the PPPC and OPPC groups. Higher GC was associated with greater reductions in depressive symptoms (<em>b=</em> -0.80, CI(95 %)= -1.18 – -0.42, <em>p</em>< 0.001) and post-traumatic stress (<em>b=</em> -1.38, CI(95 %)= -2.42 – -0.34, <em>p</em>< 0.010) in both modalities. Participants with higher GC reported immediate post-traumatic growth at post-treatment, while those with lower GC achieved similar growth levels by 3-month follow-up. No specific sociodemographic or clinical variables were associated with higher GC.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In group psychotherapy for cancer survivors, GC is associated with a more pronounced reduction of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress, and with earlier post-traumatic growth in both OPPC and PPPC. Findings suggest that all cancer survivors have equal potential to develop GC, regardless of clinical or sociodemographic characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100635"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100647
David Lafortune , Valérie A. Lapointe , Simon Dubé , Jonathan Bonneau , Natacha Godbout
Sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent, affecting up to one-third of the adult population and significantly impacting mental well-being and intimate relationships. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising and ecologically valid tool for studying psychological disorders; however, its application to research on sexual functioning remains underdeveloped. Sexual disgust is positively associated with sexual dysfunction symptoms, yet existing research remains scarce and has relied primarily on retrospective questionnaires and computer-based 2D erotic stimuli. This experimental study investigates whether low sexual functioning (i.e., low interest/arousal, lubrication/erection difficulties, orgasmic difficulties, and sexual pain) is linked to disgust toward virtual sexual cues. Seventy individuals completed self-reported measures of sexual functioning and disgust propensity. After completing a VR relaxation task, they participated in two VR-Behavior Avoidance Tests (VR-BAT): one sexual and one non-sexual. Disgust and sexual arousal were measured after the relaxation task and each VR-BAT. Participants also completed a sexual presence questionnaire post-immersion. Bivariate correlations and repeated-measures ANCOVAs were conducted. Results indicate that sexual disgust propensity is positively correlated with disgust ratings in the sexual VR-BAT, while sexual presence is positively associated with sexual arousal. Significant condition × sexual difficulties interaction effects show that reduced sexual interest/arousal and increased sexual pain are linked to heightened disgust exclusively in the sexual VR-BAT condition. These findings provide additional evidence that sexual disgust is associated with impaired sexual interest/arousal and sexual pain. This research highlights the value of VR sexual stimuli in studying sexual functioning and underscores the need for future studies to explore the potential of VR-based interventions in addressing the mechanisms underlying sexual dysfunctions and distress, including sexual disgust.
{"title":"Examining sexual functioning and disgust in virtual reality: Low sexual interest/arousal and sexual pain moderate disgust toward sexual stimuli","authors":"David Lafortune , Valérie A. Lapointe , Simon Dubé , Jonathan Bonneau , Natacha Godbout","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent, affecting up to one-third of the adult population and significantly impacting mental well-being and intimate relationships. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising and ecologically valid tool for studying psychological disorders; however, its application to research on sexual functioning remains underdeveloped. Sexual disgust is positively associated with sexual dysfunction symptoms, yet existing research remains scarce and has relied primarily on retrospective questionnaires and computer-based 2D erotic stimuli. This experimental study investigates whether low sexual functioning (i.e., low interest/arousal, lubrication/erection difficulties, orgasmic difficulties, and sexual pain) is linked to disgust toward virtual sexual cues. Seventy individuals completed self-reported measures of sexual functioning and disgust propensity. After completing a VR relaxation task, they participated in two VR-Behavior Avoidance Tests (VR-BAT): one sexual and one non-sexual. Disgust and sexual arousal were measured after the relaxation task and each VR-BAT. Participants also completed a sexual presence questionnaire post-immersion. Bivariate correlations and repeated-measures ANCOVAs were conducted. Results indicate that sexual disgust propensity is positively correlated with disgust ratings in the sexual VR-BAT, while sexual presence is positively associated with sexual arousal. Significant condition × sexual difficulties interaction effects show that reduced sexual interest/arousal and increased sexual pain are linked to heightened disgust exclusively in the sexual VR-BAT condition. These findings provide additional evidence that sexual disgust is associated with impaired sexual interest/arousal and sexual pain. This research highlights the value of VR sexual stimuli in studying sexual functioning and underscores the need for future studies to explore the potential of VR-based interventions in addressing the mechanisms underlying sexual dysfunctions and distress, including sexual disgust.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100647"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145520113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100641
William Vallet , Sabine Mouchet , Mathias Poitau , Chloé Laval , Benoit Bediou , Guillaume Giret , Jerôme Brunelin
This study addresses a significant gap in literature by investigating emotional processing in sexual offenders against minors (SOm), using a combined electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral approach. In the first experiment, explicit behavioral abilities related to emotional recognition and the evaluation of perceived facial emotions were assessed in 15 SOm individuals, compared to 15 matched controls. In the second experiment, participants were asked to complete an implicit emotion task involving the presentation of emotional facial expressions while EEG activity was recorded. Behavioral results revealed a significant deficit in the recognition of fearful emotions, and an altered evaluation of the valence of disgusted emotional faces, in the SOm group compared to the control group. The implicit EEG results indicated a significantly lower amplitude in the P2-LPP temporal windows across temporo-parieto-occipital locations and modulated by the emotion and age of the presented faces. Taken together, these results highlight an emotional deficit in the SOm group, further reinforcing the hypothesis that this population has specific difficulty recognizing and interpreting emotional facial expressions, particularly those conveying negative emotions. These results represent a preliminary step toward a more comprehensive understanding of the cerebral underpinnings of emotional deficits in individuals who have committed sexual offenses against minors.
{"title":"A combined behavioral and EEG investigation of facial emotion recognition in sexual offenders against minors","authors":"William Vallet , Sabine Mouchet , Mathias Poitau , Chloé Laval , Benoit Bediou , Guillaume Giret , Jerôme Brunelin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100641","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses a significant gap in literature by investigating emotional processing in sexual offenders against minors (SOm), using a combined electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral approach. In the first experiment, explicit behavioral abilities related to emotional recognition and the evaluation of perceived facial emotions were assessed in 15 SOm individuals, compared to 15 matched controls. In the second experiment, participants were asked to complete an implicit emotion task involving the presentation of emotional facial expressions while EEG activity was recorded. Behavioral results revealed a significant deficit in the recognition of fearful emotions, and an altered evaluation of the valence of disgusted emotional faces, in the SOm group compared to the control group. The implicit EEG results indicated a significantly lower amplitude in the P2-LPP temporal windows across temporo-parieto-occipital locations and modulated by the emotion and age of the presented faces. Taken together, these results highlight an emotional deficit in the SOm group, further reinforcing the hypothesis that this population has specific difficulty recognizing and interpreting emotional facial expressions, particularly those conveying negative emotions. These results represent a preliminary step toward a more comprehensive understanding of the cerebral underpinnings of emotional deficits in individuals who have committed sexual offenses against minors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100641"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145325509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100655
Buzohre Eli , Fei Xiao , Xuanang Liu , Madina Nijat , Zhengkui Liu
Background
: Attentional bias towards threat is a core mechanism underlying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although attention bias modification (ABM) and attention control training (ACT) have been studied for PTSD, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported inconsistent outcomes. Additionally, the nonemotional conditioning effect of ACT remains unvalidated. Shidu parents in China, a uniquely vulnerable group who have lost their only child, often suffer from severe and persistent PTSD, however, no RCT has yet investigated attention-based interventions among them. Thus, this RCT compared the efficacy of ABM, ACT, and attention control geometric training (ACG), which adapts ACT in a nonemotional context, on PTSD symptoms and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity among Shidu parents.
Methods
: Participants were randomly assigned to the ABM (n = 21), ACT (n = 20), and ACG (n = 21) groups and completed eight biweekly sessions of ABM, ACT, and ACG, respectively. Symptoms, including PTSD clusters and anxiety as primary outcomes and PTSD total and depression as secondary outcomes, along with attentional bias were assessed at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and a four-month follow-up. DLPFC activity was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) at pre-treatment, mid-treatment and post-treatment.
Results
: ACT demonstrated significant improvement in intrusion symptoms, with treatment effects sustained at the four-month follow-up. However, other PTSD symptom clusters, as well as anxiety and depression, did not show significant improvement across any of the groups. At the neurocognitive level, ACT showed reduced vigilance toward threat and decrease in bilateral DLPFC activation under the vigilance condition. In contrast, ACG exhibited only a nonsignificant trend toward reduced vigilance to threat, along with reduction in left DLPFC activity under the same condition. ABM showed no significant improvements in either behavioral or neural measures.
Conclusions
: This study provides preliminary evidence that ACT may be a promising intervention for reducing intrusion symptoms and threat vigilance in Shidu parents, potentially through modulating DLPFC activation. These findings highlight the importance of targeting specific PTSD symptom clusters and corresponding neural pathways in future trauma interventions.
{"title":"Attention training interventions for PTSD in bereaved Chinese parents who have lost their only child: A randomized controlled trial with behavioral and neuroimaging data","authors":"Buzohre Eli , Fei Xiao , Xuanang Liu , Madina Nijat , Zhengkui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><strong>:</strong> Attentional bias towards threat is a core mechanism underlying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although attention bias modification (ABM) and attention control training (ACT) have been studied for PTSD, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported inconsistent outcomes. Additionally, the nonemotional conditioning effect of ACT remains unvalidated. Shidu parents in China, a uniquely vulnerable group who have lost their only child, often suffer from severe and persistent PTSD, however, no RCT has yet investigated attention-based interventions among them. Thus, this RCT compared the efficacy of ABM, ACT, and attention control geometric training (ACG), which adapts ACT in a nonemotional context, on PTSD symptoms and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity among Shidu parents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div><strong>:</strong> Participants were randomly assigned to the ABM (<em>n</em> = 21), ACT (<em>n</em> = 20), and ACG (<em>n</em> = 21) groups and completed eight biweekly sessions of ABM, ACT, and ACG, respectively. Symptoms, including PTSD clusters and anxiety as primary outcomes and PTSD total and depression as secondary outcomes, along with attentional bias were assessed at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and a four-month follow-up. DLPFC activity was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) at pre-treatment, mid-treatment and post-treatment.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><strong>:</strong> ACT demonstrated significant improvement in intrusion symptoms, with treatment effects sustained at the four-month follow-up. However, other PTSD symptom clusters, as well as anxiety and depression, did not show significant improvement across any of the groups. At the neurocognitive level, ACT showed reduced vigilance toward threat and decrease in bilateral DLPFC activation under the vigilance condition. In contrast, ACG exhibited only a nonsignificant trend toward reduced vigilance to threat, along with reduction in left DLPFC activity under the same condition. ABM showed no significant improvements in either behavioral or neural measures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div><strong>:</strong> This study provides preliminary evidence that ACT may be a promising intervention for reducing intrusion symptoms and threat vigilance in Shidu parents, potentially through modulating DLPFC activation. These findings highlight the importance of targeting specific PTSD symptom clusters and corresponding neural pathways in future trauma interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100655"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100654
Jeannette Brodbeck , Sofia Jacinto , Lina Stallmann , Neela Vetsch , Simon Marmet , Sharon A. Neufeld
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are robust predictors of negative mental health outcomes and psychosocial difficulties, yet the psychological mechanisms linking ACEs to later psychopathology remain only partially understood. Drawing on a three-wave longitudinal study of Swiss emerging adults (N = 1934), we conducted longitudinal mediation analyses to examine emotional processing (emotional reactivity, perseverative thinking) and social information processing (threat interpretation bias, rejection sensitivity) as pathways from ACEs to psychopathology. Factor analyses identified three distinct ACE domains: family maltreatment, peer victimization, and sexual abuse. By modelling these domains simultaneously, we accounted for their frequent co-occurrence and isolated their unique contributions. Family maltreatment and peer victimization independently were associated with heightened psychopathology and difficulties with emotional processing and social information processing at Wave 1. Furthermore, both adversity domains also predicted persistent elevations in these domains over time, even after controlling for baseline levels and sociodemographic variables. Longitudinal mediation analyses revealed that family maltreatment and peer victimization both predicted psychopathology via perseverative thinking, threat interpretation bias, and emotional reactivity. Sexual abuse, in contrast, showed weaker or delayed associations with psychopathology and operated primarily through threat interpretation bias. Rejection sensitivity, while associated at the bivariate level, did not mediate longitudinal effects. Findings support and extend McLaughlin’s Model of Mechanisms Linking Childhood Trauma to Psychopathology by identifying distinct mediational pathways from specific ACEs to psychopathology. These distinct pathways underscore the relevance of personalized and mechanism-based treatment planning based on the ACEs experienced.
{"title":"Perseverative thinking, threat interpretation bias, and emotional reactivity as mediators between adverse childhood experience domains and psychopathology: A longitudinal mediation study in a cohort of Swiss emerging adults","authors":"Jeannette Brodbeck , Sofia Jacinto , Lina Stallmann , Neela Vetsch , Simon Marmet , Sharon A. Neufeld","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are robust predictors of negative mental health outcomes and psychosocial difficulties, yet the psychological mechanisms linking ACEs to later psychopathology remain only partially understood. Drawing on a three-wave longitudinal study of Swiss emerging adults (<em>N</em> = 1934), we conducted longitudinal mediation analyses to examine emotional processing (emotional reactivity, perseverative thinking) and social information processing (threat interpretation bias, rejection sensitivity) as pathways from ACEs to psychopathology. Factor analyses identified three distinct ACE domains: family maltreatment, peer victimization, and sexual abuse. By modelling these domains simultaneously, we accounted for their frequent co-occurrence and isolated their unique contributions. Family maltreatment and peer victimization independently were associated with heightened psychopathology and difficulties with emotional processing and social information processing at Wave 1. Furthermore, both adversity domains also predicted persistent elevations in these domains over time, even after controlling for baseline levels and sociodemographic variables. Longitudinal mediation analyses revealed that family maltreatment and peer victimization both predicted psychopathology via perseverative thinking, threat interpretation bias, and emotional reactivity. Sexual abuse, in contrast, showed weaker or delayed associations with psychopathology and operated primarily through threat interpretation bias. Rejection sensitivity, while associated at the bivariate level, did not mediate longitudinal effects. Findings support and extend McLaughlin’s Model of Mechanisms Linking Childhood Trauma to Psychopathology by identifying distinct mediational pathways from specific ACEs to psychopathology. These distinct pathways underscore the relevance of personalized and mechanism-based treatment planning based on the ACEs experienced.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100654"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100653
Sarah R. Schmid , Julian E. Schiel , Bernd Feige , Florian Holub , Elisabeth Hertenstein , Katharina Domschke , Martin K. Rutter , Kai Spiegelhalder
Background
Sleep health is a significant risk factor for incident depression. Much less is known about the impact of sleep health on the course of depressive symptoms in those who have already developed the disorder. The present study used longitudinal data of individuals with a depression diagnosis from the UK Biobank to analyse sleep health as a potential predictor for the course of depressive symptoms. The hypothesis was that better sleep health would predict a milder course of depressed mood and loss of interest.
Methods
Self-reported insomnia symptoms, sleep duration, chronotype and daytime sleepiness were assessed as predictors at baseline. Depressive symptoms were self-reported and assessed at baseline and at follow-up, 8.76 ± 3.00 years after the baseline assessment. Linear regression models were calculated for each outcome variable.
Results
The study comprised 4817 participants. Frequent insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness predicted a worse course of depressed mood (insomnia: β = 0.31 ± 0.10, p = 0.002; daytime sleepiness: β = 0.45 ± 0.11, p < 0.001) and loss of interest (insomnia: β = 0.30 ± 0.11, p = 0.005; daytime sleepiness: β = 0.32 ± 0.11, p = 0.003). On the contrary, early chronotype (β = -0.27 ± 0.10, p = 0.008) predicted a milder course of loss of interest.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that sleep health variables have a significant impact on the course of depressive symptoms in a sample with clinically diagnosed depression. Future research may investigate the add-on effects of sleep health improvements in patients with depression receiving guideline-concordant treatment.
{"title":"Sleep health as a predictor of the course of depressed mood and loss of interest in individuals with depression","authors":"Sarah R. Schmid , Julian E. Schiel , Bernd Feige , Florian Holub , Elisabeth Hertenstein , Katharina Domschke , Martin K. Rutter , Kai Spiegelhalder","doi":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Sleep health is a significant risk factor for incident depression. Much less is known about the impact of sleep health on the course of depressive symptoms in those who have already developed the disorder. The present study used longitudinal data of individuals with a depression diagnosis from the UK Biobank to analyse sleep health as a potential predictor for the course of depressive symptoms. The hypothesis was that better sleep health would predict a milder course of depressed mood and loss of interest.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Self-reported insomnia symptoms, sleep duration, chronotype and daytime sleepiness were assessed as predictors at baseline. Depressive symptoms were self-reported and assessed at baseline and at follow-up, 8.76 ± 3.00 years after the baseline assessment. Linear regression models were calculated for each outcome variable.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study comprised 4817 participants. Frequent insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness predicted a worse course of depressed mood (insomnia: β = 0.31 ± 0.10, <em>p</em> = 0.002; daytime sleepiness: β = 0.45 ± 0.11, <em>p</em> < 0.001) and loss of interest (insomnia: β = 0.30 ± 0.11, <em>p</em> = 0.005; daytime sleepiness: β = 0.32 ± 0.11, <em>p</em> = 0.003). On the contrary, early chronotype (β = -0.27 ± 0.10, <em>p</em> = 0.008) predicted a milder course of loss of interest.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings suggest that sleep health variables have a significant impact on the course of depressive symptoms in a sample with clinically diagnosed depression. Future research may investigate the add-on effects of sleep health improvements in patients with depression receiving guideline-concordant treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47673,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology","volume":"25 4","pages":"Article 100653"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145614256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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