Journal of Health Psychology最新文献

Social connection is a key health determinant yet remains under-researched in long-term conditions marked by isolation such as hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). Individuals with hEDS are especially vulnerable due to the condition's complex and often misunderstood symptoms. This study presents the first high-powered quantitative investigation (n = 401) of perceived social support and companionship in hEDS. Using validated, theory-informed measures, we examined whether loneliness, support from family and friends, and dog guardianship predicted physical, mental, and social wellbeing outcomes. Loneliness was the most robust and consistent predictor, linked to poorer outcomes. Support from friends predicted some wellbeing indicators, whereas family support and dog guardianship had minimal predictive value. These findings have practical implications: interventions targeting loneliness and peer connection may be more effective than generalised or pet-based support. This research offers a novel contribution to understanding social determinants in chronic, stigmatised conditions, with relevance for intervention design and health policy.

Breast cancer leads to significant psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We determined the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of PTSD among women diagnosed with breast cancer. This cross-sectional study evaluated PTSD symptoms in 218 women with breast cancer who were recruited using convenience sampling from two oncology facilities. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and DSM-5 (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, PCL-5). The prevalence of PTSD was 38%, and the mean (PCL-5 score ⩾33) was 28.7 (±12.4), ranging from 6 to 76. Around half of the participants have mild symptom severity. The findings showed that higher PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with younger age, low education, refugee camp residence, advanced cancer stage, undergoing mastectomy, and receiving chemotherapy (p < 0.05). PTSD was widespread, and this finding has stressed the necessity for frequent PTSD screening and trauma-informed psychosocial assistance in Palestinian oncology treatment.

Patients with rheumatic diseases face uncertainty which is associated with decreased well-being. Current abbreviated uncertainty measures use non-statistically derived sample questions. Using a multiphase approach, we developed a brief measure of uncertainty in rheumatic disease (bURD). In Phase 1, 132 adults with rheumatic diseases completed quantitative measures of uncertainty in rheumatic disease (MUIS-S, investigator adapted), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-8), sickness impact (SIP), sleep quality (PSQI-Item 6), and sleep duration. An exploratory factor analysis was used to simplify the uncertainty measure for internal consistency and convergent validity. In Phase 2, 475 adults with vasculitis completed the brief measure for confirmatory factor analysis and a qualitative open-ended item assessing the primary source(s) of vasculitis-related uncertainty for reflexive thematic analysis. The brief measure had high internal consistency and good convergent validity with key outcomes for individuals living with SARDs. The brief measure is a psychometrically strong measure of rheumatic related uncertainty.

This mixed-methods study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) on the effects of engagement with a Dental Anxiety (DA) Online Support Group (OSG) in an adult population. The study aimed to recruit 38 adults with DA through social media within 3 months and assumed an attrition rate of 33%. Participants completed pre- and post-measures of DA and intention to attend routine dental care. They were randomised to a wait-list control or the OSG. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with OSG participants. Forty participants were recruited within 3 months and attrition was 7.5%. Most participants were positive about the OSG, although a small number did not find it valuable. The effect size for the measure of DA indicates a sample size of 72 for a fully powered RCT. An RCT is both feasible and appropriate to further understand the effect of OSGs on DA.

This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of mothers of children with cystic fibrosis. A qualitative phenomenological design was used. The study included 11 mothers selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews using a semi-structured interview form and analyzed with Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis using MAXQDA 2020. Four main themes and 15 sub-themes were identified: Living with Cystic Fibrosis, The Multidimensional Burden of Chronic Care, Psychosocial Adaptation and Coping Process, and Journey Through the Healthcare System. Cystic fibrosis creates a multifaceted burden-physical, psychological, financial, and social-affecting not only mothers but also other family members. While the diagnosis and treatment process is often challenging, some mothers experienced personal growth and developed coping strategies. Their experiences with the healthcare system varied, with both positive and negative encounters reported.

This study investigated the prevalence of anxiety and examined demographic, clinical, and psychological factors associated with anxiety in 80 persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwMS) compared to 80 matched healthy controls. Disease severity was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Participants completed validated questionnaires measuring anxiety, depression, alexithymia, psychological resilience, and stigma. Relative to controls, pwMS exhibited significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and alexithymia, with no significant differences in resilience. Hierarchical regression analyses identified depression and stigma as the strongest predictors of anxiety. Given the high correlation between depression and anxiety, a secondary analysis excluding depression revealed stigma and resilience as significant predictors. These results indicate that anxiety in pwMS is influenced by multiple psychological and social factors beyond depression. Based on these findings, the study suggests that interventions addressing both psychological and social dimensions may be important for managing anxiety in this population.

This study systematically assessed the effectiveness of theory-based psychological interventions on psychosocial outcomes and physical function in older adults with hip fractures. We searched six English and three Chinese databases, grey literature, and reference lists for records up to January 2025, identifying randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) reporting relevant outcomes (e.g. anxiety, depression, and hip joint function). Meta-analysis was performed when feasible; otherwise, narrative synthesis was used. Sixteen studies (n = 1558) were included, with 13 suitable for meta-analysis. The results indicated that psychological interventions were associated with improvements in psychosocial outcomes, although no statistically significant effect was observed on physical function. Subgroup analysis suggested that patients aged ≤ 70 years may experience greater improvement in anxiety, whereas those older than 70 showed a more pronounced trend in depression reduction. Mindfulness-based interventions also demonstrated potential for alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, due to methodological limitations and the risk of bias in the included studies, the current evidence requires further validation to strengthen its validity. Future research should prioritise high-quality RCTs with clearly defined intervention durations, adopt multimodal intervention approaches, and enhance the assessment of physical function and clinically relevant outcomes to accumulate more robust evidence.

Adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds face disproportionate risks to health and well-being, underscoring the need for targeted, evidence-based interventions. Systematic extraction of active ingredients in interventions can inform the design of more effective interventions. This study aims to (1) identify Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and Mechanisms of Actions (MoAs) used to change behaviour in the '11 for Health' programme, (2) interview programme receivers and deliverers exploring their experiences with BCTs and MoAs. Twenty-four BCTs were coded in the manual with 10 associated MoAs. Thematic analysis of interviews generated 16 codes for adolescents and 17 for teachers, each mapped onto BCTs. Adolescents highlighted, 'social support' and 'agree outcome goal', while teachers emphasised 'social support' and 'information about health consequences'. Further research is needed to substantiate whether potential refinements to the programme and inclusion of new BCTs, as identified in the interviews, could lead to enhanced effectiveness and long-term impact of the programme.Trial registration: This is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial, which has been registered at: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03647007.

Guided by self-determination theory, this study investigated the bidirectional relationship between insomnia and short video addiction as well as their associations with mental health symptoms among Chinese firefighters during the organizational restructuring period (2018-2023). Utilizing a cross-sectional design with data from 3657 firefighters, LV-SEM was conducted. The findings revealed that both insomnia and short video addiction were directly associated with mental health symptoms and were associated with mental health symptoms through a chain mediation involving perceived social support and flourishing. Network analysis also demonstrated significant positive associations between insomnia and short video addiction, as well as between perceived social support and flourishing, with insomnia showing a stronger association with mental health symptoms. These results provide important implications for developing mental health interventions for firefighters, suggesting that priority be given to regulating short video use, enhancing social support, promoting flourishing, and improving sleep quality to comprehensively improve firefighters' mental health.

Gender incongruence increasingly leads individuals to seek gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgeries. In Italy, however, general healthcare services often lack the specialization needed to address the specific needs. With a person-centered approach and a qualitative methodology, this study explores individual perspectives on promoting transgender and gender diverse people's well-being and highlights the relationship between gender incongruence, psychosocial health, and healthcare access. Seventeen participants aged 19-31 years old who experienced gender incongruence or gender dysphoria and sought medical or psychological support for hormone therapy attended a semi-structured interview processed through Thematic Analysis. Findings revealed significant barriers to adequate healthcare and social support, negatively impacting participants' well-being. Mediating factors such as peer awareness, family acceptance, and inclusive education emerged as protective. The study also discusses broader societal consequences of insufficient support and presents useful strategies to develop affirmative and inclusive practices aimed at improving access to care and psychosocial outcomes.