1.Effect of job insecurity on anxiety among university young teachers: Chain mediating roles of perceived stress and insomnia.
Xinyu CHEN ; Qing LU ; Fang ZHOU ; Muli HU ; Na YAO ; Yi ZHANG ; Fei QIU
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2025;50(4):706-713
OBJECTIVES:
Anxiety is a common negative emotion. Under current social circumstances, university young teachers face multiple stressors and are more prone to anxiety, seriously threatening their physical and mental health. This study aims to investigate the impact of job insecurity on anxiety of university young teachers, while exploring the mediating roles of perceived stress and insomnia on this relationship.
METHODS:
Using convenience sampling, young teachers from a general university in a Chinese province were surveyed online. Scores of the Job Insecurity Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Athens Insomnia Scale-Short Form, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale were collected. A chain mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro.
RESULTS:
A total of 798 subjects were finally included. The detection rate of anxiety among university young teachers was 36.47%. Mediation analysis showed that job insecurity not only had a direct effect on anxiety, but also indirectly affected anxiety via perceived stress (46.42% of the total effect) and insomnia (7.45%), as well as through the chain-mediating path of perceived stress→ insomnia (13.18%; all P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Job insecurity is a significant predictor of anxiety in young university faculty. Perceived stress and insomnia serve as sequential mediators in this relationship. Targeted interventions addressing job insecurity, stress perception, and sleep disturbances, alongside efforts to improve mental health literacy and the working environment, may help promote the overall well-being of university young teachers.
Humans
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology*
;
Universities
;
Female
;
Anxiety/psychology*
;
Male
;
Stress, Psychological/psychology*
;
Adult
;
Faculty/psychology*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Occupational Stress
;
Job Security
2.Psychosocial crisis intervention for coronavirus disease 2019 patients and healthcare workers.
Li ZHANG ; Lingjiang LI ; Wanhong ZHENG ; Yan ZHANG ; Xueping GAO ; Liwen TAN ; Xiaoping WANG ; Qiongni CHEN ; Junmei XU ; Juanjuan TANG ; Xingwei LUO ; Xudong CHEN ; Xiaocui ZHANG ; Li HE ; Jin LIU ; Peng CHENG ; Lizhi XU ; Yi TIAN ; Chuan WEN ; Weihui LI
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2023;48(1):92-105
OBJECTIVES:
Shelter hospital was an alternative way to provide large-scale medical isolation and treatment for people with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Due to various reasons, patients admitted to the large shelter hospital was reported high level of psychological distress, so did the healthcare workers. This study aims to introduce a comprehensive and multifaceted psychosocial crisis intervention model.
METHODS:
The psychosocial crisis intervention model was provided to 200 patients and 240 healthcare workers in Wuhan Wuchang shelter hospital. Patient volunteers and organized peer support, client-centered culturally sensitive supportive care, timely delivery of scientific information about COVID-19 and its complications, mental health knowledge acquisition of non-psychiatric healthcare workers, group activities, counseling and education, virtualization of psychological intervention, consultation and liaison were exhibited respectively in the model. Pre-service survey was done in 38 patients and 49 healthcare workers using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item (PHQ-2) scale, and the Primary Care PTSD screen for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (PC-PTSD-5). Forty-eight healthcare workers gave feedback after the intervention.
RESULTS:
The psychosocial crisis intervention model was successfully implemented by 10 mental health professionals and was well-accepted by both patients and healthcare workers in the shelter hospital. In pre-service survey, 15.8% of 38 patients were with anxiety, 55.3% were with stress, and 15.8% were with depression; 16.3% of 49 healthcare workers were with anxiety, 26.5% were with stress, and 22.4% were with depression. In post-service survey, 62.5% of 48 healthcare workers thought it was very practical, 37.5% thought more practical; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to relief anxiety and insomnia, and 27.1% thought much helpful; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to recognize patients with anxiety and insomnia, and 29.2% thought much helpful; 35.4% of them thought it was very helpful to deal with patients' anxiety and insomnia, and 37.5% thought much helpful.
CONCLUSIONS
Psychological crisis intervention is feasible, acceptable, and associated with positive outcomes. Future tastings of this model in larger population and different settings are warranted.
Humans
;
COVID-19
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
;
Crisis Intervention
;
Psychosocial Intervention
;
SARS-CoV-2
;
Mental Health
;
Depression/epidemiology*
;
Health Personnel/psychology*
;
Anxiety/etiology*
3.Prevalence and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and psychological distress among female scientists and technicians.
Lijun ZHANG ; Yanping BAO ; Guo LI ; Shuhui TAO ; Meiyan LIU
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2022;23(12):1057-1064
This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and psychological distress among female scientists and technicians in China. Accordingly, we included scientists and technicians from representative research institutions, medical institutions, colleges, universities, and businesses in China, and the data were collected from July 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021 via online questionnaires. The parameters evaluated in this study included age, sex, marital status, educational background, monthly income, sleep hours, sleep problems, smoking, alcohol consumption, work-related stress, work burnout, cardiovascular symptoms, CVD, family history, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. A total of 14 530 scientists and technicians were included, comprising 7144 men and 7386 women. We found 34.9% men and 16.6% women with CVD, 35.1% men and 21.4% women with depressive symptoms, 28.7% men and 13.8% women with anxiety symptoms, and 22.0% men and 9.5% women with CVD combined with depressive or anxiety symptoms. This study focused on the details of women. Younger women (age≤35 years) had the highest prevalence of depressive symptoms (24.9%), anxiety symptoms (16.2%), and comorbidity (11.2%). It was established that, despite traditional risk factors, unmanageable work burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were associated with a higher risk of CVD in women; insomnia, overwhelming work stress, unmanageable work burnout, and CVD were linked to a higher risk of depressive symptoms and anxiety; insomnia, overwhelming work stress, and unmanageable work burnout were related to CVD combined with depressive or anxiety symptoms. A bidirectional relationship was noted between CVD and depression or anxiety in female scientists and technicians, and insomnia and overwhelming work stress were positively associated with comorbidity. It is suggested that effective measures should be taken to protect female scientists and technicians from CVD and psychological distress.
Male
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Adult
;
Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology*
;
Prevalence
;
Depression/complications*
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology*
;
Anxiety/epidemiology*
;
Risk Factors
;
Psychological Distress
;
Stress, Psychological/psychology*
4.Prefrontal cortical circuits in anxiety and fear: an overview.
Yihua CHEN ; Nengyuan HU ; Jianming YANG ; Tianming GAO
Frontiers of Medicine 2022;16(4):518-539
Pathological anxiety is among the most difficult neuropsychiatric diseases to treat pharmacologically, and it represents a major societal problem. Studies have implicated structural changes within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and functional changes in the communication of the PFC with distal brain structures in anxiety disorders. Treatments that affect the activity of the PFC, including cognitive therapies and transcranial magnetic stimulation, reverse anxiety- and fear-associated circuit abnormalities through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. While the subjective experience of a rodent cannot be precisely determined, rodent models hold great promise in dissecting well-conserved circuits. Newly developed genetic and viral tools and optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques have revealed the intricacies of neural circuits underlying anxiety and fear by allowing direct examination of hypotheses drawn from existing psychological concepts. This review focuses on studies that have used these circuit-based approaches to gain a more detailed, more comprehensive, and more integrated view on how the PFC governs anxiety and fear and orchestrates adaptive defensive behaviors to hopefully provide a roadmap for the future development of therapies for pathological anxiety.
Anxiety
;
Anxiety Disorders/therapy*
;
Fear/psychology*
;
Humans
;
Neural Pathways
;
Prefrontal Cortex
5.Mental health status of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Changsha.
Xuemei QIN ; Kongliang SHU ; Mi WANG ; Wentao CHEN ; Mei HUANG ; Aiping YANG ; Yun ZHOU ; Yan ZHANG ; Yumeng JU ; Jiyang LIU
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2020;45(6):657-664
OBJECTIVES:
The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought psychological stress to the public, especially to patients. This study aims to investigate the mental health of patients with COVID-19 in Changsha.
METHODS:
We took cross-section investigation for the mental health of 112 patients with COVID-19 via questionnaires. Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were performed to compare general and clinical data between the slight-ordinary patients and severe patients. Single sample -tests were used to compare the difference between the factor scores of the Symptom Check-List 90 (SCL-90) in COVID-19 patients with the norm of 2015 and factor scores of SCL-90 in patients with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
RESULTS:
The obsessive-compulsive, depression, sleep and eating disorders had the highest frequency among the positive symptoms of SCL-90 in patients with COVID-19 in Changsha. The factor scores of somatization, depression, anxiety, phobia anxiety, sleep and eating disorders in patients with COVID-19 were higher than those of the norm (≤0.001 or <0.05). Slight-ordinary patients with COVID-19 in Changsha showed lower factor scores of somatization, depression, anxiety, and hostility compared with the patients with SARS (<0.001 or <0.05). There was no difference in factor scores of SCL-90 between the patients with severe COVID-19 and those with SARS(>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, phobia anxiety, sleep and eating disorders in patients with COVID-19 in Changsha are higher than those of the norm. However, the mental health of slight-ordinary patients with COVID-19 is better than that of patients with SARS. It needs to provide targeting psychological interventions depending on the severity of patients.
Anxiety
;
Betacoronavirus
;
China
;
Coronavirus Infections
;
psychology
;
Depression
;
Feeding and Eating Disorders
;
Health Status
;
Humans
;
Mental Health
;
Pandemics
;
Pneumonia, Viral
;
psychology
;
Sleep Wake Disorders
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
6.Assessing for Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Parents of Clinically-Referred Children: Laying the Foundation for a Family-Based Approach to Mental Health in Singapore.
Sharon C SUNG ; Han Ying TNG ; Zi Jun WONG ; Yan Lin TAN ; Yi Ren TAN ; Siew Foong CHOONG ; Chee Hon CHIN ; Leong Yeok JANG ; Clare Hm KWAN ; Say How ONG ; James J HUDZIAK ; Michael J MEANEY ; Daniel Ss FUNG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2019;48(2):55-62
INTRODUCTION:
Family history of psychopathology is a risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders in children, but little is known about rates of parental psychopathology among treatment-seeking youth with affective disorders in the Asia Pacific region. This study examined patterns of emotional and behavioural problems in parents of clinically-referred youth in Singapore. We hypothesised that parents would have higher rates of affective disorders compared to the Singapore national prevalence rate of 12%.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
In this cross-sectional study, 47 families were recruited from affective disorders and community-based psychiatry programmes run by a tertiary child psychiatry clinic. All children had a confirmed primary clinical diagnosis of depression or an anxiety disorder. Parents completed the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to assess for lifetime mood and anxiety disorders. They also completed the Adult Self Report (ASR) and Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL) to assess current internalising and externalising symptoms.
RESULTS:
Consistent with our hypothesis, 38.5% of mothers and 10.5% of fathers reported a lifetime mood and anxiety disorder. Nearly 1/3 of mothers had clinical/subclinical scores on current internalising and externalising problems. A similar pattern was found for internalising problems among fathers, with a slightly lower rate of clinical/subclinical externalising problems.
CONCLUSION
Our findings are consistent with previous overseas studies showing elevated rates of affective disorders among parents - particularly mothers - of children seeking outpatient psychiatric care. Routine screening in this population may help to close the current treatment gap for adults with mood and anxiety disorders.
Adult
;
Anxiety Disorders
;
diagnosis
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Child
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Family Health
;
statistics & numerical data
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Mood Disorders
;
diagnosis
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Parent-Child Relations
;
Parenting
;
psychology
;
Parents
;
psychology
;
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
;
Psychopathology
;
Singapore
;
epidemiology
7.Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Increased Autonomic Activation and Improved Symptoms of Depression and Insomnia among Patients with Major Depression Disorder
I Mei LIN ; Sheng Yu FAN ; Cheng Fang YEN ; Yi Chun YEH ; Tze Chun TANG ; Mei Feng HUANG ; Tai Ling LIU ; Peng Wei WANG ; Huang Chi LIN ; Hsin Yi TSAI ; Yu Che TSAI
Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 2019;17(2):222-232
OBJECTIVE: Autonomic imbalance is considered a psychopathological mechanism underlying major depressive disorder (MDD). Heart rate variability (HRV) is an index for autonomic activation. Poor sleep quality is common among patients with MDD. HRV biofeedback (BF) has been used for regulating autonomic balance among patients with physical illness and mental disorders. The purpose of present study was to examine the effects of HRV-BF on depressive symptoms, sleep quality, pre-sleep arousal, and HRV indices, in patients with MDD and insomnia. METHODS: In this case-controlled study, patients with MDD and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score higher than 6 were recruited. The HRV-BF group received weekly 60-minute protocol for 6 weeks, and the control group who have matched the age and sex received medical care only. All participants were assessed on Beck Depression Inventory-II, Back Anxiety Inventory, PSQI, and Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale. Breathing rates and electrocardiography were also performed under resting state at pre-testing, and post-testing conditions and for the HRV-BF group, also at 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: In the HRV-BF group, symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep quality, and pre-sleep arousal were significantly improved, and increased HRV indices, compared with the control group. Moreover, in the HRV-BF group, significantly improved symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased breathing rates, and increased HRV indices were detected at post-testing and at 1-month follow-up, compared with pre-testing values. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that HRV-BF is a useful psychosocial intervention for improving autonomic balance, baroreflex, and symptoms of depression and insomnia in MDD patients.
Anxiety
;
Arousal
;
Baroreflex
;
Biofeedback, Psychology
;
Case-Control Studies
;
Depression
;
Depressive Disorder, Major
;
Electrocardiography
;
Follow-Up Studies
;
Heart Rate
;
Heart
;
Humans
;
Mental Disorders
;
Respiration
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
8.A Structural Model for Chemotherapy Related Cognitive Impairment and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2019;49(4):375-385
PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop and test a structural model for chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment of breast cancer patients based on a literature review and Hess and Insel's chemotherapy-related cognitive change model. METHODS: The Participants consisted of 250 patients who were ≥19 years of age. The assessment tools included the Menopause Rating Scale, Symptom Experience Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Everyday Cognition, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 programs. RESULTS: The modified model was a good fit for the data. The model fit indices were χ2=423.18 (p<.001), χ2/df=3.38, CFI=.91, NFI=.91, TLI=.89, SRMR=.05, RMSEA=.09, and AIC=515.18. Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment was directly influenced by menopausal symptoms (β=.38, p=.002), depression and anxiety (β=.25, p=.002), and symptom experiences (β=.19, p=.012). These predictors explained 47.7% of the variance in chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment. Depression and anxiety mediated the relations among menopausal symptoms, symptom experiences, and with chemotherapy related cognitive impairment. Depression and anxiety (β=−.51, p=.001), symptom experiences (β=−.27, p=.001), menopausal symptoms (β=−.22, p=.008), and chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (β=−.15, p=.024) had direct effects on the quality of life and these variables explained 91.3%. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that chemotherapy-related toxicity is highly associated with cognitive decline and quality of life in women with breast cancer. Depression and anxiety increased vulnerability to cognitive impairment after chemotherapy. Nursing intervention is needed to relieve chemotherapy-related toxicity and psychological factor as well as cognitive decline for quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Anxiety
;
Breast Neoplasms
;
Breast
;
Cognition
;
Cognition Disorders
;
Depression
;
Drug Therapy
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Menopause
;
Models, Structural
;
Nursing
;
Psychology
;
Quality of Life
9.Quality of Life across Mental Disorders in Psychiatric Outpatients.
Vathsala SAGAYADEVAN ; Siau Pheng LEE ; Clarissa ONG ; Edimansyah ABDIN ; Siow Ann CHONG ; Mythily SUBRAMANIAM
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2018;47(7):243-252
INTRODUCTIONLiterature has shown that individuals with various psychiatric disorders experience a lower quality of life (QoL). However, few have examined QoL across disorders. The current study explored differences in QoL and symptom severity across 4 psychiatric diagnostic groups: anxiety disorders (including obsessive compulsive disorder [OCD]), depressive disorders, schizophrenia, and pathological gambling.
MATERIALS AND METHODSData analysed was from a previous study that examined the prevalence of hoarding symptoms among outpatients (n = 500) in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore. Measures utilised included the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction QuestionnaireShort Form (Q-LES-Q-SF). Sociodemographic information and details on type and number of comorbidities were also collected.
RESULTSThe depressive disorder group had the highest level of depressive and anxiety symptoms and the lowest QoL whereas; the schizophrenia group had the lowest level of depressive symptoms and the highest QoL. Age and employment status were the only sociodemographic correlates which were significantly associated with QoL. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, only the type of mental disorder was found to have a significant effect in explaining BAI, BDI-II and Q-LES-Q-SF.
CONCLUSIONFindings offer insight in terms of the burden associated with the various disorders.
Adult ; Anxiety Disorders ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Comorbidity ; Cost of Illness ; Demography ; Depressive Disorder ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Female ; Gambling ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Quality of Life ; Schizophrenia ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors
10.Psychological Profile of Patients with Psoriasis.
Derek Sy LIM ; Anthony BEWLEY ; Hazel H OON
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2018;47(12):516-522
INTRODUCTION:
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a global prevalence of approximately 2% and significant psychiatric comorbidity. There is a great deal of existing literature assessing different aspects of psychology in psoriasis. We aimed to conduct an in-depth review of current evidence linking psoriasis to personality traits and psychiatric comorbidities, as well as factors that put these patients at risk of psychopathology.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A search of the PubMed database identified 1632 articles. We included articles studying psychological comorbidity in patients with psoriasis, looking especially at personality characteristics, and data linking psoriasis with increased risks of psychological distress, depression, anxiety and suicidality. In particular, we also evaluated subgroups in psoriasis found to be at risk.
RESULTS:
Patients with psoriasis are more likely to be alexithymic, lack body awareness and possess a Type D personality. Alcohol, but not illicit drug use, disorders are also more common in patients with psoriasis. Patient groups who are especially at risk of psychological distress include women, younger patients, patients with a younger age of disease onset, those who self-assess their psoriasis to be severe, and those with lesions on visible or sensitive areas. Adopting motivational interviewing skills and incorporating the use of learning materials during consultations have been found to be useful.
CONCLUSION
The knowledge of personality characteristics, "at-risk" groups, and early recognition of psychological distress among patients with psoriasis can help clinicians provide better holistic care and encourage a change in patients' behaviour.
Affective Symptoms
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Age Factors
;
Age of Onset
;
Alcoholism
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Anxiety
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Comorbidity
;
Depression
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Humans
;
Mental Disorders
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Motivational Interviewing
;
Personality
;
Psoriasis
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Sex Factors
;
Stress, Psychological
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Substance-Related Disorders
;
epidemiology
;
psychology
;
Suicidal Ideation
;
Type D Personality

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