Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Leisure Time Physical Activity,Mental Well-Being and Subjective Health in Middle Adulthood

Previous studies have shown that participation in leisure time physical activity is related to better mental well-being and subjective health. However, the associations between different types of leisure time physical activities and different dimensions of mental well-being have rarely been studied. In addition, longitudinal research, analyzing possible causal relations between these variables, is lacking. To investigate these research questions, data gathered at ages 42 and 50 (present N = 303) for the Finnish Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development were used. Physical activity was assessed as frequency of participation at ages 42 and 50, and at age 50 also as frequency of participation in different types of physical activities. Mental well-being was captured by emotional, psychological and social well-being and subjective health by self-rated health and symptoms. Cross-sectionally, different types of physical activities were related to different dimensions of well-being. Walking had positive associations with psychological and social well-being, rambling in nature with emotional and social well-being, and endurance training with subjective health. Rambling in nature was also positively related to subjective health but only among men. Longitudinally, mental well-being predicted later participation in leisure-time physical activity, whereas no longitudinal associations between subjective health and physical activity were found. The results suggest that leisure time physical activities are related to current mental well-being and subjective health in midlife. Across time, good mental well-being seems to be a resource promoting engagement in physical activity.

     

Religiously or spiritually-motivated forgiveness and subsequent health and well-being among young adults: An outcome-wide analysis

ABSTRACT

This study performs an outcome-wide analysis to prospectively examine the associations of forgiveness (including forgiveness of others, self-forgiveness and divine forgiveness) with a range of psychosocial, mental, behavioral and physical health outcomes. Data from the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Growing Up Today Study (Ns ranged from 5,246 to 6,994, depending on forgiveness type and outcome) with 3 or 6 years of follow-up were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing. All models controlled for sociodemographic characteristics, prior religious service attendance, prior maternal attachment and prior values of the outcome variables. All forgiveness measures were positively associated with all psychosocial well-being outcomes, and inversely associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. There was little association between forgiveness and behavioral or physical health outcomes. Forgiveness may be understood as a good itself, and may also lead to better psychosocial well-being and mental health.     

Quality of Life and Mental Health Comparisons Among Liver Transplant Recipients and Cirrhotic Patients with Different Self-Perceptions of Health

Our aim was to analyze the differences in quality of life and mental health among liver transplant recipients with better (G₁) and worse (G₂) perceived health and decompensated cirrhotic patients (G₃). We selected two groups of patients: 168 liver transplant recipients and 75 cirrhotic patients. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and SF-36 Health Survey were used. Statistically significant differences showed that cirrhotic patients (G₃) suffered the highest impairment, and liver transplant recipients with better self-perceived health (G₁) had the lowest impairment, whereas patients with worse self-perceived health (G₂) were in an intermediate position between both groups. Moreover, very striking differences, based on large effect sizes, were found among groups on some quality of life dimensions: physical-role, general health, vitality, and physical functioning. In conclusion, the biopsychosocial well-being of liver transplant recipients is better than that of cirrhotic patients, even if the former do not perceive their health positively.     

A Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Promote Musculoskeletal Health: The Creation of the International Musculoskeletal Mental and Social Health Consortium (I-MESH)

Despite increasing recognition of psychosocial factors in musculoskeletal conditions, its impact on reducing the global toll of musculoskeletal symptoms has been only incremental. It is time to bring together clinicians and researchers with heterogeneous backgrounds, unified by a commitment to reduce the global impact of musculoskeletal illness by addressing mental and social health factors. In 2020, we initiated the International Musculoskeletal Mental and Social Health Consortium. Our current key priority areas are: (1) Develop best practices for uniform terminology, (2) Understand barriers to mental and social health care for musculoskeletal conditions, (3) Develop clinical and research resources. The purpose of this paper is to render a call to interdisciplinary collaboration on the psychological aspects of musculoskeletal health. We believe this international interdisciplinary collaboration is pivotal to the advancement of the biopsychosocial model of musculoskeletal care and has the potential to improve the health of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions globally.

     

Body image mediates an association between personality and mental health

Personality and body image have been identified as important correlates of mental and physical health. This study sought to explore whether body image mediates the association between the major dimensions of trait personality and self‐reported mental and physical health. In total, 451 Australian adults (121 men, 331 women; M_age = 21.88 ± 7.65 years) completed questionnaires at a single time‐point. After controlling for some demographic and anthropometric factors (e.g., body mass index), neuroticism was associated with all components of body image and mental and physical health. Extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness were associated with mental health and some components of body image. Multiple mediator models identified body image discrepancy and appearance evaluation as mediating the association between personality (neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness) and mental health. No significant mediation effects were observed for physical health, and mediation effects were not moderated by participant gender. These findings provide evidence that personality relates to self‐reported mental health, in part, through the variance shared with body image.     

Counseling and Mental Health Care for Transgender Adults and Loved Ones

SUMMARY

Increasingly, transgender individuals and loved ones (partners, family, and friends) are seeking assistance from mental health professionals working in the community rather than in university or hospital-based gender identity clinics. Drawing on published literature specific to transgender mental health, interviews with expert clinicians, the authors' clinical experience, and three key guiding principles (a transgender-affirmative approach, client-centered care, and a commitment to harm reduction), we suggest protocols for the clinician providing mental health services in the community setting. Practice areas discussed include assessment and treatment of gender concerns, trans-specific mental health issues, and trans-specific elements in general counseling of transgender individuals and their loved ones.     

Physical and mental health trajectories of cancer patients and caregivers across the year post-diagnosis: a dyadic investigation

Objective: Evidence suggests interdependence between cancer patients’ and their caregivers’ physical and mental health. However, the extent to which caregivers’ health relates to their patients’ recovery, or patients’ health affects their caregivers’ outcomes, is largely unknown. This dyadic investigation reports the relations between cancer patients’ and their caregivers’ physical and mental health trajectories during the year following diagnosis.

Design: Ninety-two colorectal cancer patient–caregiver dyads completed questionnaires at 2, 6 and 12 months post-diagnosis.

Outcome measures: Self-reported physical and mental health using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey-12.

Results: Patients reported improved physical health over the year following their diagnosis, whereas caregivers reported declining physical health. Patients with lower mental health at diagnosis had stagnated physical health recovery. Caregivers’ physical health declined most noticeably among those reporting low mental health at diagnosis and whose patients reported low physical health at diagnosis.

Conclusion: Findings suggest targeting health interventions to cancer patients and caregivers reporting poor mental health at diagnosis may mitigate their long-term physical morbidity. Limited evidence of dyadic interdependence between patients’ and caregivers’ physical and mental health trajectories suggests future studies are warranted to identify psychosocial and medical characteristics moderating the relations between patients’ and caregivers’ health.     

Dynandcs in cancer caregiver's health over time: Gender-specific patterns and determinants

Abstract

This study exandned patterns and determinants of three dimensions of caregiver's health of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients, i.e. physical, mental and social functioning (N= 148). Physical functioning declined within a 6-month period in female caregivers, while no change was observed in male caregivers. For mental and social functioning, an improvement was observed in male and female caregivers. Change in physical functioning was associated with gender, age, income and initial level. Change in mental functioning was predicted by initial status and positive as well as negative caregiver experiences. Change in social functioning was mainly predicted by initial level and change in patient's dependency. Physical and mental functioning showed the least favorable patterns in female caregivers. The study shows that caregiving may lead to positive health consequences, and underlines the importance of making a distinction between male and female caregivers and of studying caregiver outcomes by using multidimensional assessments.     

Gendered adversity and mental health of adolescents orphaned by AIDS in a rural South African community: An exploratory study

This study explored gender differences in adversity and mental health among South African adolescents orphaned by AIDS. Adolescents (N = 121; females = 45.5%; mean age 14.14 years, SD = 2.09) self-reported their childhood adversities and probable mental ill health on the Child Trauma and General Health Questionnaire. Results revealed that female participants orphaned by AIDS were significantly more likely to report childhood adversity at total score level as compared to male participants. However, both male and female participants reported comparable scores on subscales of childhood adversity (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and physical neglect). Moreover, female participants displayed higher composite mental ill health and all its subscales except for social dysfunction. Our findings suggest that gender-sensitive programmes and policies to address the effect of childhood adversity and mental ill health among adolescents orphaned by AIDS, are urgently needed.     

The Impact of Community Mental Health Programs for Australian Youth: A Systematic Review

Australia has undergone significant youth mental health reform over the past 10 years, leading to numerous studies examining the effects of community-based mental health care programs for Australian youth. However, no synthesis of this literature currently exists. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to: (1) describe the types of community-based mental health programs that have been delivered to Australian youth in the past 10 years; and (2) examine their impact in improving young people’s mental health symptomology and psychosocial functioning. A systematic search of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted. Studies were included if they evaluated the extent to which such programs improved mental health symptomology (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use) and/or psychosocial outcomes (e.g., social functioning, school engagement, employment) for Australian youth aged 10–25 years. Thirty-seven studies were included. Four types of community-based youth mental health care programs were identified: therapy (n?=?16), case management (n?=?9), integrated ‘one-stop-shop’ (n?=?6) and lifestyle (n?=?6) programs. The majority of therapeutic programs were effective in reducing mental health symptomology. Case management and integrated approaches consistently yielded significant improvements in both symptomology and psychosocial outcomes. Lifestyle programs were effective in alleviating depressive symptoms, but inconclusive for other outcomes. This review provides support for youth-friendly, systemic, multidisciplinary and integrated assertive outreach models of community mental health care to improve outcomes for young Australians experiencing mental health concerns. Several recommendations for future research are provided to strengthen the local evidence-base supporting community mental health programs to ultimately enhance young people’s life trajectory.

     

Trauma and Health Symptoms in a Community Sample: Examining the Influences of Gender and Daily Stress

Although there is a rich body of literature on trauma and health, limited research has investigated the variables of gender, trauma symptoms, physical health, mental health, and daily stress together in a community sample. Considering the deleterious effects of trauma on health, our overarching inquiry was whether trauma symptoms can predict overall mental and physical health with attention to gender and daily stress as potential moderators. Participants (n = 103; 50.5% women) completed self-report measures of trauma symptoms, mental health, physical health, and daily stress, along with demographic information. Trauma symptoms predicted 25.2% of the variance in general health symptoms. Gender significantly added to the variance accounted for, but daily stress was not significant in the model. Trauma symptoms predicted 37.1% of the variance in mental health symptoms. Daily stress significantly added to the model, but gender did not. Results are interpreted through the integration of family stress theory and feminist frameworks, adding to the literature by further illuminating the relationships between gender, daily stress, health symptoms, and trauma in a community sample.     

Mental Health Values of Psychotherapists: How Psychologists,Psychiatrists, Psychoanalysts,and Social Workers Conceptualize Good Mental Health

Previous research suggests that laypersons differ as a function of gender and ethnicity in their views about the meaning of “mental health.” The current study examined agreement among psychotherapists about the nature of healthy psychological functioning. National samples of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychoanalysts completed the Mental Health Values Questionnaire, a measure of value dimensions used in appraising emotional adjustment. Results indicated a relatively high degree of consensus among the four professional disciplines surveyed. Individual differences were associated with gender and with the geographic area in which the therapist was raised.     

Becoming an adult: A proposed typology of adult status based on a study of Spanish youths

Emerging adulthood is a transitional period which has been examined in relatively few studies in Southern European countries. This study has two aims: (1) to determine the features of emerging adulthood in Spain based on criteria for adulthood and experiential dimensions; and (2) to explore whether variations in these criteria are related to gender and adult status (self‐classification as an adult and adult role adoption). Participants included 347 young Spanish people, aged 18–30, who completed a questionnaire about their conceptions of adulthood. They used similar criteria for adulthood to other Western countries, placing an extremely strong emphasis on psychological maturity criteria in comparison with role transition indicators. Important variations were observed in both the importance and achievement of criteria for adulthood according to gender and adult status. The results likewise suggest there may be different psychosocial profiles associated with each adult status group. The relevance of this classification to future research in the field of emerging adulthood is discussed.     

The Reliability and Validity of a Brief Self-Report Questionnaire to Screen for Mental Health Problems: The Health Dynamics Inventory

Mental health problems are underrecognized in medical settings, leading to inadequate treatment. The present paper describes the development of the Health Dynamics Inventory (HDI), a brief, self-report questionnaire developed to evaluate mental health functioning. The HDI was written to evaluate the three aspects of mental disorders as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): (1) the experience of emotional or behavioral symptoms; (2) emotional distress; and (3) psychosocial impairment. This study evaluated the psychometric properties and construct validity of its items, scales, and subscales. Results indicated that the items distinguish patients from nonpatients, that the instrument's scales and subscales are reliable, and that the scales and subscales discriminates between persons with mental health concerns or diagnosable problems and those without such concerns or problems. The utility of the instrument for screening mental health problems in primary care settings is discussed.     

The Impact of Perceived Discrimination on Mental Health Among Chinese Migrant and Left-Behind Children: A Meta-analysis

In China, rural–urban migration is one of major influences on the mental health of migrant and left-behind children. Literature suggests that the perception of discrimination is an important factor that influences the mental health of these children. The present research explores (1) whether migrant children and left-behind children are different in the relationship between the perception of discrimination and mental health, and (2) whether the relationship between the perception of discrimination and mental health of these children is moderated by gender and age. Using a meta-analytic technique, the authors included 26 studies (generating 48 independent samples) with a total sample size of 28,883 participants. Results showed that the perception of discrimination of migrant children was negatively correlated with positive indicators of mental health, and it has a stronger effect than left-behind children; the perception of discrimination of migrant children was positively correlated with negative indicators of mental health, and it has a weaker effect than left-behind children. Additionally, gender moderated the relationship between the perception of discrimination and the positive indicators of mental health among left-behind children, while age moderated such relationship among migrant children.

     

Religion and Health: Anxiety,Religiosity, Meaning of Life and Mental Health

We examined the association among anxiety, religiosity, meaning of life and mental health in a nonclinical sample from a Chinese society. Four hundred fifty-one Taiwanese adults (150 males and 300 females) ranging in age from 17 to 73 years (M = 28.9, SD = 11.53) completed measures of Beck Anxiety Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study Health Survey, Perceived Stress Scale, Social Support Scale, and Personal Religiosity Scale (measuring religiosity and meaning of life). Meaning of life has a significant negative correlation with anxiety and a significant positive correlation with mental health and religiosity; however, religiosity does not correlate significantly anxiety and mental health after controlling for demographic measures, social support and physical health. Anxiety explains unique variance in mental health above meaning of life. Meaning of life was found to partially mediate the relationship between anxiety and mental health. These findings suggest that benefits of meaning of life for mental health can be at least partially accounted for by the effects of underlying anxiety.     

Health and well-being at work: The hospital context

IntroductionStudies have shown the importance of psychosocial risks for physical and mental health particularly in the medical sector and among hospital workers.ObjectiveThe main goal of our study is to measure the magnitude of the six dimensions of the psychosocial work environment in a French hospital. The second goal is to highlight from the six dimensions, which are the most important ones for the hospital workers in order to propose specific actions of improvement of the well-being at work and prevention of social risks.MethodOur sample is composed of 1139 hospital workers. (1) A 24-item scale was created, based on the six dimensions identified by the DARES study. This scale allows measuring the degree of psychosocial risk and of well-being at work. (2) Social representations are measured by a free association task based on the target expression: well-being at work in the hospital. (3) Participants also answered an open-ended question, on how to improve well-being at work in the hospital; answers were analyzed by a hierarchical classification.ResultsFour of the six dimensions extracted from the factorial analysis are equal to those identified by the DARES’ report: Work demand, Emotional demands, Relationships at work and Job insecurity. Quantitative analyses show that, for hospital workers, the level of risk is the highest on the first two. The social representation of well-being at work in the hospital, and the discourse analysis indicate that the dimension which is the most important for the hospital workers is Relationships at work.ConclusionIn this study, the use of both quantitative and qualitative assessments allows having some elements to analyze the quality of working conditions in the hospital. Moreover, reducing the level of psychosocial risk has a positive effect on workers’ satisfaction, well-being and health.     

Relationship between church attendance and mental health among Mormons and non-Mormons in Utah

A prevention model was applied to assess the protective effect of religion and church attendance against mental illness among respondents to the 1996 Utah Health Status Survey. Compared to Mormons that attend church weekly (active), less active Mormons, less active non-Mormons, and those with no religious preference, because of emotional problems, are at increased risk of accomplishing less than desired (model 1); having trouble doing work or other activities as carefully as desired (model 2); and seeking professional help (model 3). After adjusting for alcohol and tobacco use, education, income, physical activity, general health status, employment, body mass index, gender and age, only less active Mormons and those with no religious preference remained at significantly increased risk in model 3. Self-reported health status was the strongest predictor of mental health in each model. Active Mormons reported having the best health status and, consequently, the lowest levels of mental illness.     

Can functional emotion regulation protect children's mental health from war trauma? A Palestinian study

Effective emotion regulation (ER) is expected to protect mental health in traumatic stress. We first analysed the protective (moderator) function of different ER strategies and the associations between ER and mental health. Second, we tested gender differences in the protective function of ER and the associations between ER strategies and mental health. Participants were 482 Palestinian children (girls 49.4%; 10–13 years, M = 11.29, SD = .68) whose ER was assessed by the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and mental health by post‐traumatic stress (Children's Impact Event Scale), depressive, and psychological distress (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) symptoms, and by psychosocial well‐being (Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form). War trauma involved 42 events. Results showed, first, that none of the ER strategies could protect a child's mental health from negative impact of war trauma, but self‐focused ER was associated with low depressive symptoms, and other‐facilitated ER with high psychological well‐being. However, controlling of emotions formed a comprehensive risk for children's mental health. Second, gender differences were found in the protective role of ER, as self‐focused and distractive ER formed a vulnerability among boys. The results are discussed in the context of emotional and regulative demands of war and life‐threat.     

Ethical,Legal, and Psychosocial Issues in Care of Transgender Adolescents

SUMMARY

Complete care for transgender adolescents must be considered in the context of a holistic approach that includes comprehensive primary care as well as cultural, economic, psychosocial, sexual, and spiritual influences on health. Not all transgender adolescents have gender dysphoria or wish to undergo sex reassignment. In this article we focus on general care of transgender adolescents by the non-specialist working in primary care, family services, schools, child welfare, mental health, and other community settings.