The science of resilience: implications for the prevention and treatment of depression

Transcriptome signatures of the medial prefrontal cortex underlying GABAergic control of resilience to chronic stress exposure

Analyses of postmortem human brains and preclinical studies of rodents have identified somatostatin (SST)-positive, dendrite-targeting GABAergic interneurons as key elements that regulate the vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders. Conversely, genetically induced disinhibition of SST neurons (induced by Cre-mediated deletion of the γ2 GABAA receptor subunit gene selectively from SST neurons, SSTCre:γ2f/f mice) results in stress resilience. Similarly, chronic chemogenetic activation of SST neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) results in stress resilience but only in male and not in female mice. Here, we used RNA sequencing of the mPFC of SSTCre:γ2f/f mice to characterize the transcriptome changes underlying GABAergic control of stress resilience. We found that stress resilience of male but not female SSTCre:γ2f/f mice is characterized by resilience to chronic stress-induced transcriptome changes in the mPFC. Interestingly, the transcriptome of non-stressed SSTCre:γ2f/f (stress-resilient) male mice resembled that of chronic stress-exposed SSTCre (stress-vulnerable) mice. However, the behavior and the serum corticosterone levels of non-stressed SSTCre:γ2f/f mice showed no signs of physiological stress. Most strikingly, chronic stress exposure of SSTCre:γ2f/f mice was associated with an almost complete reversal of their chronic stress-like transcriptome signature, along with pathway changes suggesting stress-induced enhancement of mRNA translation. Behaviorally, the SSTCre:γ2f/f mice were not only resilient to chronic stress-induced anhedonia - they also showed an inversed, anxiolytic-like behavioral response to chronic stress exposure that mirrored the chronic stress-induced reversal of the chronic stress-like transcriptome signature. We conclude that GABAergic dendritic inhibition by SST neurons exerts bidirectional control over behavioral vulnerability and resilience to chronic stress exposure that is mirrored in bidirectional changes in the expression of putative stress resilience genes, through a sex-specific brain substrate.

Advances in discerning the mechanisms underlying depression and resiliency: relation to the neurobiology of stress and the effects of antidepressants

Depression denotes a dysregulated stress response with significant mental and health implications. This review examines the neurobiological mechanisms underlying depression and resilience, focusing on how stress mediators influence vulnerability to severe stressors contrasted with resilience. We analyze structural and functional alterations in key brain regions, genetic factors, and potential therapeutic interventions. Understanding these mechanisms offers insights into preventing depression onset instead of solely treating its manifestations.

Effects of different types of badminton training on sleep quality, anxiety, and related baseline physiological markers in graduate students with sleep disorders: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of sleep disorders and anxiety is on the rise among high-stress groups like graduate students. Physical activity interventions have revealed effectiveness in improving mental health, yet the effect of specialized badminton training on sleep-disordered populations remains under-researched. Besides, the effects of various forms of badminton training on sleep quality and anxiety in graduate students vary.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to evaluate the effect of basic skill, advanced skill, and physical conditioning-focused badminton training on sleep quality, anxiety levels, and baseline physiological markers in graduate students with sleep disorders.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted (Clinical Registry Number: TCTR20250119001, 16 January 2025), involving 160 graduate students randomly assigned to one of four groups: Badminton Basic Skills Training Group (BBSTG), Badminton Advanced Skills Training Group (BASTG), Badminton Specialized Physical Training Group (BSPTG), and a Control Group (CG), with 40 participants per group. The experimental groups trained three times weekly for one hour per session over 12 weeks, while the CG received only standard lifestyle guidance. Repeated measurements of sleep quality and anxiety levels were assessed at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), with resting heart rate and blood pressure also recorded at each time point.

RESULTS

(i) Baseline Measurements: Prior to the intervention, no statistically significant differences were uncovered among groups in terms of sleep quality, anxiety levels, basic physiological data (resting heart rate, blood pressure), or general characteristics (age, height, weight, BMI) (p > 0.05). Attrition rates of 8%- 11% were observed across groups, causing final group sizes of 36, 37, 35, and 36 for BBSTG, BASTG, BSPTG, and CG, respectively. This attrition had minimal impact on statistical analysis. (ii) PSQI Scores: Sleep quality enhanced significantly across all experimental groups over the 12-week period, with the BSPTG group showing the greatest improvement. At week 12, the BSPTG's PSQI score was 5.8 ± 0.8, significantly better than that of the CG (p < 0.001, 95% CI [- 2.7, - 1.4]). The BSPTG consistently outperformed the control group at all time points, with an F-value of 10.32 at week 12 (p < 0.001), stressing the positive effect of badminton training on sleep quality. (iii) SAS Scores: At week 12, the BSPTG's SAS score was 36.3 ± 4.0, significantly lower than that of the CG (p < 0.001, 95% CI [- 6.1, - 3.2]). Anxiety levels reduced significantly across all experimental groups, with the BSPTG demonstrating the most notable reduction, further illustrating the significant effect of physical conditioning training on anxiety relief. (iv) Resting Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Resting heart rate reduced significantly over the 12-week period, with the BSPTG achieving a final rate of 66.1 ± 4.8, significantly better than that of the CG (p < 0.001, 95% CI [- 6.9, - 3.2]). While blood pressure displayed some reduction post-intervention, differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05), revealing limited short-term effect of badminton training on blood pressure. (v) Effect Sizes (Cohen's d): In PSQI scores, BSPTG showed a large effect (d = 0.8), BASTG a medium effect (d = 0.5), and BBSTG a small effect (d = 0.3). For SAS scores, BSPTG demonstrated a medium-to-large effect (d = 0.7), BASTG a medium effect (d = 0.5), and BBSTG a small effect (d = 0.3). In resting heart rate, BSPTG showed the most significant improvement (d = 0.6), with BASTG showing a small-to-medium effect (d = 0.4) and BBSTG showing minimal improvement. Effect sizes for blood pressure were not significant.

CONCLUSION

Specialized badminton training, in detail, physical conditioning training, can significantly improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety levels in graduate students with sleep disorders and decrease resting heart rate. As a non-pharmacological intervention, specialized badminton training has underlying applications for enhancing mental health and cardiovascular health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Randomized Controlled Trials, TCTR20250119001, 16 January 2025.

Auditory cortical neurons are recruited to encode fear signals and anxiety by neuroligin-3-mediated synapse formation

The social stress often induces fear memory and stress-relevant phobias. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of fear memory and anxiety remain to be addressed for the exploration of therapeutic strategies for these deficits. In social defeat mice induced by the resident/intruder paradigm, we have examined how auditory cortical neurons are recruited to encode stress signals that cause fear memory and anxiety by approaches of behavioral tasks, neural tracing, electrophysiology and molecular biology. The social stress in intruder C57 mice by the attack of resident CD1 mouse causes their fear memory and anxiety-like behaviors. In addition to the interconnections between auditory and somatosensory cortices in the mice of fear memory and anxiety, auditory cortical neurons receive new synapses from the somatosensory cortex and the synapses from the medial geniculate body. These auditory cortical neurons are able to encode the stress signals including the pain stimulus to injury areas and the battle sound in a resident/intruder paradigm. Neuroligin-3 mRNA knockdown in the auditory cortex prevents the recruitment of associative memory neurons that encode fear memory and anxiety-like behaviors. Therefore, neuroligin3-mediated synapse formation is essential for the stress-induced recruitment of associative memory neurons in auditory cortices that encode stress signals, fear memory and anxiety.

The prospective association of adolescent loneliness and low resilience with anxiety and depression in young adulthood: The HUNT study

BACKGROUND

Loneliness is a recognized risk factor for anxiety and depression, yet research on its interaction with low resilience remains sparse, particularly across the adolescent-to-adult transition. This study investigates how adolescent loneliness, both independently and in interaction with low resilience, influences anxiety and depression in young adulthood.

METHODS

This study utilized longitudinal data from The Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) to track adolescents (13-19 years) from Young-HUNT3 (2006-08) through to HUNT4 (2017-19). Loneliness was assessed via a single-item measure, while resilience was estimated using the Resilience Scale for Adolescents. Anxiety and depression outcomes at the 11-year follow-up were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to analyze the associations. Moreover, interaction effects were evaluated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).

RESULTS

Loneliness during adolescence independently predicted anxiety and depression in young adulthood. Adolescents experiencing both loneliness and low resilience showed notably higher risks compared to other groups (highly resilient adolescents without loneliness [reference], highly resilient adolescents with loneliness, and adolescents with low resilience and low loneliness). The combined effect of loneliness and low resilience exhibited a synergistic interaction on the additive scale, although it was not statistically significant (RERI 0.13, 95% CI -2.39-2.65).

CONCLUSION

Adolescent loneliness and low resilience independently predict anxiety and depression in young adulthood. The interaction between loneliness and low resilience further heightens these risks. This underscores the importance of early interventions that focus on resilience-building during adolescence and reducing the impacts of loneliness on mental health.

Divergent psychological stress response patterns to the COVID-19 pandemic in psychiatric patients with vs. without PTSD: A real-world exploratory study

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to increase psychological burden and requires efficient coping strategies to maintain mental health. In particular, it remains unclear which pandemic-related stress response pattern occurs in pre-existing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the pandemic - at the same time these patients potentially exhibit dysfunctional coping of artificially generated psychosocial stressors. To analyze this so far widely unconsidered pandemic-related stress response in PTSD, this study longitudinally measured psychosocial burden and adjustment disorder (AD) symptom load in 14 patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of PTSD vs. a cohort of 145 psychiatric patients without PTSD. The previously established Goettingen psychosocial Burden and Symptom Inventory (Goe-BSI) was used. Patients were interviewed at the end of the first (April/May 2020) and the second nationwide lockdown in Germany (November/December 2020). In our convenience sample, psychiatric disorders were diagnosed by patients' treating clinicians prior to study inclusion. Psychosocial burden and AD symptom load were significantly higher in patients with PTSD than in patients without PTSD over the course of the pandemic (both p = .005). Moreover, explorative analysis of Goe-BSI-assessed general psychiatric symptoms did not reveal changes during the pandemic in patients with PTSD. In sum, we provide preliminary evidence that, in relation to psychiatric patients without PTSD, those with PTSD might experience a higher pandemic-related burden and might thus cope less efficiently with this enduring real-world stressor. This study is limited inter alia by the small sample size and by the underrepresentation of some psychiatric diagnoses.

The moderating effect of resilience in the association between insomnia severity and PTSD symptoms in Lebanese adolescents in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake

The interplay between insomnia and PTSD symptoms remains misunderstood, and seems to be influenced by other factors like individual resilience. Our study examined the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between insomnia and PTSD symptoms among a sample of Lebanese adolescents, in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake. This cross sectional study, conducted in April, 2 months after the earthquake, enrolled 546 Lebanese adolescents. We used the Sleep Self Report, the Resilience Scale for Adolescents and the 13-item Children's Impact of Event Scale. The interaction insomnia severity by resilience was significantly associated with PTSD scores. At low, moderate and high resilience levels, higher insomnia severity was significantly associated with lower PTSD. Resilience moderated the relationship between insomnia and PTSD, mitigating the detrimental impact of disrupted sleep on PTSD symptoms. This data can guide healthcare administrators and psychiatric caregivers in classifying risk factors and implementing interventions to predict PTSD development.

Circuit training intervention for cognitive function, gut microbiota, and aging control: study protocol for a longitudinal, open-label randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Long-term exercise is increasingly considered an effective strategy to counteract cognitive decline associated with aging. Previous studies have indicated that circuit training exercises integrating aerobic and resistance modalities positively affect cognitive function. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence suggests that long-term exercise alters the gut microbiota, leading to an optimal environment for cognitive enhancement. Recent empirical evidence suggests that exercise plays a significant role in modulating aging-control factors at the protein level. Although the interaction between exercise and cognitive function is multifaceted, most studies have only examined a direct pathway from exercise to cognitive function. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the effects of long-term circuit training on cognitive function through a comprehensive analysis of factors such as gut microbiota and proteins related to aging control.

METHODS

A total of fifty-one participants will be randomly assigned to either the circuit training or waitlist control group. The intervention group will participate in a circuit training program developed by Curves Japan Co., Ltd. two to three times weekly for 16 weeks. The control group will continue their usual daily routines without participating in any new active lifestyle program. The participants will undergo cognitive assessments at baseline and after the intervention. Fecal and blood samples for protein analysis will be collected before and after the intervention. The effect of exercise on cognition will be analyzed by comparing the measured outcomes before and after the intervention. The associations among these outcomes will be assessed using a linear mixed model and structural equation modeling approaches.

DISCUSSION

This study aims to provide the first insights into the comprehensive effects of exercise on cognitive function from the perspectives of gut microbiota and aging control. The findings are expected to contribute to improving brain health and combating age-related cognitive decline. Furthermore, the findings may help establish new guidelines for future studies on the relationship between exercise and cognitive function.

Psychological Resilience and Trait Anxiety as Mediators in the Relationship Between Perceived Family Social Support and Life Satisfaction Among Youth

PURPOSE

This study examines the impact of perceived family social support on youth life satisfaction, focusing on the mediating roles of psychological resilience and trait anxiety.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed, collecting data from 626 participants via an online survey. A convenience sampling method was used. Analyses, including confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis, were conducted using SPSS 24 and AMOS 24 software.

RESULTS

The findings indicate that perceived family social support positively influences psychological resilience and life satisfaction while reducing trait anxiety. Psychological resilience lowers trait anxiety; however, its direct effect on life satisfaction is insignificant. Trait anxiety, on the other hand, negatively affects life satisfaction and acts as a mediator between perceived family social support and life satisfaction. Additionally, psychological resilience plays an indirect role in the effect of perceived family social support on life satisfaction through trait anxiety.

DISCUSSION

The results suggest that perceived family support enhances resilience and reduces anxiety among youth, contributing to greater life satisfaction. These findings underscore the complex interplay between these variables and highlight the mediating roles of psychological resilience and trait anxiety.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that perceived family support enhances life satisfaction by strengthening psychological resilience and reducing trait anxiety. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of fostering family-based support systems to promote youth well-being.

Social isolation in the young and middle-aged patients with stroke: role of social support, family resilience and hope

Background

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults in China. Social isolation in stroke survivors is a major public health concern across the globe. Social isolation is associated with social support, family resilience, and levels of personal hope, but how they interact to predict social isolation in the young and middle-aged stroke survivors remains unclear.

Methods

Using cross-sectional design and convenience sampling method, a survey was conducted among 461 young and middle-aged stroke survivors. Perceived social support scale, General isolation Scale, Chinese version of Family Resilience Assessment Scale and Herth hope index were adopted to assess patients' social, family and personal factors. SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 26.0 were used for descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling of the data.

Results

The young and middle-aged stroke survivors had a high level of social isolation(49.57 ± 5.84). In the mediating effects model, social support could influence social isolation directly (95% CI -0.250, -0.061) or indirectly through family resilience (95% CI -0.136, -0.062) or patient hope level (95% CI -0.078, -0.017). In addition, Family resilience and hope had a significant chain mediating effect between social support and social isolation (95% CI -0.029, -0.006).

Conclusions

Social support can have both direct and indirect effects on social isolation through the mediating factors of family resilience and hope. Clinicians and nurses can develop supportive interventions by taking integration of family and personal hope. On the one hand, resources can be directed to the individual patient, and on the other hand, the utilization of social support can be ensured by increasing family resilience and enhancing the coping capacity of family members and individuals.

The correlation between resilience and mental health of adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 10-25 exhibit an increased prevalence of mental health disorders. Resilience has been well established as a positive factor in promoting and protecting mental health. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the correlation between resilience and mental health in AYAs by including relevant observational studies. Additionally, it explored potential moderators such as percentage of female participants, sample regions, and resilience measurements.

Methods

A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted until September 2024. CMA 3.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis, publication bias and sensitivity analysis of the included studies, and the moderating effect was verified by meta-analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Result

Nineteen studies involving a total of 17,746 participants were included, and the summary effect sizes from the random effect model showed that resilience among AYAs had a correlation coefficient of -0.391 with negative indicators of mental health (95% CI: - 0.469, - 0.308, p < 0.001), and a correlation coefficient of 0.499 with positive indicators of mental health (95% CI: 0.400, 0.586, p < 0.001). Additionally, sample regions and resilience measurements significantly moderated the correlation between resilience and positive indicators of mental health.

Conclusion

Resilience in AYAs showed a moderately negative correlation with negative indicators of mental health and a moderately strong positive correlation with positive indicators of mental health. The findings strengthened the basis for future resilience research in AYAs aged 10-25, highlighting the potential of resilience to help mitigate the increasing mental health challenges faced by this population.

Intrinsic brain functional connectivity mediates the relationship between psychological resilience and cognitive decline in ageing

Ageing individuals often experience cognitive decline and intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) changes. Psychological resilience, a personality trait that reflects the capacity to adapt and cope with age-related challenges, plays a key role in mitigating cognitive decline. In this study involving 101 older adults, we investigated how psychological resilience influences cognitive decline measured by processing speed. Particularly, we obtained resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess how intrinsic FC, represented by degree centrality, modulates the relationship between resilience and processing speed. Our results indicated while psychological resilience positively predicted processing speed, this relationship was mainly driven by education. Additionally, the degree centrality of both thalamus and caudate negatively correlated with processing speed and resilience. Notably, the degree centrality of both thalamus and caudate significantly mediated the relationship between resilience and processing speed. These findings suggest that psychological resilience could protect against age-related cognitive decline via its influence on FC in the thalamus and caudate, highlighting these areas as potential intervention targets for reducing cognitive decline in ageing people.

Memory-related neurophysiological mechanisms in the hippocampus underlying stress susceptibility

Stress-induced psychiatric symptoms, such as increased anxiety, decreased sociality, and depression, differ considerably across individuals. The cognitive model of depression proposes that biased negative memory is a crucial determinant in the development of mental stress-induced disorders. Accumulating evidence from both clinical and animal studies has demonstrated that such biased memory processing could be triggered by the hippocampus, a region well known to be involved in declarative memories. This review mainly describes how memory-related neurophysiological mechanisms in the hippocampus and their interactions with other related brain regions are involved in the regulation of stress susceptibility and discusses potential interventions to prevent and treat stress-related psychiatric symptoms. Further neurophysiological insights based on memory mechanisms are expected to devise personalized prevention and therapy to confer stress resilience.

Social functioning mediated the relationship between childhood emotional neglect and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is frequently reported to be associated with cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia, but research on the childhood neglect subtype in childhood maltreatment is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study sets out from the impact of childhood neglect on cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, and explores the interrelationship of childhood neglect, social functioning, resilience, and cognitive functioning.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Two-hundred and thirty-two patients who met the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were recruited at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University.

METHOD

The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) were used to assess childhood emotional and physical neglect, social functioning, resilience, and cognitive functioning respectively.

RESULT

The results indicate that (1) both emotional neglect (Spearman's r = -0.167, p = 0.015) and physical neglect (Spearman's r = -0.263, p < 0.001) are associated with cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia; (2) social functioning partially mediated the cognitive impairment in schizophrenia that related to emotional neglect (βtotal = -0.15, SE = 0.07, 95 % CI: LL = -0.31 ~ UL = -0.03); (3) resilience is associated with emotional neglect (Spearman's r = -0.244, p = 0.002) and appears to be independent of cognitive impairment (Spearman's r = -0.006, p = 0.942).

CONCLUSION

Social functioning is a significant mediating factor between childhood emotional neglect and cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia. This suggests that interventions aimed at improving social functioning may help ameliorate cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia who have high levels of emotional neglect scores.

Beyond burnout: A comprehensive investigation of burnout, resilience, and career continuity among Palestinian lawyers in a complex socio-political environment

This article investigates burnout among lawyers and proposes systemic changes to reduce pressure and stress in the legal profession while enhancing resilience among lawyers. The article focuses on factors influencing career continuity among Palestinian lawyers within a socio-politically complex environment. It discusses elements contributing to resilience, including a positive mindset, a strong support system, training, and social support. The study reveals exceptional resilience among Palestinian lawyers. A quantitative cross-sectional study was used; the goals of the study involved 323 participants from different places in Palestine. Data analysis employed Smart PLS4 to build a regression model. Challenging conventional notions, the study provides valuable insights for state strategies, legal firms, educational institutions, and policymakers to address challenges and improve lawyer retention and job satisfaction in an environment marked by unstable economic and political conditions. Additionally, it examines gender-specific career intentions, notably women lawyers displaying a stronger inclination to stay, potentially linked to socio-economic responsibilities. This study contributes significantly to existing literature by providing a unique case study on career continuance determinants within economic and political instability. It sets a precedent for further study and strategic improvements in lawyer retention and job satisfaction within high-stress professions in an economically and politically complex environment.

Effect and Mechanism of an ACT-Based Psychological Resilience Intervention Targeting Students Failing in Postgraduate Entrance Examinations in China: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The postgraduate entrance examination frenzy is a widespread and intense phenomenon in China. As the number of students who failed the examination surged, the ensuing mental health problems became prominent. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an online ACT-based group resilience course, which incorporated the six core components of ACT and integrated elements of Chinese culture, in alleviating psychological distress among students who failed the examination. It also explored the mechanism by which the intervention affected changes in psychological distress. A total of 61 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 31) and the control group (n = 30). They attended an 8-day group course, with 2-h sessions each day. The study outcomes were psychological distress, resilience, psychological flexibility (PF), and psychological inflexibility (PI). These outcomes were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Linear mixed models (LMMs) showed significant group × time interactions for all outcome variables, except for stress, which showed a marginally significant interaction. Post hoc analyses revealed significant improvements in depression, resilience, and PF at both post-intervention and at the 1-month follow-up. Additionally, significant reductions in anxiety and a marginally significant reduction in stress were observed at the 1-month follow-up. However, no significant reduction was found in PI. The multiple mediation model showed that the intervention improved psychological distress by increasing resilience and PF. These findings suggest that online resilience group intervention is generally effective in enhancing resilience and alleviating psychological distress and is acceptable to students who have failed the postgraduate entrance examination, as evidenced by high participant engagement and satisfaction.

Mental health and psychological resilience amid the spread of the Omicron variant: a comparison between China and Korea

Objectives

Besides physical health risks, large public health events also exert negative impacts on people's mental health. We aimed to explore the prevalence and correlates of mental distress and its association with psychological resilience among countries amid the Omicron wave.

Methods

We conducted cross-sectional surveys simultaneously in China and South Korea from March 15 to 30, 2023. Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale were used to measured psychological resilience and mental distress.

Results

Self-reported rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms in 3,000 Chinese participants were 24.5% and 30.5%, while the above-mentioned rates were 17.2%and 34.4% in 1,000 Korean participants. Chinese participants had a marginally higher BRS score. Psychological resilience was inversely associated with the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms. Similar results can be observed in Korea. Results remained robust in all models.

Conclusion

Chinese and Korean populations reported a high prevalence of mental distress with variations in different characteristics, indicating practical implications for developing tailored mental health policies and services in the context of large public health events.

Anxiety and burnout in infectious disease nurses: the role of perceived stress and resilience

BACKGROUND

Nurses serving in infectious disease ward represent a distinct occupational group that has attracted considerable attention following epidemic outbreaks. However, prior to this study, no research had delved into the underlying mechanism linking anxiety to burnout symptoms among infectious disease nurses. This study aimed to explore investigate the association between anxiety and burnout among nurses working in such environments and scrutinized the mediating role of perceived stress and the moderating influence of resilience on the principal relationship.

METHODS

Employing a cross-sectional study using a web-based design, data were collected from 1,579 clinical nurses working in infectious disease ward across 50 hospitals in China. Participants responded to questionnaires assessing anxiety, perceived stress, resilience and burnout. Statistical analyses encompassed descriptive statistics, one-way analyses of variance, independent-samples t-tests, Pearson correlations, and bootstrapping techniques to evaluate the indirect and moderating effects.

RESULTS

The study revealed that 62.13% of the respondents reported high levels of burnout, and 55.92% experienced moderate to high degrees of emotional exhaustion among infectious disease nurses. Significant correlations were observed between anxiety, perceived stress, resilience, and each component of burnout (P < 0.05). Notably, the mediating effect of perceived stress was accounting for 30.61% of the relationship between anxiety and burnout. Simple slope analysis demonstrated that perceived stress significantly predicted emotional exhaustion at both low (B = 0.854, t = 16.586, and P < 0.001) and high (B = 0.498, t = 9.503, and P < 0.001) levels of resilience. The perceived stress and emotional exhaustion were more serious when resilience levels were lower.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety was identified as a critical risk factor for burnout among nurses in infectious disease units. The relationship between anxiety and burnout was markedly affected by the levels of perceived stress and resilience. Specifically, the deleterious impact of perceived stress on burnout was amplified in nurses with diminished resilience relative to those with heightened resilience. Based on these findings, it is imperative to allocate resources for stress management programs and resilience training. Such initiatives would bolster support for nurses in infectious disease wards, ultimately enhancing their job satisfaction and well-being.

A realist review of programs fostering the resilience of healthcare students: What works, for whom and why?

BACKGROUND

Various programs aimed at fostering the resilience of students have been implemented into healthcare undergraduate and postgraduate educational courses and degree programs. Which of these increase their participants' resilience under which circumstances, for whom and why remains uncertain.

METHODS

A realist review of articles reporting program outcomes as measures of resilience through the use of via validated psychometric surveys was conducted to investigate which contexts favour the development of resilience of healthcare and health sciences students and which mechanisms have to be activated to achieve this outcome.

RESULTS

Thirteen Context-Mechanism-Outcome Configurations were synthesised from data presented in 43 articles. These were combined with theories explaining the theoretical and psychological frameworks underpinning programs to develop a program theory of how and why resilience fostering programs work. Contexts which favour the development of resilience were the use of validated psychological frameworks as program foundation, e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness-based training. Expert facilitation, longitudinal integration into curricula, flexible and multi-modal design and delivery, and opportunities for students to apply and practice resilience-building strategies also created favourable contexts. Meeting students' or practitioners' needs activated mechanisms of trust, engagement and recognition of a program's value and real-world benefits. An increase in resilience was achieved by students developing reflective skills, metacognitive awareness and positive habits of mind.

CONCLUSION

The program theory established via a realist review provides guidance on how the individual resilience of healthcare students can be fostered throughout their undergraduate, postgraduate degrees and early practice, potentially supporting them to flourish and remain long-term in their chosen professional roles.

COVID-19 infection, resilience, and depressive symptoms: the protective role of family functioning for aging Chinese adults in Hong Kong

OBJECTIVES

Older adults are at an elevated risk of experiencing long COVID, with post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms being prevalent. However, the protective factors against this remain understudied. This study examined (a) the role of resilience in the association between COVID-19 infection and depressive symptoms in aging adults; (b) the moderating role of family functioning in the relationships between COVID-19 and resilience and between resilience and depressive symptoms; and (c) potential gender differences in the moderation.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the first wave of the Panel Study of Active Ageing and Society, a representative survey of Hong Kong adults aged 50 or above. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Approximately 35% of the participants had tested positive for COVID-19. Resilience significantly mediated the association between COVID-19 infection and post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). Family functioning was a significant moderator: the COVID-19-resilience association was stronger, and the resilience-depressive symptoms association was weaker among participants with higher family functioning. The moderating role of family functioning was more salient in women than in men.

CONCLUSION

Resilience can protect aging adults from post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms. Interventions for enhancing family functioning may promote the formation of resilience, especially among older women.

Effectiveness, efficacy, acceptability, and feasibility of trauma-informed depression, anxiety, and substance use prevention programs for young people aged 12-25 years: A mixed-methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

Mental ill-health and substance use bear significant public health burden on young people. Prevention is key. Trauma-informed approaches to prevention of mental ill-health and substance use demonstrate significant promise, yet it is unclear how well existing approaches work for young people targeting mental ill-health and substance use. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of trauma-informed mental ill-health and/or substance use prevention programs for young people.

METHODS

We searched the PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library reference databases for peer-reviewed studies of trauma-informed mental ill-health and/or substance use prevention programs for young people published between 2013 and 2022. Studies in any language were included and reference lists of included articles were scanned for additional studies of relevance.

RESULTS

In total, 30 studies were included in this review, comprising five randomized controlled trials (RCTs), seven non-RCTs, 10 quasi-experimental designs, and eight qualitative studies. Among the 30 studies, 27 unique trauma-informed prevention interventions were detailed. Eighteen studies reported statistically significant decreases in mental ill-health, and two studies reported significant decreases in substance use outcomes among participants, up to 6 months following the interventions. Most preventative interventions with statistically significant effects were selective (rather than universal or indicated) in their approach (n = 10, 55%). Broad acceptability and feasibility of trauma-informed prevention programs was observed among studies reporting this information though most quantitative studies were at high risk of bias and/or did not include a control group, whilst qualitative studies tended to report research conducted without a priori research aims.

DISCUSSION

This review synthesizes for the first-time evidence on the effectiveness (or efficacy), feasibility, and acceptability of trauma-informed mental ill-health and/or substance use programs for young people, especially for those exposed to traumatic or adverse experiences. While there are promising efficacy outcomes, further research conducting rigorous, well-powered RCTs is required for large-scale evaluation and scaling of the potential preventative benefits of such programs.

Reliability and Validity of the Persian Version of the Disaster Resilience Measuring Tool for Health care Rescuers in Iran

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Disaster Resilience Measuring Tool (DRMT-C19).

METHODS

The research was a methodological, psychometric study. Standard translation processes were performed. Face validity and content validity were determined along with construct and convergent validity. To determine the final version of the questionnaire, 483 health care rescuers were selected using a consecutive sampling method. Other resilience-related questionnaires were used to assess concurrent validity. All quantitative data analyses were conducted using SPSS 22 and Jamovi 2.3.28 software.

RESULTS

The content validity and reliability were indicated using Scale's Content Validity Ratio (S-CVR) = 0.92 and Scale's Content Validity Index (S-CVI) = 0.93. The comprehensiveness of the measurement tool = 0.875%. Cronbach's α = 0.89 and the test re-test reliability using interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) = 0.68 to 0.92. Exploratory factor analysis determined 4 factors which accounted for more than 58.54% of the variance among the items. Confirmatory factor analysis determined 12 factors. The concurrent validity between the DRMT-C19 and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was r = 0.604 (P ≤ 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The DRMT-C19 has satisfactory psychometric properties and is a valid, reliable, and valuable tool for assessing resilience against disasters in Iran's Persian-speaking health care rescuers.

Exploring the impact of smartphone addiction on mental health among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of resilience and parental attachment

Smartphone addiction is an increasingly severe issue in modern society, particularly impacting the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and mental health issues among college students, and the mediating and moderating roles of psychological resilience and parental attachment. We employed a cross-sectional study design with 100,097 college Chinese students to examine the relationships between smartphone addiction, mental health (anxiety and depression), and the mediating role of psychological resilience. Parental attachment was assessed as a moderator within these relationships. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and mediation/moderation models, controlling for relevant covariates. Our findings revealed a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction and both anxiety and depression. Psychological resilience mediated these relationships, suggesting that higher resilience levels can mitigate the negative psychological impacts of smartphone addiction. Additionally, parental attachment moderated the effects of smartphone addiction on psychological outcomes; stronger attachment was associated with less pronounced effects of addiction on anxiety and depression. Specifically, for students with low parental attachment, the predictive effect of smartphone addiction on anxiety and depression was more pronounced, whereas higher attachment levels were protective.

Effects of a flexibly delivered group-based acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing stress and enhancing psychological wellbeing in parents of school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a quasi-experimental study

Introduction

COVID-19 has increased parental stress and significantly impacted the psychological well-being of individuals, especially parents of school-age children. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy posits that individuals can accept their unchangeable inner experiences (thoughts and feelings) while acting in ways aligned with their personal values, demonstrating effectiveness in reducing stress and improving psychological well-being, especially among parents of children with chronic illness. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a group-based ACT, delivered flexibly, in improving stress and psychological well-being in parents with school-age children, regardless of their children's chronic conditions, within a real-world context.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study recruited parents with school-age children, through convenience sampling from the Christian Family Service Centre in Hong Kong. The group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention consisted of five weekly sessions delivered via face-to-face meetings and online videoconferencing, consistent with participants' preferences and COVID-19 related restrictions in Hong Kong. Paired t-tests and Generalized Estimating Equations following the intention-to-treat principle were used to examine the overall effects and the moderating effects of delivery methods.

Results

The study included 250 parents, with an average age of 40.90 years, mostly women. The average age of their youngest child was 7.68 years. In line with COVID-19-related restrictions and participants' preferences, 109 parents participated in online sessions, while 141 attended face-to-face sessions. Results showed significant small-to-medium improvements in various outcome variables after the intervention, including parental stress (Cohen's d = 0.26), general stress (d = 0.18), depressive symptoms (d = 0.18), mental health literacy (d = 0.43), subjective wellbeing (d = 0.25), and psychological flexibility (d = 0.28). Notably, the online videoconferencing format was found to be as effective as the face-to-face format, with similar session attendance rates.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the potential of group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to alleviate stress and improve psychological well-being in parents of school-age children, regardless of the delivery method, especially during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to limitations in the study design, caution is warranted when interpreting the overall effects of group-based ACT on parent outcomes and the moderating role of delivery methods. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the nuances of delivery methods in similar real-world situations.

Resilience of individuals with chronic illness who reside in low resource communities: a concept analysis

Background

Chronic illness diagnosis while living in low resourced communities creates ongoing adversity in the process of adaptation. Resilience is an important phenomenon of study to improve health outcomes. The subject in this particular population has been poorly studied.

Objective

To conceptualize resilience of individuals with chronic illness who reside in low resource communities.

Design

Concept analysis.

Data sources

Seminal works and current studies were searched in PubMed (including Medline), Science Direct, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest, Google Scholar, OVID, Ebsco, and the Cochrane Database. Qualitative and quantitative studies that investigated individual resilience of adults in the setting of chronic illness who reside in low resource communities were included. Exclusions included children with chronic illness and resilience of communities and populations.

Methods

Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was utilized. The key elements for conceptualizing resilience in the setting of chronic illness who reside in low resource communities included defining attributes, antecedents and consequences of resilience identified from the literature search.

Results

Analysis revealed three defining attributes: (1) reflection, contemplation, and the will to live despite adversity through hope; (2) personal transcendence through action; and (3) continuous personal transcendence and maintenance. Antecedents and consequences of resilience in the setting of chronic illness who reside in low resource communities were described and outlined.

Conclusions

The conceptualization of resilience in the setting of chronic illness who reside in low resource communities is based on the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences that resulted in a preliminary conceptual model. The model can be further tested in diverse populations to add to the existing knowledge on the subject, and develop interventions to foster resilience aimed to improve health outcomes and quality of life.

The extraordinary "ordinary magic" of resilience

In this essay, I will briefly sample different instances of the utilization of the concept of resilience, attempting to complement a comprehensive representation of the field in the special issue of Development and Psychopathology inspired by the 42nd Minnesota Symposium on Child Psychology, hosted by the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and held in October of 2022. Having established the general context of the field, I will zoom in on some of its features, which I consider "low-hanging fruit" and which can be harvested in a systematic way to advance the study of resilience in the context of the future of developmental psychopathology.

Psychological resilience is positively correlated with Habenula volume

BACKGROUND

Psychological resilience is defined as the process and outcome of individuals' successful adaptation to challenging life experiences. The Habenula (Hb) is known to be involved in the stress response; however, the relationship between Hb volume and resilience in humans remains unclear. This study investigated the correlation among resilience, Hb volume, and depressive tendencies in adults.

METHODS

Hb volumes were assessed using deep learning techniques applied to 110 healthy participants. Resilience and depression were evaluated using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II, respectively. We examined the relationship between Hb volume and resilience and assessed the mediating effects of resilience on the relationship between Hb volume and depressive tendencies.

RESULTS

Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between resilience and Hb volume (partial r = 0.176, p = 0.001), which was more pronounced in women (partial r = 0.353, p = 0.003). Hb volumes on the left and right sides exhibited significant lateralization (LI = 0.031, 95 % CI = [0.016, 0.046]). Despite Hb asymmetry, lateralization was not significantly associated with resilience. The mediation analysis shows significant indirect effect of resilience on the relationship between Hb volume and depressive tendencies (β = -0.093, 95%CI = [-0.189, -0.019]).

CONCLUSION

This study found that populations with lower resilience have smaller Hb volume. Previous research has shown that Hb volume decreased with the increasing severity of depression symptoms in patients. Our findings support this view and extend it to a population that has not been clinically diagnosed with depression. Additionally, we found that psychological resilience can be predicted by Hb volume and may serve as a mediating factor indirectly affecting depressive tendencies, even in healthy individuals.

LIMITATIONS

Due to its cross-sectional design, this study was unable to analyze dynamic changes in Hb volume during the process of resilience adaptation.

Associative memory cells of encoding fear signals and anxiety are recruited by neuroligin-3-mediated synapse formation

Acute severe stress may induce fear memory and anxiety. Their mechanisms are expectedly revealed to explore therapeutic strategies. We have investigated the recruitment of associative memory cells that encode stress signals to cause fear memory and anxiety by multidisciplinary approaches. In addition to fear memory and anxiety, the social stress by the resident/intruder paradigm leads to synapse interconnections between somatosensory S1-Tr and auditory cortical neurons in intruder mice. These S1-Tr cortical neurons become to receive convergent synapse innervations newly from the auditory cortex and innately from the thalamus as well as encode the stress signals including battle sound and somatic pain, i.e., associative memory neurons. Neuroligin-3 mRNA knockdown in the S1-Tr cortex precludes the recruitment of associative memory neurons and the onset of fear memory and anxiety. The stress-induced recruitment of associative memory cells in sensory cortices for stress-relevant fear memory and anxiety is based on neuroligin-3-mediated new synapse formation.

Resilience and hopelessness mediate the relationship between benevolent childhood experiences and life satisfaction: evidence from a cross-cultural study

BACKGROUND

A growing body of literature focuses on the role of benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) in predicting adulthood well-being, in addition to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, cross-cultural differences are generally ignored in this endeavor. Hence, this study aimed to explore the role of BCEs in predicting life satisfaction, resilience, and hopelessness. We also examined the potential of resilience and the role of hopelessness in mediating the relationship between BCE and life satisfaction.

METHODS

A total of 850 university students from Turkey (n = 371), Portugal (n = 248), and India (n = 231), aged 17 to 58 years (M = 22.12, SD = 4.41), participated in the study. Participants completed an online protocol consisting of measures to assess BCEs, life satisfaction, resilience, and hopelessness.

RESULTS

BCEs, hopelessness, and life satisfaction have significantly differed among the samples based on the country of residence. BCEs were positively correlated to resilience and life satisfaction and negatively to hopelessness. In the sequential mediation model, after controlling for country and sex, resilience and hopelessness sequentially mediated the relationship between BCEs and life satisfaction. BCEs were associated with life satisfaction, resilience, and hopelessness across countries and sexes. The model explains 42.8% of the variability.

CONCLUSION

Despite differences between countries, BCEs are important predictors of adult well-being in all three countries and should be monitored along with ACE. Further, resilience seems to have an important role in lowering the negative consequences of lower BCEs and feelings of hopelessness, pointing to the need to strengthen psychological resilience among adults.

Organisational coaching to improve workplace resilience: a scoping review and agenda for future research

In an increasingly demanding and pressured work environment, employee resilience is acknowledged as a critical element to navigate adversity. There has been increased focus and interest in studying the nature of resilience in the workplace, however the mechanisms of developing and sustaining resilience are still under debate. Coaching is a promising method organisations use to improve employee resilience and provides employees with support to deal with the challenging working environment. There has been significant interest in coaching for resilience in recent years, however there is no overarching, consolidated view on the nature and dynamics of resilience coaching. This scoping review seeks to fill this gap by making three contributions. Firstly, we present details on various types of coaching approaches used to improve resilience. Secondly, we review the specific coaching elements and processes that lead to improved resilience and finally, we provide an overview on the efficacy of resilience coaching interventions. We conclude this scoping review with a roadmap for future research to help position and strengthen organisational coaching as a pillar of resilience development. This scoping review followed a five-stage PRISMA-ScR methodology which entails formulating research questions; identifying studies; choosing studies; extracting and charting data; and summarising the findings.

Identification of Relationships Among Resilience Factors Using Network Analysis: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Although college life can be fulfilling, it can be stressful, particularly for health professional students. In addition, they may have had Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) that increases their sensitivity to academic stress. Yet, students need to overcome challenges to become successful professionals. The literature suggests the following factors may be associated with resilience: ACE and academic stress as the antecedents; ego-resilience, emotion regulation, resources, social support, inflammatory markers, and genes as the defining attributes; and mental health and sense of coherence (SOC) as the consequences.

AIMS

The purpose is to identify the relationships among factors associated with resilience using network analysis.

METHODS

A total of 70 college students participated in this cross-sectional pilot study. They completed measures of psychosocial variables and provided saliva samples, which were analyzed for Serotonin Transporter-Linked Promoter Region (5-HTTLPR)/rs25531 and inflammatory markers. Mixed graphical models including all variables were estimated using the R-package mgm.

RESULTS

Network analysis revealed positive associations between (1) mental health and SOC; (2) mental health and resources; (3) mental health and social support; (4) SOC and reappraisal of emotion regulation; (5) resources and reappraisal of emotion regulation; and (6) resources and social support. In addition, SOC and academic stress were negatively associated. Furthermore, the short variant of 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 was associated with stronger suppression of emotion regulation and fewer resources compared with the long variant.

CONCLUSION

Resilience may be influenced by biopsychosocial factors, notably SOC and 5-HTTLPR/rs25531. However, longitudinal research is needed with a larger sample size to better understand how these and other factors may affect resilience.

Interactions of the CSF3R polymorphism and early stress on future orientation: evidence for the differential model of stress-related growth

AIMS

This study aims to explore the concept of future orientation, which encompasses individuals' thoughts about the future, goal-setting, planning, response to challenges and behavioural adjustments in evolving situations. Often viewed as a psychological resource, future orientation is believed to be developed from psychological resilience. The study investigates the curvilinear relationship between childhood maltreatment and future orientation while examining the moderating effects of genotype.

METHODS

A total of 14,675 Chinese adults self-reported their experiences of childhood maltreatment and their future orientation. The influence of genetic polymorphism was evaluated through genome-wide interaction studies (GWIS; genome-wide association study [GWAS] using gene × environment interaction) and a candidate genes approach.

RESULTS

Both GWAS and candidate genes analyses consistently indicated that rs4498771 and its linked single-nucleotide polymorphisms, located in the intergenic area surrounding CSF3R, significantly interacted with early trauma to influence future orientation. Nonlinear regression analyses identified a quadratic or cubic association between future orientation and childhood maltreatment across some genotypes. Specifically, as levels of childhood maltreatment increased, future orientation declined for all genotypes. However, upon reaching a certain threshold, future orientation exhibited a rebound in individuals with specific genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that individuals with certain genotypes exhibit greater resilience to childhood maltreatment. Based on these results, we propose a new threshold model of stress-related growth.

Conceptual Considerations for Understanding Resilience in Healthcare Students

AIMS

Increasing attention has been given to the concept resilience in the context of healthcare especially during and post the COVID pandemic. Much of the inquiry and evidence reported has focused on promoting or enhancing resilience in healthcare for improving the quality of care and reducing medical negligence. This discursive paper aims to highlight how resilience is conceptualised and identify any potential limitations or gaps in the context of healthcare students, acknowledging considerations for further development and research into this topic.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This discursive discussion draws on relevant theoretical underpinnings from the fields of adjustment and coping psychology, and research and evidence from health sciences, for facilitating an understanding of resilience in supporting healthcare students to adapt into professional practice.

RESULTS

Investigation of resilience in healthcare students is mainly identified at an individual level as personal traits or skills for working within complex healthcare systems and clinical environments. Less attention has been given to examining resilience at the organisation or systemic level. This is primarily because of limited frameworks for investigating resilience from a multidimensional perspective recognising a wider systemic level influenced by external factors including socioecological determinants, for example, available support services for healthcare students.

CONCLUSIONS

The link between resilience and its function to mitigate against associated neuropsychological distress and subsequent pathopsychological disorders in healthcare student cohorts is recognised; however, greater understanding of resilience as a multidimensional construct is warranted.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

A multidimensional investigation of resilience is critical for the preparation and readiness of healthcare structures and organisations in facilitating the needs of healthcare students entering challenging and diverse healthcare working environments.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Characteristics and factors associated with psychotic-like experiences in remission: a cross-sectional study of 4208 college students in China

OBJECTIVES

Previous research has extensively explored the factors associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). However, the characteristics and associated factors of remitted PLEs, which refer to the absence of current PLEs following previous PLEs, remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to describe the characteristics of adolescents who reported remitted PLEs.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

The survey was conducted from October to December 2020 in three colleges located in Guangzhou, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 4208 college freshmen aged from 15 to 24 participated in our survey.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The 15-item positive subscale of the Community Assessment of the Psychic Experience was used to assess both lifetime and current PLEs. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between remitted PLEs and a range of demographic factors, lifestyle, psychosocial factors, lifetime affective symptoms and sleep problems.

RESULTS

Three groups of PLEs were observed: non-PLEs (47.27% of the sample), remitted PLEs (40.42%) and current PLEs (12.31%). Several factors have been identified as shared correlates of remission and absence of PLEs, including fewer recent adverse life events, greater resilience, fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, and early waking. Furthermore, higher levels of social support (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.17; OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.97) was a specific factor associated with the remission of PLEs. Compared with individuals without PLEs, those with remitted PLEs were more likely to be female (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.75), less likely to be younger (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.95) and prone to have more chronic physical illness (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.16), habitual alcohol intake (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.88), more childhood trauma (OR for low vs high=0.72, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.91) and the sleep problems of waking up easily (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.65).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that remitted PLEs play a vital, unique role among three groups and provide preliminary targets for the intervention for adolescents at risk of mental health problems. Further investigation may shed light on the causality of the relationship between remitted PLEs and associated factors.

A context-dependent model of resilient functioning after childhood maltreatment-the case for flexible biobehavioral synchrony

Many children who experience childhood adversity, whether in the form of threat or deprivation, develop adaptive competencies that lead to resilient functioning. Still, research has not succeeded in accurately predicting the level of resilient functioning by any kind of biomarkers, likely because it has sidelined the flexibility inherent in a construct that is situationally and developmentally variable. Whilst recent research acknowledges the importance of redefining resilience in order to reflect its dynamic nature after adversity, evidence for specific behaviors that are developmentally adaptive and dynamic throughout the lifespan is limited. We here propose a model in which resilient functioning is crucially dependent on the individual's capability to flexibly synchronize with and segregate from another's cognitive-affective, behavioral, and physiological states, known as 'biobehavioral synchrony'. Such an adaptive interpersonal skill is rooted in (a) the early caregiving experience and its regulatory effects on an individual's physiological stress reactivity, as well as (b) the development of self-other distinction which can be affected by childhood maltreatment. Bridging the gap between accounts of flexible resilient functioning and the latest thinking in biobehavioral synchrony, we will review behavioral and neurobiological evidence that threat and deprivation in childhood interfere with the development of dynamic, context-sensitive boundaries between self and other, mediated by the (right) tempo-parietal junction (a central neural hub for interpersonal synchronization), which puts the individual at risk for affective fusion or cut-off from others' arousal states. Our proposed model charts a path for investigating the differential effects of maltreatment experiences and mechanisms for intergenerational transmission of non-sensitive caregiving. We conclude with metrics, data analysis methods, and strategies to facilitate flexible biobehavioral synchrony.

The chain mediating effects of resilience and perceived social support in the relationship between perceived stress and depression in patients with COVID-19

Introduction

Perceived stress and depression were indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in square-cabin hospitals. It was paramount to understand their mediating effects, which might detonate factors that led to mental illness.

Materials and methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate perceived stress and depressive symptoms among patients with COVID-19 in Shanghai square-cabin hospitals from April 18 to May 19, 2022. The questionnaire included the Perceived Stress Scale 10, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10.

Results

This study investigated the chain-mediating roles of perceived social support and resilience in the relationship between perceived stress and depression. Perceived stress positively predicted depression (r = 0.613, p < 0.01), negatively correlated with perceived social support (r = -0.318, p < 0.01) and resilience (r = -0.398, p < 0.01). In the chain mediating model, perceived stress had significant direct predictive effects on depression, and significant indirect predictive effects on depression through perceived social support and/or resilience.

Conclusion

It showed that higher perceived social support and resilience were associated with lower perceived stress among COVID-19 patients, which might lead to symptoms of mild depression, and highlights the importance of resilience and perceived social support in reducing depressive symptoms.

Physical activity and social anxiety symptoms among Chinese college students: a serial mediation model of psychological resilience and sleep problems

BACKGROUND

Social anxiety symptoms are common and harmful psychological illness in college students. Although some studies have illustrated that physical activity could reduce social anxiety symptoms, the specific mechanism is still unclear. Based on theoretical studies on resilience and sleep, this study constructed a serial mediation model to explore whether they mediate between physical activity and social anxiety symptoms among college students.

METHODS

This study surveyed 9,530 college students from three colleges in China to explore the mediating effect of physical activity and sleep problems between physical activity and social anxiety symptoms. Participants were investigated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Sleep-related problems, and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Social Phobia Scale. Correlations between variables were analysed using Pearson correlation analysis and mediation analyses were performed using SPSS PROCESS macro 3.3 software.

RESULT

The study found that physical activity was negatively associated with social anxiety symptoms and sleep problems, but positively with psychological resilience. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, physical activity can not only indirectly alleviate social anxiety symptoms through the separate mediation of psychological resilience and sleep problems, but also through the serial mediation of psychological resilience and sleep problems.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that improving physical activity levels could reduce social anxiety scores by increasing psychological resilience and sleep quality. This is of great reference significance for the prevention and intervention of college students' mental health.

Association of Anxiety/Depressive Symptoms with Psychotic-like Experiences: The Moderation Effect of Sex and Resilience

BACKGROUND

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are a part of the continuum of psychosis and are common in the general population. While most of these experiences are transient, they are strongly correlated with an increased risk of various adverse psychological outcomes. Anxiety and depressive symptoms also occur frequently in the adolescent population. Much research has previously demonstrated a correlation between these two symptoms and PLEs. However, few investigations have examined what influences this association, and sex and resilience may be important moderators.

METHODS

This study selected a sample of first-year students from a university in Shanghai. A total of 2970 adolescents completed questionnaires measuring sociodemographic characteristics, anxiety/depressive symptoms by SCL-90, resilience by CD-RISC, and self-reported PLEs by PQ-16.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that PLEs were prevalent in the sample, with at least one PQ-16 item present in 42.5% of individuals. Anxiety/depressive symptoms were significantly associated with PLEs, and there was a sex difference in this association (p < 0.001). What is more, this relationship was stronger in males than in females. Additionally, we found a significant interaction (p < 0.001) between resilience and anxiety/depressive symptoms when looking at the correlates of PLEs. Those with stronger resilience showed a considerably weaker connection between PLEs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings can potentially inform the development of targeted new clinical interventions.

The sinking platform test: a novel paradigm to measure persistence in animal models

Persistence is the propensity to maintain goal-directed actions despite adversities. While this temperamental trait is crucial to mitigate depression risk, its neurobiological foundations remain elusive. Developing behavioral tasks to capture persistence in animal models is crucial for understanding its molecular underpinnings. Here, we introduce the Sinking Platform Test (SPT), a novel high-throughput paradigm to measure persistence. Mice were trained to exit a water-filled tank by ascending onto a platform above water level. Throughout the training, mice were also occasionally exposed to "failure trials," during which an operator would submerge a platform right after the mouse climbed onto it, requiring the mouse to reach and ascend a newly introduced platform. Following training, mice were subjected to a 5-min test exclusively consisting of failure trials. Male and female mice exhibited comparable persistence, measured by the number of climbed platforms during the test. Furthermore, this index was increased by chronic administration of fluoxetine or imipramine; conversely, it was reduced by acute and chronic haloperidol. Notably, six weeks of social isolation reduced SPT performance, and this effect was rescued by imipramine treatment over the last two weeks. A 4-week regimen of voluntary wheel running also improved persistence in socially isolated mice. Finally, comparing transcriptomic profiles of the prefrontal cortex of mice with high and low SPT performance revealed significant enrichment of immediate-early genes known to shape susceptibility for chronic stress. These findings highlight the potential of SPT as a promising method to uncover the biological mechanisms of persistence and evaluate novel interventions to enhance this response.

Stress from early life to adulthood: Is there a protective role of cognitive control?

Early life events can have long-lasting effects that may impact the quality of life into adulthood. The link between childhood adversities and adult mental and physical health is well documented, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Executive functions are assumed to be a key factor in successfully dealing with cognitive-emotional challenges thereby contributing to stress resilience and mental health across the lifespan. Here, we examined whether cognitive control moderates the link between early life adversity and depression. Data was available from a sample of 424 participants aged 20-70 years (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05155397). They performed in the Stroop task and behavior as well as frontal theta power were recorded. Negative childhood experiences were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), chronic stress was measured with the Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS) and depression symptoms with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The CTQ predicted symptoms of chronic stress and depression. Regression models pointed to the TICS as a crucial mediator in the relationship between CTQ and BDI. However, parameters of cognitive control demonstrated a rather weak effect as moderators. These results indicate that chronic stress is an important mediator linking childhood trauma to depression but suggest only a limited role for cognitive control.

Daily COVID-19 Stressor Effects on Children's Mental Health Depend on Pre-pandemic Peer Victimization and Resting Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia

Children's risk of poorer mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic may depend on risk and protective factors heading into the pandemic. This study examined same-day associations between COVID-19 stressors and children's mental health using a daily diary design across 14 days, and considered the moderating roles of pre-pandemic peer victimization experiences and resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; an indicator of cardiac regulatory capacity). Forty-nine Canadian children aged 8-13 years (Mage = 10.69, 29 girls) participated in the final wave of a longitudinal study just prior to the pandemic and a daily diary extension during the pandemic (N = 686 pandemic measurement occasions). Multilevel modeling indicated that children had poorer mental health on days when they experienced a COVID-19 stressor (e.g., virtual academic difficulties, social isolation). A three-way interaction indicated that this association was stronger for those with higher pre-pandemic peer victimization experiences and lower pre-pandemic resting RSA; however, highly victimized children with higher resting RSA did not experience poorer mental health on days with COVID-19 stressors. Findings offer preliminary insights into the preceding risk and protective factors for children's mental health amidst major subsequent stress.

The interaction between mental resilience and insomnia disorder on negative emotions in nurses in Guangdong Province, China

Objective

To investigate the current status of psychological resilience, insomnia and negative emotions among nurses in Guangdong Province, China. And to explore the effects of the interaction between psychological resilience and insomnia on negative emotions.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey method was used to select 1874 nurses in Guangdong Province from February 2023 to April 2023 for the survey. The Chinese version of the Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21(DASS-21)were used in this study. We use SPSS 26.0 for statistical analysis. A simple effect analysis was established to analyze the association between psychological resilience, insomnia and negative emotions by using psychological resilience, insomnia and the interaction term.

Results

The overall PRS and ISI scores were (59.79 ± 17.29) and (9.83 ± 5.97). The scores of DASS-21 each dimension were (8.19 ± 9.02) for depression emotion,(7.93 ± 7.66) for anxiety emotion and (10.58 ± 9.77) for stress emotion. The results of the interaction effect analysis indicated that psychological resilience and insomnia exhibited statistically significant differences in the between-subjects effect test for depression emotion (r2 = 0.136, P<0.01), anxiety emotion (r2 = 0.127, P<0.01), and stress emotion (r2 = 0.142, P<0.01).

Conclusion

The nurses exhibited moderate levels of psychological resilience. Most of them have varying degrees of insomnia, with majority being classified as mild insomnia. Additionally, they demonstrated varying degrees of negative emotions. There was a negative correlation between psychological resilience and insomnia. Psychological resilience was negatively correlated with depression, anxiety and stress emotions. Insomnia was positively correlated with depression, anxiety and stress emotions. Furthermore, the interaction between psychological resilience and insomnia had an effect on all three dimensions of negative emotions. Consequently, hospital administrators may implement efficacious intervention strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and improving workplace climate in a timely manner according to the different psychological tolerance and severity of insomnia of nurses in order to reduce the occurrence of negative emotions among nurses and improve their mental health.

Exploring depressive symptoms and coping strategies in Chinese women facing infertility: A cross-sectional observational study

Infertility can lead to significant psychological distress among women, yet the roles of hope and resilience in mitigating depressive symptoms remain inadequately explored, particularly within the Chinese context. We performed a cross-sectional observational study to investigate the psychological impacts of infertility among Chinese women as well as to discern whether hope and resilience can influence their depressive symptoms. We recruited 364 Chinese women seeking infertility treatment in the Shandong region. Participants completed validated assessments including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Herth Hope Index. Demographic and clinical data were also collected. We observed elevated levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety among women with infertility. Particularly, demographic factors such as an older age, rural residence, lower income, lower education, adverse life events, and longer infertility duration were associated with increased depressive symptoms. Individuals who experienced adverse life events were at a 2.42-fold increased risk of developing depressive symptoms (P = .04). Depressive symptoms were inversely correlated with both hope levels (r = -0.25; P < .05) and resilience levels (r = -0.32; P < .05). Hope levels were positively correlated with resilience (R = 0.67; P < .05). After controlling for the interaction of hope and resilience, we found that only depressive symptoms and resilience were negatively correlated. The psychological burden of infertility among Chinese women is widespread and affects many individuals from different demographic backgrounds. Interventions aimed at increasing resilience may be helpful to mitigate depressive symptoms.

A machine-learning approach to model risk and protective factors of vulnerability to depression

There are multiple risk and protective factors for depression. The association between these factors with vulnerability to depression is unclear. Such knowledge is an important insight into assessing risk for developing depression for precision interventions. Based on the behavioral data of 496 participants (all unmarried and not cohabiting, with a college education level or above), we applied machine-learning approaches to model risk and protective factors in estimating depression and its symptoms. Then, we employed Random Forest to identify important factors which were then used to differentiate participants who had high risk of depression from those who had low risk. Results revealed that risk and protective factors could significantly estimate depression and depressive symptoms. Feature selection revealed four key factors including three risk factors (brooding, perceived loneliness, and perceived stress) and one protective factor (resilience). The classification model built by the four factors achieved an ROC-AUC score of 75.50% to classify the high- and low-risk groups, which was comparable to the classification performance based on all risk and protective factors (ROC-AUC = 77.83%). Based on the selected four factors, we generated a mood vulnerability index useful for identifying people's risk for depression. Our findings provide potential clinical insights for developing quick screening tools for mood disorders and potential targets for intervention programs designed to improve depressive symptoms.

Preventing and Mitigating Post-Traumatic Stress: A Scoping Review of Resilience Interventions for Military Personnel in Pre Deployment

Purpose

Resilience is considered as a protective factor that can assist individuals to reduce post-traumatic stress reactions. In recent years, armies in many countries have widely implemented resilience training programs before deployment to prevent or reduce post-deployment combat stress reactions. Therefore, this study aims to review what is known about resilience interventions for military personnel in pre deployment.

Methods

Based on Arskey and O'Malley's framework, a scoping review was completed. This review was performed through searching databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline and the Cochrane Library, and screening literature to extract data, finally summarizing the findings.

Results

A total of 25 studies focusing on resilience interventions for military personnel in pre deployment were involved and analyzed using intervention approaches, outcome measures, intervention effects, and so on.

Conclusion

Based on the existing evidence in this review, it is cautiously believed that the resilience intervention program for military personnel before deployment is effective. However, there is no single effective best method even the same type intervention can make different effects in different situations and populations. Therefore, the population differences and context should be fully considered in constructing and implementing program to build military personnel resilience.

Suicide in individuals with no psychiatric disorders: what makes you vulnerable?

Globally, hundreds of thousands of people die by suicide every year. Suicides are usually associated with psychiatric illness. However, considerable evidence suggests that a significant number of individuals who die by suicide do not have diagnosable psychiatric disorders. The goal of this article is to attract attention to an overlooked issue of suicide in persons with no psychiatric disorders and to discuss some aspects of this issue. Research on identification and prevention of suicidal behavior in people with no psychiatric disorders is very limited. The available data indicate that suicides in individuals without psychiatric disorders are related to life stressors, lack of social support, and certain personality traits such as impulsivity. Suicide risk may be increased in military veterans with no psychiatric disorders. Many physical disorders, especially conditions associated with pain increase suicide risk in individuals with no diagnosable psychiatric disorders. Developmental, genetic and physical factors may play a role in the psychobiology of suicide in people with no psychiatric conditions. Promoting resilience may reduce suicide risk in the general population. Clinicians who work with medical or surgical patients need to have sufficient training in suicide prevention. Possibly, shifting some suicide prevention resources from individuals who are regarded as high-risk suicide patients to the general population may reduce suicide rates. Public education and better awareness about suicide may reduce suicide deaths among people with no psychiatric disorders.

Risk, resilience and family relationships among at-risk Ethiopian immigrant youth in Israel: A focus group investigation

Despite the pivotal role that parents play in their adolescent children's lives, intervention programs aimed at at-risk, immigrant youth have often neglected the role of the parents. Informed by an ecological perspective, the current study explored how the intersecting experiences of parents and adolescents in the Ethiopian immigrant community in Israel inform adolescent risk and resilience. A sample of 55 parents and adolescent children, who were involved in a program serving at-risk families, and eight service providers participated in five focus groups. Grounded theory analyses of transcripts provided insights into family processes in which the experience of disenfranchisement of parents (due to societal and familial processes) transacts with feelings of isolation and withdrawal of their adolescent children. We documented five issues that reinforced this core pattern: Stigma and discrimination, cultural and language differences between parents and youth, disempowerment in interactions with authorities, parental role strain, and negative influence of the neighborhood. We also documented three resilience processes that counter this pattern (community cohesion, cultural socialization and ethnic and cultural pride, and vigilant parental monitoring). Results suggest a need for family-based intervention programs that can counter reinforcing cycles of disenfranchisement and build on families' resilience resources.

The interaction effect of high social support and resilience on functional connectivity using seed-based resting-state assessed by 7-Tesla ultra-high field MRI

Recent resilience research has increasingly emphasized the importance of focusing on investigating the protective factors in mentally healthy populations, complementing the traditional focus on psychopathology. Social support has emerged as a crucial element within the complex interplay of individual and socio-environmental factors that shape resilience. However, the neural underpinnings of the relationship between social support and resilience, particularly in healthy subjects, remain largely unexplored. With advances in neuroimaging techniques, such as ultra-high field MRI at 7T and beyond, researchers can more effectively investigate the neural mechanisms underlying these factors. Thus, our study employed ultra-high field rs-fMRI to explore how social support moderates the relationship between psychological resilience and functional connectivity in a healthy cohort. We hypothesized that enhanced social support would amplify resilience-associated connectivity within neural circuits essential for emotional regulation, cognitive processing, and adaptive problem-solving, signifying a synergistic interaction where strong social networks bolster the neural underpinnings of resilience. (n = 30). Through seed-based functional connectivity analyses and interaction analysis, we aimed to uncover the neural correlates at the interplay of social support and resilience. Our findings indicate that perceived social support significantly (p<0.001) alters functional connectivity in the right and left FP, PCC, and left hippocampus, affirming the pivotal roles of these regions in the brain's resilience network. Moreover, we identified significant moderation effects of social support across various brain regions, each showing unique connectivity patterns. Specifically, the right FP demonstrated a significant interaction effect where high social support levels were linked to increased connectivity with regions involved in socio-cognitive processing, while low social support showed opposite effects. Similar patterns by social support levels were observed in the left FP, with connectivity changes in clusters associated with emotional regulation and cognitive functions. The PCC's connectivity was distinctly influenced by support levels, elucidating its role in emotional and social cognition. Interestingly, the connectivity of the left hippocampus was not significantly impacted by social support levels, indicating a unique pattern within this region. These insights highlight the importance of high social support levels in enhancing the neural foundations of resilience and fostering adaptive neurological responses to environmental challenges.