Abstract: Marijuana use in the United States (U.S.) has diversified alongside expanding legalization, yet little is known about the psychosocial factors that distinguish medical from recreational use. This study examined whether psychological distress mediates the association between perceived social isolation and marijuana use type among U.S. adults. We analyzed cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS, cycle 7). Marijuana use was categorized as medical (including medical and both medical/recreational) versus recreational. Perceived social isolation was measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Social Isolation t-score, and psychological distress was assessed with the Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-4. Sur-vey-weighted descriptive analyses and a structural equation mediation model accounting for the complex sampling design were conducted. Medical marijuana users reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress and perceived social isolation than recreational users. Greater social isolation was strongly associated with higher psychological distress, and higher distress was associated with a greater likelihood of medical (vs. recreational) marijuana use. The indirect effect of social isolation on marijuana use type through psychological distress was statistically significant, while the direct effect of social isolation was not significant after accounting for distress. Overall, greater perceived social isolation predicted medical marijuana use primarily through elevated psychological distress. These findings suggest that medical marijuana use among U.S. adults may reflect coping with psychological distress linked to social disconnection, under-scoring the importance of integrating mental health and social context in-to clinical and public health approaches to cannabis use.

Abstract: Introduction: It is of the utmost importance to distinguish psychiatric illness from negative emotions to avoid psychiatrization of normal emotional responses.Case description: An 82-year-old man without a history of psychiatric disease was seen in the emergency room after a suicide attempt by hanging. He was committed and medicated with 25 mg of sertraline. Fifteen days later, the patient was evaluated in a psychiatric consultation. No psychopathology was present, and he had been cheerful and functioning well since he exited the inpatient unit. Sertraline was weaned off, and he was released from the consultation. Comment: The case report addresses psychiatrization driven by top-down factors, such as the diagnostic vagueness of classification systems or the heterogeneity of psychiatric assessments. Thus, diagnosing in mental health must involve much more than following a checklist and merely considering the patient's words and responses to questioning.

Abstract: In today’s digitally connected world, social media has become central to culture, shaping how we interact, see ourselves, and feel. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are promoted as ways to connect, but growing evidence shows they can also cause anxiety, social comparison, and emotional strain. Many studies explore these positive and negative effects, but fewer examine changes in academic discussion about social media and well-being over time. To address this issue, the present study employs BERTopic, a dynamic topic model, to analyze 7,254 journal articles indexed in the Web of Science between 2010 and 2025. The analysis identifies 110 distinct research topics and reveals that the most prominent themes converge around anxiety-related outcomes, social connection and support, as well as contextual and methodological developments such as COVID-19 communication and AI-based depression detection. Temporal trend analysis indicates a clear shift in scholarly focus. Research published between 2010 and 2016 adopted a relatively balanced perspective, addressing both the connective potential and the psychological risks associated with social media use. However, since 2017—coinciding with the rapid rise of visually oriented platforms—academic attention has increasingly centered on anxiety-related issues, particularly fear of missing out and body image concerns. By mapping the shift from connection to anxiety focus, the study shows how academic research tracks social change. The results also suggest that future research should explore platform-specific mechanisms, identify protective factors against digital stress, and contribute to the creation of healthier online spaces.

Abstract: This study examines the association between Black women’s emotional responses to racial violence and their mental health outcomes, specifically clinical indicators of anxiety, depression, and hostility. Drawing on self-reported emotions from 384 participants (Mage = 37), this study uses the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist-Revised (MAACL-R) to assess emotional responses to racial violence and determine whether participants met threshold criteria for mental health risk. Sentiment analysis was applied to participant responses, and linear regression was used to evaluate associations between negative and neutral sentiment scores and clinical outcomes. Findings revealed that negative sentiment scores were significantly associated with higher depression and hostility T scores. Neutral sentiment scores were largely nonsignificant but were weakly negatively associated with anxiety. These results highlight the psychological toll of racial violence, suggesting that negative sentiment, possibly reflecting emotional burden, frustration, or suppressed distress, may be an important indicator of compromised mental health. To better support Black women’s psychological well-being, findings highlight the need for culturally responsive mental health interventions that consider how emotional expression, especially of distress, is shaped by racialized experiences and social context.

Abstract:

Anxiety and panic attacks are among the most prevalent mental health challenges today, significantly impacting individuals’ lives, emotional stability, and overall well-being. Despite the availability of effective therapeutic techniques many individuals struggle to apply these tools consistently, particularly during acute episodes. This gap reveals the need for accessible, personalized, and engaging digital interventions that support both prevention and crisis management. This article presents the design, development, and evaluation of a digital solution that leverages Virtual Reality (VR) to assist individuals in managing anxiety. To maximize user engagement, the solution incorporates gamification elements grounded in psychological principles. The prototype was evaluated through usability testing and qualitative feedback from both mental health experts and end-users. The results confirmed the high usability and therapeutic potential of the approach as participants reported increased feelings of calmness and being better able to cope with anxiety issues.

Abstract: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a major public health concern with enduring psycho-logical and social impacts, yet survivor-centered tools that integrate internal motiva-tors and external resources for recovery remain limited. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Motivators and Resources for Trauma Recovery (I-MOVE) Scale, a strengths-based measure of trauma recovery among GBV survivors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 526 women with lived experi-ences of GBV, who were randomly assigned to exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 263) or confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 263). Construct validity was further examined through convergent, discriminant, and known-groups analyses using established measures of meaning, coping, healing, trauma-related cognitions, normalization of vi-olence, barriers to help-seeking, depression, and posttraumatic stress. EFA supported a five-factor structure explaining 38% of the variance, which was confirmed by CFA with acceptable model fit. The overall scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.89), with acceptable reliability across subscales (α = 0.61–0.83). Convergent validity was evidenced by positive associations with meaning, coping self-efficacy, and healing, while discriminant validity was supported by weak or non-significant associations with trauma cognitions and normalization of violence. Lower I-MOVE scores among participants with probable depression or PTSD supported known-groups validity. These findings indicate that the I-MOVE scale is a valid and reliable measure of moti-vators and resources for trauma recovery among GBV survivors.

Abstract: Developing mental health apps is a complex task that requires co-design, creativity, and reconciliation between clinical and technological priorities, while facing barriers related to ethics, privacy, costs, and team limitations. This work proposes a structured framework derived from the authors’ experience in developing the webapp “Psychosocial Rehab App”, created and validated by specialists, with high usability, and led by mental health professionals. This is a critical-reflective experience report based on SQUIRE, referring to a doctoral project initiated in 2023, with partial completion in 2025 and final implementation expected in 2027. The accumulated know-how enabled the construction of the Framework for the Development of the webapp “Psychosocial Rehab App”: Actions and Recommendations, composed of: Planning, Requirements Gathering, Prototyping, Prototype, Development with Alpha Validation, Beta Validation, Implementation, and Gold Validation. Thus, this work consolidates a methodological and practical trajectory that can guide professionals and researchers in creating robust, safe, and effective clinical technologies, contributing to the advancement of digital mental health.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Caring for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often associated with elevated psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction. Mindfulness-based interventions may offer substantial benefits by enhancing emotional regulation, reducing maladaptive cognitive patterns, and strengthening mindful parenting. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the effectiveness of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program, enriched with mindful parenting practices, on parental mental health and parent-reported child behavior outcomes. Methods: Fifty-six parents of children with ASD were randomly assigned to an MBCT intervention group (n = 30) or a waitlist-control group (n = 26). Participants completed assessments at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2), including the DASS-21, PANAS, and SWLS. Parents rated the overall severity of their child’s behavior problems to explore indirect treatment effects. Results: All participants receiving MBCT (100%) completed the program successfully and reported high acceptability. At baseline, no significant differences were observed between groups. Compared to controls, the MBCT group demonstrated significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, alongside increases in positive affect and life satisfaction at T1. These improvements were further strengthened or maintained at T2. However, the control group showed no significant changes across time. Additionally, parents in the MBCT group reported indirect improvements in their children’s behavioral adjustment at T1 and T2. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that MBCT constitutes an effective intervention for reducing parental psychopathology and indirectly enhancing child positive behavior, emphasizing the importance of incorporating mindfulness and mindful parenting components into family-centered interventions for parents of children with ASD.

Abstract:

Background/Objectives: People living with depression often experience consistent disruptions in the experience of time, which contribute to their suffering, and are considered a diagnostic indicator. We present a scoping review on virtual reality (VR)-based interventions for depression addressing temporal processing or subjective experiences of time. The paper aims to explore the extent to which therapeutic interventions using virtual reality target the temporal dimension of patients' experiences. Methods: We conducted a scoping review, using the PRISMA 2020 standard. The literature search was extended using Research Rabbit and reference list searches. Seventeen papers were selected for final analysis. Results: Our scoping review indicates that the topic of time in VR-based therapeutic interventions for depression remains underrepresented. Of the seventeen papers reviewed, only two explicitly deal with this issue, while the rest touch upon it briefly or implicitly. The studies suggest that VR's main advantage in modifying the experience of time in depression is its potential to generate immersion and to scaffold imagination through visualization. The main limitations are methodological: most of the research is exploratory, reports short-term effects and utilizes a wide variety of empirical designs and therapeutic approaches.

Abstract: Social media addiction (SMA) and social phobia (SP) are significant adolescent mental health concerns. In Saudi Arabia, despite high social media penetration, the specific association between these two constructs remains under-researched, particularly in the Aseer region. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine this relationship, conducted from January–March 2025, recruiting 384 Saudi adolescents (aged 11–19) from schools using a multistage cluster sampling strategy. Participants completed validated self-report measures, including the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and the Al-Menayes Social Media Addiction Scale. The prevalence of moderate-to-severe social phobia was 15.3%. A significant, moderate positive correlation emerged between SP and SMA scores (Spearman’s rho = 0.294, p < .001). After adjusting for age, gender, and family income, adolescents with moderate social phobia had 2.17 times the odds of probable SMA compared to those with no social anxiety (Odds Ratio [OR] = 2.17; 95% CI [1.03–4.59]; p = .043). Social phobia and social media addiction are significantly intertwined public health challenges among Saudi adolescents in the Aseer region. These findings support the urgent need for integrated mental health and digital literacy interventions that proactively screen for both conditions.

Abstract: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. While there have been many empirical studies of childhood ADHD, there have been few qualitative studies investigating first-hand accounts of the lived experiences of children with ADHD. This study addresses that gap with qualitative data from open-ended interviews with 12 children ages 8 to 14 years about the positive and negative aspects of their ADHD. Overarching themes were identified using Interpretive Description and Thematic Analysis. An important point to emerge was a discrepancy between the generally negative perception of ADHD by society and the medical profession (a psychiatric disorder that needs to be cured) and the more nuanced perceptions of children who themselves have ADHD, where they express positive as well as negative aspects. Positive aspects reported included having more energy, the ability to hyper-focus, and being more creative and more fun because of their ADHD. The children’s nuanced view of their ADHD is also at odds with an exclusively asset-based neurodiversity perspective that focuses only on strengths. The children perceived that some aspects of their ADHD are not advantageous. Implications are discussed with reference to rethinking how we understand ADHD, treatment practices for ADHD, and how to involve children with ADHD in future research.

Abstract: Adolescence is a critical period of vulnerability for the onset of mental health difficul-ties, presenting an urgent need for scalable prevention strategies. Diet is a universal, modifiable factor, yet its evidence base remains inconsistent. This systematic review synthesized evidence from controlled trials and prospective cohort studies investigat-ing the relationship between diet and mental health in adolescents aged 10–19 years. Searches were conducted to July 2025, and risk of bias was assessed. Nineteen studies met inclusion criteria: six intervention trials and thirteen cohort studies. Examined exposures included vitamin D, omega-3s, polyphenol-rich foods, Mediterranean-style diets, and overall diet quality. Across designs, healthier dietary patterns were often associated with fewer depressive symptoms, while poorer diet quality was linked to increased psychological distress. However, the current evidence is constrained by wide variation in assessments, small samples, and significant methodological limita-tions—particularly with high risk or some concerns noted in half of the included in-tervention trials—along with evidence suggesting that associations may differ by sex and are often sensitive to adjustment for socioeconomic status. Despite these chal-lenges, the findings confirm diet as a possible, actionable target for supporting ado-lescent mental health. This review concludes by proposing a detailed roadmap for fu-ture research, prioritizing harmonized symptom-based outcomes, biomarker-verified assessments, explicit analysis of sex and socioeconomic (SES) effects, and adequately powered trials to inform effective public health strategies for youth. Protocols were registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023413970) and archived on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/c6xze).

Abstract: Rapid methadone metabolism in patients with opioid use disorder could complicate methadone treatment. Toxicology screenings to monitor methadone levels may show negative for methadone, despite adherence regular regimen. A patient receiving treatment for opioid use disorder tested negative for methadone in 11 out of 22 toxicology screenings (50.0%). We hypothesized that the patient was a rapid methadone metabolizer. After tapering doses to a maintenance level and using supervised urine collection, the patient was negative for methadone in 7 out of 7 tests (100.0%) but positive for cocaine in 5 out of 7 tests (71.4%). Chronic cocaine use and genetic factors, particularly CYP2B6 polymorphisms, have been found to cause rapid methadone metabolism. Clinicians should be vigilant for unusual metabolic reactions and modify dose and monitoring schedules accordingly. More investigation into the physiological and genetic aspects of methadone metabolism is needed.

Abstract: The theory of geropsychosis reconceptualizes anxiety, mood, psychotic, and neurocognitive disorders as primarily emerging from the universal accumulation of metals, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), advanced lipoxidation end products (ALEs), and their hybrid complexes among post-pubescent individuals. These inputs drive self-reinforcing molecular feedback loops underlying clinically meaningful insults against the nervous system, thus extending the Conglomerate Theory of Aging to mental health. Through comprehensive analysis of molecular damage and neural function, we establish that psychiatric symptoms emerge from the same fundamental aging mechanisms that comprise systemic decline. This unified understanding provides a mechanistic foundation for reconceptualizing several mental disorders as emerging from similar sources rather than wholly disparate pathological routes. The geropsychosis framework thus reveals new therapeutic targets and intervention strategies that may directly address the fundamental causes of psychiatric pathology.

Abstract: Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG) is a critical yet underexplored phenomenon among trauma-focused helping professionals. While secondary trauma (ST), compassion fatigue, and burnout are widely recognized negative aspects of working with trauma survivors, less is known about the potential benefits of this work and its contributions to well-being. This qualitative study examined whether VPTG parallels Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) across its five domains and explored the lived experiences of ST and VPTG among peer-support specialists. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, re-searchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 participants, independently coded transcripts, and developed themes through consensus. Findings indicate that VPTG mirrors PTG, with participants reporting challenges to core beliefs, emotional distress, and transformative cognitive-emotional shifts that facilitated growth across the five PTG domains. Participants also described moving from an initial acclimation phase, characterized by heightened distress, into a thriving phase of work with trauma survivors, marked by meaning-making and enhanced well-being. Outcomes extended beyond the five PTG domains to include compassion satisfaction, hope, expanded coping skills, and improved mental health. These findings underscore the potential of work with trauma survivors to contribute to both growth and well-being, with important implications for supporting helping professionals.

Abstract: Background: Migrant children encounter numerous survival challenges during their development, which may contribute to difficulties in adapting to new school environments. Although existing research has confirmed that multiple risk factors within the family microsystem negatively affect their school adjustment, the cumulative impact of these risks and their underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. methods: A total of 2,498 students participated in this study, including 1,370 non-migrant children and 1,128 migrant children (mean age = 12.83 ± 1.21 years; 576 boys), recruited from three middle schools in Jiangsu Province; Results: The results showed that: (1) cumulative family risk had a significant negative predictive effect on school adjustment; (2) relative deprivation played a partial mediating role in this relationship; and (3) beliefs about adversity moderated the latter half of the mediation pathway, serving a protective function; Conclusion: Exposure to multiple family risk factors may heighten migrant children’s relative deprivation, thereby adversely influencing their school adjustment—a pathway further moderated by adversity beliefs. The present study not only contributes to a deeper theoretical understanding of the link between cumulative family risk and school adjustment and its underlying mechanisms, but also offers practical insights for designing interventions aimed at enhancing school adjustment among migrant children.

Abstract: Background: Social inequalities and vulnerability associated with ethnic and social minority status are risk factors for health inequities. Objective: To assess associations be-tween psychosocial health, social discrimination, perceived social support, and resilience among people living in Portugal based on ethnic origin. Method: This is an observational investigation carried out with 756 individuals (M=39.3; SD=13.79), who responded to the Brief Symptom Inventory, Everyday Discrimination Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, along with a sociodemographic questionnaire. Participants were divided into two groups, the first consisting of white Portuguese of European origin (majority group, n=609, 80.56%) and the second consisting of black individuals, Afro-descendants, Roma, and Portuguese Roma (minority group, n=147, 19.44%). Results: Sociodemographic markers remained inferior in the minority group. This group also had elevated scores for both psychological distress and social discrimination (p’s< .001). Perceived social support (majority: 5.58; minority: 6.09; p< .001) and resilience (majority: 2.64; minority: 3.17; p< .001) were statistically significantly different. Regression analyses indicated that minority ethnicity was a predictor of psychological distress. Conclusions: In summary, discrimination linked to ethnic origin predicted poor health indicators. Consequently, further work is needed to clarify the social context of individuals who experience any form of discrimination and to assist the governments in addressing this situation through public policies grounded in informed data to reduce the risk factors and enhance the health of these communities.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Gender differences in school stress and academic sat-isfaction among pre-adolescents remain underexplored, particularly in relation to physical activity as a potential protective factor. This study aimed to examine these dif-ferences and investigate the role of sports/exercise frequency in mitigating boredom and stress, controlling for school safety, using a large multinational dataset. Methods: Data from the International Survey of Children's Well-Being (ISCWeB, third wave; N=128,184 pre-adolescents aged 6-14 from 35 countries) were analyzed. Key variables included boredom and stress (0-10 scales), sports/exercise frequency (categorized as low: 0-2 days/week, medium: 3-4, high: 5-6), and school safety (0-4 scale). Descriptive statistics were stratified by gender and sports level. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tested combined effects of sports level, gender, and their interaction, followed by uni-variate ANOVAs (Type II). Results: Modest gender differences were found in stress (boys: mean=4.05; girls: mean=4.16) and academic satisfaction (boys: 8.50; girls: 8.66), with similar distributions in physical activity variables. Higher sports frequency was associ-ated with lower boredom (high: 4.00 vs. low: 4.46) and stress (high: 4.03 vs. low: 4.05). MANOVA confirmed a significant multivariate effect of sports level (Wilks' lamb-da=0.9984, F=49.74, p< 0.0001), with marginal gender effect (p=0.0525) and significant interaction (Wilks' lambda=0.9998, F=6.59, p< 0.0001); small effect sizes (partial η²≤0.014). School safety was a significant covariate (Wilks' lambda=0.9807, F=1262.84, p< 0.0001, partial η²≈0.013). Conclusions: Physical activity modestly protects against school-related boredom and stress in pre-adolescents, with modest gender moderation. Findings support universal school programs promoting daily exercise, with gender-sensitive adaptations, to enhance emotional well-being and academic satisfaction.

Abstract: Background: The connections between poverty, disability, and mental health are deeply intertwined and mutually reinforcing, potentially leading to poverty traps. Forced displacement can have enduring impacts on both mental health and poverty. Adults with disabilities experience mental distress more frequently than those without disabilities. However, the interplay between poverty, disability, mental health, and forced displacement remains not fully understood due to limited comparable data between displaced and non-displaced populations in the same context. This paper examines the mental health status, disability burden, cognitive bias of pessimism, subjective feeling of loneliness and self-esteem, and socio-economic factors including financial security, of both refugees and host communities in a low-income setting in Northern Mozambique. Methods: Poor adult refugees (n=134) and Mozambican nationals living in the vicinity (n=314) were identified based on a poverty score card employed by the World Bank for the targeting of Government social protection programs. They were administered a survey capturing symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), disability (Washington Group on Disability Statistics- Short Set), and socioeconomic characteristics. Results: Both refugees and hosts report high symptom levels of depression (34% and 29% respectively) and anxiety (25%) without significant differences between the groups. Women in both groups report more symptoms. Both refugees and Mozambicans face a high disability burden (25% and 22%). Individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to experience depression and three times as likely to suffer from anxiety. Financial security is inversely related to mental health issues: a one-unit increase in financial security corresponds to a 0.069 unit decrease in anxiety (p< 5%) and a 0.069 unit decrease in depression (p< 1%). Pessimism is positively associated with poor mental health for both refugees and hosts, increasing the prevalence of anxiety and depression more than 2.5 times compared to those who are not pessimistic. Loneliness is not a good predictor of depression or anxiety among the population studied while self-esteem is a good predictor of depression and anxiety with low self-esteem more than doubling the likelihood of the prevalence of GAD and depression. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the link between poverty and mental health, introducing disability as another contributing factor. This underscores the need for enhanced mental health and public health services for both refugees and hosts, with a particular focus on women. Policy actions to improve employment access and social inclusion for persons with disabilities are crucial for better mental health outcomes. Mental health interventions should be integrated into antipoverty measures alongside traditional economic interventions. Additionally, high levels of mental health issues can hinder the economic and social integration of refugees, which is essential for the economic growth and stability needed for long-term solutions.

Abstract: Gestalt therapy traditionally opposes categorical diagnostic labelling due to its fundamental inconsistency with phenomenological and process-oriented ontology. However, this epistemological rigour can limit integration with structured evidence-based interventions for complex personality organisations such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This paper proposes a hybrid theoretical model that integrates the clinical epistemology of Gestalt therapy with Linehan's biosocial theory of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and schema-focused interventions, while preserving the core principles of Gestalt. We present a model of theoretical integration that draws on Gestalt contact theory, the four modules of DBT (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness) and the experiential techniques of Schema Therapy. The integration focuses on the dialectic of acceptance and change, which mirrors Gestalt's paradoxical theory of change. The proposed framework preserves the non-protocol dimension of Gestalt therapy while incorporating the pragmatic utility of DBT and Schema Therapy. Key innovations include: (1) conceptualising the “draft self” as the object and subject of therapeutic work, (2) integrating mindfulness and grounding as embodied processes within live Gestalt experiments, (3) activation techniques to explore the identity fragmentation endemic to DBP. This integration offers a coherent, embodied, and process-oriented framework for understanding and treating DBP that validates patients' lived experience, mobilises evidence-based interventions, and opens up meaningful intertheoretical dialogue.