PubMed

Introduction – Previous studies have shown that children’s exposure to potentially traumatic events and their trauma−related symptoms may not always be consistently identified. This study aims to examine differences in trauma exposure and related psychological outcomes between clinical and non−clinical Lithuanian children. Methods – This cross-sectional study included 10–17−year−old children and adolescents recruited from a clinical inpatient setting (Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos) and general−education schools in Vilnius and nearby districts. After parental consent and child assent, participants completed a secure mobile assessment covering exposure to potentially traumatic events (CATS), dissociation (A−DES), mood and feeling (SMFQ), post−traumatic cognitions (CPTCI), PTSD symptoms (CATS; PCL−5 for convergent validation), and perceived social support (CASSS). Data were collected in 2023–2024. Group differences were examined using Welch’s t−tests (with Mann–Whitney U as robustness checks), and associations were assessed using Pearson correlations. Results – In the clinical sample over 40% of children experienced physical violence, while in the non−clinical sample 82.9% children reported exposure to multiple traumatic events. The clinical sample showed significantly higher dissociation, negative mood, and PTSD symptoms compared to the non−clinical sample. However, among children exposed to more than one traumatic event, differences in dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and close−friend support were not significant. Across both samples, exposure to potentially traumatic events was strongly associated with PTSD symptoms, dissociation, and post−traumatic cognitions, and moderately associated with mood symptoms. In the non−clinical sample, parental support showed moderate negative associations with dissociation, mood symptoms, post−traumatic cognitions, and PTSD symptoms. Discussion – This study identified between−sample differences in exposure to potentially traumatic events and trauma−related psychological outcomes among Lithuanian children in inpatient and community settings, highlighting the need for trauma−informed assessment and attention to social support within child mental health and welfare services.

Cross-cultural empirical evidence on the validity of measures of depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents is scarce and inconclusive. The present study investigated the cross-national measurement invariance and convergent validity evidence of the Depression and Anxiety scales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21). We sampled 16,802 adolescents (58.1% female) aged 14–19 years across 30 countries from five continents. Both exact and approximate measurement invariance were tested. The results provided evidence for the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM) as the best representation of the data in most countries. Full scalar invariance was not supported when tested across all countries, but only among two Southern Asian countries (Bangladesh, India), two Northern European countries (Estonia, Lithuania), the six former republics of Yugoslavia, and European and American countries grouped by UN subregions. Results of the alignment method supported the approximate invariance of the ESEM model across 29 countries. Associations between Depression and Anxiety ESEM factors and life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect conformed to the theoretical expectations in most countries. Our findings indicate that the Depression and Anxiety scales of the DASS-21 have potential for use in cross-national research on adolescent internalizing symptoms, but we highlight issues of using it outside of Western (European, North American) settings.

Background Recurrent pregnancy loss linked to the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genetic mutation is common in infertility journeys. Identifying these mutations and offering targeted treatments can save pregnancies and assist in the transition to motherhood. However, the psychological effects of past miscarriages often persist, highlighting the need for a clear care pathway. This study explores the existential-phenomenological aspects of transitioning to motherhood after genetically determined infertility, emphasising the importance of understanding human existence to gain insights into these lived experiences. Methodology J. A. Smith's Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach, in combination with the framework of Daseinsanalysis developed by A. Holzhey-Kunz was employed to guide the research process. Hence, this paper presents an in-depth exploration of the lived experience of 10 women's transition of motherhood after a genetically induced experience. Findings The research reveals that having genetically defined infertility and its treatment as a background gives transition to motherhood a different start, which may affect the way it is experienced. Women in our study tend to disconnect from their prior infertility experience, leaving it not integrated into a constructive and meaningful life story. Moreover, the intense fear of loss, coupled with the perceived need to ‘fix’ their bodies to ensure the baby's survival, overshadows these women's pregnancies. Finally, the transition to motherhood is existentially attuned with death, uncertainty, along with the non-transparency and fragility of the body.

Lakes supply multiple ecosystem services (ES), key to supporting socio-ecologic systems and human well-being. In the context of future land use and climate changes, it is imperative to anticipate potential impacts on lake ES supply. Hence, studies that deal with future lake ES, such as mapping, are lacking. In this work, we mapped and assessed the future supply of three ES: (1) maintenance of nursery conditions (nursery ES), (2) maintenance of chemical conditions of freshwaters (nutrient regulation ES), and (3) direct and indirect cultural outputs (recreation ES) in Lithuania. Four future scenarios were utilised, integrating land use and climate changes: A0 - business as usual; A1-urbanisation; A2: land abandonment and afforestation; and A3 - agricultural intensification. The projected year was 2050, following the intermediate Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP 4.5). The future scenarios were simulated using the open-source software Dinamica EGO based on a 6-step modelling framework. Statistical differences among the scenarios and ES were analysed by applying a Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test. Spatial analysis was done by performing a Moran's I and Getis-Ord (Gi∗) hotspot analysis. The results showed significant differences in nursery and nutrient regulation ES. The highest supply in nursery ES was observed for the A0 scenario. For nutrient regulation ES, the lowest ES supply was identified for the A1 scenario and for recreation ES, the highest was found in the A2 scenario. The eastern and northeastern regions of Lithuania showed a high ES supply. Hot spots were only identified in the eastern region. These regions are associated with a high area covered by forests and protected areas. The central region shows a low ES supply, identified as a cold spot where the agricultural landscape dominates. The results of the PCA analysis revealed an association between nursery and recreation ES. Nutrient regulation was not associated with the other two ES. Mapping and assessing the impact of future scenarios is vital to anticipating the potential dynamics of lake ES, especially in the context of climate change. This information is essential in the context of environmental management, helping decision-makers to ensure a sustainable ES supply and contributing to human wellbeing.

It can be risky to be different. The healthy context paradox notes that a reduction in classroom bullying exacerbates problems for those who remain victimized (Huitsing et al., 2019). The present study extends this work by examining the costs associated with being a victimized social outlier [known also as a "social misfit" (Wright et al., 1986)] in (nonintervention) regular classroom settings, to determine whether students who are outliers in terms of classroom victimization respond with increasing adjustment problems. Participants were 706 public primary and middle school students (ages 9-14 years, Mage = 11.80, SDage = 1.13) in the United States (80 girls, 85 boys) and Lithuania (259 girls, 282 boys). Peer nominations of physical victimization and disruptiveness along with self-reports of physical victimization, conduct problems, and delinquent behavior were collected twice during an academic year (4 months apart). Longitudinal group actor-partner interdependence model analyses indicated that increases in adjustment problems over the course of the school year were a product of the degree to which a child was a victimized social outlier. Specifically, the discrepancy between individual victimization and classroom victimization norms at the beginning of the school year predicted increases in disruptiveness (d = -0.11), delinquent behavior (d = -0.10), and conduct problems (d = -0.08) from the beginning to the end of the school year. The results are consistent with the assertion that the risks of being a social outlier extend to those who stand apart in terms of their victimization experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The ecosystems in China's arid and semiarid regions are notably fragile and experiencing dramatic land degradation. At the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in October 2015, a definition for land degradation neutrality (LDN) was proposed and subsequently integrated into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research on LDN has developed in terms of conceptual framework constructions, quantitative assessments, and empirical studies. However, LDN and its drivers must be clarified in China's arid and semiarid regions since some representative processes have yet to be fully considered in the assessment. Here, we develop an LDN indicator system specialised for the area, assess their LDN status, and determine the impacts of human activities and climate change on LDN. Our research aims to refine the LDN indicator system tailored for China's arid and semiarid regions by incorporating the trends of wind and water erosion. We also identify the influence of human activity and climate change on LDN, which provides insightful strategies for ecological restoration and sustainable development in drylands with climate-sensitive ecosystems. The results show that: (1) In 2020, more than half of areas of China's arid and semiarid regions achieved LDN, with more pronounced success in the southeastern areas compared to the central regions. (2) For LDN drivers, elevation shows negligible influence on LDN, whereas increased temperature promotes LDN achievement. Conversely, factors like vapour pressure deficit and v-direction wind speed hinder it. In conclusion, China's arid and semiarid regions achieved LDN, and the dominant factor that substantially influences LDN varies across geographical zones, with higher wind speeds and elevated GDP levels generally obstructing LDN in most areas.

Introduction While the factors commonly associated with an increased risk of child maltreatment (CM) were found to be increased during COVID-19, reports of actual maltreatment showed varying trends. Similarly, evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 on CM within the European Cooperation on Science and Technology and Network Collaborative (COST) Action countries remains inconsistent. This scoping review aims to explore the extent and nature of evidence pertaining to CM within the countries affiliated with the Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe Action Network (Euro-CAN), funded by the COST. Methods and analysis Key electronic databases were searched to identify eligible papers, reports and other material published between January 2020 and April 2023: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Social Policy and Practice, Scopus and Web of Science. To cover the breadth of evidence, a systematic and broad search strategy was applied using a combination of keywords and controlled vocabulary for four concepts: children, maltreatment, COVID-19 and Euro-CAN countries, without restrictions on study design or language. Grey literature was searched in OpenGrey and Google Scholar. Two reviewers will independently screen full-text publications for eligibility and undertake data extraction, using a customised grid. The screening criteria and data charting will be piloted by the research team. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews will be followed to present the results. Results will be summarised in a tabular form and narratively. Ethics and dissemination This review will identify and summarise publicly available data, without requiring ethical approval. The findings will be disseminated to the Euro-CAN Network and reported to the COST Association. They will also be published in a peer-reviewed journal. This protocol is registered on Open Science Framework.

For older people, religious faith is a significant part of their identity. There is a lack of research that reveals the faith of practicing Roman Catholics as a multi-component phenomenon that can develop, through an internal perspective in personal and social contexts. Aim: to explore how religious faith is experienced in the life of an older practicing Roman Catholic. Methods: A qualitative approach was selected for this case study. Data was gathered through faith development interviews, and it was analysed using these methods: thematic narrative analysis, structural and content analysis. The faith of an older practicing Roman Catholic (woman, 84 years old) is analysed. Results: The case study revealed that religious faith is meaningful to the practicing older Roman Catholic woman as a multi-component faith construct, consisting of internal and external aspects, the essential of which is the internal relationship with God, which forms an integral spiritual, moral and social identity of a person; through the course of life it becomes a continuously nurtured value at each stage of life; through faith development as a conscious, social and integrated faith in her life; through an internal psychosocial perspective providing internal psychological resources that help her overcome difficulties, maintain well-being in her life and give the meaning to her life. Conclusion: The potential of religious faith in counselling the older practicing Roman Catholic lies in the awareness of personal feelings, beliefs, behaviours, the image of God, self-worth, early experiences, and the relationships related to religious faith in the context of a person’s life.

We aimed to explore the feasibility and potential relevance of integrated electronic collection of patient-reported outcome and experience measures (PROM and PREM) in children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN) by using the example of children with kidney and hematological diseases. We performed a cross-sectional, single-center study of children <18 years of age. Children (≥10 years) and their parents received Generic PedsQL Core Scale 4.0 and custom PREM surveys to their email addresses via the REDCap platform, and the results were integrated into the hospital’s electronic health records system. A total of 192 patients (98 with kidney diseases and 94 with hematological diseases) were enrolled. The overall response rate was 51%, and the median time for completion of each proxy questionnaire was approximately three minutes. The lowest PROM scores were observed in the emotional and school functioning dimensions. More favorable experiences in the diagnosis establishment process were associated with higher scores in physical, social, school functioning, and total PROM scores. A better evaluation of the hospital’s environment was associated with higher social functioning, while better information provision correlated with higher physical functioning and total PROM scores. Our data indicates that integrated electronic collection of PROMs and PREMs in the population of CSHCN is feasible, but efforts to increase the response rate are needed. The associations between PROMs and PREMs suggest that future studies exploring targeted interventions at the healthcare service level to improve subjective patient outcomes are needed.

Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) are recurrent, compulsive, destructive behaviours directed towards the body. Although studies have demonstrated a 12-14% prevalence rate, researchers found that dermatologists and psychiatrists show a lack of knowledge regarding psychodermatology resources and information about BFRB disorders (BFRBDs) such as trichotillomania (TTM). There is limited research about treatments including ones investigating the clinical applications of various self-help training such as decoupling (DC) and DC in sensu (DC-is) as well as about habit-reversal training (HRT). HRT is a five-component behavioural intervention that aims to develop a competing response to a specific unwanted behaviour. Studies have found substantial support for HRT's efficacy in treating a variety of maladaptive repetitive behaviours including onychotillomania, TTM, skin-picking disorder and chronic cheek biting. Additionally, many psychotherapies can augmented HRT. Psychotherapies include acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness mediation and the cognitive psychophysiological model. A recently investigated variant of HRT, DC-is, resulted in consistently satisfactory objective and subjective improvement for treating BFRBDs, and HRT showed good subjective but poor objective improvement compared with standard DC. HRT and HRT variants are effective therapeutic treatments for BFRBDs; however, further randomized double-blinded and placebo-controlled trials are required to examine HRT's therapeutic profile. Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) are recurrent, compulsive, destructive behaviours directed towards the body. There is no recognized pharmacological therapy available as first-line treatment. Habit-reversal therapy (HRT) is a five-component behavioural intervention. Many studies have found support for HRT's efficacy in treating BFRB disorders including onychotillomania, trichotillomania, skin-picking disorder and chronic cheek biting. Combination with other psychotherapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, mindfulness mediation and the cognitive psychophysiological model have shown some promise.