Excessive and persistent fear of clusters of holes, also known as trypophobia, has been suggested to reflect cortical hyperexcitability and may be associated with mental health risks. No study, however, has yet examined these associations in representative epidemiological samples.

To examine the prevalence of trypophobia in a population-representative youth sample, its association with mental health and functioning, and its interaction with external stress.

A total of 2065 young people were consecutively recruited from a household-based epidemiological youth mental health study in Hong Kong. Trypophobia, symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress, and exposure to personal stressors were assessed. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationships between trypophobia and mental health. Potential additive and interaction effects of trypophobia and high stress exposure on mental health were also tested.

The prevalence of trypophobia was 17.6%. Trypophobia was significantly associated with severe symptoms of anxiety (odds ratio (OR) = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.32–2.53), depression (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.24–2.56) and stress (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.11–2.53), even when accounting for sociodemographic factors, personal and family psychiatric history, resilience and stress exposure. Dose–response relationships were observed, and trypophobia significantly potentiated the effects of stress exposure on symptom outcomes, particularly for depressive symptoms. Those with trypophobia also showed significantly poorer functioning across domains and poorer health-related quality of life.

Screening for trypophobia in young people may facilitate early risk detection and intervention, particularly among those with recent stress exposure. Nevertheless, the generally small effect sizes suggest that other factors have more prominent roles in determining recent mental health outcomes in population-based samples; these should be explored in future work.

Undergraduate students encounter developmental challenges during their transition into adulthood. Previous studies have claimed that adults with later chronotypes usually manifest negative psychological effects: poor sleep quality, greater stress, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. However, knowledge about the relationship between chronotype, stress, and sleep quality among young adults is lacking.

The present study investigated the relationship between undergraduates’ chronotypes and perceived stress on sleep quality.

An online survey with a descriptive, cross-sectional design was conducted with a convenience sample of undergraduate students at a university in southern Taiwan. Those who were 20-25 years old and enrolled as a student were included; but who had been suspended or had deferred graduation were excluded. Students’ chronotype, stress, and sleep quality were assessed with three self-reported instruments: Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Of 161 undergraduates who completed the questionnaires, 51 reported using an alarm clock to wake and were removed from data analysis. One hundred and ten students’ mean age is 20.3 and perceived moderate stress. Sixty-one percent were poor-quality sleepers. The mean chronotype score was 5.7, and 85.5% had an intermediate chronotype, while 13.6% had an evening chronotype. Chronotype and perceived stress were positively correlated with sleep quality (p < .001). Social jetlag was positively correlated with chronotype (p =.036). Undergraduate’s later chronotype and higher stress perception predicted 30% of poorer sleep quality (p < .001).

Undergraduate students’ chronotype and perceived stress were positively correlated and acted as predictors of the sleep quality. The findings could help to develop health-promotion interventions for these emerging adults to adjust their daily routines; and reduce their social jetlag, stress levels, and sleep disturbance.

None Declared

Mental Health Literacy (MHL) includes four distinct but interrelated components: maintenance of positive mental health (MH), recognition of mental disorders (R), mental illness stigma attitudes (S), and help-seeking efficacy (E). A fifth component, help-seeking attitude (A) was included in a MHL model because it is a strong predictor of help-seeking behaviors. The five-factor model of MHL has been validated previously. In the study of multiple mediation model of MHL, it demonstrated the mediation role of help-seeking efficacy between recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitude (R-E-A path), but the roles of mental illness stigma attitudes or maintenance of positive mental health remain unknown.

The present study aimed to examine the theory-based multifaceted MHL model by utilizing a meta-analytic structural equation modeling analyses (MASEM) method.

Systematic search of articles from electronic databases, including APA PsycArticles, ERIC, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Pubmed, and Airiti Library (Chinese), from inception up to July 31, 2022, was conducted by raters independently assessed study eligibility, and extracted 127 empirical, quantitative, non-interventional studies with properly reported effect sizes (k=192). MASEM analyses were conducted via a two-stage approach. First, a pooled correlation matrix was obtained for each mediation model by applying a multivariate random-effects model using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.3. Second, a structural equation model was fitted on the pooled correlation matrices to test for mediation effects (i.e., indirect effects) using IBM SPSS Amos.

In the single-mediator model analysis, there was a significant partial mediation effect of help-seeking efficacy and Mental illness stigma attitudes on the relationship between recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitude (R-E-A path & R-S-A path, p <.05). The multiple-mediator model has showed adequate fit (RMSEA = 0.09, SRMR = 0.04, CFI = 0.93, GFI = .99). It confirmed the help-seeking efficacy served as a mediator. A sequential mediation of maintenance of positive mental health and mental illness stigma attitudes was found (p <.05) between recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitude (R-MH-S-A path).

There is a robust mediation effect of Help-seeking efficacy on the relationship between recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitude either in the single mediation model or the multiple mediation model. Furthermore, increased recognition of mental disorder was related to increased maintenance of positive mental health, therefore decreased mental illness stigma attitude, and eventually increased help-seeking attitude. Future research directions regarding pathways in the MHL models were discussed.

None Declared

It is unknown how much variation in adult mental health problems is associated with differences between societal/cultural groups, over and above differences between individuals.

To test these relative contributions, a consortium of indigenous researchers collected Adult Self-Report (ASR) ratings from 16 906 18- to 59-year-olds in 28 societies that represented seven culture clusters identified in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness study (e.g. Confucian, Anglo). The ASR is scored on 17 problem scales, plus a personal strengths scale. Hierarchical linear modeling estimated variance accounted for by individual differences (including measurement error), society, and culture cluster. Multi-level analyses of covariance tested age and gender effects.

Across the 17 problem scales, the variance accounted for by individual differences ranged from 80.3% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems to 95.2% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality (mean = 90.7%); by society: 3.2% for DSM-oriented somatic problems to 8.0% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 6.3%); and by culture cluster: 0.0% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality to 11.6% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 3.0%). For strengths, individual differences accounted for 80.8% of variance, societal differences 10.5%, and cultural differences 8.7%. Age and gender had very small effects.

Overall, adults' self-ratings of mental health problems and strengths were associated much more with individual differences than societal/cultural differences, although this varied across scales. These findings support cross-cultural use of standardized measures to assess mental health problems, but urge caution in assessment of personal strengths.

Palliative care can improve the quality of life of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. However, little is known about the utilization of palliative care among AYA cancer patients. Identifying factors associated with the utilization of palliative care could inform efforts to improve palliative care access among AYA patients living with cancer.

Using data from the National Inpatient Sample 2016–2019, a representative sample of US hospitalizations, we examined palliative care encounters and associated characteristics among hospitalizations of AYA with cancer and high inpatient mortality risk. Survey design–adjusted bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations of patient- and hospital-level characteristics with palliative care.

Of 10,979 hospitalizations by AYA cancer patients with high mortality risk, 19.9% received palliative care services between 2016 and 2019. After adjusting for all characteristics, independent predictors of palliative care use were as follows: older age (25–39 years old vs. 25–39 years; odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15–1.49), Hispanic/Latinx (vs. non-Hispanic White; OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.34), female (vs. male; OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.14–1.41), public insurance (vs. private insurance; OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10–1.38), hospital location in the US South (vs. Northeast; OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66–0.94), and a large hospital (vs. small; OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.72–0.96).

Less than 20% of AYAs with cancer and high risk of mortality received inpatient palliative care services. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for lower palliative care utilization in the younger age groups.

To assess the accuracy of the Varian PerfectPitch six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) robotic couch by using a Varian SRS QA phantom.

The stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) phantom has five tungsten carbide BBs each with 7·5 mm in diameter arranged with the known geometry. Optical surface images and cone beam CT (CBCT) images of the phantom were taken at different pitch, roll and rotation angles. The pitch, roll, and rotation angles were varied from −3 to 3 degrees by inputs from the linac console. A total of 39 Vision RT images with different rotation angle combinations were collected, and the Vision RT software was used to determine the rotation angles and translational shifts from those images. Eight CBCT images at most allowed rotational angles were analysed by in-house software. The software took the coordinates of the voxel of the maximum CT number inside a 7·5-mm sphere surrounding one BB to be the measured position of this BB. Expected BB positions at different rotation angles were determined by multiplying measured BB positions at zero pitch and roll values by a rotation matrix. Applying the rotation matrix to 5 BB positions yielded 15 equations. A linear least square method was used for regression analysis to approximate the solutions of those equations.

Of the eight calculations from CBCT images, the maximum rotation angle differences (degree) were 0·10 for pitch, 0·15 for roll and 0·09 for yaw. The maximum translation differences were 0·3 mm in the left–right direction, 0·5 mm in the anterior–posterior direction and 0·4 mm in the superior–inferior direction.

The uncertainties of the 6-DOF couch were examined with the methods of optical surface imaging and CBCT imaging of the SRS QA phantom. The rotational errors were less than 0·2 degree, and the isocentre shifts were less than 0·8 mm.

Cognitive impairments are well-established features of psychotic disorders and are present when individuals are at ultra-high risk for psychosis. However, few interventions target cognitive functioning in this population.

To investigate whether omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n−3 PUFA) supplementation improves cognitive functioning among individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis.

Data (N = 225) from an international, multi-site, randomised controlled trial (NEURAPRO) were analysed. Participants were given omega-3 supplementation (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) or placebo over 6 months. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Mixed two-way analyses of variance were computed to compare the change in cognitive performance between omega-3 supplementation and placebo over 6 months. An additional biomarker analysis explored whether change in erythrocyte n−3 PUFA levels predicted change in cognitive performance.

The placebo group showed a modest greater improvement over time than the omega-3 supplementation group for motor speed (ηp2 = 0.09) and BACS composite score (ηp2 = 0.21). After repeating the analyses without individuals who transitioned, motor speed was no longer significant (ηp2 = 0.02), but the composite score remained significant (ηp2 = 0.02). Change in erythrocyte n-3 PUFA levels did not predict change in cognitive performance over 6 months.

We found no evidence to support the use of omega-3 supplementation to improve cognitive functioning in ultra-high risk individuals. The biomarker analysis suggests that this finding is unlikely to be attributed to poor adherence or consumption of non-trial n−3 PUFAs.

As the incidence of gender incongruence (GI)/gender dysphoria (GD) rises yearly, public understanding of transgender is also increasing, whereas this improvement cannot be achieved without extensive transgender-related surveys. However, most of the surveys were only issued to people who identify themselves as transgender with the absence of medical confirmations in most situations. These result in a gap between transgender survey and diagnosed GI/GD.

This study aims to discover the gap between self-reported and diagnostically confirmed transgender and GI/GD individuals among students in China.

We chose two middle schools and one college from Changsha (a city in China) at random with a total of 2047 students. Among them, 1661 students gave us certain gender identify responses in which we categorized them into two types (cisgender and gender minorities). Professional psychiatrists then used ICD-11 and DSM-5 criteria to confirm whether the self-reported gender minorities could be diagnosed with GI/GD via phone or in person.

In total, 7.5% of the college students and 5.8% of the middle school students reported themselves as gender minorities. Although 29% of college students and 43.8% of middle school students did not cooperate with the subsequent psychiatric interviews, none of the self-reported gender minority students meet the GI/GD criteria of ICD-11/DSM-5.

The epidemiological investigation of transgender is heavily affected by the definition and the data sources. There is a huge heterogeneity between self-reported transgender and diagnosed GI/GD. Future transgender studies should strictly control inclusion criteria.

No significant relationships.