The importance of harmonising diagnostic criteria sets for pathological grief

Five diagnostic criteria sets for pathological grief are currently used in research. Studies evaluating their performance indicate that it is not justified to generalise findings regarding prevalence rates and predictive validity across studies using different diagnostic criteria of pathological grief. We provide recommendations to move the bereavement field forward. 

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Successful treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder reverses DNA methylation marks

Epigenetic mechanisms play a role in the detrimental effects of traumatic stress and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is unknown whether successful treatment of PTSD restores these epigenetic marks. This study investigated longitudinal changes of blood-based genome-wide DNA methylation levels in relation to trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD in soldiers that obtained remission (N = 21), non-remitted PTSD patients (N = 23), and trauma-exposed military controls (N = 23).

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Chapter : Brief eclectic psychotherapy

Brief eclectic psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (BEPP), an evidence-based treatment that focuses on working through difficult emotions and grief originating from traumatic events, aims not only to reduce symptoms but also to enable trauma survivors to learn from devastating experiences. This chapter describes BEPP and unique characteristics that distinguish it from other evidence-based treatments that are highly relevant in the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorders (CTSDs).

 

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Arts of healing : Cultural narratives of trauma.

This book proposes a return to the resources of the humanities in an attempt to investigate, reflect on, remember or imagine old and new arts of healing at the intersection of critical and cultural theory, psychoanalysis, philosophy, neurology, literature, the visual arts, film studies and gender and queer studies. It interrogates any understanding of healing as the restoration of a lost wholeness, the end of subjective or communal crisis, the retrieval of personal or national sovereignty.

 

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A framework of meaning attribution following loss

The loss of a loved one causes the world and the place of the bereaved survivor in it to change irreversibly. A key aspect of the grieving process is the integration of the loss in the bereaved survivor’s life story, identity change, and a new future orientation through meaning attribution. Meaning attribution can have favourable or unfavourable effects on the grieving process and hence determines the extent to which a loss disrupts the bereaved survivor’s functioning.

 

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Development and psychometric evaluation of the Transdiagnostic Decision Tool : matched care for patients with a mental disorder in need of highly specialised care

Background
Early identification of patients with mental health problems in need of highly specialised care could enhance the timely provision of appropriate care and improve the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatment strategies. Recent research on the development and psychometric evaluation of diagnosis-specific decision-support algorithms suggested that the treatment allocation of patients to highly specialised mental healthcare settings may be guided by a core set of transdiagnostic patient factors.

 

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Psychedelic Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders : A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Patient Experiences in Qualitative Studies

Introduction

Interest in the use of psychedelic substances for the treatment of mental disorders is increasing. Processes that may afect therapeutic change are not yet fully understood. Qualitative research methods are increasingly used to examine patient accounts; however, currently, no systematic review exists that synthesizes these fndings in relation to the use of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders.

Objective

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After the surge, the psychological impact of Covid-19 is hitting home

Having dealt with the months-long terror of crammed ICUs, unavailable PPE and the fear of getting infected, the coronavirus crisis is taking its toll on healthcare workers' mental health. 

 

 

After 15 years as an emergency doctor, Anand Swaminathan was familiar with the traumatic experiences that came along with his job – treating victims of shootings, stabbings and terrible incidents of domestic violence. But it was the relentless, months-long influx of patients during the Covid-19 pandemic that made him seek therapy for the first time.

 

 

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Exploring the Maladaptive Cognitions of Moral Injury

Moral injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two prominent mental health problems that affect military personnel. Moral injury results when the individual is exposed to a situation or event that violates their moral code; however, PTSD results when there is a substantial threat of harm. Moral injury is a relatively new construct within the literature with research starting in the late 2000s. Although distorted cognitions are core components of PTSD symptomatology, there has been no research of cognitions in moral injury.

 

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Morally Injurious Experiences of Combat Exposed Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan : Moderating Effects of Self-Forgiveness on Feelings of Shame and Guilt

Moral injury is a construct developed to explain a unique symptom profile of individuals who may have perpetrated, witnessed, or learned about events that transgress their held moral beliefs. Among combat exposed Veterans, particular attention has been focused on the ambiguous nature of recent military conflicts and the increased moral conflicts associated with more recent, unconventional combat tactics and strategies.

 

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