Objective: Sudden gains describe large and stable reductions in symptoms between two consecutive treatment sessions and have not yet been investigated in prolonged grief disorder (PGD),  a new disorder in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases and text revision of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders characterized by separation distress and accompanying symptoms beyond 6 months of bereavement.

Intrusions are a hallmark symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While dysfunctional cognitions are known posttraumatic contributors, peritraumatic processes are less understood. Perceived threat, alongside emotional factors, is theorized as significant, but experimental studies are lacking. Using the trauma film paradigm (TFP), we investigated peritraumatic threat's impact on intrusion development. Healthy participants (N = 93) viewed different distressing film clips (low, medium, high threat).

Background
Research suggests that individuals' local social networks, norms of reciprocity and sense of belonging (their local social capital, henceforth LSC), can cushion the impact of adverse events on their mental health. However, to date, little research has explored the pathways through which LSC operates to buffer stressors, especially during major crises, e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods

Approximately 30-50% of patients do not benefit from current treatments for anxiety disorders. The development of novel treatment strategies besides existing treatments is therefore highly needed. Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis constituent with an advantageous safety profile, is frequently used by patients for treating anxiety symptoms, but its effectiveness in this regard has not often been studied. We synthesized past research into CBD and anxiety to 1) provide an indication of clinical efficacy and 2) elucidate what constitutes a dose that is anxiety-reducing.

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) may mitigate the negative outcomes resulting from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). To date, most PCE research has used cross-sectional or retrospective designs. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched in May 2024 for longitudinal studies that examined the impact of cumulative PCEs. Eight publications from five longitudinal studies with a total of 16,451 participants were included. Three studies focused only on adolescent outcomes.

Background

This systematic review aims to update and extend the findings of an earlier review on the suicidogenic impact of natural disasters.

Methods

A systematic search of research published in 17 bibliographic databases was conducted (PROSPERO CRD42020216722). The review following PRISMA checklist identified 64 primary studies, published between 2012 and 2022, investigating the association between natural disasters and suicidal behaviour and ideation.

Results

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) experienced several changes in their work (e.g., longer hours, new policies) that affected their mental health. In this study, an umbrella review and meta-analysis of meta-analyses was conducted to examine the prevalence of various mental health problems experienced by HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a systematic review searching PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases (PROSPERO: CRD42022304823).

Background: Individuals impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at greater risk of developing obesity, however, few studies have prospectively measured ACEs and obesity during childhood. Associations with the adoption of obesogenic behaviours during childhood, which directly contribute to obesity are also understudied.

Objective: To examine associations between individual and cumulative ACEs, obesity, and obesogenic behaviours during childhood.

Background: Despite known gender/sex differences in the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), potential differences in the associations among PTSD symptoms between men and women in the early post-trauma period are not well-characterized.

Objective: This study utilized network analysis to assess potential differences in the associations among PTSD symptom clusters between men and women during the early post-trauma period.

Children are no strangers to war and conflict, and for as long as history has been documented, so too has the negative impact of war on children. Attachment theory, which has shone a light upon the ways in which early life experiences can impact individuals across the lifespan, is a helpful lens through which we can view the consequences of war. Similar to the aftermath of war leading to lifelong and transgenerational suffering due to deaths and physical health issues, attachment difficulties created during war further compound long-term damage.