Journal of psychiatric research最新文献

{"title":"Oxytocin, social cognition, and neurocognitive function in male patients with schizophrenia: A prospective study","authors":"Şeyma Işık Karakulak ,&nbsp;Süheyla Doğan Bulut ,&nbsp;Hasan Karadağ ,&nbsp;Zeynep Adıyaman Koçer","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.02.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.02.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examined serum oxytocin levels during an acute psychotic episode and following antipsychotic treatment response in male patients with schizophrenia, and explored associations with social cognition and functional cognitive domains.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The sample consisted of 51 male patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia who were assessed during an acute psychotic episode, and 41 healthy male controls. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, and functional status were evaluated using the Sociodemographic and clinical data form(SDVF), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Cognitive Assessment Interview–Turkish Version (CAI-TR), and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). Serum oxytocin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients who met the predefined treatment response criterion (≥25% reduction in PANSS total score, N = 33) underwent a second evaluation after a mean follow-up period of 12 weeks.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mean serum oxytocin levels were significantly lower in the patient group (143.94 ± 104.88 pg/mL) than in the control group (254.12 ± 152.58 pg/mL) (t₆₈.₂₈ = 3.93, p &lt; 0.001, d = 0.86). Among the 33 treatment responders, oxytocin levels increased significantly from the acute episode to follow-up (152.55 ± 108.75 to 214.15 ± 115.79 pg/mL; t = 3.27, p = 0.003, d = 0.57). Baseline oxytocin levels were negatively correlated with PANSS Positive and General Psychopathology scores, and positively correlated with RMET and GAF scores. Increases in oxytocin levels following treatment occurred in parallel with improvements, particularly in social cognitive functioning.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings indicate that oxytocin levels in patients with schizophrenia are associated with social cognitive functioning and increase in parallel with improvements following treatment. Peripheral oxytocin levels may represent a promising candidate biomarker in schizophrenia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"196 ","pages":"Pages 124-131"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial intelligence in psychiatry: A global perspective on research status, trends and clinical applications","authors":"Zhen Bai ,&nbsp;Chen Bai ,&nbsp;Xiaopeng Yang ,&nbsp;Fang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.060","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in psychiatric research, yet progress in clinical use and equitable benefit remains uneven. We analyzed 2795 Web of Science publications on artificial intelligence in psychiatry using bibliometrics and BERTopic based semantic topic modelling. The literature has expanded rapidly since 2012, but output and collaboration are concentrated within a limited set of high-income regions and tightly connected author communities. Across the semantic map, methodological development and diagnosis and monitoring applications occupy central positions, while ethics, governance, and implementation research remain sparse and weakly connected to clinical translation. A temporal gap analysis shows that ethics and regulatory research remained consistently scarce, resulting in a persistent structural gap between clinical applications and ethical governance that widened after 2016. Topic hierarchies also indicate limited representation of older adults, digitally marginalized groups, and low resource settings, which may constrain generalizability and widen disparities. These patterns support a shift toward stronger governance, inclusive data practices, and multisite validation, alongside international collaboration and data sharing approaches that prioritize equity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"196 ","pages":"Pages 8-17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unmet Promise or Missed Potential? A pairwise and network meta-analysis on efficacy and safety of metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and positive allosteric modulators in schizophrenia","authors":"Archana Mishra ,&nbsp;Amiya Shaju ,&nbsp;Nidhi Surendra Ibrahimpur ,&nbsp;Biswa Ranjan Mishra ,&nbsp;Anand Srinivasan ,&nbsp;Rituparna Maiti","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Metabotropic glutamate receptor(mGluR) agonists and allosteric modulators like pomaglumetad methionil(POMA) and AZD8529 offer a novel pharmacotherapeutic option in schizophrenia. The results of individual trials on these agents being inconclusive, this meta-analysis was planned to assess the safety and efficacy of mGluR modulators in schizophrenia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was performed on MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar and WHO-ICTRP, and randomized controlled trials(RCTs) that compared POMA or AZD8529 with either a placebo or second-generation antipsychotics(SGAs) were included. Change in PANSS-Total score was the primary outcome, and PANSS subscales, Clinical Global Impressions-Severity(CGI-S), treatment-emergent adverse events(TEAE) and discontinuation rates were secondary outcomes. A random-effects model was used to estimate the effect size for pairwise and network meta-analysis, and the risk of bias done by RoB2 tool.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of ten RCTs (3715 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. mGluR modulators did not show significant improvement in PANSS-T (MD:3.20,95 %CI:0.64,5.76) or PANSS-subscales and CGI-S over the control group. The pooled odds ratio for TEAE (OR:1.08; 95 %CI:0.93,1.27) indicates a statistically nonsignificant incidence of adverse events in the experimental group. Discontinuation due to adverse events was higher in the experimental group (OR:1.43; 95 %CI:1.08,1.89), but discontinuation due to lack of efficacy was not significantly different between the groups (OR:1.24,95 %CI:0.86,1.77). Certainty of evidence ranged from high to low. None of the mGluR modulators were better than placebo or SGAs in network meta-analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>mGluR modulators did not show efficacy in terms of improving symptom severity in schizophrenia. However, their therapeutic potential in specific subgroups may be explored by employing strategic trial designs and relevant biomarkers.</div></div><div><h3>PROSPERO id</h3><div>CRD420251066533</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 52-62"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of lavender herbal tea on the mental health of individuals with misophonia: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Sevgi Koroglu Gokbel ,&nbsp;Gulgun Durat","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Misophonia is a disorder characterized by heightened sensitivity to certain sounds, triggering symptoms such as sympathetic nervous system activation, anger, anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of lavender tea in alleviating these symptoms due to its anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. A single-center, single-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted with 60 participants aged 18 and over, diagnosed with misophonia. Participants were divided equally into experimental and control groups using block randomization. The experimental group consumed 2 g of lavender tea twice daily for 14 days, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Misophonia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory II, Anxiety Rating Scale, and Trait Anger Scale and analyzed with SPSS 25.0. Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, marital status, education level, income level, and scores for misophonia, anxiety, depression, and anger, were comparable between groups. The mixed ANOVA results suggested that positive changes were observed in misophonia and related psychological symptoms in the lavender tea group, and that these changes may have been more pronounced compared to the control group. The results suggest that the intervention may correlate with enhancements in misophonia, quality of life, and coping strategies. Lavender tea consumption may have helped alleviate symptoms of misophonia, anxiety, depression, and anger. However, due to the lack of participant blinding and the use of self-report measures, the findings should be interpreted cautiously in terms of placebo effects and expectancy bias.</div></div><div><h3>Registration</h3><div>ClinicalTrials.gov Number (NCT06785649).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 39-46"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Core insomnia symptoms associated with cognitive flexibility in insomnia disorder: A network analysis","authors":"Shiyan Yang ,&nbsp;Zilu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xu Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Cognitive flexibility, as a key component of executive function, is often impaired in people with insomnia. This study combined network analysis and multiple linear regression methods aimed to systematically explore the insomnia symptoms associated with cognitive flexibility in individuals with insomnia.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Based on 426 insomnia individuals who completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). The network model was construct between ISI items and CFI subdimensions. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine the predictive effects of specific insomnia symptoms on the subdimensions of cognitive flexibility.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Network analysis revealed that ISI6 (noticeability of impaired quality of life) exhibited the highest node strength and expected influence in the network. Linear regression findings indicated that ISI4 (dissatisfaction about current sleep pattern), ISI6 (noticeability of impaired quality of life) and ISI7 (worry about current sleep pattern) could significantly predict CFI_C; ISI2 (difficulty staying asleep) significantly predicted CFI_A.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings indicate that impaired quality of life is the core symptom of the “Insomnia-Cognitive Flexibility Network”, and different dimensions of cognitive flexibility may be affected by different insomnia symptoms. This study enhances our understanding of the relationship between insomnia and cognitive flexibility in individuals and suggests new targets for personalized intervention in insomnia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 31-38"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146036714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parenting style and deliberate self-harm among children and adolescents: A hospital-based case-control study in Japan","authors":"Yoshikazu Komura ,&nbsp;Saiko Ema ,&nbsp;Nobuyuki Nomura ,&nbsp;Keisuke Kodama ,&nbsp;Satoru Takabatake ,&nbsp;Fuminari Misawa ,&nbsp;Hiroyoshi Takeuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Although inappropriate parenting styles have been shown to be associated with deliberate self-harm (DSH), few studies have assessed parenting styles from both the perspectives of patients and their parents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a hospital-based case-control study at a psychiatric ward in Japan, including patients aged 7–20 years. Histories of DSH were collected from electronic health records in the hospital. Parenting styles were assessed using the Family Diagnostic Test (FDT), which evaluates parenting style from both the patients' and parents’ perspectives. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of DSH by 10 % increase of FDT score, adjusting for age, sex, primary diagnosis, history of abuse, school refusal, the number of previous hospitalizations, and family structure.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 272 patients (mean age, 15.2 [SD, 2.4] years; 57.4 % female), 115 (42.3 %) had a history of DSH. Patients who felt rejection from their mothers, avoided contact with their mothers, and felt less attached to their mothers were more likely to have histories of DSH, independent of covariates (sense of rejection, OR = 1.15 [95 %CI, 1.01–1.30]; active avoidance, OR = 1.14 [95 %CI, 1.00–1.29]; emotional closeness, OR = 0.89 [95 % CI, 0.79–1.00]; In contrast, parents’ self-assessments of their parenting style were not significantly associated with DSH.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings underscore the importance of patient-reported perceptions for revealing the underlying mechanisms linking parenting style and DSH.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 317-323"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146180679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is it time for a paradigm shift? Trauma in the development of anorexia nervosa in adolescents","authors":"Katarzyna Jowik-Krzemińska ,&nbsp;Agnieszka Słopień ,&nbsp;Marta Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Anorexia nervosa (AN) in adolescents is a severe disorder with complex aetiology. The role of childhood maltreatment (CM) in the development and course of AN remains unclear. The study aimed to analyse the co-occurrence of CM with the severity of psychopathology in patients with AN and to assess their relationship with the dynamics of clinical improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included only girls under 18 years of age: 39 patients hospitalised for the first time with a diagnosis of AN and 43 healthy participants from the control group (CG). Questionnaires were used to assess trauma (CTQ), symptoms of depression (BDI), anxiety (STAI), eating disorders (EAT), impulsivity (BIS), self-harm (NSSI), and suicidal behaviour (SB).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the AN and control groups in overall frequency or specific CM subtypes. Despite no differences in trauma exposure, the clinical group showed a significant co-occurrence of emotional abuse with higher levels of self-destructive behaviour and anxiety as a trait, while emotional neglect correlated with anxiety as a state. Notably, the presence of reported trauma did not differentiate patients in terms of response to hospital treatment or rate of symptom reduction.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In the sample of adolescent girls studied, the mere occurrence of reported trauma was not a factor differentiating patients with AN from healthy peers, nor was it a negative predictor of early hospital treatment outcomes. These results suggest that although specific forms of emotional abuse may co-occur with a more severe psychopathological picture (anxiety, self-destruction), childhood maltreatment does not necessarily constitute a direct obstacle to symptomatic improvement during the first hospitalisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 97-104"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modulating inhibitory control in test-anxious individuals via tDCS: An ERP study","authors":"Peibing Liu ,&nbsp;Zhaonian Hu ,&nbsp;Renlai Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Test anxiety is a common emotional problem that often negatively affects academic performance. To examine the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in modulating neural inhibitory control efficiency in individuals with high test anxiety, this study investigated the intervention effects and underlying neural mechanisms. A total of 42 participants with high or low levels of test anxiety were recruited. Each participant received both active (anodal) and sham tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during a Flanker task that indexes inhibitory control by requiring participants to respond to a central target while ignoring distracting flankers. Results showed that, compared to sham stimulation, active tDCS significantly reduced the amplitude of the P3 component—a late positive potential associated with attentional allocation—in the high test anxiety group, but had no significant effect in the low test anxiety group. These findings suggest that tDCS modulates neural inhibitory control in individuals with high test anxiety by activating the left DLPFC. This study provides electrophysiological evidence for non-invasive neuromodulation as a potential intervention strategy and identifying a promising neural target.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 185-192"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146113095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Persistence of autistic symptom differences by severity among individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis and with first-episode psychosis: An 18-month longitudinal follow-up study","authors":"Hiroshi Komatsu ,&nbsp;Yutaro Sato ,&nbsp;Kazuho Tomimoto ,&nbsp;Goh Onoguchi ,&nbsp;Kaori Sora ,&nbsp;Yoshiaki Shiozawa ,&nbsp;Masato Takahama ,&nbsp;Yusuke Utsumi ,&nbsp;Yumiko Hamaie ,&nbsp;Atsushi Sakuma ,&nbsp;Noriyuki Ohmuro ,&nbsp;Masahiro Katsura ,&nbsp;Fumiaki Ito ,&nbsp;Takashi Ono ,&nbsp;Nobuhisa Kanahara ,&nbsp;Kazunori Matsumoto ,&nbsp;Hiroaki Tomita","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Autistic symptoms influence functional outcomes in individuals at high clinical risk for psychosis (CHR-P) and in those with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Our recent findings suggest that these symptoms encompass both enduring trait-like and transient state-like features that improve with treatment over a 12-month period. This study aimed to clarify the long-term course of autistic and non-autistic symptoms by comparing individuals with high and low levels of autistic symptoms at the CHR-P and FEP over an extended 18-month period. Sixty-two participants who completed the 18-month follow-up assessment (CHR-P, n = 37; FEP, n = 25) were included. At baseline, the high autistic symptoms (HA) group exhibited a significantly greater severity of autistic symptoms, more severe non-autistic psychiatric symptoms, and lower global functioning than the low autistic symptoms (LA) group. Over the 12- and 18-month follow-up periods, both groups showed significant improvements in non-autistic psychiatric symptoms and global functioning, and the initial group differences in these domains were no longer statistically significant. In contrast, although the autistic symptoms in the HA group decreased over time, a significant difference in the PAUSS total scores between the HA and LA groups persisted throughout the follow-up. While non-autistic psychiatric symptoms and functional impairments are responsive to treatment, autistic symptoms in individuals with CHR-P and FEP may encompass both modifiable, state-like features, and stable, trait-like characteristics, persisting over an 18-month period. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of persistent autistic symptoms in early psychosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 219-224"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146119022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: A systematic review","authors":"Dandan Luo ,&nbsp;Wenjun Dang ,&nbsp;Jie Luo ,&nbsp;Yuwei Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their caregivers often face challenges such as emotional distress and stress management, which severely impact their quality of life. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) holds potential value in emotional regulation; however, there is a lack of systematic evaluation targeting the ASD population, particularly caregivers. This systematic review aims to clarify the clinical effects of MBSR interventions on individuals with ASD and their caregivers, providing a reference for the clinical implementation of targeted interventions.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We systematically searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and CINAHL databases using predefined search terms and combinations, with supplementary handsearching for relevant literature. The search timeframe covered the period from the establishment of each database to October 1, 2025. This systematic review protocol has been prospectively registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD420251159313.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 13 clinical studies were included. The results indicate that MBSR demonstrates certain intervention potential for adults with ASD and their caregivers. Specifically, among adults with ASD (N = 8), MBSR may help improve emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression. For ASD caregivers (N = 4), MBSR has shown preliminary effects in relieving psychological stress and improving emotional states, suggesting that it may provide potential psychological support for this population. It should be noted that only one study in the current evidence focuses on children with ASD, and the adolescent population remains uncovered.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Preliminary research suggests that MBSR may hold potential value in improving anxiety and depression symptoms among adults with ASD, as well as alleviating caregiving stress and emotional distress among ASD caregivers. However, due to limitations such as the small number of included studies, limited sample sizes, and high heterogeneity, the current evidence remains insufficient in strength, and conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Future research should focus on conducting larger-scale, high-quality studies to enhance the reliability of findings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16868,"journal":{"name":"Journal of psychiatric research","volume":"195 ","pages":"Pages 299-308"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146132151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}