Alpha psychiatry最新文献

{"title":"Exploring the Therapeutic Mechanism of Pingxin Dingzhi Decoction Through Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.","authors":"Xiaojie Ju, Chunhua Qi, Yulong Bai, Pengfei Li, Kuanjun He","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241642","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241642","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Studies have demonstrated that the combination of antipsychotics and Pingxin Dingzhi Decoction (PXDZD) can effectively enhance treatment efficacy for schizophrenia (SCZ), while simultaneously reducing the adverse reactions associated with antipsychotic treatment. However, the exact mechanism by which PXDZD exerts its therapeutic effects is still unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the action mechanism of PXDZD using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The primary components and their protein targets of PXDZD were extracted from TCMSP, SYMMAP, and HERB databases. The targets related to SCZ were acquired from OMIM and DisGeNET databases. The overlapping targets between composite targets and disease targets were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network in the STRING database. The identified targets underwent GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, followed by molecular docking studies of the core target proteins and active compounds.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The screening process yielded 285 PXDZD component targets and 1982 disease targets, ultimately leading to the identification of 120 shared targets. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that PXDZD treatment for SCZ engages a diverse range of biological mechanisms, including inflammatory responses and apoptotic processes, while also modulating various signaling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways. The molecular docking results revealed a strong affinity of Estrogen Receptor 1 (ER1) toward both β-sitosterol and stigmasterol, while kaempferol, β-sitosterol, and stigmasterol demonstrated significant binding potential against TNF-α.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pingxin Dingzhi Decoction can play a role in treating SCZ through its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"584-591"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562628/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psychological Treatment Options for Patients with Mild to Moderate Depression Undergoing Hemodialysis: TCM-Related Emotion-Thought Therapy.","authors":"Fang Xu, Yuanhui Chen, Xuehong Wu, Hanmei Duan, Yaliang Zhang","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241518","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the effect of Chinese medicine affective therapy on psychotherapy for mild to moderate depression in hemodialysis patients, and to provide a reference basis for clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical data (January 2021-January 2023) from the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into control (routine care) and observation (routine care + Chinese medicine affective therapy) groups. The data of anxiety self-assessment scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), general well-being scale (GWB) and Health Questionnaire (SF-36) were compared between the two groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PSM matched 80 patients each in observation and control groups, showing no significant baseline differences. Pre-care scores (SAS, SDS, PSQI, GWB, SF-36) had no notable discrepancies (<i>P</i> > .05). Post-care, SAS, SDS, PSQI were lower in the observation group (<i>P</i> < .05), while GWB and SF-36 scores were higher (<i>P</i> < .001). The SAS, SDS, and PSQI scores were lower in the observation group relative to the control group after care (All <i>P</i>-values were < .05), whereas the GWB and SF-36 score scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (All <i>P</i>-values were < .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) affective therapy may be able to improve the quality of sleep, quality of life, and general well-being of hemodialysis patients with mild-to-moderate depression, as well as alleviate the patients' adverse emotions.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"569-576"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562451/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142647763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Adjunct Therapy: Advocating the Need for Valid and Reliable AI Tools in Mental Healthcare.","authors":"Waqar Husain, Seithikurippu R Pandi-Perumal, Haitham Jahrami","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241827","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241827","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"667-668"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562293/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Attitudes Toward Mental Illness and Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Help Among College Students.","authors":"Jin Li","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241521","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241521","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze the relationship between attitudes toward mental illness and attitudes toward seeking professional help among college students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From January to April 2023, a cluster sampling method was used to select classes of a university in Tianjin as groups, and a simple random sampling method was used to select all college students from 3 of the 7 classes as research objects. The general information questionnaire, the Mental Illness Attitude Questionnaire, and the Attitude Towards Professional Psychological Help Seeking Scale-Short Version were used to conduct the survey. We explored the correlation between the scores of the Mental Illness Attitude Questionnaire and the Attitude Towards Professional Psychological Help Seeking Scale-Short Version, and analyzed the influencing factors of college students' attitude toward seeking professional psychological help.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Mental Illness Attitude Questionnaire scores of college students were positively correlated with the Attitude Towards Professional Psychological Help Seeking Scale-Short Version scores (<i>r</i> = 0.658, <i>P</i> = .001). In the final univariate analysis, it was found that sex, major, psychological distress, and attitude toward mental illness to be the factors influencing college students' attitude toward seeking professional psychological help.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>College students' attitude toward mental illness directly affects their attitude toward seeking professional help, and sex, major, and psychological distress also influence attitude toward seeking professional help.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"661-666"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562410/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Progression in Post-Stroke Depression Treatment: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Yanbin Zhang, Hongli Fang, Rui Wang, Zhenggang Hu, Mengqiu Qiu","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241646","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most common psychological disorder in patients with stroke. It not only seriously affects the patient's functional recovery, quality of life, and ability to return to society but also increases stroke recurrence rate and mortality. However, the effectiveness of drug treatment is unpredictable and associated with certain side effects and low compliance. Pharmacological therapy is limited. The field of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has recently made great progress in developing specific stimulation protocols to alleviate the symptoms of patients with PSD and might offer valid, alternative strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for investigating the use of NIBS in the treatment of PSD. The methodological quality of selected studies was assessed according to the Risk of Bias 2 (ROB2).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 814 references in 3 databases. After excluding irrelevant and duplicate studies, 14 studies were included. According to the PRISMA checklist, 4 studies were overall comprehensive, 6 had some problems, and 4 had considerable problems with the presented information. The evidence was evaluated using ROB2, with 5 \"low-risk\" studies, 5 \"some concerns\" studies, and 4 \"high-risk\" studies included.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical trials reported in PSD. Noninvasive brain stimulation is a potentially promising treatment strategy. However, an optimal stimulation protocol needs to be formulated, and much work is required before NIBS can be widely applied in the clinic.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"626-634"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562223/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental Health in Early Pregnancy and Spontaneous Abortion Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Junqing Li, Wenna Fan, Xiang Wang, Xuetao Hou, Zhijing Chen, Min Lv","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241682","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241682","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to explore the relationship between maternal mental health during early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion (SA), especially in the context of the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 4088 pregnant women at a maternal-child health hospital in China from January to December 2022. During the first trimester, we assessed depression, anxiety, and stress levels using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Pregnancy outcomes were monitored, and univariate and multiple logistic analyses were performed to identify the risk factors. These factors were then used to develop a nomogram model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant differences were found in maternal age, number of embryonic arrests, history of abortion, assisted reproduction, and environmental exposure between the SA group (n = 302) and the normal pregnancy group (n = 3786). After adjusting for potential confounders, higher scores on the DASS-21 subscales were independently associated with an increased risk of SA: Depression (OR [Odds Ratio]  = 1.54, 95% CI [Confidence Interval]: 1.39-1.71, <i>P</i> < .001), Anxiety (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.44-1.80, <i>P</i> < .001), and Stress (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.31-2.20, <i>P</i> < .001). The model achieved a concordance index of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.86-0.90) and demonstrated a well-fitted calibration curve, indicating its good clinical applicability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings indicate that mental health conditions are significantly associated with an increased risk of SA. The nomogram model also demonstrated strong predictive accuracy, indicating its potential usefulness in clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"648-655"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562641/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Clinical Correlates of Autistic Features in Patients with Initial-Treatment and Drug-Naive Schizophrenia.","authors":"Hong Zhang, Lin Zhang, Zhihua Liu, Jun Ma","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241626","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241626","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>A distinct subtype of schizophrenia (SCZ) is the one accompanied with autistic features (AF). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of AF in initial-treatment and drug-naive (ITDN) patients with SCZ and investigate its influencing factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study recruited 710 ITDN patients with SCZ. Their sociodemographic data and general clinical information were collected, and a clinical psychological assessment was performed to quantify their psychopathology and disease severity. The severity of AF was calculated based on psychopathology scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 19.01% (135/710) patients with SCZ showed AF. Patients with AF exhibited higher levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (<i>t</i> = -4.54, <i>P</i> < .001) and lower levels of free triiodothyronine (FT₃) and free tetraiodothyronine (FT₄) (<i>t</i> = 2.38, <i>P</i> = .018; <i>t</i> = 3.19, <i>P</i> = .002) than those with AF. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed waist circumference (<i>B</i> = 0.03, <i>P</i> = .022, odds ratio (OR) = 1.03) and TSH level (<i>B</i> = 0.54, <i>P</i> < .001, OR = 1.71) as risk factors for AF, and deemed low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (<i>B</i> = -0.43, <i>P</i> = .025, OR = 0.65), fasting blood glucose (<i>B</i> = -0.72, <i>P</i> = .013, OR = 0.49), FT₃ (<i>B</i> = -0.32, <i>P</i> = .034, OR = 0.73), and FT₄ (<i>B</i> = -0.08, <i>P</i> = .025, OR = 0.93) levels as protective factors. Multiple linear regression analysis identified FT₃ level (<i>B</i> = -0.85, <i>t</i> = -2.22, <i>P</i> = .028, 95%, Confidence Intervals (CI): -1.61- -0.09) as a protective factor influencing AF severity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study reports the prevalence of AF in the target SCZ population and identifies factors associated with its development and severity. The discernment of these distinctive clinical features may facilitate formulation of tailored prevention strategies and interventions for this precise subset of SCZ patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"611-616"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562552/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Common Mental Health Conditions and Self-Stigma in Saudi Adults: Implications for Promotion and Intervention.","authors":"Mohammad A Jareebi, Ahmad Y Alqassim, Dhiyaa A H Otayf, Mohammed A Najmi, Ali H Bakkarey, Eyad Z Omar, Mohammed H Hakami, Hadi A Hakami, Faisal M Jithmi, Ibrahim M Gosadi, Mohammed A Muaddi, Abdullah A Alharbi, Anwar M Makeen, Yahya H Khormi","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241576","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241576","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Saudi Arabian adults face high rates of depression, stress, and anxiety. Self-stigma complicates the situation, hindering timely treatment and resulting in adverse outcomes. This study examined the prevalence of these mental health conditions and self-stigma among adults and their association with sociodemographic factors in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. The findings will inform targeted interventions and support for better mental health understanding in the region.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 1056 participants aged ≥18 years. Convenient sampling was used, and participants completed a self-administered online questionnaire comprising 49 questions. The questionnaire covered demographics, mental illnesses (assessed through the depression, anxiety, and stress scale 21 [DASS-21] questionnaire), and self-stigmatizing attitudes toward the measured mental conditions (measured using the self-stigma of depression scale [SSDS] questionnaire).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The majority of the 1056 participants were Saudi nationals living in the Jazan region, with a mean age of 29 years. The participants' mental health data revealed a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (55%, 56%, and 39%, respectively). The DASS-21 questionnaire results revealed varying degrees of depression (normal: 45%, mild: 12%, moderate: 20%, severe: 8%, extremely severe: 15%), anxiety (normal: 44%, mild: 7%, moderate: 18%, severe: 8%, extremely severe: 23%), and stress (normal: 60%, mild: 11%, moderate: 11%, severe: 10%, extremely severe: 7%). The mean self-stigmatization score reported was 52 (Standard Deviation (SD) = 17), with 540 (51%) participants having stigma and 513 (49%) with low levels of stigma. The relationship assessment between stigma and depression, anxiety, and stress revealed that levels of stigma were higher in normal individuals than in those having depression, anxiety, or stress. Regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between mental health variables, self-stigmatization, and other factors. The analysis revealed that urban residence and the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with lower levels of self-stigmatization.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This research highlighted the high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress, along with self-stigmatization in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Recommendations include increasing awareness, improving access to services, promoting early intervention, enhancing community support, combating self-stigma, and conducting further research to confirm generalizability. Targeted interventions and public health strategies are needed to promote mental well-being and address this burden in Jazan.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"577-583"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562612/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142649820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on the Role of <i>Dnmt3a</i> Expression in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampus in Reward Memory.","authors":"Xiaoye Zheng, Ruixue Ma, Ershu He, Xin Peng, Wenhao Ma, Xueyan Zhang, Ying Li, Hanwei Li, Yanjiao Li, Zhiting Gong","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241602","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241602","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Emotional memory has been associated with many psychiatric diseases. Understanding emotional memory could be beneficial in comprehending and discovering new therapies for diseases related to emotional memory, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our previous study revealed that <i>Dnmt3a</i> expression in the dentate gyrus (DG) contributes to fear memory. However, is there a correlation between <i>Dnmt3a</i> expression in the DG and reward memory? This study aims to explore the relationship between <i>Dnmt3a</i> expression and reward memory.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We induced fear memory (Fear group) or reward memory (Reward group) using fear conditioning and social interaction in females, respectively. We then measured the expression levels of <i>Dnmt3a</i> and <i>c-fos</i> after the retrieval of different types of memory. Additionally, we used a recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) to overexpress <i>Dnmt3a</i> in the DG and conducted conditioned place preference (CPP) tests to assess changes in reward memory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We observed a significant increase in <i>Dnmt3a</i> and <i>c-fos</i> expression in the Fear group compared with the Reward group. Overexpression of <i>Dnmt3a</i> in the DG led to an increase in time spent in the white box during CPP tests.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong><i>Dnmt3a</i> expression levels varied after the retrieval of fear or reward memory, and overexpression of <i>Dnmt3a</i> in the DG enhanced reward memory. These findings suggest that <i>Dnmt3a</i> expression in the DG plays a role in reward memory.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"641-647"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142648865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Qualitative Research on the Topic of End-of-Life Care and a Palliative Care Approach in Persons with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness: Reflections and Take-Home Messages.","authors":"Loïc Moureau, Caressa Van Hoe, Monica Verhofstadt","doi":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241693","DOIUrl":"10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.241693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Persons experiencing severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) constitute a small but vulnerable population in healthcare and society. Nonetheless, it is advocated to involve people with SPMI in research to improve how care is provided to them. However, qualitative research with this population is challenging due to several factors, including (self-) stigma, assessment of decision-making capacity, reduced communication skills, and the (perceived) risk of adverse events, resulting in relative scarcity in academic interest and scientific publications. In this contribution, the authors share their practical experiences in conducting qualitative research among this group of people, specifically focusing on sensitive topics including end-of-life care and palliative care approaches. Both beneficial and challenging factors encountered across the different research stages are systematically delineated and reflected upon. Qualitative research involving persons with SPMI necessitates a different perspective on methodology and requires specific competencies from researchers. As might be expected, adequate preparation, thorough follow-up, and support for all involved are critical success factors. Additionally, however, it may also require adopting a somewhat unconventional approach to qualitative interviewing, encouraging creativity and ethical reflection as guiding principles. Exploring alternative methodologies and non-conventional engagement in research could provide a much-needed voice to individuals who are currently unrepresented in the research discourse.</p>","PeriodicalId":72151,"journal":{"name":"Alpha psychiatry","volume":"25 5","pages":"656-660"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11562099/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142648779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}