MYCPDŸ ARTICLES
Stay informed with the latest research and developments in the field.
Psychology
Explore our collection of articles delving into the intricate world of psychology. Gain insights into various psychological conditions, treatment approaches, and therapeutic techniques.
Examples of clinical articles available once registered
Shared experience, share support
Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by significant changes, increasing the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Understanding how youth engage with mental health resources is essential. This study explored the role of interpersonal relationships â including peer-to-peer, adult-youth, parent, teacher and mentor relationships, and interactions with mental health professionalsâin shaping youth mental health engagement and identified factors influencing these relationships.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Psychosocial correlates of well-being among people who engage in online health-seeking behaviour
We examined the extent to which neuroticism, health anxiety, social anxiety, and social support predicted well-being in a sample of online users engaging in health-seeking behaviour. We used a cross-sectional online survey to recruit participants who engaged in online health-seeking behaviour. The study included 350 participants who were recruited online using social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
If it was easy somebody would have fixed it
The aim of the study was to explore social isolation and loneliness in those who frequently contacted the ambulance service, what factors contributed to this and how unmet needs could be addressed. Methods: Semiâstructured interviews with staff from the ambulance service and service users who were identified as frequently contacting the ambulance service. Service users also completed the UCLA loneliness scale and personal community maps. Data were analysed thematically before triangulation with the UCLA loneliness scale and personal community maps.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Adaptive Goal Processes and Underlying Motives That Sustain Mental Wellbeing and New Year Exercise Resolutions
Exercise resolutions are the most common goals people set each New Year. However, research has rarely examined adaptive goal processes and motives that may maintain wellbeing and resolution pursuit. We therefore investigated if (1) personal goal flexibility and tenacity maintain mental wellbeing and adherence to New Year exercise resolutions and if (2) underlying intrinsic and extrinsic motives maintain wellbeing and sustained exercise resolution adherence. A community sample (N = 297) completed an online longitudinal study. At baseline, participants listed their most important exercise-related New Year resolution.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
A workplace Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for improving healthcare staff psychological distress: A randomised controlled trial
The levels of psychological distress and burnout among healthcare staff are high, with nega-tive implications for patient care. A growing body of evidence indicates that workplace pro-grammes based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are effective for improving employeesâ general psychological health. However, there is a paucity of research examining the specific psychological and/or behavioural processes through which work-place ACT programmes transmit their beneficial effects.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
The Development of Subjective Well-Being Across the Life Span: A Meta-Analytic Review of Longitudinal Studies
How does subjective well-being (SWB) develop across the life span? Theories and previous empirical research suggest heterogeneous conclusions regarding this question. Therefore, in this meta-analysis, we synthesized the available longitudinal data on mean-level change in three SWB components: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Symptoms of ADHD and Other Common Mental Disorders Influence Academic Success in South African Undergraduates
Objective: ADHD symptoms are highly prevalent among university students. These symptoms, particularly the inattentive cluster, predispose students to poorer academic performance and worse academic adjustment. Moreover, ADHD symptoms are often comorbid with other common mental disorders; this comorbidity also leads to poor outcomes. South African students often have fewer resources to successfully transition to university.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Substance use patterns in an adolescent psychiatric unit in Johannesburg, South Africa
Substance use among adolescents carries a significant public health and socioeconomic burden with potential long-term consequences for the adolescent substance user (SU). Adolescents with mental health challenges are vulnerable to substance use and substance use worsens outcomes in this population.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Sleep and Ultramarathon: Exploring Patterns, Strategies, and Repercussions of 1,154 Mountain Ultramarathons Finishers
Background Sleep and physical performance are strongly related and mutually influence each other. Athletes, particularly in disciplines like offshore sailing and ultra-endurance sports, often suffer from sleep deprivation due to factors like irregular training times, travel, and the extended duration of events like 100-mile mountain races. Despite growing interest in sleepâs role in sports science, few studies have specifically investigated the sleep patterns of ultramarathon runners. This study aimed to investigate sleep patterns and sleep management strategies in ultramarathons, and the repercussions of sleep deprivation during and after races.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Mind-Wandering Increases in Frequency Over Time During Task Performance: An Individual-Participant Meta-Analytic Review
Attention has a seemingly inevitable tendency to turn inward toward our thoughts. Mind-wandering refers to moments when this inward focus diverts attention away from the current task-at-hand. Mind-wandering is thought to be ubiquitous, having been estimated to occur between 30% and 50% of our waking moments. Yet, it is unclear whether this frequency is similar within-task performance contexts and unknown whether mind-wandering systematically increases with time-on-task for a broad range of tasks. We conducted a systematic literature search and individual participant data meta-analysis of rates of occurrence of mind-wandering during task performance.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Enhancing Prenatal Group Medical Visits with Mindfulness Skills
Objectives Prenatal mindfulness programs can improve mental health, yet access to and cultural and linguistic relevance of existing programs in the United States are limited for people who do not speak English and/or face major life stressors such as migration, housing instability, limited income, and racism. In response, mindfulness skills training drawn from Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting (MBCP) was integrated into Medicaid-covered Centring Pregnancy (CP) group prenatal healthcare, delivered in Spanish and English by certified nurse-midwives and community co-leaders, and tested in a pragmatic pilot trial.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Fatherhood and highârisk pregnancy: a scoping review
Background The experience of expectant parenthood is commensurate of relative angst and nervousness albeit one of overall excitement and joy. However, when the pregnancy is regarded as high-risk, this experience changes dra-matically for both parents. While literature on high-risk pregnancies is gaining traction, the focus is predominantly on the motherâs experiences and therefore, a paucity exists in exploring the fatherâs experiences of a high-risk pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the current extent of literature focusing on fatherâs experiences of a high-risk preg-nancy using a scoping review methodology.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Impact of virtual groupâbased acceptance and commitment therapy on social adjustment and workâfamily conflict among intern nurses: a randomized control trial
Background An action-oriented approach such as acceptance and commitment therapy may help reduce the fusion of conflicting ideas, empower new intern nurses to act according to their values, and maximize their psyâchological flexibility. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a virtual group-based acceptance and commitment therapy intervention on intern nursesâ social adjustment and work-family conflict.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
The temporal dance: How therapist presence and alliance evolve across early sessions of psychotherapy?
Although there is notable evidence supporting the importance of the therapeutic alliance and therapist presence in psychotherapy practice, the question of how these factors interact dynamically over time remains to be answered. This study investigated how therapists adjust their presence in response to client distress and how this responsive pattern is moderated by therapeutic alliance during the beginning phase of psychotherapy.
CLINICAL: 2 POINTS
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders. It has the potential to disable the brain and spinal cord, meaning the central nervous system. MS affects almost 2.1 million people worldwide.
ETHICS: 1 POINTS
Examples of ethics articles available once registered
End of life care in SA
All healthcare practitioners should be aware of ethical principles and legislation relevant to end-of-life care. The aim of this scientific letter is to highlight some important South African legal developments that might be especially important for practitioners taking care of vulnerable populations, such as older patients with serious mental illness.
ETHICS: 2 POINTS
Leading by example: Experimental evidence that therapist lived experience disclosures can model the path to recovery for clients
A common guideline for self-Â disclosure is that therapists should only share recovered personal experiences with clients (i.e., no longer distressing). However, theoretical rationale and empirical support for this claim is limited. Drawing on identity leadership theorizing, we investigated whether recovery disclosures are beneficial to the extent that they signal a therapistâs aspirational prototypicality (i.e., embodiment of an aspirational identity for clients).
ETHICS: 2 POINTS
Measuring work-life wellness: A South African validation study
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards flexible work arrangements, highlighting concerns about work-life balance and employee well-being. To address these issues, a reliable and validated measurement instrument to measure work-life wellness in South African workplaces is essential.
ETHICS: 2 POINTS
Complaint risk among mental health
To understand complaint risk among mental health practitioners compared with physical health practitioners. Retrospective cohort study, using incidence rate ratios (IRRs) to analyse complaint risk and a multivariate regression model to identify predictors of complaints. National study using complaints data from health regulators in Australia. Participants All psychiatrists and psychologists (âmental health practitionersâ) and all physicians, optometrists, physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors (âphysical health practitionersâ) registered to practice in Australia between 2011 and 2016. Outcome measures Incidence rates, source and nature of complaints to regulators.
ETHICS: 2 POINTS
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