Anticipatory fear, worry and generalised anxiety.
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Qurʾān
القرآن6 shownVerses named for this subject by hand come first. The rest are found by the subject’s own Arabic and English senses and are shown as lexical matches, not as anchors anyone has confirmed.
Qur'ān 16:112English sense: fear | Arabic sense: الخوف, خوف
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلࣰ ا قَرۡيَةࣰ كَانَتۡ ءَامِنَةࣰ مُّطۡمَئِنَّةࣰ يَأۡتِيهَا رِزۡقُهَا رَغَدࣰ ا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانࣲ فَكَفَرَتۡ بِأَنۡعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلۡجُوعِ وَٱلۡخَوۡفِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصۡنَعُونَ
God presents the example of a town that was secure and at ease, with provisions coming to it abundantly from all places. Then it became ungrateful for God’s blessings, so God afflicted it with the garment of famine and fear, for what its people had done
Qur'ān 2:155English sense: fear | Arabic sense: الخوف, خوف
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are steadfast
Qur'ān 21:103English sense: fear | Arabic sense: الفزع, فزع
لَا يَحۡزُنُهُمُ ٱلۡفَزَعُ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرُ وَتَتَلَقَّىٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ هَٰذَا يَوۡمُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ
They will have no fear of the great Terror: the angels will receive them with the words, ‘This is the Day you were promised!’
Qur'ān 33:19English sense: fear | Arabic sense: الخوف, خوف
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ رَأَيۡتَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ تَدُورُ أَعۡيُنُهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِي يُغۡشَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۖ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلۡسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلۡخَيۡرِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ فَأَحۡبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرࣰ ا
who begrudge you [believers] any help. When fear comes, you [Prophet] see them looking at you with eyes rolling like someone in their death throes; when fear has passed, they attack you with sharp tongues and begrudge you any good. Such men do not believe, and God brings their deeds to nothing- that is all too easy for God
Qur'ān 4:83Arabic sense: الخوف, خوف
وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمۡ أَمۡرࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡنِ أَوِ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِۦۖ وَلَوۡ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰٓ أُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنۡهُمۡ لَعَلِمَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَنۢبِطُونَهُۥ مِنۡهُمۡۗ وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ لَٱتَّبَعۡتُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ إِلَّا قَلِيلࣰ ا
Whenever news of any matter comes to them, whether concerning peace or war, they spread it about; if they referred it to the Messenger and those in authority among them, those seeking its meaning would have found it out from them. If it were not for God’s bounty and mercy towards you, you would almost all have followed Satan
Qur'ān 41:30English sense: fear | Arabic sense: تحزنوا
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ
As for those who say, ‘Our Lord is God,’ and take the straight path towards Him, the angels come down to them and say, ‘Have no fear or grief, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise, which you have been promised
Tafsīr
التفسير6 shownCommentary on the verses above, at most two editions per verse.
en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidi on 2:155en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidicommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
And We will indeed try you with something of fear and hunger, and decrease of wealth, souls, and fruits; and give good news to the patient. The custom of the Lord is that whenever He threatens the servant and shows harshness in a verse, then, right after that or before it, He caresses the servant and gives him hope. Thus in this verse He breaks the servant by mentioning those harsh things and varieties of trial. Then He gives good news, He caresses, and He says, “and give good news to the patient.” And, at the beginning of these verses He says, “Surely God is with the patient” [2:153]. Glory be to Him! How gentle and how merciful He is to His servants! And We will indeed try you. He says, “We will test you, sometimes with fear, sometimes with dread, sometimes with poverty, sometimes with hunger, sometimes with outward affliction, sometimes with inward sorrow.” The outward trial and evide
en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidi on 21:103en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidicommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
The greatest terror shall not make them sorrow, and the angels will receive them: “This is the day that you were promised.” On the Day of Resurrection in the greatest gathering place and most tremendous courtyard, they will not hear from the angels the call “no good news” [25:22], nor the address, “Stand apart today, O offenders!” [36:59], nor the harsh call, “Slink into it, and do not talk to Me!” [23:108]. They will not hear the call of separation's pain, nor will they despair of mercy. Rather the angels will keep on coming, company after company, and they will give the good news: “This is the day that you were promised,” that is, “This is the day in which you have the promised reward.” Among them are those who will be received by the angels, and among them are those who will be addressed and made known by the King. God will say, “My servants, have you been yearning for Me?” He will sa
en-al-jalalayn on 16:112en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
And God strikes a similitude mathalan is substituted by the following qaryatan a town Mecca — meaning its inhabitants — secure from any raids never becoming agitated and peaceful without anyone ever needing to emigrate from it on account of anxiety or fear its provision coming to it plenteously abundantly from every place. But it rejected God’s graces by denying the Prophet s so God made it taste the garb of hunger and so they suffered seven years of drought and fear as a result of the raiding parties of the Prophet s all because of what they used to do.
en-al-jalalayn on 2:155en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
Surely We will try you with something of fear of an enemy and hunger by way of drought and diminution of goods as a result of destruction and lives as a result of slaughter death and disease and fruits by way of crop damage that is to say We will try you to see if you practise patience or not; yet give good tidings of Paradise to the patient during calamities;
en-al-jalalayn on 21:103en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
The Supreme Terror — which is that a servant be ordered off to the Fire shall not grieve them and the angels shall receive them upon their exiting from their graves saying to them ‘This is your day the one which you were promised’ during the life of the world.
en-tafisr-ibn-kathir on 16:112en-tafisr-ibn-kathircommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced
And Allah gives the example of a township (Makkah), it was secure and peaceful: its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste extreme hunger (famine) and fear, because of what they did (112)There has come to them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him, so the torment seized them while they were wrongdoers (113)
The Example of Makkah
This example refers to the people of Makkah, which had been secure, peaceful and stable, a secure sanctuary while men were being snatched away from everywhere outside of it. Whoever entered Makkah, he was safe, and he had no need to fear, as Allah said:
وَقَالُوا إِن نَّتَّبِعِ الْهُدَىٰ مَعَكَ نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا ۚ أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّهُمْ حَرَمًا آمِنًا يُجْبَىٰ إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رِّزْقًا مِّن لَّدُنَّا
(And they say: "If we follow th
Research library, full list
776 to 800 of 4,916Examining the Effectiveness of Breathwork to Improve Resilience and Psychological Wellbeing While Reducing Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Insomnia in Paramedicine Students: A Single-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial.
Paramedicine students experience disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia compared to the general population, placing them at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and long-term psychological distress. Breathwork has emerged as a promising self-regulation intervention that may enhance resilience and wellbeing while reducing symptoms of mental illness. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the effectiveness of the A52 Breath Method, a structured breathwork protocol, in improving mental health and resilience among student paramedics. A single-blind parallel-group mixed-methods RCT was conducted with 98 student paramedics from two Australian universities, randomised to either a 12-week breathwork intervention or control, with results interpreted in light of differential attrition. The intervention involved twice-daily practice of slow, diaphragm…
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The Effect of Forgiveness Psychoeducation on Death Anxiety, Caregiver Burden, and Forgiveness Tendencies in Caregivers of Patients at the End of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Background: Providing caregivers with the skills and awareness of forgiveness is crucial to help them express their emotions, navigate the grieving process more smoothly, enhance their interaction with the patient, and make the time until the patient's death more meaningful.
Objective: To examine the effect of forgiveness psychoeducation on death anxiety, caregiver burden, and forgiveness tendencies in caregivers of patients at the end of life.
Methods: A randomized controlled experimental method was used, including a pretest, posttest, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up. The research sample included 56 caregivers of patients (experimental group = 28, control group = 28) at the end of life. During the study, forgiveness psychoeducation was administered to the experimental group, whereas no intervention was carried out in the control group. Data were collected using the Personal Inf…
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A randomised controlled feasibility study of the Carers-ID intervention to support the mental health of family carers of people with intellectual disabilities.
Background: Intellectual disability (ID) refers to significant limitations in intellectual and adaptive functioning beginning in childhood. Globally, ID affects 1-3% of the population-over 200 million people. Family carers of individuals with ID experience high levels of stress, poor health, and reduced quality of life due to ongoing caregiving demands. These pressures intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the development of Carers-ID, an online intervention designed to support carers' mental health.
Objective: To assess the feasibility of delivering the Carers-ID programme to family carers of people with ID.
Methods: A parallel randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate recruitment and retention rates, feasibility of data collection, and potential effect sizes. Carers were recruited via UK-based voluntary organisations and NHS learning disability teams and rando…
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Beneficial effect of napping on mood and cognitive performance in adolescent athletes.
Adolescent athletes often experience chronic sleep deprivation, impairing mood, cognitive and athletic performance. While napping benefits adults, its effects in adolescent athletes remain unclear. We examined whether a 60-min nap (NAP) improves mood, attention, and declarative learning in 12 male adolescent basketball players. They completed two randomized and counterbalanced conditions: NAP and control rest. Mood and subjective sleepiness were assessed in pre- and post-conditions and objective attention was measured after both conditions. Declarative learning was evaluated using word-pair task at baseline and after 4, 8, and 72 h. Objective sleep quality and quantity were measured via actigraphy. Napping enhanced attention (p = 0.006, d = 0.98, Δ=+14.55%) and improved declarative learning at 4 h (p = 0.003, d = 1.09, Δ=+8.40%) and 72 h (p = 0.021, d = 0.78, Δ=+8.95%) retest. Mood param…
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Evaluation of a brief, online imagery rescripting intervention targeting fear-of-self in high obsessive-compulsive participants.
Emerging evidence suggests that rescripting aversive memories related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may improve symptoms and OCD-relevant cognitive and affective outcomes. We aimed to validate an online, audio-guided imagery rescripting protocol by comparing it with a focused, thought-listing control. A sample of Prolific online workers (n = 112) with high OCD symptoms identified a memory associated with OCD-related experiences, then were randomly assigned to complete either the rescripting or control task. Select outcomes were re-assessed one-week post-experiment. Feared self-perceptions improved for the rescripting, but not the control condition; these improvements were maintained for idiosyncratic and state feared-self beliefs, but not trait fear-of-self. Participants in the rescripting condition also reported significantly greater reductions in state anxiety and urge to neut…
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Bell IH, Li C, Thompson A, Ellinghaus C, O'Sullivan S, Reynolds KA, Wadley G, Liu Y, Bendall S, Gleeson J, Valmaggia L, Alvarez-Jimenez M (2025)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJMIR mental health A Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Defusion Application for Youth Depression and Anxiety: Mixed Methods Experimental Study.
Background: Third-wave psychological treatments such as acceptance and commitment therapy can be effective for improving depression and anxiety in youth. However, third-wave therapeutic techniques such as cognitive defusion can be abstract, challenging to learn, and difficult to apply in real-world settings. Translating these techniques into virtual reality (VR) may provide interactive, enjoyable, and concrete learning opportunities, potentially enhancing engagement and effectiveness. This study evaluated a novel VR application that translates the technique of cognitive defusion into a brief, gamified VR experience.
Objective: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, usability, and safety of the VR cognitive defusion application; examine whether it could improve negative thinking and mood states; and understand how it compared to a non-VR cognitive de…
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Effectiveness of mindful self-compassion therapy on psychopathology symptoms, psychological distress and life expectancy in infertile women treated with in vitro fertilization: a two-arm double-blind parallel randomized controlled trial.
Objectives: Infertility is a prominent problem affecting millions of couples worldwide. Recently, there has been a hightened emphasis on elucidating the subtle linkages between infertility treatment leveraging assisted reproductive technology and the complex realm of psychological challenges, as well as efforts in implementation of psychological interventions. The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program seeks to improve self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction while reducing depression, anxiety, and stress. In the current study, an MSC intervention was performed on infertile women (IW) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) to assess the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing psychological distress and psychopathological symptoms and enhancing life expectancy.
Methods: Fifty-seven IW undergoing IVF were randomly allocated to two groups: MSC (n = 2…
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Wang Z, Zhang Z, Wu Y (2024)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of health, population, and nutrition7 citations The effects of Baduanjin exercise on the psychological condition and heart rate variability of sports-disadvantaged college students: A randomised trial.
Objective: To investigate the effects of a 16-week Baduanjin exercise programme on the psychological status and heart rate variability (HRV) of college students in a sports-disadvantaged group, offering a theoretical basis for the potential of Baduanjin exercise to improve mental health.
Trial design: This prospective study enrolled 93 college students from Wuyi University, exempt from the National Standards for Students' Physical Health due to illness or disability. The participants were divided into a control group (n = 47) and an experimental group (n = 46). Over 16 weeks, the experimental group engaged in the Baduanjin exercise, whereas the control group did not participate in regular physical training.
Methods: We assessed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R, the primary outcome) scores and HRV (time domain and frequency domain indices, the secondary outcomes) of all particip…
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Exercise and Nutrition in the Mental Health of the Older Adult Population: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
(1) Background: Global population aging is changing demographic structures and presents significant challenges for health systems, which must adapt to an increasingly elderly population. (2) Methods: The study employed a randomized controlled trial design with a total of 116 older adults aged 65 or older, randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 57) undergoing a combined resistance program and Mediterranean diet program and a control group (n = 59) who did not receive any intervention. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), sleep quality through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). (3) Results: Statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) were observed both within and between groups in anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.38 and 0.78, respectively), depression (Cohen's …
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Shahrour L, Martinez J, Chicaiza A, Omar R, Bovbjerg K, Stanton AL, Valdimarsdottir H, Yanez B, Munshi P, Rowley SD, Rini C, Graves KD (2024)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usInternational journal of behavioral medicine3 citations Greater Social Isolation and Social Constraints Prior to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Are Associated with Greater Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms.
Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (hereafter "HCT") is a physically and psychologically difficult treatment for patients with hematological cancers. This study examined relationships among patients' reports of pre-transplant social isolation, social constraints, and psychological distress.
Method: We used baseline data from a multisite randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of expressive helping writing to reduce physical and emotional symptoms in HCT patients. We collected data prior to randomization and before either allogenic or autologous HCT using validated scales to assess social constraints, social isolation, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. We analyzed data using bivariate analysis and multivariate linear regression. We also explored whether social isolation mediated the effect of social constraints on both of our outcomes: anxiety and depressive sy…
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The co-benefits of biodiversity citizen science for well-being and nature relatedness.
Human well-being is dependent on the health of our planet. Biodiversity-related citizen science supports conservation research, and there is increasing interest in its potential as a health co-benefits intervention. This randomized controlled study investigates the health co-benefits of biodiversity citizen science participation. Seventy participants were randomly assigned to a citizen science project or control group for an 8-month period. Both groups completed pre- and post-intervention surveys, evaluating nature relatedness, self-efficacy related to biodiversity loss, subjective well-being, and climate change anxiety. A subset (N = 13) of participants engaged in the citizen science project also took part in focus group discussions. The intervention group reported a significant increase in nature relatedness and self-efficacy to help address issues of biodiversity loss. Although no sig…
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Matava CT, Bordini M, Sullivan BO, Garcia-Tejedor GA, Gai N, Petroz G, Donnell CM, Alam F, Brazel K, Caldeira-Kulbakas M (2024)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usBrazilian journal of anesthesiology (Elsevier)2 citations Virtual parental presence with coaching for reducing preoperative anxiety in children: a feasibility and pilot randomized controlled trial.
Background: Preoperative anxiety in children causes negative postoperative outcomes. Parental presence at induction is a non-pharmacological strategy for relieving anxiety; nevertheless, it is not always possible or effective, namely when parents are overly anxious. Parental presence via video has been demonstrated to be useful in other contexts (divorce, criminal court). This study reports the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of video parental presence and parental coaching at induction on preoperative anxiety.
Methods: The study was a randomized, 2 × 2 factorial design trial examining parental presence (virtual vs. physical) and coaching (provided vs. not provided). Feasibility was assessed by enrollment rate, attrition rate, compliance, and staff satisfaction with virtual method with the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and System Usability Scale (…
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The clinical effectiveness of the Mind/Body Program for Infertility on wellbeing and assisted reproduction outcomes: a randomized controlled trial in search for active ingredients.
Study question: Does the Mind/Body Program for Infertility (MBPI) perform better, due to certain distinctive elements, than a partly matched support group in improving the wellbeing and medically assisted reproduction (MAR) outcomes of women with elevated distress levels in a clinical setting?
Summary answer: While robust enhancements occurred in the wellbeing overall, the cognitive behavioural and formalized stress management elements of the MBPI allowed a significantly stronger improvement in trait anxiety, but not in other mental health and MAR outcomes, compared with a support group.
What is known already: Mind-body psychological programmes adjacent to MAR have been found to improve women's mental states and possibly increase chances of pregnancy. However, not enough is known about the programme's effectiveness among patients with elevated distress levels in routine clinical settings…
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Effects of Web-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Health-Related Outcomes Among Patients With Lung Cancer: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.
Objective: To identify the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of web-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on health-related outcomes in patients with lung cancer.
Methods: A feasibility, prospective, parallel, individual-based, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial was designed. This study was conducted at a third-level hospital in Sichuan Province, China. A total of 101 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to usual care group or 7-weekly web-based acceptance and commitment therapy group. The primary outcome was feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, and the secondary outcomes including quality of life, psychological flexibility, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the group differences. All analyses followed the principle of intention-to-treat.
Results: Web-based AC…
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Evaluating the effects of gratitude interventions on college student well-being.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of three different gratitude interventions on college student well-being. Participants: Participants were 132 college students at a university in the northwest sampled between September 2019 and February 2020. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to one of three gratitude interventions (journaling, reflection, app prompted reflection) or an activity-matched control group for 8 weeks and completed baseline and post-intervention assessments of well-being (e.g., satisfaction with life, happiness, resilience, depression, anxiety, and stress). Results: Participants in all three gratitude intervention groups showed improvements in well-being over time, whereas the control group did not report any such improvements. Gratitude journaling appeared to have the most significant positive impact on well-being and affective functioning. Conclusions: Gratitude…
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Designing and developing a nature-based virtual reality with heart rate variability biofeedback for surgical anxiety and pain management: evidence from total knee arthroplasty patients.
Objectives: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most common joint surgeries, with over a million procedures performed annually in the US. Over 70% of patients report moderate to high pain and anxiety surrounding TKA surgery, and 96% are discharged with an opioid prescription. This population requires special attention as approximately 90% of TKA patients are older adults and one of the riskiest groups prone to misusing opioids. This study aimed to develop and compare the efficacy of nature-based virtual reality (VR) with heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBF) to mitigate surgical pain and anxiety.
Methods: This randomized control trial recruited 30 patients (mean age = 66.3 ± 8.2 years, 23 F, 7 M) undergoing TKA surgery and randomly assigned to a control, 2D video with HRVBF, or VR with HRVBF group. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure pain levels before and after …
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Balban MY, Neri E, Kogon MM, Weed L, Nouriani B, Jo B, Holl G, Zeitzer JM, Spiegel D, Huberman AD (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usCell reports. Medicine123 citations Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.
Controlled breathwork practices have emerged as potential tools for stress management and well-being. Here, we report a remote, randomized, controlled study (NCT05304000) of three different daily 5-min breathwork exercises compared with an equivalent period of mindfulness meditation over 1 month. The breathing conditions are (1) cyclic sighing, which emphasizes prolonged exhalations; (2) box breathing, which is equal duration of inhalations, breath retentions, and exhalations; and (3) cyclic hyperventilation with retention, with longer inhalations and shorter exhalations. The primary endpoints are improvement in mood and anxiety as well as reduced physiological arousal (respiratory rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability). Using a mixed-effects model, we show that breathwork, especially the exhale-focused cyclic sighing, produces greater improvement in mood (p < 0.05) and reduction …
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Evidencing general acceptability of open-label placebo use for tackling overtreatment in primary care: a mixed methods study.
Background: Overtreatment poses a challenge to healthcare systems due to harmful consequences of avoidable side-effects and costs. This study presents the first account for examining the feasibility of placebo use for reducing overtreatment in primary care, including whether public attitudes support the use of different placebo types in place of inappropriate prescriptions of antibiotics, antidepressants, or analgesics.
Methods: We used a multi-study, mixed-methods design, including patient and public (PPI) consultations, focus groups (Study 1) and two pre-registered online experiments (Studies 2 and 3).
Results: Study 1 (N = 16) explored everyday conceptions and practicalities of potential placebo use in the context of respiratory infections. Findings highlighted the importance of trusting doctor-patient relationships and safety-netting. Study 2 employed a randomised experiment with a r…
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Compassion-Focused Therapy to Reduce Body Weight Shame for Individuals With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Adults living in larger bodies (Body Mass Index > 30) often experience body weight shame, are highly self-critical, and are at increased risk for anxiety and depression. To date, there have been no RCTs examining the efficacy of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) to help those experiencing body weight shame. The aim of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of CFT as a 12-session group intervention to reduce body weight shame for individuals living in larger bodies. The study used an RCT design with participants randomized to the CFT (n = 28) or waitlist control (n = 27) condition. Participants in both groups were assessed at pre- and postintervention, with the CFT group alone assessed at 3- and 6-month follow-up intervention. Both self-report and a physiological measure of parasympathetic nervous system activity were used (i.e., heart rate variability). Results indicated that C…
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Fazia T, Bubbico F, Nova A, Buizza C, Cela H, Iozzi D, Calgan B, Maggi F, Floris V, Sutti I, Bruno S, Ghilardi A, Bernardinelli L (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usScientific reports25 citations Improving stress management, anxiety, and mental well-being in medical students through an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention: a randomized study.
Pressures and responsibilities of medical school put a strain on medical student's personal wellbeing, leading among all to high rates of anxiety, emotional discomfort and stress. In this work we evaluated the effectiveness of a comprehensive Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) in reducing this load. The intervention comprised 10 twice-a-week Integral Meditation classes, dietary advice, and brief yoga sessions. We performed a randomized trial on two cohort of medical students from Italian universities: 239 in cohort 1 (106 treated and 133 controls), and 123 in cohort 2 (68 treated and 55 control) for a total sample of 362 students. Nine questionnaires for evaluating the effectiveness of our intervention on stress (PSS), state anxiety (STAIX-1), well-being (WEMWBS), mind-wandering (MW-S), overall distress (PANAS), emotion regulation (DERS), resilience (RS-14), and attentional control (AC…
matched on Anxiety (mesh)
Bell I, Arnold C, Gilbertson T, D'Alfonso S, Castagnini E, Chen N, Nicholas J, O'Sullivan S, Valentine L, Alvarez-Jimenez M (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of medical Internet research29 citations A Personalized, Transdiagnostic Smartphone Intervention (Mello) Targeting Repetitive Negative Thinking in Young People With Depression and Anxiety: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Background: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a key transdiagnostic mechanism underpinning depression and anxiety. Using "just-in-time adaptive interventions" via smartphones may disrupt RNT in real time, providing targeted and personalized intervention.
Objective: This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary clinical outcomes and mechanisms of Mello-a fully automated, personalized, transdiagnostic, and mechanistic smartphone intervention targeting RNT in young people with depression and anxiety.
Methods: Participants with heightened depression, anxiety, and RNT were recruited via social media and randomized to receive Mello or a nonactive control over a 6-week intervention period. Assessments were completed via Zoom sessions at baseline and at 3 and 6 weeks after baseline.
Results: The findings supported feasibility and acceptabili…
matched on Anxiety (mesh)
Comparing the effectiveness of imagery focussed cognitive therapy to group psychoeducation for patients with bipolar disorder: A randomised trial.
Background: Bipolar disorder is a severe, chronic mental disorder. Treatment options are limited, with pharmacological approaches continuing to dominate. However, relapse rates remain high. Several adjunctive psychosocial interventions, mostly psychoeducation (PE) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), have been trialled, but treatment innovation is still needed. In the past, brief group PE has proven as beneficial as longer individual CBT in reducing levels of depression and increasing self-management strategies. We compared the relative effectiveness of group PE to an imagery focussed cognitive behavioural therapy (ImCT).
Study design: This was a randomised parallel group study with both daily and weekly measures. A total of 62 adult patients were randomly allocated to either ImCT or group PE. Daily, weekly and pre-and post-intervention measures were used to assess impact on (i) mood…
matched on Anxiety (mesh)
Begotaraj E, Sambucini D, Ciacchella C, Pellicano GR, Pierro L, Wamser-Nanney R, Aceto P, De Paola C, Caroppo E, Lai C (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy2 citations Effectiveness of the expressive writing on the psychological distress and traumatic symptoms of the migrants: A prospective study multiarm randomized controlled trial.
Objective: Migration is a phenomenon related to adverse impacts, including higher risk for psychological distress and trauma symptoms, highlighting the strong need for effective psychological treatments to help migrants. However, the use of expressive writing intervention (EW) has not been examined in this population. The aims of the study were to evaluate: (a) the effectiveness of a trauma-focused EW on psychological distress, trauma symptoms, alexithymia, and hope for the future in migrants, and (b) the role of alexithymia and hope for the future in the association with the EW and the psychological symptoms.
Method: Twenty-eight migrants were enrolled in a multiarm double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) that included three groups: (a) trauma-focused EW, (b) neutral EW, and (c) control. Participants completed self-report measures at pretreatment, immediately after the interventi…
matched on Anxiety (mesh)
Tan TT, Tan MP, Lam CL, Loh EC, Capelle DP, Zainuddin SI, Ang BT, Lim MA, Lai NZ, Tung YZ, Yee HA, Ng CG, Ho GF, See MH, Teh MS, Lai LL, Pritam Singh RK, Chai CS, Ng DLC, Tan SB (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usBMJ supportive & palliative care17 citations Mindful gratitude journaling: psychological distress, quality of life and suffering in advanced cancer: a randomised controlled trial.
Context: Numerous studies have shown that gratitude can reduce stress and improve quality of life.
Objective: Our study aimed to examine the effect of mindful gratitude journaling on suffering, psychological distress and quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
Methods: We conducted a parallel-group, blinded, randomised controlled trial at the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia. Ninety-two adult patients with advanced cancer, and an overall suffering score ≥4/10 based on the Suffering Pictogram were recruited and randomly assigned to either a mindful gratitude journaling group (N=49) or a routine journaling group (N=43).
Results: After 1 week, there were significant reductions in the overall suffering score from the baseline in both the intervention group (mean difference in overall suffering score=-2.0, 95% CI=-2.7 to -1.4, t=-6.125, p=0.000) and the control group (m…
matched on Anxiety (mesh)
Mann A, Shah AN, Thibodeau PS, Dyrbye L, Syed A, Woodward MA, Thurmon K, Jones CD, Dunbar KS, Fainstad T (2023)randomised controlled trialMEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJAMA network open41 citations Online Well-Being Group Coaching Program for Women Physician Trainees: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Importance: Physician burnout disproportionately affects women physicians and begins in training. Professional coaching may improve well-being, but generalizable evidence is lacking.
Objective: To assess the generalizability of a coaching program (Better Together Physician Coaching) in a national sample of women physician trainees.
Design, setting, and participants: A randomized clinical trial involving trainees in 26 graduate medical education institutions in 19 states was conducted between September 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022. Eligible participants included physician trainees at included sites who self-identified as a woman (ie, self-reported their gender identity as woman, including those who reported woman if multiple genders were reported).
Intervention: A 4-month, web-based, group coaching program.
Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcomes were change in burnout (measure…
matched on Anxiety Disorders (mesh)