To determine if an internet-based mind/body program would lead to participants experiencing infertility (1) being willing to be recruited and randomized and (2) accepting and being ready to engage in ...a fertility-specific intervention. Secondary exploratory goals were to examine reduced distress over the course of the intervention and increased likelihood to conceive.
This was a pilot randomized controlled feasibility trial with a between-groups, repeated measure design. Seventy-one women self-identified as nulliparous and meeting criteria for infertility. Participants were randomized to the internet-based version of the Mind/Body Program for Fertility or wait-list control group and asked to complete pre-, mid- and post-assessments. Primary outcomes include retention rates, number of modules completed, and satisfaction with intervention. Secondary exploratory outcomes sought to provide preliminary data on the impact of the program on distress (anxiety and depression) and self-reported pregnancy rates relative to a quasi-control group.
The retention, adherence, and satisfaction rates were comparable to those reported in other internet-based RCTs. Although time between pre- and post-assessment differed between groups, using intent-to-treat analyses, women in the intervention group (relative to the wait-list group) had significant reduction in distress (anxiety, p = .003; depression, p = .007; stress, p = .041 fertility-social, p = .018; fertility-sexual, p = .006), estimated as medium-to-large effect sizes (ds = 0.45 to 0.86). The odds of becoming pregnant was 4.47 times higher for the intervention group participants as compared to the wait-list group, OR 95% CI 1.56, 12.85, p = .005 and occurred earlier. The findings suggest that the research design and program specific to this population are feasible and acceptable. Replication efforts with an active control group are needed to verify distress reduction and conception promotion findings.
The interpretation of emotionally ambiguous words, sentences, or scenarios can be altered through training procedures that are collectively called cognitive bias modification for interpretation ...(CBM-I). In three experiments, we systematically manipulated the nature of the training in order to discriminate between emotional priming and ambiguity resolution accounts of training effects. In Experiment 1 participants completed word fragments that were consistently related to either a negative or benign interpretation of an ambiguous sentence. In a subsequent semantic priming task they demonstrated an interpretation bias, in that they were faster to identify relatedness of targets that were associated with the training-congruent meaning of an emotionally ambiguous homograph. We then manipulated the training sentences to show that interpretation bias was eliminated when participants simply completed valenced word fragments following unrelated sentences (Experiment 2), or completed fragments that were related to emotional but unambiguous sentences (Experiment 3). Only when participants were required to actively resolve emotionally ambiguous sentences during training did changes in interpretation emerge at test. Findings suggest that CBM-I achieves its effects by altering a production rule that aids the selection of meaning from emotionally ambiguous alternatives, in line with an ambiguity resolution account.
Objective
Numerous psychological constructs exist to describe different facets of emotional responding, but they have rarely been examined together. We empirically modeled the associations between ...four psychological constructs (mindfulness, emotional nonacceptance, experiential avoidance, and anxiety sensitivity) of individuals' responses to their affective experience, hypothesizing that a bifactor model would fit the data best.
Method
We used exploratory structural equation modeling, a novel latent variable modeling framework, to compare five measurement models of emotional responding in an online community sample (N = 307).
Results
A bifactor model including a general emotional responding factor had substantial factor loadings from nearly all items, with mixed results for specific factors. Exploratory analyses supported the significant association of avoidant emotional responding and psychopathology/well‐being.
Conclusion
The general avoidant emotional responding factor appears to overlap most directly with experiential avoidance and may be a transtheoretical construct relevant to mental health.
Studies suggest that sexual self-schemas are an important cognitive mechanism in the sexual development of women with a history of childhood abuse. This literature is only beginning to explore how ...multiple forms of abuse (i.e., physical, emotional, and sexual), rather than sexual abuse alone, can influence the development of adult sexuality. Moreover, the extant literature has not carefully considered important factors other than the severity of the abuse that may relate to sexual self-schemas, including family environment and quality of romantic relationships. Findings from this cross-sectional study conducted on 417 heterosexual women (ages 18–25 years) suggest that family dynamics and different types of childhood abuse contribute both directly and indirectly to adult sexual function and satisfaction and that part of those effects were mediated by other factors such as sexual self-schemas and romantic relationship quality. These results, including an exploration of the direct and indirect effects, were discussed in terms of the pervasive effects of abuse on people’s lives and the potential treatment targets that can be addressed when trying to reduce sexual problems in women with a history of abuse.
Research suggests that COVID-19 impairs sexual function in men, but little is known about the impact of COVID-19 (or long COVID) on sexual function in women.
We sought to compare the sexual function ...of cisgender women who had never had COVID-19, who had COVID-19 but not long COVID, and who had long COVID, and assessed whether long COVID symptoms and/or emotional distress mediate the relationship between COVID-19 history and sexual function.
In total, 2329 adult cisgender women were recruited online as study participants. Half of these women reported having had COVID-19, and the other half reported never having had COVID-19. Of those who had COVID-19, 25% (n = 170) reported having long COVID. We compared the mean Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores by using t-tests for each of the primary comparison categories (never COVID vs COVID and only COVID vs long COVID). Four path models were used to test the hypotheses that (1) long COVID symptoms or (2) depression, anxiety, and/or stress assessed with the subscales of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) mediated the relationship between COVID-19 and sexual function.
Sexual function was measured with the FSFI, long COVID symptoms were assessed using the Centers for Disease Control working symptom set, and emotional distress was measured with the DASS-21.
In total, 1313 participants provided data suitable for analysis. The never-COVID group (n = 645, 49.1%) had higher scores on the Desire, Arousal, Lubrication, and Satisfaction subscales of the FSFI (mean M SD FSFI total Mnever COVID = 27.98 4.84 vs MCOVID = 27.05 5.21) than the combined only-COVID (n = 498, 37.9%) and long-COVID (n = 170, 12.9%) groups. The FSFI subscale scores were significantly higher in the only-COVID group than in the long-COVID group for the Arousal, Lubrication, and Orgasm and lower for the Pain subscales and higher for overall sexual function (FSFI total Monly COVID = 27.49 5.00 vs Mlong COVID = 25.77 5.61. None of the proposed mediation models had adequate model fit.
Clinicians treating cisgender women who have COVID-19 should consider proactively discussing sexual function with their patients and offering available resources.
In this study we used a large and diverse sample, but this sample did not include transgender or gender-diverse persons. This study was also correlational; as such, causal conclusions cannot be drawn. Further, the mechanism of action remains unexplained.
The study findings suggest the following: (1) COVID-19 infection is associated with impaired sexual function in cisgender women, and (2) that women with long COVID experienced incrementally more impaired sexual function than women with COVID-19 who did not develop long COVID.
The literature on sexual responses shows a large and not fully understood between‐women variance in sexual responses and in strength of coherence between physiological and subjective sexual ...responses. This study investigated cognitive factors theorized to be associated with sexual responses that could explain such variance. Specifically, we investigated the predictive value of sexual excitation/inhibition and sexual schemas on sexual response and coherence. Vaginal photoplethysmography and continuous subjective sexual arousal were collected from 29 young women while they watched a control/erotic video sequence. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that high sexual excitation and schemas related to passion and romance were related to higher coherence. These findings support the notion that cognitive factors that enhance sexual arousal contribute to the large variation seen in the coherence of sexual response as measured in the laboratory.
ContextDepression affects up to 15% of community-dwelling older adults. Late-life depression is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. When depression in older adults is identified, up to 80% of ...treatment occurs in primary care. Currently available treatments have significant limitations (e.g., modest effectiveness, high costs, adverse effects, poor adherence, and social stigma), therefore additional treatment options are essential. Over the counter magnesium chloride is inexpensive, widely available, generally safe, well-absorbed, and was efficacious in prior studies, often within 2 weeks. ObjectiveTo collect background information on magnesium supplement use and acceptability in older adults with a depression. Study DesignOnline survey. DatasetNational sample. Population StudiedAdults 65 and older living in the United States currently experiencing symptoms of depression based on Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ- 2) results. Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome was willingness to take magnesium supplements instead of prescription medication for the treatment of depression. Secondary measures included current supplement use, comfort level with taking magnesium to treat depression, and whether they think magnesium would help improve symptoms of depression. ResultsOf 153 respondents, 97 (63%) were female, 143 (93%) identified as white, and 130 (85%) were between the ages 65 and 75 years. 112 (73%) took a supplement daily, including 15 (10%) taking magnesium. 50 (33%) were currently being treated for depression. On a 4-point Likert scale ranging from "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly Disagree," 83% of respondents "Agreed" or "Strongly Agreed" in terms of their willingness to take magnesium instead of a prescription medication. A majority also "Agreed" or "Strongly Agreed" that they were willing (89%) and comfortable (89%) with taking magnesium to treat depression and also that it would improve symptoms of depression (73%). Women were more likely to agree with these statements (p<0.05), but there were no differences based on age or current treatment for depression. ConclusionsA majority of older community-dwelling adults are willing to take magnesium for the treatment of depression. Many adults are already taking at least 1 over the counter supplement daily. Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of magnesium supplements as an alternative treatment option in this population.
To identify the factors associated with perceived COVID-19 risk among people living in the US.
A cross-sectional representative sample of 485 US residents was collected in mid-April 2020. ...Participants were asked about (a) perceptions of COVID-19 risk, (b) demographic factors known to be associated with increased COVID-19 risk, and (c) the impact of COVID-19 on different life domains. We used a three-step hierarchical linear regression model to assess the differential contribution of the factors listed above on perceived COVID-19 risk.
The final model accounted for 16% of variability in perceived risk, F(18,458) = 4.8, p < .001. Participants who were White reported twice as much perceived risk as participants of color (B = −2.1, 95% CI−3.4,-0.8. Higher perceived risk was observed among those who reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their sleep (B = 1.5, 95% CI0.8,2.1) or work (B = 0.7, 95%CI0.1,1.3). The number of cases per capita in their state of residence, age, or proximity to someone with a COVID-19 diagnosis were not found to meaningfully predict perceived risk.
Perceived risk was not found to be associated with known demographic risk factors, except that the effect of race/ethnicity was in the opposite direction of existing evidence. Perception of COVID-19 risk was associated with the perceived personal impact of the pandemic.
•Perceived risk of COVID-19 is predicted by impact of the disease and its countermeasures.•Perceived risk was not observed to be related to known risk factors.•Understanding perception of risk of COVID-19 may help guide on-going messaging.
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