Separation Anxiety

Dr Alfred : It is often believed that anxiety is something that's 'just in the head' and the sense of 'restlessness' only affects mental health. But science says it is more than that. Anxiety isn't just a feeling that's confined to the mind but rather a condition which can affect the whole body. Anxiety affects the entire body, not just the mind. This widespread condition can lead to serious long-term health problems. Globally, millions suffer from anxiety disorders, but many do not receive treatment. Physical effects include heart issues, weakened immunity, chronic pain, and digestive problems. Managing anxiety offers a path to better health.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a useful learner-centered approach in which learners collaborate within small groups to solve an authentic ill-structured problem that has no right or wrong answer. However, facilitating and designing PBL can be challenging for teachers as well as for learning environment with learners with diverse needs. The main purpose of this action research is to upsurge the academic triumph of Grade 12 Senior High School Learners using PBL in teaching Social Science Classroom. Specifically, this action research sought to answer the following questions: (1) what is the level of learners' academic performance in terms of their quarterly grades in UCSP as to their 1st Quarter Grade and 2nd Quarter Grade?; (2) what is the mean difference between learners' academic performance in terms of their 1st and 2nd quarter grade in UCSP?; and (3) how do the learners describe their lived experiences during and after the implementation of problem-based learning as a learner-centered approach in teaching social science classroom? The study is limited to Grade 12 learners from Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics Class of Sta. Catalina Integrated National High School from September 2022 to October 2023. In the conduct of the action research, Mixed Method Research was used to gather necessary data and information. Mean and standard deviation were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data gathered from focus group discussions. The findings have shown that PBL as a learner-centered approach to teaching social science, had a large and positive effect to upsurge the academic triumph of Grade 12 learners which marks Very Satisfactory on the level of their academic performance in UCSP Class. For an instance, the conduct of more studies on the different factors affecting PBL integration and specific effects of PBL on various learner domain is recommended to facilitate comparative educational research in the future.

This study proposes a neural mechanism hypothesis for qualitative changes in
human cognitive ability, exploring the key features that may exist in human infant
brain development that are fundamentally distinct from other species. This unique
neural structure that develops postnatally is the decisive factor for humans to acquire
language and abstract thinking abilities. Human infants exhibit extensive neuronal
migration phenomena in white matter that persist for nearly 18 months after birth,
accompanied by a surge in brain volume and enhancement of language and cognitive
abilities. The traditional view holds that these neurons originate from the fetal ventral
telencephalic region, but animal studies have found that this time period is close to the
termination of neurogenesis and cannot adequately explain its scale and duration.
      The hypothesis posits that these neurons have an alternative source. In mammals,
hippocampal neurogenesis reaches its peak during the perinatal period to the first few
months after birth. Under the stimulation of information and learning tasks in the
human environment, hippocampal neurogenesis and neuronal survival rates are
significantly enhanced. Within a brief period, the number of surviving neurons
exceeds the hippocampus's capacity, resulting in massive overflow of neurons from
the hippocampus to white matter regions, where they migrate with the migratory
stream to the forebrain cortex and interconnect to form new neural networks.
        This may be a developmental mechanism unique to humans, where hippocampal
neuronal overflow becomes the key process for humans to develop distinctive neural
structures. Humans and other animals exhibit fundamental differences in cognitive
abilities due to differences in neural structure.

Theory suggests that early experiences may calibrate the "threshold activity" of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in childhood. Particularly challenging or particularly supportive environments are posited to manifest in heightened physiological sensitivity to context. Using longitudinal data from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292), we tested whether links between maternal sensitivity and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity aligned with these predictions. Specifically, we tested whether the magnitude of the within-person relation between maternal sensitivity and children's cortisol levels, a proxy for physiological sensitivity to context, was especially pronounced for children who typically experienced particularly low or high levels of maternal sensitivity over time. Our results were consistent with these hypotheses. Between children, lower levels of mean maternal sensitivity (7-24 months) were associated with higher mean cortisol levels across this pe...

Bağlanma süreçleri, psikopatolojik gelişimleri anlamamız için kuramsal bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Güvensiz bağlanma biçimi yaşamın ilerleyen dönemlerinde psikopatolojinin ortaya çıkışı ile sık ilişkilendirilmiştir. Yöntem: Çalışmaya, DSM-IV'e göre Panik Bozukluğu (PB) tanılı 65 kişiyle kontrol grubunu oluşturan 65 sağlıklı gönüllü alınmıştır. SCID-I uygulanarak PB tanısı alan hastalara, klinik durumlarının ve hastalık şiddetlerinin belirlenebilmesi için Panik-Agorafobi Ölçeği; Erişkinlikteki ayrılma anksiyetesini (EAA) araştırmak için EAA Ölçeği ve sahip olunan bağlanma biçimini ölçmek amacıyla İlişki Ölçekleri Anketi uygulanmıştır. Panik-Agorafobi Ölçeği dışındaki ölçekler kontrol grubu için de kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: EAA, PB olan grupta anlamlı olarak yüksekti. Bağlanma biçimleri ortalamalarında sadece "saplantılı" alt boyutuna ait bağlanma biçimi ortalamasında hem PB olan grupta hem de kontr ol grubunda, EAA düzeyleri yüksekti. Hastalar incelendiğinde kadın cinsiyet ve agorafobi varlığı ile EAA birlikteliği anlamlı oranda yüksekti. Erken yaşta anne-babasını kaybeden ve anne-baba ayrılığı olanların bağlanma biçimleri ortalamalarında "korkulu" ve "saplantılı" alt boyutlarına ait ortalamalar hasta gurubunda daha yüksekti. Sonuç: PB ile EAA birlikteliğinin yüksek, bu durumun kadınlarda daha sık ve hem PB grubunda hem de kontrol grubunda, saplantılı bağlanma biçiminin diğer bağlanma biçimlerine göre daha yaygındı. PB olan kişilerde, EAA ve/veya agorafobi varlığı ile bağlanma biçimleri arasında anlamlılık saptanmamıştır. EAA ve PB hastalarında ek tanı olarak depresyon diğer anksiyete bozukluklarından yüksekti.

As novas tecnologias, como internet e celular, trouxeram muitos benefícios. Entretanto, o uso abusivo pode gerar comportamentos viciantes encontrados na Nomofobia. Objetiva-se apresentar os aspectos sociodemográficos, psicológicos e ambientais correlacionados à nomofobia já publicados na literatura internacional. Buscou-se por artigos publicados entre 2014 e 2020, com os descritores: “nomophobia”, “dimensions of nomophobia”, “nomophobia questionnaire”, “mobile phone dependence” e “smartphone addiction”. Obteve-se 22 artigos, que foram dispostos em tabelas. Trata-se de pesquisas exploratória-descritivas com aplicação de questionários. As características psicológicas associadas foram: ansiedade, solidão e apego ao celular. As questões sociodemográficas foram: idade, gênero e escolaridade. Houve influência na qualidade de vida e no desempenho de tarefas. O mindfulness foi uma possível abordagem terapêutica. A falta de reconhecimento da nomofobia pelas ferramentas de diagnóstico de tran...

Early research suggested that the loss of a parent during childhood can lead to depression and other psychopathology in children and adults. More recent research has differentiated between loss due to death and separation from parents and has questioned the link between early parental death and psychopathology. We examined the hypothesis that separation from parents has a more detrimental effect than the death of a parent on the mental health of adolescents in the community. Israeli adolescents (N ‫؍‬ 844) with a mean age of 16.7 ؎ 1.0 years (mean ؎ SD) participated in this study. Seventy reported that a parent did not live at home during one of three 5-year periods until they reached the age of 15; 37 reported the death of a parent and 777 were from intact families. All participants completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), General Well Being Schedule (GWB), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and Perceived Social Support Family/ Friends Scales (PSS-Fam and PSS-Fr). Adolescents who had experienced separation from parents had more psychiatric symptoms (BSI), expressed a lower sense of well-being (GWB), experienced less support from their family (PSS-Fam), and felt less cared for and more controlled by their parents (PBI) compared with those belonging to intact families. The death of a parent was not associated with significantly different scores on these variables. When we controlled for parental bonding (PBI) and perceived social support from family (PSS-Fam), the differences between the separation group and the intact family group were no longer significant. The psychological impact of separation from parents involves a greater risk for psychopathology than the death of a parent. The quality of the relationship with the parents moderates the negative impact of separation from them.

The aims of this study were to explore the type and prevalence of pre-/peri-migratory trauma experiences in unaccompanied minors and the prevalence of mental health problems and resilience. The study included 19 unaccompanied migrant minors aged 16-17 years coming from Egypt, Albania, Senegal, Bangladesh, Gambia, Morocco and Mali. The participants completed self-report questionnaires on emotional and behavioural problems, post-traumatic stress symptoms, abuse and resilience. All the unaccompanied migrant minors in our study were physically and psychologically abused at least once in their life and more than half were sexually abused before or during their migration. The most frequent abuses were: being hit with an object, being punished at school and at home with torture and infliction of pain, being forced to do something dangerous, being insulted, undergoing theft or damage of personal objects, being forced to look at sexual photos or videos and being sexually abused. The scores on post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and dissociation are above the clinical cut-off point. Mean scores in the scales of resilience are generally in line with normative data. These scores show that despite their traumatic pre-migratory and peri-migratory experiences of abuse and the clinical psychopathological effects, the minors interviewed proved to have good sources of resilience. Immigration policies however should be based not only on admittance to emergency refuge centres but also on assessing the subjects and providing them with psychological support for the traumas experienced in order to achieve a successful integration process in the host society.

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health conditions and often have chronic courses requiring long-term management. This study evaluates whether supplementing standard pharmacotherapy with brief psychosocial interventions (including psychoeducation, short-term psychotherapy, and progressive muscle relaxation) leads to superior long-term outcomes in anxiety disorders compared to pharmacotherapy alone. Methods: We analyzed data from 7,334 patients with anxiety disorders seen over 12 years at the Central Institute of Behavioral Sciences. Patients were categorized into three anxiety types-state-related (acute, situational anxiety), stress-related (trauma-or stress-triggered anxiety), and trait-related (chronic, generalized anxiety)-and divided into two groups: one receiving combined psychosocial interventions plus medication, and one receiving only medication. Anxiety severity was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Clinical Global Impression scales for severity (CGI-S) and improvement (CGI-I) at baseline and ~2-year follow-up. Results: Patients who received brief psychotherapy and psychoeducation alongside pharmacotherapy showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety severity across all anxiety types. On average, the combined-intervention group had a ~60% reduction in HAM-A scores over 24 months, versus ~45% in the medication-only group, with corresponding improvements in CGI-S and CGI-I scores. For example, remission rates (minimal or no symptoms) were higher in the combined group (approximately 45-50%) compared to the medication-only group (30-40%). Conclusions:Ultra-Brief psychotherapy, psychoeducational support, and relaxation training used in conjunction with pharmacotherapy substantially improved long-term anxiety outcomes, as evidenced by greater symptom reduction and global improvement ratings. These findings underscore the value of integrating psychosocial interventions into the standard treatment of anxiety disorders to achieve better patient outcomes.

Background:  Respiratory problems have been shown to be associated with the development of panic anxiety. Family members play an essential role for children to emotionally manage their symptoms. This study aimed to examine the relation between severity of respiratory symptoms in children with asthma and separation anxiety. Relying on direct observation of family interactions during a mealtime, a model is tested whereby family interactions mediate the relation between asthma severity and separation anxiety symptoms.Methods:  Sixty‐three children (ages 9–12 years) with persistent asthma were interviewed via the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV; family interactions were assessed via direct observation of a mealtime; primary caregivers completed the Childhood Asthma Severity Scale; youth pulmonary function was ascertained with pre‐ and post‐bronchodilator spirometry; adherence to asthma medications was objectively tracked for six weeks.Results:  Poorer pulmonary function an...

his study examined the relation of perceived childhood attachment and personality characteristics with cell phone dependency in high school students. Three hundred and thirty students (205 girls, 125 boys) were selected by multistage cluster sampling method from third and fourth junior high schools of Birjand city and answered Childhood Attachment to Each Parent Scale (Hazan & Shaver, 1986), Cell Phone Dependency Questionnaire (Jafarzade, 2010) and NEO-Personality Characteristics Inventory-Short form (Costa & McCrae, 1992). Path analysis method was used for data analysis. Findings Showed significant relationship between secure attachment styles to parents and personality characteristics (except extroversion and openness) with cell phone dependency in high school students. Furthermore, one's maternal insecure attachment style and neuroticism were predictive of students' vulnerability to cell phone dependency

Background: According to the World Health Organization, 20% of children and adolescents worldwide currently have mental health problems, but effective treatment coverage in this area is very low. Therefore, the application of evidence-based interventions for children with separation anxiety disorder is a fundamental necessity. Aims: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of play attachment therapy and play therapy based on the parent-child relationship on the psychological well-being of children with separation anxiety disorder. Methods: The method of the present study is quasi-experimental and a pre-test, post-test-follow-up design of 2 months was used to collect data. The statistical population of this study included all mothers and children aged five to six years old with separation anxiety who were enrolled in preschool centers or kindergartens in District 4 of Tehran in the academic year 2022-2023. An experimental group and a control group were assigned. The experimental groups received attachment-focused play therapy for 8 sessions of 90 minutes and play therapy based on parent-child relationships for 10 sessions of 120 minutes. To collect data, a psychological well-being questionnaire (Abed et al., 2016) was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS.24 software using repeated measure analysis of variance. Results: The results of repeated measure analysis of variance showed that each Attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship play therapy significantly improved the psychological well-being of children with separation anxiety disorder (P< 0.05). The results of Bonferroni's post hoc tests showed that there was no difference between Attachment-based play therapy and parentchild relationship play therapy in the post-test and follow-up stages. Conclusion: According to the above, and the relatively high prevalence of this disorder and its comorbidity with other disorders among children and adolescents, the use of evidence-based interventions such as Attachment-based play therapy and parent-child relationship play therapy can significantly reduce their psychological distress.
, attachment-based play therapy, parent-child relationship therapy, separation anxiety disorder

The past is a distant, receding coastline, and we are all in the same boat … If the boat is becalmed, one of the telescopes will be in continual use; it will seem to tell the whole, the unchanging truth. But this is an illusion." -Julian Barnes, Flaubert's Parrot (p. 101) The study by Derrick Silove, M.D., Ph.D., et al. (1), in this issue of the Journal, on pediatricand adult-onset separation anxiety disorder across countries in the World Mental Health Survey, an epidemiologic report of separation anxiety disorder in a sample of 38,993 adults in 18 countries, is an eye-opening study that will contribute to a better appreciation of anxiety disorders across the lifespan. Methods in this extraordinary study are clearly articulated and exemplary. The data reported are divided sensibly by income of country.

Fifteen 15-month old infants with mother as primary caretaker were observed in Ainsworth's Strange Situation modified to provide a simultaneous choice of mother or father during post-separation reunion episodes. Both exploratory and attachment behaviors were more significantly affected by separation from mother than from father, suggesting the greater importance of the mother as a secure base for exploration and as an attachment figure. The intrapsychic version of the parent most crucial to exploration and attachment at this age is that of mother, in whose absence the infant is not yet able to evoke the memory of the mother to sustain either exploratory behavior or the attachment bond adequately. In their seminal paper on infant attachment reseai-ch, Sroufe and Waters 14 emphasized the importance of having regard to the content and meaning of the child's attachment behavior. Following Ainsworth and her collaborators I they have secured the importance of the organizational approach to studying attachment in child development research. Ainsworth has furthermore emphasized that exploratory behavior should be related to the child's attachment to his/her mother and has accordingly formulated the now well-known concept of the "attachment-exploration balance"--the relative emphasis in the infant's behavior on exploratory vs. attachment related behaviors and the importance of a secure relationship with a caretaking figure as a sine qua non for exploration. 1 Although Ainsworth's approach is based on ethology and its applications to mother-infant interaction as developed by Bowlby, no specific hypotheses derived from this orientation have been tested in

This study delves into the perspectives of pre-service teachers regarding play-based learning, focusing on motivations, and opportunities. Ten ( ) Bachelor of Elementary Education pre-service teachers from Western Mindanao State University were interviewed using qualitative phenomenological research methods. Data collection involved one-on-one interviews, audio recordings, and thematic analysis. The demographic data revealed a diverse group of respondents in terms of teaching experience, grade levels taught, and gender distribution. The interview findings highlighted common themes among pre-service teachers regarding their perspectives on play-based learning such as effective approach, classroom practices, promotes positive experiences. Motivations for incorporating play-based learning included promoting holistic development, student centered learning, and fostering meaningful learning. Opportunities identified through play-based learning included learners' involvement, behavior management, and learning efficiency. Generally, the study underscores the positive impact of play-based learning on student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes, as perceived by pre-service teachers. The study recommends incorporating playbased learning strategies in education, providing professional development for educators, and conducting further research on its impact on academic performance and social skills.

Gabard-Durnam,L., Flannery, J., . Reduced nucleus accumbens reactivity and adolescent depression following early-life stress. Neuroscience, 249, 129-138. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Nim Tottenham for her guidance and persistence in helping complete this thesis. I would also like to thank Adriana Galvan for her advice, support, and encouragement, and all of the individuals who have served as committee members and offered feedback on this work: Mirella Dapretto, Naomi Eisenberger and Andrew Fuligni. I also wish to thank my family, my friends, my labmates, and especially my husband, Adam, for their love, support and patience with me throughout this journey. I couldn't have done it without you.

Previous institutionalization (PI) is a potent stressor for the human infant. Such early stress can have long-lasting effects on emotional development (e.g., depression) and associated neurobiology. However the mechanisms underlying how early-life adversity (EA) increase neurobiological risk for depression are not fully understood. In this dissertation, I use a multi- method program of research, including experimental tasks, questionnaires, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and epigenetic measures, to examine the developmental course of depression related phenotypes, as well as potential epigenetic and neurobiological mechanisms of this association. I further examined a potential behavioral intervention that may ameliorate depressive outcomes following EA. Study 1 shows that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), a limbic structure associated with reward learning and motivation demonstrates atypical functioning following EA, specifically hypoactivity during the adolescent period,...

background: The modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale is widely used to assess children’s anxiety during induction of anesthesia, but requires training and its administration is time-consuming. A Visual Analogue Scale, in contrast, requires no training, is easy-to-use and quickly completed. Aim: To provide preliminary support for a Visual Analogue Scale to assess anxiety during induction of anesthesia and to determine cut-offs to distinguish between anxious and non-anxious children. Methods: Four hundred one children (1.5 – 16 years) scheduled for daytime surgery were included. Children’s anxiety during induction was rated by parents and anesthesiologists on a Visual Analogue Scale and by a trained observer on the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale. Psychometric properties assessed were: 1. concurrent validity (correlations between parents’ and anesthesiologists’ Visual Analogue Scale and modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale scores); 2. construct validity (differences b...

Objective: The aim of this current research was to examine the effectiveness of sand play therapy in improving the social skills and adjustment of children experiencing separation anxiety.
Methods: The research methodology utilized in this investigation was semi-experimental, employing a pre-test, post-test design with a control group. The specific population targeted for this study encompassed all children aged between 7 and 12 who had been diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder and were receiving counseling at the educational and training facility centers in Tehran in 2022. A sample of 30 individuals was chosen through convenience sampling and then randomly split into two groups of 15 participants each, designated as the experimental group and the control group. The research tools employed in this study consisted of the social skills questionnaires created by Karamati (2012) and the adaptability questionnaire by Sinha and Singh (1997). The sand play therapy sessions, comprising 8 sessions lasting 60 minutes each, were conducted by the researcher for the experimental group, while the control group did not undergo any training or therapy.
Results: The outcomes of this study indicated that sand play therapy had a beneficial effect on the social skills and social adjustment of children with separation anxiety, resulting in an enhancement of their overall social functioning and adaptation.
Conclusions: In light of these findings, it is recommended that educational counselors and psychologists integrate sand play therapy as an intervention to boost the social skills and adaptability of children grappling with separation anxiety in educational environments.

Two groups of 26 age- and sex-matched outpatients, with DSM–IV diagnoses of obsessive–compulsive disorder and panic disorder with agoraphobia, were compared on the Defense Mechanism Test–Separation Theme. A stimulus portraying a mother figure who is leaving a room where a baby lies alone on the floor was presented 22 times at increasing exposure durations in a single-view tachistoscope. Participants were asked to describe what they perceived at each step, according to the method of the Defense Mechanism Test. As predicted, reports of the mother seen as an inanimate object (phobic repression) were statistically significantly associated with agoraphobia, while reports of the mother entering the room or doing something other than leaving the baby (reaction formation) and reports of the baby as an angel (intellectualization) were associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of solution-focused therapy in enhancing self-efficacy and reducing social anxiety among adolescents with low vision. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessment, including a control group. Method: The statistical population comprised all adolescents with low vision in Yasouj City. A total of 20 participants were selected from Shaghaygh School using a convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 10) or the control group (n = 10). The experimental group participated in eight sessions of solution-focused therapy, while the control group received no intervention. Participants were assessed using Smith and Betz's Social Self-Efficacy Scale and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed variance analysis in SPSS software (version 26). Results: The findings indicated that, compared to the control group, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher self-efficacy and lower social anxiety in both the post-test and follow-up phases (P = 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between the post-test and follow-up stages (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that solution-focused therapy effectively enhances self-efficacy and reduces social anxiety in adolescents with low vision. Therefore, integrating solution-focused therapy into intervention programs may play a crucial role in improving psychological well-being in this population.

Background-Pharmacotherapy is considered an evidenced-based treatment for anxious youth. There is a need to better understand the relation between medication adherence and child outcomes. Objective-This study prospectively examined:1) baseline predictors of adherence and 2) the relation between medication adherence and clinical outcomes in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Methods-Participants were 349 youth randomized to sertraline, pill placebo, or sertraline plus cognitive behavioral therapy in the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS) and followed over 12 weeks. The measure of pharmacotherapy adherence used was pharmacotherapist (PT) ratings of adherence at each session. Four domains of baseline predictors were examined (demographics, child clinical variables, family/parent variables, and treatment variables). Results-Multiple regression analyses revealed few significant predictors of adherence. The most robust predictors of greater adherence were living with two parents and parents' positive expectations that medication would lead to better outcomes. Pharmacotherapists' ratings of higher adherence predicted higher global functioning at post treatment and treatment responder status.

This study examines the lived experiences and perspectives of retirees aged 60 and above residing in Metro Manila, focusing on their reflections on life after retirement. Using a phenomenological design, the research explores how retirees navigate transitions, redefine purpose, and maintain emotional well-being in the context of aging. Guided by Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory-particularly the stage of Integrity vs. Despair-and the Theory of Work Role Transition, the study delves into the interplay between retirees' reflections on their career paths and their adjustments to the loss of professional roles. Narratives from ten retirees across diverse professions reveal themes of fulfillment, emotional adjustment, and the challenges of redefining identity and purpose post-retirement. Key findings highlight the role of meaningful activities, family relationships, and social support in promoting satisfaction and coherence in later life. However, the transition to retirement often involves coping with feelings of nostalgia, a loss of structure, and the physical toll of aging. The study emphasizes the importance of psychological readiness, adaptive strategies, and supportive networks in overcoming these challenges. By integrating insights from both theories, this research underscores the complexity of retirement as a developmental milestone and transition. The findings aim to inform policies and programs that enhance retirees' quality of life and foster a supportive environment for their continued growth and well-being.

This research study addressed the gap in understanding the holistic experiences of caregivers in the home for aged facilities. It explored their lived experiences, perceptions of their roles, and coping mechanisms, shedding light on underexplored aspects of caregiving. Guided by Role Theory, Stress and Coping Theory, and Self-Determination Theory, the study provided a theoretical framework to examine these dimensions. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, purposive sampling was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten (10) caregivers around the National Capital Region (NCR) to explore their unique perspectives. The interview session was conducted in a face-to-face manner or videoconferencing. The researchers utilized Clarke and Braun's thematic analysis, which identified three key themes: Complexities in Caregiving, Navigating Growth and Recognition in Caregiving, and Emotional Intelligence and Professional Excellence. The findings highlighted that managing challenging behaviors and providing continuous care to the elderly significantly affected caregivers' emotional well-being. However, the support and recognition organizations, patients, and families provided significantly influenced their job satisfaction and sense of purpose. In conclusion, while caregiving proved to be emotionally demanding, it fostered personal growth and fulfillment when backed by organizational recognition and resources. Enhancing caregivers' well-being through targeted support mechanisms improved their mental health and elevated the quality of care provided to elderly residents. In light of the research findings, various recommendations were proposed for the facility, the government, and future researchers to enhance the well-being of caregivers and the quality of care they provide. Moreover, this study will help to explore more about the culture of Filipinos and whether a cultural shift occurs, particularly in the field of caregiving; despite the fact that Filipinos are known to have a strong familial bond, there is an increasing number of homes for the aged facilities within the Philippines.

Background and Objective: School-age children often experience separation anxiety due to being away from their families. A therapeutic approach to address this issue is Theraplay-based play therapy. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Theraplay-based play therapy on separation anxiety in elementary school girls.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved 60 elementary school girls from Aliabad-e-Katoul County, Iran, divided into two groups of 30: A control group (mean age: 8.69±0.71 years) and an intervention group (mean age: 8.9±0.85 years) in 2023. Hahn et al.’s Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale (SAAS) (parental version, 2003) was administered as a pre-test and post-test to assess separation anxiety. The control group received no intervention. The intervention group participated in ten 45-minute Theraplay-based play therapy sessions with their mothers for 10 days.
Results: The mean total separation anxiety score in the pre-test was 82.2±9.27 in the intervention group and 83.53±8.8 in the control group, showing no statistically significant differences. Similarly, there were no significant differences between the two groups in pre-test scores for separation anxiety dimensions. However, the mean total separation anxiety score in the post-test was 78.36±7.87 in the intervention group and 84.03±9.01 in the control group. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Furthermore, significant differences were observed in all dimensions of separation anxiety (P<0.05) except for the frequency of events in the intervention group before and after the intervention.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the Theraply-based play therapy effectively reduces separation anxiety in elementary school girls.

Keywords: Play Therapy [MeSH], Separation Anxiety [MeSH], Child [MeSH]

Kangaroo care is a nurturing method for infants, emphasizing skin-to-skin contact, usually with the mother. This adaptable guide helps health professionals implement kangaroo care effectively for optimal newborn outcomes. To explore parents' perceptions of Kangaroo Father Care, the study adopted a non-experimental quantitative exploratory research design with purposive sampling. The study took place in selected mother and child clinics in Pune City. The tool used had two sections: Part I included demographic variables, and Part II was a Likert scale assessing parents' perceptions of Kangaroo Father Care with 15 items on a three-point scale. The analysis showed that a majority of 52.5% of participantshad a high level of perception, 44.3% had an average perception, and only 3.3% had a poor perception. A Chi-square test examined the link between demographic variables and parents' perception of Kangaroo Father Care. At a 5% significance level, only the infant's gender showed a significant association. Conclusion: A significant portion of participants exhibited positive perceptions of Kangaroo Father Care, acknowledging its benefits for the newborn's health, bonding with the child, and reducing neonatal mortality. However, some parents harbored negative perceptions about KFC, expressing concerns about discomfort to parents, potential harm, and hindrances to constant engagement with neonate. It is evident that fostering awareness and encouraging the adoption of Kangaroo Father care can contribute to the holistic well-being of both parents and infants, fostering a deeper connection within the family unit. Further research can be explored to promote the widespread acceptance and implementation of this valuable caregiving practice.

The quality learners' early language literacy are the basic foundation for learning which is essential for academic performance and lifelong learning. This study aimed to determine the Grade II Learners Early Language Literacy (ELL) in Modular Distance Learning at Simuay Junction Central Elementary School. The researchers used qualitative methods employing phenomenology to delineate the perspectives and challenges experienced by the teachers, parents and learners themselves during the modular distance learning. The participants of the study were seven (7) Grade-II Pupils, seven (7) Grade II teachers, and seven (7) parents. The semi-structured research questionnaire was utilized during the interview process. Thus, it also investigated the challenges in early language literacy through modular distance learning. Colaizzi's seven steps strategy in data analysis in phenomenological methods was utilized to provide a rigorous analysis with each step (1) Staying close to the data. (2) Transcripts were read repeatedly (3) Significant statement (4) Formulated meanings (5) Cluster themes (6) Developing exhaustive description (7) Producing the fundamental structure and seeking verification of the fundamental structure to extract thematic analysis. Finally, the findings of the study revealed six (6) important themes: 1.) Parents' Assistance, 2.) Siblings' Assistance, 3.) Teachers' Assistance, 4.)Difficulty in Reading and Writing, 5.) Poor Word Recognition 6.) Difficulties in Blending words. Furthermore, the suggested solutions to address challenges are, parents' assistance, restriction of gadgets, enrichment activities in the module, face to face modality and Phonetic Alphabet Translation. it is concluded that, Modular Distance Learning can be a tool in learning early language literacy which includes reading and writing, learner to learner interaction and enrichment activities. However, it is quietly challenging to the part of the learners, teachers and parents. Hence, the assistance of adult learners at home like parents and siblings seemingly addressed the challenges in the modular distance learning.

Research Aim: The aim of the current research was to examine the effectiveness of empathic psychodynamic psychotherapy and anxiety regulating psychotherapy on psychological conditions of students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorders Research method: Research design was experimental multi-groups pre-post test. The study population was whole students of Ardabil universities in 2016-1017 academic years. Samples included 30 students with symptoms of adult separation anxiety disorders which were selected among students via structured clinical interview and global assessment of function and were assigned randomly into three groups (two experimental groups and one control group). The sample method was purposeful sampling method. Adult separation anxiety questionnaire, adult separation anxiety disorder clinical structured interview, global assessment of function, depression, anxiety and stress questionnaire, Beck self-concept questionnaire, emotional expression were used to g...

There are four general approaches to treatment for the symptomatic child. In individual child psychotherapy, the child is seen alone and play therapy is often utilized to help the child become aware of his feelings and express them more appropr.ately. In conjoint parent-child psychotherapy and counseling, the child is seen together with one parent, usually the mother. The focus may be on the child, the parent, or both. A third form of treatment, parent therapy and counseling, involves one or both parents without the child for therapy cr counseling. In some approaches parents are taught therapeutic techniques and child management procedures. The final treatment form is conjoint family therapy in which the entire family is seen. The principal focus is usually on the parents, and children are often ignored. Each approach has strengths but is incomplete as a treatment mode when used alone. An integration of child and family therapy is recommended which includes approaches which work within the framework cf conjoint family therapy, combining techniques of family therapy with play therapy, and other approaches which provide concurrent child and family therapy. (NRB1

The researchers investigated the effects of conducting Parent-Teacher Consultation to the roles of parents and outcomes among the identified Learners at-Risks of Nagpayong High School from school year 2021-2022. Respondents were section advisers, learners at-risks and the learners at-risks’ parents who were selected based on their availability and willingness to participate in this study. Mixed method was utilized to obtain answers to the research questions using researcher-made questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed the teachers-initiated teacher-parent conference (PTC) through distance communication, face-to-face meeting, other means of communication and exerted interventions.  Then, findings were positively manifested in the effects of PTC to the roles of parents. Results also revealed that parents modelled positive attitudes, did monitoring, got involved academically, collaborated with the school, and motivated the learners; however, it also exposed leniency among parents as they still allow their children to skip classes and play mobile games despite their school responsibilities. Also, giving rewards is not highly practiced by parents. Students also narrated learning experiences such as Home-related factors, Lack of Resources, Leisure as Distraction, and Learning Behaviour and Attitude as the perceived causes of their poor performances. Conducting PTC was believed to affect their feelings, actions and relationship with their parents. Also, teachers expressed home-related factors, lack of interest, lack of resources and dishonesty that caused them problems in conducting PTC.  On the other hand, teachers’ responses about the effects of PTC were categorized into positive and negative: parents’ active participation, realization of the needs, consistent monitoring, learners’ active participation, understanding of rules, strengthened communication and relationship, parent’s positive response and increased passing rate are the unfolded positive effects; while too much consideration, habitual actions, low quality of learners and blaming teachers are the conveyed negative effects. Lastly, the researchers extracted recommendations for teacher’s involvement, school administration support, and parents’ motivation.

Journal of Psychopathology 2015;21:365-371 Summary Separation Anxiety Disorder has been recently classified into the DSM-5 section of Anxiety Disorders, acknowledging its role not only in childhood and adolescence but also across the whole lifespan. In the DSM-IV-TR, in fact, this condition was typically considered to begin in childhood. Clinical data report prevalence rates from 20 to 40%, showing high comorbidity rates with most mental disorders. Epidemiological data highlight that in fact one third of childhood cases persist into adulthood, while the majority of adult cases reports its first onset in adulthood. In all cases, Separation Anxiety Disorder is associated with a severe impact on the overall functioning. Most relevant research in the field is discussed highlighting the need of a paradigm shift in which clinicians are alerted to identify and treat this condition in all age upon the recent DSM-5 reformulation will be highlighted.

Background. Breast cancer is considered the most common and leading cause of death in women worldwide, affecting quality of life and mental health, with depression and anxiety being common mental disorders. The systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in the management of depression and/or anxiety in women with breast cancer.  Methods. We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials of patients diagnosed with breast cancer who had depression and anxiety and had received psychological intervention, especially Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), comparing the effectiveness of CBT with pharmacological therapy and/or psychological therapies other than CBT. Results. We included 11 studies with 735 participants from 4 continents Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, most of the interventions were conducted with group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, showing greater effectiveness for the management of depression and anxiety in women with cancer than other psychological therapies. Conclusions. Group CBT generates significant changes with medium to large effect sizes showing reductions in depression and anxiety symptomatology in women with breast cancer.

This article argues that much can be learned about the ways in which individuals grieve through a careful analysis of the presentation of loss in creative fiction, especially in terms of unconscious and uncensored responses presented indirectly through figurative language and structural patterns. It takes Bob Dylan&#39;s collection of songs about the anguish caused by lost love. Blood on the Tracks, as an example. An examination of the songs included in, and some rejected for, the album reveals developing responses to grief resulting from relationship breakdown, including the search for the absent one and for reconciliation; the intrusion of deep pain into everyday situations; the problem of infidelity and guilt; the attempt to reach a more detached perspective; the consequences of the pain becoming unbearable; and the attempt at a kind of closure. Taken together, the songs reveal how complex and contradictory responses to the agony of loss can be.

Background: An association between social disadvantage and established psychosis is well documented in the literature, but there remains a lack of data on the social circumstances of patients before they became ill. We investigated whether social disadvantage at, and prior to, first contact with psychiatric services, is associated with psychosis. Method: We collected information on social disadvantage in childhood and adulthood from 278 cases presenting with their first episode of psychosis to the South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust and from 226 controls recruited from the local population. Three markers of childhood social disadvantage and 3 markers of disadvantage in adulthood were analyzed. Results: Long term separation from, and death of, a parent before the age of 17 years were both strongly associated with a 2-to 3-fold-increased odds of psychosis. Cases were also significantly more likely to report 2 or more markers of adult social disadvantage than healthy controls (OR = 9.03) at the time of the first presentation with psychosis, independent of a number of confounders. When we repeated these analyses for long-standing adult social disadvantage, we found that the strength of the association decreased but still remained significant for 1 year (OR = 5.67) and 5 years (OR = 2.57) prior to the first contact. Conclusions: Social disadvantage indexes exposure to factors operating prior to onset that increase the risk of psychosis, both during childhood and adulthood.

Introduction: Social anxiety disorder is a common psychiatric illness characterized by fear of being observed and scrutinized by others. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to acute changes in daily routines and lifestyles. Hence, leading to an increase in the frequency of anxiety disorders worldwide. Aim: To explore the frequency of social anxiety disorder among medical students and its socio-demographic correlates in the post-pandemic era. Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 medical students of a Tertiary care medical college and hospital in Mangalore, Karnataka from August to October 2023.The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) questionnaire was used to diagnose SAD among students and correlated with their socio demographic data. Statistical Analysis: Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS version 20. Results: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) was present among 48.6 (n=68) of the medical students. The female students (55.1%, n=49) documented a higher proportion of SAD compared to male students (37.3 %, n=19). There was a higher incidence among students from authoritarian family environments. Conclusions: A higher proportion of medical students had social anxiety disorder which was influenced by gender and family environment. These results constitute a need for awareness amongst the medical fraternity as a whole regarding early detection and management of these cases.

Separation anxiety is a normal development phase in children aged 1-3 years, indicating a healthy maturation of cognition. However, its persistence disrupts the child's daily life and can lead to anxiety disorder. Objective: This study aims to determine the level of separation anxiety and its related factors among preschool children in northern Iran from the parent's point of view. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 567 mothers who had enrolled their children aged 3-6 years in selected preschools in Rasht, Iran, were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. A demographic form and the separation anxiety assessment scale-parent version (SAAS-P) were used to collect data. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman's test, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Most of the mothers were older than 30 years (72.84%) and housewives (76.13%) with a bachelor's degree (66.01%). Based on findings of multiple linear regression analysis, Parent's quarrels at home (β=5.

Language is one of the basic tools of psychiatrists. They use language to elicit verbal behavior from patients which in turn is analyzed to determine personality structure. Language is also used as a therapeutic tool to modify and control behavior. It is important for psychiatrists to develop techniques for eliciting data from patients and also to develop quantitative measure ments of the verbal behavior obtained from patients (cf., Engel, 1968; Martin, 1965). Pinpointing a dimension of an individual's personality structure, labeling and defining relevant dimen sions, and providing a handle to grasp pathological dimensions is no simple task for the beginning psychiatrist. The authors are of the impression that the most difficult endeavor in this area is to attempt to study all the parameters of an open-ended initial interview because of the large number of variables to contend with and analyze. Drs. Tokar and Brunse are on the staff at the Sepulveda Veterans Admin istration Hospital and at the

D-phenylalanine + D-leucine-endogenous opioid-ultrasonic call-mouse pup 6-day-old mice pups were injected with D-amino acids (D-phenyl-alanine + D-leucine), and their ultrasonic distress vocalizations were measured. D-Amino acids, which exert opioid-like effects, reduce the number of ultrasonic calls without affecting the activity of the pups. This effect is reversed by naloxone, an opioid antagonist. The role of endogenous opioids in modulating early attachment is discussed.

Objectives The objective of this study was to specifically investigate Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), as one of the noteworthy disorders within the spectrum of anxiety disorders, among children and adolescents, after overcoming the crises caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts were also made to identify sociodemographic factors that could be associated with changes in SAD level and also to assess the effect of different constituting dimensions of SAD on the severity of this disorder. high SAD level. Considering these factors allows for more effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. However, the need for further studies remains crucial.

Objectives Psychological problems in children are a significant public health concern. These problems can affect the well-being of children, their families, and peers and negatively impact the quality of their lives in adulthood. The present research aims to assess the relationship between mothers' adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the internalizing and externalizing problems of children mediated by mothers' emotional dysregulation and mental capacity. Methods This is a correlational study using structural equation modeling. The study population consists of all married women with children aged 6-12 in Bushehr Province, Iran, who had registered information in the electronic comprehensive health services system in 2022. Utilizing a random cluster sampling method, 700 women were selected, of whom 632 completed the online questionnaires, including the child behavior checklist, the ACE questionnaire, the difficulties in emotion regulation scale, and the parental reflective functioning questionnaire. All analyses were performed in SPSS Software, version 26 and AMOS version 24 software. Results The ACE of mothers had a direct and significant relationship with their emotion regulation difficulties (β=0.363, P<0.001) and internalizing (β=0.182, P<0.001) and externalizing problems (β=0.201, P<0.001) of children. Additionally, the ACE in mothers had an indirect and significant relationship with their mental capacity (β=-0.125, P=0.006). The ACE of mothers also had an indirect and significant relationship with internalizing (β=0.126, P<0.001) and externalizing (β=0.134, P<0.001) problems of children through emotion dysregulation. The ACE of mothers also had an indirect and significant relationship with externalizing problems of children (β=0.011, P=0.039) through mental capacity. Conclusion Mothers' ACEs have a direct impact on their children's internalizing and externalizing problems. This relationship can also be mediated by their emotional dysregulation and mental capacity.

Although exposure-based practices are effective in treating selective mutism, difficulties arise when the child refuses to visit a clinical center. In this situation, it is important to intervene using remote technology and to support parents who have children with selective mutism. In this patient report, an exposure-based intervention using online technology was implemented for an 8-year-old girl with selective mutism. In addition, her mother was also experiencing increased parenting stress. Therefore, the mother received behavioral parent training specifically designed for parents of children with selective mutism. As a result, the child's nervousness decreased during the intervention, and the frequency of their speech, facial expression, and body motion improved. Initially, the child refused to visit our clinical center. However, they eventually agreed and managed to communicate non-verbally with the primary author in our clinical center. Behavioral parent training for selective mutism improved her mother's understanding of the condition, the way she interacts with her child, and reduced her parenting stress. Implementing Internet-based interventions is highly beneficial because it significantly reduces the fear of clinic or hospital visits among children with selective mutism. Furthermore, behavioral parent training tailored to selective mutism to improve parental stress and interaction can be a valuable support option for parents of children with selective mutism.

Refugees commonly experience traumatic events that threaten the self and close others, suggesting the possibility that they may experience overlapping symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and separation anxiety disorder (SAD). We examine this possibility among West Papua refugees (n = 230) displaced to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. We also examine associations between the combined PTSD-SAD construct and indices of past trauma exposure, ongoing adversity, and the psychosocial disruptions caused by mass conflict and displacement. We applied culturally adapted interview modules to assess symptoms of PTSD, SAD, traumatic events (TEs), ongoing adversity, and 5 psychosocial dimensions. Latent class analysis identified a PTSD class (23%), a posttraumatic (PT) SAD class (22%), and a low-symptom class (55%). Compared with the low-symptom class, both the PTSD and PT-SAD classes endorsed higher levels of exposure to all domains of TEs (conflict-related trauma, witnessing murder, ...

Limited data are currently available describing normal behaviors of puppies left alone or on actual age of onset of separation-related problems. This study aims to describe variability and temporal distribution of puppy behavior when home alone during the first few months following adoption. Thirty-two puppies, ranging in age from 50 to 118 days, were filmed when home alone for 60 minutes. The videotaping was repeated again after 1 and 2 months, for a total of 3 observations per puppy. Information on physical and social environment and history of the puppy were collected. Fourteen behavioral categories were established to describe duration and frequency of puppy activity. Descriptive analysis, principal component analysis, and general linear model repeated measures were performed. Puppies spent most of their time exhibiting passive behavior (40.38 6 18.31 minutes) as opposed to being oriented to the environment (OE) (4.5 6 5.06 minutes). Puppies played (6.1 6 9.53 minutes) and vocalized (VO) (2.7 6 6.25 min) while separated from their owners. Locomotion, exploration, oral behavior (OB), and grooming were observed for short periods. Puppies in the first film tended to be less active (LO 5 0.44 6 1.07 minutes; OE 5 3.37 6 3.59 minutes) than in the third one (LO 5 1.09 6 2.02 minutes; OE 5 5.23 6 5.53 minutes). Only 3 puppies out of 32 were characterized by stress-related behaviors such as lip licking, VO, and OB. These behaviors decreased over time, with mean duration for OB and VO in film 1 at 143 6 184 seconds and 1341 6 1331 seconds, respectively, and at 0 6 0 seconds, and 46 6 80 seconds in film 3. The mean frequency of lip licking during the first film was 11 6 16 and in the third was 1 6 1. The results of this study show that even if some puppies showed stress-related behaviors, these behaviors did not persist over time.