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Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research
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Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 26889

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. A. Bulbena-Vilarrasa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
2. Institut de Neuropsiquiatria i Addiccions, Parc de Salut Mar, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: anxiety; Ehlers Danlos; functional somatic disorders; stress; vagal; EMDR; neurosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research in the last 25 years has shown strong links between somatic conditions and psychiatric disorders. Whereas mood disorders are often found closer to mechanisms of inflammation, anxiety disorders have been found to be strongly associated to some heritable conditions of connective disorder. On the other hand, research on several somatic treatments with body involvement, extensively used but somehow neglected, such as relaxation, vagal functioning, and rapid eye movement, among others, have provided significant new clues to understand the neurobiology of anxiety and stress. These clinical, neurophysiologic, and therapeutic fields will be updated, and a comprehensive model of illness, the neuroconnective phenotype, will be explored to pave the way to progress in that field.

Prof. Dr. A. Bulbena-Vilarrasa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anxiety
  • Ehlers Danlos
  • functional somatic disorders
  • stress
  • vagal
  • EMDR
  • neurosis

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 371 KiB  
Article
Mental Health Status of French School-Aged Children’s Parents during the COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Associated Factors
by Stéphanie Bourion-Bédès, Hélène Rousseau, Martine Batt, Pascale Tarquinio, Romain Lebreuilly, Christine Sorsana, Karine Legrand, Rabah Machane, Cyril Tarquinio and Cédric Baumann
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10999; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191710999 - 02 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1452
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread social isolation. This study aimed to determine anxiety levels among parents of school-aged children and investigate the associated factors. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, living and working conditions, family relationships, social support (MSPSS) and health status (SF-12) [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread social isolation. This study aimed to determine anxiety levels among parents of school-aged children and investigate the associated factors. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, living and working conditions, family relationships, social support (MSPSS) and health status (SF-12) were collected from French parents through an online survey. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with moderate to severe anxiety. Among 698 parents, 19.2% experienced moderate to severe anxiety. A low level of resilience (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.7–6.7) and confirmed COVID-19 cases involving hospitalization (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.0–7.3) among individuals in one’s household or in the family circle were found to be the main risk factors for moderate to severe anxiety. Other factors were also identified: a level of education less than high school (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.2), conflicts at home (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4–3.7), noises outside the home (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0–3.9), confirmed cases not involving hospitalization (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0–3.1) and suspected cases (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0–3.8). Family support was a protective factor. These findings suggest some need for support programs to help parents cope with public health crises and work-family challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
15 pages, 1811 KiB  
Article
“Health Comes First”: Action Tendencies to Health-Related Stimuli in People with Health-Anxiety as Revealed by an Emotional Go/No-Go Task
by Laura Sagliano, Raffaele Nappo, Mario Liotti, Mariarosaria Fiorenza, Chiara Gargiulo, Luigi Trojano and Massimiliano Conson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9104; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18179104 - 28 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2057
Abstract
The processing of health-related stimuli can be biased by health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity but, at the moment, it is far from clear whether health-related stimuli can affect motor readiness or the ability to inhibit action. In this preliminary study, we assessed whether [...] Read more.
The processing of health-related stimuli can be biased by health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity but, at the moment, it is far from clear whether health-related stimuli can affect motor readiness or the ability to inhibit action. In this preliminary study, we assessed whether different levels of health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity affect disposition to action in response to positive and negative health-related stimuli in non-clinical individuals. An emotional go/no-go task was devised to test action disposition in response to positive (wellness-related), and negative (disease-related) stimuli in non-clinical participants who also underwent well-validated self-report measures of health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity. The main results showed that both health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity biased participants’ responses. Importantly, safety-seeking and avoidance behaviors differently affected action disposition in response to positive and negative stimuli. These preliminary results support the idea that health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity could determine a hypervigilance for health-related information with a different perturbation of response control depending on the valence of the stimuli. Health anxiety and health anxiety disorder do form a continuum; thus, capturing different action tendencies to health-related stimuli could represent a valuable complementary tool to detect processing biases in persons who might develop a clinical condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
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15 pages, 932 KiB  
Article
Parental Distress in the Time of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Pediatric Patients with Neuropsychiatric Conditions during Lockdown
by Gianluca Sesso, Eleonora Bonaventura, Bianca Buchignani, Stefania Della Vecchia, Caterina Fedi, Marisa Gazzillo, Jessica Micomonaco, Andrea Salvati, Eugenia Conti, Giovanni Cioni, Filippo Muratori, Gabriele Masi, Annarita Milone and Roberta Battini
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 7902; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18157902 - 26 Jul 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2835
Abstract
The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse psychological effects on children and parents. While parenting is essential for positive development, increased parental distress has interfered with children’s wellbeing. In our study, we aimed to identify the predictors of parental distress [...] Read more.
The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse psychological effects on children and parents. While parenting is essential for positive development, increased parental distress has interfered with children’s wellbeing. In our study, we aimed to identify the predictors of parental distress in families of children with neuropsychiatric disorders during lockdown. Seventy-seven parents of children with neuropsychiatric disorders were asked to fill three online questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Parental-Stress-Index (PSI-4-SF) to explore the relationship between parental distress, emotional/behavioral problems in children and quarantine-related factors through univariate analyses and multiple mediation models. Significant positive associations between CBCL-internalizing-problems and all PSI-4-SF subscales, and between CBCL-externalizing-problems and “Difficult Child” subscales were found. “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” subscale and teachers–child relationship quality resulted negatively associated, as well as the “Difficult Child” subscale and peers–child relationship quality. The effect of teachers–child relationship quality on “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” was mediated by children internalizing problems, while the effect of peers–child relationship quality on “Difficult Child” by the child internalizing/externalizing problems. Internalizing problems in children with neuropsychiatric disorders were among the strongest predictors of parental stress during lockdown, mediating the indirect effects of quarantine-related factors, thus suggesting the importance of their detection during and after emergency situations to provide assistance and reduce parenting pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
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15 pages, 387 KiB  
Article
A Cross-Cultural Study of Distress during COVID-19 Pandemic: Some Protective and Risk Factors
by Ankica Kosic, Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović and Nebojša Petrović
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7261; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18147261 - 07 Jul 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2003
Abstract
Previous studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in different countries found an increase in anxiety, stress, and an exacerbation of previous mental health problems. This research investigated some of the protective and risk factors of distress during the [...] Read more.
Previous studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in different countries found an increase in anxiety, stress, and an exacerbation of previous mental health problems. This research investigated some of the protective and risk factors of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, among which were the perception of receiving social support from family members and friends, and a chronic tendency to worry. The study was conducted in three European countries: Italy, Serbia, and Romania. A total of 1100 participants (Italy n = 491; Serbia n = 297; Romania n = 312) responded to a questionnaire. Results from this study show that distress during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher for people who are chronic worriers and those who have higher levels of fear of COVID-19. More specifically, it is confirmed that a chronic tendency to worry exacerbates the relationship between fear and distress: it is stronger for people who have a greater tendency to worry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
13 pages, 323 KiB  
Article
Association between Anxiety, Quality of Life and Academic Performance of the Final-Year-Students in Latvia
by Inta Zile, Ieva Bite, Indra Krumina, Valdis Folkmanis and Lilian Tzivian
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5784; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18115784 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2763
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between final-year students’ anxiety level and quality of life (QOL) with their academic achievements. A longitudinal study was performed in regular schools and in high-rated gymnasiums at the beginning and at the [...] Read more.
The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between final-year students’ anxiety level and quality of life (QOL) with their academic achievements. A longitudinal study was performed in regular schools and in high-rated gymnasiums at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Multiple linear regression models were built for the association between level of anxiety/QOL with academic achievements. Type of school and gender—but not the level of anxiety—were the main predictors of academic achievements of 287 adolescents (e.g., for mathematics, the effect estimates were: β = −1.71 [95% confidence interval −2.21; −1.21]; β = −0.50 [−0.95; −0.06], β = 0.09 [−0.02; 0.20] for the type of school, gender, and changes in level of anxiety, respectively). To conclude, particular efforts should be made to reduce the level of anxiety in girls, especially those that study in high-rated schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
12 pages, 752 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Suicide Methods and Substances Influencing the State of Consciousness of Their Victims in Poland
by Dorota Lasota, Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel and Krzysztof Goniewicz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4936; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18094936 - 06 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 14921
Abstract
An integral part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) mental health action plan for 2013–2020 is suicide prevention, and a 10% reduction in the suicide rate. A key element of the preventive measures taken is, among other things, limiting access to means enabling [...] Read more.
An integral part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) mental health action plan for 2013–2020 is suicide prevention, and a 10% reduction in the suicide rate. A key element of the preventive measures taken is, among other things, limiting access to means enabling and facilitating committing suicide. However, this requires detailed knowledge of community suicide patterns and preferences. Unfortunately, such information is not usually collected, and the recorded method of committing suicide is often imprecise and untrue, which means that such knowledge has limited application in presuicidal prophylaxis. The statistical data on suicides recorded as part of the Police Statistics in Poland during the years 2009–2019 was analyzed. The analysis included suicide deaths and suicide attempts, taking into account the suicide methods and substances influencing the state of consciousness of their victims. The number of suicides in Poland in the analyzed period tended to increase. The most common method of suicide was hanging, and alcohol was the substance influencing the state of consciousness of suicide victims. The statistics for 2017–2019 showed the presence of new methods of suicide, such as taking drugs other than hypnotics, intoxication with narcotic drugs, poisoning with designer drugs, suffocation and self-immolation, as well as new psychoactive substances affecting the state of consciousness of victims, i.e., drugs and narcotic drugs. The effectiveness of actions taken in Poland in the field of suicide prevention does not bring the desired effects, as evidenced by growing number of suicides. This low effectiveness is mainly due to the lack of a national suicide prevention strategy. The effectiveness of these activities may be improved by creating a uniform database of suicides, which is a source of reliable information which will allow the taking of actions aimed at limiting the availability of means enabling and facilitating the committing of suicide. The study aimed to analyze the types of suicide methods and substances influencing the state of consciousness of their victims in Poland in the years covered by the study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Anxiety Disorders and Somatic Conditions Research)
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