Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy Research

I Am Thou, Thou Art I: Persona 5: The Royal’s: Representation of Post-Traumatic Growth Through Social Penetration Theory

Emory S. Daniel Jr. — 2024-04-19

In the Shin Megami Tensei series – Persona, one of the most prevalent themes that exists within the gameplay is the social link system. The protagonist creates friendships over the course of the narrative and deepens the bond with friends with increased interactions. As the number of interactions increase, so does the depth of the conversation.

This study investigates the following objectives: 1) analyze how social interactions are presented in an in-game medium by means of social penetration, 2) determine how trauma is presented in Persona 5: The Royal and show how it is communicated as the relationship deepens, and 3) investigate frequencies of interactions between the protagonist and NPC’s as they demonstrate a coping mechanism through the means of post-traumatic growth.

This case study will content analyze through the lens of coding categories such as Social Penetration Theory and the Post Traumatic Growth Index. Using these coding categories, authors will quantitatively analyze all confidant interactions through 10 levels of individual conversations increasing in depth. A content analysis was used to investigate these in-game themes.

Using frequencies and Chi Square analysis, Affective stage and Stable stage from social penetration was the most frequent amongst the interactions, and while various trauma was present, Relating to Others was most prominent as the relationships deepened.

The depths of interaction and coping through trauma was found to be quite similar to real world interactions and growing past trauma as a person relies on friends and family, and focuses on the future. These themes can be used to explain post traumatic growth, and could be utilized to empathize with clients who might be struggling with their own trauma.

Preoperative Grading of Brain Gliomas Using 3D-ResNet18 Based on Multimodal MRI and Attention Mechanism

He Yuanzhe — 2024-05-30

In response to the prevalent challenge of imprecise preoperative glioma grading prediction, a multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) image with attention mechanism prediction model based on Residual Network (ResNet) is proposed for accurate prediction. To achieve this, publicly accessible datasets from BraTS 2019 and BraTS 2020 were employed. MRI images across three modalities underwent preprocessing, cropping, and subsequent stacking to generate comprehensive multimodal representations. Meanwhile, An Efficient Channel Attention (ECA) mechanism based on 3D data (3D-ECA) is proposed and introduced to reduce the problem of slow network convergence and overfitting. Notably, experiments demonstrate that the 3D-ECA attention mechanism added to the model improves the network training speed and the classification accuracy of the model, and the classification accuracy reached 88.1%, with an impressive area under the subject working characteristic curve of 0.918. Therefore, the 3D-ResNet18 deep learning model, incorporating multimodal MRI and 3D-ECA attention mechanisms, demonstrates high accuracy and robustness in distinguishing between high-grade and low-grade gliomas. Thus, showcasing significant clinical potential for glioma classification and diagnosis.

Cyclothymic Disorder: A Cognitive Behavioral Case Formulation

Ilaria Bertolucci — 2024-07-09

Cyclothymic disorder is recognized as a mild, less severe and subthreshold form of bipolar disorder. The complexity of the disorder leads to difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. A dimensional approach to diagnosis may help identify the goals, and the planning of the psychological intervention. In this paper, a case of cyclothymic disorder is presented, focusing on the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of the case and its treatment planning.

Comparison between SCOFF and EAT-26: an Italian Study on Young Female Adults

A. Chinello — 2024-07-30

Early screening for eating disorders often occurs in primary care or in non-psychiatric settings by using rapid and easy questionnaires, such as EAT-26 and the SCOFF. Here, the study compares the Italian translations of SCOFF and EAT-26 to confirm their screening validity and risk distribution in a non-clinical sample composed by young women (aged 18-30 years).

Our findings show a strong risk correlation between the two tools, with frequent and overlapped questions exploring similar constructs. However, mismatching results regarding the detection of clinical risk for eating disorders involve about a quarter of the sample, mostly due to their internal specificity/sensitivity, translation discrepancies, tool training and use modality.

In general, both screening tools are reliable for EDs detection in the general population. In the case of EAT-26, the combined use of both questionnaires improve robustly the risk detection (+23%) for eating disorders in young female adults, especially in universities and work places adopting an online administration. Further studies may occur to better understand the specific factors influencing mismatching results, in terms of EDs risk, between the two questionnaires.

Which Is The Role of Social Media in Web-Based Adolescent NonSuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)?

Giulio Longo — 2024-08-09

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)-related content on the Internet. In fact, the technology landscape rapidly evolved, with social media now playing a pivotal role in the lifestyle of the general population, particularly among youths and adolescents. The current review aims at overviewing all studies so far published investigating the relationship between social media and NSSI among adolescents, focusing on the motivations behind posting NSSI-related contents and the role that social media may play in the promotion and/or maintenance of NSSI behaviors. A comprehensive systematic literature review was carried out by using MEDLINE/PubMed. Following screening through established inclusion criteria, eleven studies were finally selected and here retrieved. Due to the high methodological heterogeneity, all studies were assessed and categorized, based on the type of data collection, in three groups: a) studies using direct data (e.g., interviews/surveys); b) indirect data (e.g., content analysis on social media); and, c) mixed data. Major findings reported that social media may significantly influence the development and maintenance of NSSI behaviors. Those victims of cyberbullying often seek out pro-self-harm contents, to both normalize the behavior and/or seek peer-to-peer emotional support. Social media platforms facilitate the dissemination of self-harm techniques and encourage competition among users, exacerbating the severity of self-injury. Interviews highlighted motivations such as attention-seeking, expressing emotions, and feeling part of a group. Other studies showed that social media contents often contain both supportive and harmful advice regarding self-harm. Social media could cover a dual role in both providing support and triggering self-harm through exposure to harmful content(s). Furthermore, social media could also offer opportunities for positive interventions (i.e., awareness campaigns, mental health resources, etc.). Mental health professionals should be aware about the impact of social media on youngsters, as well as providing a routine assessment on social media use in their clinical practice. Future research should explore the (bi)directional causal role of social media on NSSI and viceversa, as well as developing preventive and treatment strategies to support young people to disincentive NSSI behaviors via social media.

The Impact of Various Types of Project-Based Teaching on the Guidance and Cultivation of Prosocial Behavior in University Students

Wenbin Yu — 2024-10-10

Guiding and cultivating prosocial behavior in university students is a vital component of ideological and political education, as it is closely linked to the nation's future and the overall moral fabric of society. This issue should be given due attention by university administrators. This study primarily employs literature review, teaching experiments, and statistical analysis methods to explore the differences in the impact of basketball project-based teaching (experimental group) and table tennis project-based teaching (control group) on the prosocial behavior of university students. A 16-week teaching experiment was conducted with 60 second-year students from two classes at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics. The findings reveal that both the basketball and table tennis programs positively influenced prosocial behavior, though the effects varied across different dimensions of prosocial behavior. Overall, basketball project-based teaching proved to be more effective than table tennis in fostering and guiding prosocial behavior among university students.

The Lateralized Vestibular Stimulation: Effect on Mood, Cognition, and Autonomic States in Mental Disorders

A.M. Soza Ried — 2024-11-26

The vestibular system in the inner ear senses the body's movements, which is essential for regulating reflex movements and body balance at the brain stem level. Still, it is also critical in regulating high brain functions, including mental states, motivation, mood, cognition, and reasoning. This article reviews the neuro-functional effects of lateralized vestibular stimulation in three main brain areas involved in mental disorders: the parieto–insular–vestibular cortex (PIVC), the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus. We discuss its implications for the performance of high-demanding works and possible therapeutic applications in psychiatric patients.

Key Mental Health Challenges: The Role of Health Policy After COVID-19

Juraszek Paweł — 2024-11-29

Background; The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted global mental health, revealing vulnerabilities in healthcare systems and exacerbating issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Vulnerable groups, including healthcare workers, young adults, and children, faced heightened risks due to social isolation, economic uncertainty, and disruptions to daily life. These challenges emphasized the critical need for targeted interventions and systemic improvements in mental health care.

Objective; This review aims to analyze the key mental health challenges emerging post-pandemic, evaluate the roles of government policies and community interventions, and propose evidence-based strategies for prevention and rehabilitation. Additionally, it highlights innovative solutions to address service gaps and promote resilience.

Methodology; A narrative review methodology was employed, synthesizing data from peer-reviewed journals, organizational reports (e.g., WHO, OECD, UNICEF), and national datasets from 2019–2023. Key themes—mental health challenges, government roles, prevention strategies, and innovative interventions—were explored through qualitative and quantitative analyses. Selection criteria focused on mental health conditions exacerbated by the pandemic and policy responses at local and national levels.

Conclusions; The pandemic underscored the importance of mental health as a public health priority. Effective interventions include integrating mental health into broader health policies, increasing funding, and promoting public awareness. Prevention strategies focusing on early detection, lifestyle interventions, and community support proved vital, while rehabilitation efforts such as family involvement, peer networks, and technological tools facilitated recovery. A multisectoral, evidence-based approach is essential to build resilient mental health systems capable of addressing future challenges.

Anti-Neural Autoantibodies Associated with Major Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: Characterization of Psychopathology and Literature Review

Niels Hansen — 2024-12-16

Background; Neural autoantibodies in depression are rarely reported, and their prevalence in depression is unknown. Our study was therefore dedicated to analyzing the frequency of neural autoantibodies in a cohort of patients presenting mood disorders. In addition, the study served to describe the clinical psychopathology of the patients with depressive disorders and neural autoantibodies.

Methods; We retrospectively examined a cohort of 41 patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder. Patient files were evaluated for clinical data, psychopathological assessment, as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), cerebrospinal fluid analysis findings and serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neural autoantibodies.

Results; Our study revealed neural autoantibodies in of 6 of 41 (14%) of patients with mood disorders suspicious for an underlying organic cause. CSF autoantibodies were verified in 3 of 41 (7%) patients with mood disorders. No differences between antibody-positive and -negative mood disorder patients were identified regarding psychiatric syndromes or CSF, EEG, MRI and psychopathological parameters. However, mood-disorder patients with autoantibodies revealed less loss of drive than those mood disorder patients without autoantibodies.

Conclusions; Our findings indicate that a minority of mood disorders might be associated with neural autoantibodies. The proof of CSF autoantibodies in three of six autoantibody-positive patients suggests highly likely paraneoplastic or autoantibody-mediated autoimmunity. Our study’s novelty is the in-depth phenotyping of autoantibody-positive depressed patients via two different psychometric scoring systems. More research is required to confirm these preliminary results in larger cohorts with more homogeneous patient groups.

The Theory of Integral Individuality by Wolf Merlin

Leonid Dorfman — 2024-12-21

The analysis of Wolf Merlin's ideas on the integral individuality has been performed. The main problem that the theory of individuality addresses is the large number of individual traits. They vary from biochemical to socio-psychological, are heterogeneous in origin, and separated. W. S. Merlin overcomes this dominant trend by contrasting it with the assumption of human unity. This issue relates to individuality, its traits, and connections. Merlin sets out a scientific task to investigate whether individual traits can function jointly. The hypothesis was whether individual traits of diverse origins function in the form of integration. The theory put forward by Merlin allows examination of this hypothesis. It was tested by applying the concepts of levels, polymorphism, and mediation, mainly. On this basis, Merlin considered not only individual differences, but also the ways in which individual traits function together. Then, they were generalized as the theory of integral individuality. In addition, a new field of research has arisen. It has separated itself from the study of personality in general psychology and the research of individual differences in psychophysiology to some extent. The perspective advances a further study of the theory of integral individuality. Finally, the summary completes this work. Herewith, some implications and limitations are traced.