Objective: To increase awareness of practising clinicians and researchers to the phenomenological distinctions between visual hallucinations and trauma-based, dissociative, visual re-experiencing phenomena seen in psychiatric disease. Conclusions: The experience of visual hallucinations is not exclusive to psychotic disorders in psychiatry. Different forms of experiences that resemble visual hallucinations may occur in patients with a trauma background and may potentially affect diagnosis. Given the paucity of literature around the subject, it is imperative that further research aims to characterise the distinction between visual hallucinations in psychosis and visual phenomena associated with trauma.
Objectives Placenta accreta spectrum conditions are rare, life-threatening disorders of placentation encountered in the perinatal period, with lasting impacts on maternal quality of life and psychological wellbeing. Although the obstetric outcomes are well-known, further review is warranted to explore the psychological sequelae that may accompany these conditions. Conclusions The occurrence of placenta accreta spectrum during pregnancy is a major life stressor that can contribute to the development of psychiatric co-morbidity including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety disorders. Early recognition of psychological distress and symptomatic profile is recommended at all stages of perinatal care complicated by this rare spectrum of conditions.
Background Visual experiences such as hallucinations are commonly reported by people with psychosis, psychological trauma and dissociative states, although questions remain about their similarities and differences. For diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, clinical research must better delineate and compare the characteristics of these experiences in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in schizophrenia. Aims To compare visual phenomena and dissociation in participants with a primary psychotic illness and those with a trauma diagnosis. Method A quantitative group design study comparing visual phenomena in three participant groups who also have a history of hearing voices: schizophrenia and no trauma history (n = 19), PTSD with dissociation (n = 17) and comorbid schizophrenia and PTSD (n = 20). Validated clinical measures included the North-East Visual Hallucination Interview, PTSD Symptoms Scale Interview, Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale, Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scales and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Results There was a remarkable similarity in visual experiences, including rates of complex visual hallucinations, between the three diagnostic groups. There were no significant differences in the severity or components of distress surrounding the visual experiences. Dissociation predicted visual hallucination severity for the comorbid schizophrenia and PTSD group, but not for PTSD or schizophrenia alone. Conclusions Visual experiences in PTSD can include visual hallucinations that are indistinguishable from those experienced in schizophrenia. Multimodal hallucinations are frequently observed in both schizophrenia and PTSD. A model for visual hallucinations in PTSD is suggested, following two separate neurobiological pathways based on distinct responses to trauma.
The social media application TikTok allows users to view and upload short-form videos. Recent evidence suggests it has significant potential for both industry and health promoters to influence public health behaviours. This protocol describes a standardised, replicable process for investigations that can be tailored to various areas of research interest, allowing comparison of content and features across public health topics. The first 50 appearing videos in each of five relevant hashtags are sampled for analysis. Utilising a codebook with detailed definitions, engagement metadata and content variables applicable to any content area is captured, including an assessment of the video’s overall sentiment (positive, negative, neutral). Additional specific coding variables can be developed to provide targeted information about videos posted within selected hashtags. A descriptive, cross-sectional content analysis is applied to the generic and specific data collected for a research topic area. This flexible protocol can be replicated for any health-related topic and may have a wider application on other platforms or to assess changes in content and sentiment over time. This protocol was developed by a collaborative team of child health and development researchers for application to a series of topics. Findings will be used to inform health promotion messaging and counter-advertising.
Children are very susceptible to toxic effects of excessive consumption of energy drinks, with high levels of caffeine and sugar, and other additives such as taurine, ginseng and guarana. (1) Australian energy drink labels must contain advisory statements that they are not suitable for consumption by children, however industry marketing utilises social media channels used by, and attractive to, children and adolescents. (2) TikTok is a social media platform featuring user-generated short videos, including paid or sponsored product promotion, with no restrictions on the advertising or promotion of energy drinks. The aim of this study was to examine the portrayal of energy drinks on TikTok. The top four energy drink related hashtags on TikTok were investigated. Within each hashtag, the 50 most viewed videos were downloaded and independently coded by three researchers for engagement, content, and sentiment variables. Engagement variables for videos included counts of views, likes, shares, comments and followers; in addition to the user verification details ('Blue tick' status) and disclosure of paid advertising or sponsorship. Content variables included the predominant age and gender of primary actors, the use of music, and presence of sexual elements. The presence and consumption of energy drinks was recorded. Sentiment towards energy drinks was coded as negative (e.g., warning viewers) or positive (e.g., encouraging consumption); with videos coded to neutral sentiment where there was no opinion expressed or intimated. The top hashtags identified were one generic (#energydrink) and three brand-related (#bang, #redbull, and #monster). Three videos were excluded as their content was unrelated to energy drinks, with over 70 million combined views of the remaining 197 videos analysed. Almost one quarter (22%) of videos portrayed a child or adolescent, and 29% disclosed brand sponsorship or endorsement. Consumption of energy drinks occurred in 46% of all videos, with hazardous consumption (i.e., excessive or rapid consumption) in one third of these videos. The majority (67%) of videos portrayed energy drinks positively. Less than 10% of videos posted with each of the brand-related hashtags (#bang, 4%; #monster, 2%; #redbull, 8%) were coded as portraying a negative sentiment. Over half of videos (53%) posted with the hashtag #bang used only male actors and almost half (47%) contained sexual elements. Children engaging with TikTok may be exposed to videos positively portraying the consumption, including hazardous consumption, of energy drinks. The short video format encourages mimetic behaviour and social learning and may result in enhanced purchase intentions or more frequent consumption, particularly in adolescents. (3) To protect children from the harmful effects of energy drinks, regulation of the promotion of energy drinks on TikTok is warranted. Increased understanding of marketing tactics will allow public health professionals to use TikTok for education and counter-advertising.
AimNon‐attendance at appointments in youth mental health services is a common problem which contributes to reduced service effectiveness and unmet needs. Reasons cited by young people for non‐attendance are poorly understood. Information derived from short‐message‐service (SMS) conversations about appointments between patients and clinicians can uncover new insights about the circumstances leading to ‘did not attend’ events.MethodsText messages between young people and clinicians were examined in a retrospective audit of medical records in two youth mental health services in Perth, Australia. Frequently non‐attending young people aged 16–24 (n = 40) engaged in 302 SMS message chains about appointments. Mixed methods included quantitative data and qualitative thematic analysis of textual data.ResultsMedical reasons (32/190, 16.8%) and forgetfulness (20/190, 10.5%) were the most frequent reasons for non‐attendance. Major issues included non‐avoidable events while others were potentially preventable and could be addressed by the service.ConclusionsThe analysis of mobile communications in clinical practice can be used for service evaluation and to reveal barriers that impede attendance to ongoing care.
Objective This study compared voice characteristics and beliefs in participants diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dissociation, schizophrenia (SCZ) and both diagnoses of SCZ and PTSD. The relationship between dissociation and voice beliefs was also assessed. Method We identified 56 participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD with dissociation, SCZ or both diagnoses (PTSD + SCZ) who also experienced auditory hallucinations. Measures included PTSD Symptoms Scales Interview (PSSI-5), Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scale (PSYRAT), Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), Beliefs about Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results Beliefs about voices were similar across diagnostic groups. Participants with SCZ were more likely to attribute their voices to an external origin, and participants with dual diagnosis were less able to control their voices. The PTSD-only group scored higher in dissociation scores than either the SCZ-only or dual diagnosis group. Malevolent voice appraisals correlated with dissociation scores only in the dual diagnosis group. Conclusions This research supports the hypothesis that voice beliefs are similar across diagnoses of PTSD and SCZ. However, differences in voice characteristics, emotional responses and relationship to dissociation may need to be considered in the psychological management of voices.
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