The present study investigated the efficacy of cognitive bibliotherapy in the treatment of depressive symptoms among Chinese individuals in Taiwan. Adults with depressive symptoms (N = 52, M age = 26.4) were randomly assigned to the treatment condition or the delayed treatment control condition. Participants were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Results indicated that participants' overall depression level lowered at posttreatment. Analyses were performed on the intention-to-treat basis. Multiple imputation inference procedure (Rubin in Multiple imputation for nonresponse in surveys, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York 1987) was adopted to estimate missing values and to draw inferences based on the imputed data. Results of the analyses indicated that the cognitive-affective symptoms of depression, rather than the somatic symptoms of depression, evidenced significant reduction as a result of cognitive bibliotherapy. Further reductions in cognitiveaffective symptoms were observed at 3-month follow-up. Lastly, learned resourcefulness was found to be a mechanism through which bibliotherapy reduced depressive symptoms. The present study provides preliminary evidence that cognitive bibliotherapy may be a promising treatment option for Chinese individuals with depressive symptoms. In the meantime, participants' qualitative feedback may provide important direction for crosscultural adaptation of cognitive bibliotherapy. Applied implications and cultural issues are discussed.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is prevalent within the general population. Studies have shown that stress and anxiety co-exist with IBS. Young Taiwanese women commonly exhibit physical and psychological health problems caused by academic stress. The purpose of our current study was to evaluate the efficacy of short-term Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) on female nursing students in practicum. We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial comprised of 160 participants who met the inclusion criteria, which were divided into three groups: (1) ICBT, (2) expressive writing (EW), and (3) wait-list control. Treatment interventions lasted for 6 weeks. Levels of anxiety, depression, and IBS symptoms were assessed at four time points, baseline assessment at T0, 2 weeks after T0 (T1), at the end of practicum (T2), and at 3-month follow-up (T3). The results showed that ICBT and EW groups exhibited a significant, yet small, reduction in anxiety and depression at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group. The EW group exhibited significantly greater reduction in anxiety and depression compared to the ICBT group at T2. However, the ICBT group demonstrated greater improvements in alleviating anxiety and depression at T3 compared to the EW group. These data indicate that ICBT and EW groups exhibited small effects on anxiety and depression reduction at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group, with no effects on IBS symptoms in young Taiwanese female nursing students.
Background: Previous studies revealed that female adolescents are more likely than males to engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) to regulate negative emotions; however, the dimensions of emotion regulation that are associated with NSSI behavior in adolescents require further examination. The present study aimed to identify Taiwanese female adolescent clusters with NSSI engagement frequency and to evaluate the association of specific forms of emotion dysregulation with NSSI. Methods: The participants were 438 female adolescents (mean age = 15.23 years, SD = 1.24, range between 13 and 18) recruited from 11 high schools. Self-report questionnaires assessing NSSI, difficulties in emotion regulation, and positive and negative affect were administered, and 37% of respondents reported a history of NSSI. Results: The analysis of NSSI frequency yielded three groups: severe, moderate, and non-NSSI. High negative affect, low positive affect, and difficulties in all aspects of emotion regulation differentiated female adolescents in the severe NSSI group from their counterparts in the non-NSSI group. The moderate and severe NSSI groups were further distinguished by age of onset, negative affect, emotion regulation strategies, and impulse control. Adolescents classified in the severe group reported earlier onset of NSSI, higher negative affect, less emotion regulation strategies, and more difficulty with impulse control. Conclusions: The results indicate that assessments of NSSI and emotion regulation should be incorporated in youth mental health screening. The clinical implications of NSSI behavior intervention require further discussion.
The present study investigated the relationships among depressogenic personality styles (dependency and self-criticism), interpersonal behaviors, and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 84 college students in Taiwan (89% female; 11% male), ranging in age from 18 to 24 (M = 19.39; SD = 1.31). At both baseline and 6-month follow-up, participants completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire
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