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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Rapid Reviews for Behavioral Health
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Rapid Reviews for Behavioral Health

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 4192

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cleo Protogerou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
Interests: health behaviors; evidence syntheses; study quality appraisal
Dr. Mary Hassandra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece
Interests: health-related behavior change interventions
Dr. Blair T. Johnson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Interests: health promotion (especially self-regulation, mental health, exercise, HIV prevention, placebo effects); methods (especially “big data”, including meta-analysis and other large databases)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Healthcare increasingly requires accelerated access to current literature to inform decision-making, policy and practice. Emerging and/or urgent health issues demand high-quality evidence syntheses in a timely fashion to guide health system responses. Systematic reviews are considered the gold standard for collating, summarizing and appraising available evidence, but they can take years to complete and publish. On the other hand, healthcare institutions, health professionals, policymakers, patient associations, as well as end-users, may require a synthesis of evidence within a few months or weeks. This was exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when unprecedented health-related questions needed immediate answers.

In light of this changing landscape in healthcare, the present Special Issue aims to showcase health-related evidence syntheses that are completed in a timely and resource-efficient manner. We, therefore, look forward to receiving rapid reviews in any area of behavioral health.

Behavioral health emphasizes individual responsibility in the maintenance of health and the prevention of disease by means of self-initiated health behaviors, such as exercising, sleeping well, eating healthily, using condoms, abstaining from substance abuse, adopting a healthy mindset, etc.

Rapid reviews are evidence syntheses that expedite the process of traditional systematic reviews by streamlining or omitting various methods to produce a body of knowledge in a shortened timeframe. While rapid reviews may be completed in two months or less, they should still be rigorous. To be considered for publication in this Special Issue, rapid reviews must adhere to the core principles of systematic reviews to avoid bias in the inclusion, assessment and synthesis of evidence. To safeguard  principles of transparency, reproducibility and quality in the rapid reviews, we expect that (1) the workflow/ protocol is captured within the Open Science Framework platform (https://osf.io/) or PROSPERO (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/); and (2) a PRISMA flowchart (http://prisma-statement.org/PRISMAStatement/FlowDiagram) is submitted with an explanation where the PRISMA criteria were omitted or adapted.

In addition to rapid reviews, we also invite opinion papers focusing on the methodological aspects of rapid reviews. The Opinion papers should also be reviews, highlighting the author(s)’ views. Information on article types accepted by MDPI can be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/article_types.

Dr. Cleo Protogerou
Dr. Mary Hassandra
Dr. Blair T. Johnson
Guest Editors

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. Behavioral Sciences 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 2200 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

  • rapid reviews
  • evidence syntheses
  • evidence-based healthcare
  • policy and promotion
  • decision-making
  • behavioral health

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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30 pages, 544 KiB  
Systematic Review
Conceptualizing Sleep Satisfaction: A Rapid Review
by Cleo Protogerou, Valerie Frances Gladwell and Colin R. Martin
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 942; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100942 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 267
Abstract
Good, satisfying, sleep is a key indicator and determinant of health and wellness. However, there is no consensus about how to define and measure good sleep. The present research aimed to define sleep satisfaction through the extant literature and disentangle it from sleep [...] Read more.
Good, satisfying, sleep is a key indicator and determinant of health and wellness. However, there is no consensus about how to define and measure good sleep. The present research aimed to define sleep satisfaction through the extant literature and disentangle it from sleep quality, a conceptually similar construct. Systematic review methods were adapted for a rapid review approach. The entire review was completed in eight weeks. Tabulation coding with content analysis was used to identify key categories and synthesize findings. A systematic process for generating construct definitions was followed. Database search yielded 51 eligible studies (N > 218,788), representing diverse adult populations, in 20 countries. Designs varied in rigour. Sleep satisfaction was defined as a personal, introspective, and global judgment about one’s feelings of contentment with one’s sleep, at a particular point in time. Sleep satisfaction was understood as an indicator of general health, impacted by and varied as a function of one’s sleep environment and individual-level characteristics. This rapid review contributes to the literature by providing the first systematically generated definition of sleep satisfaction, with strong implications for measurement, research, and practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rapid Reviews for Behavioral Health)
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11 pages, 593 KiB  
Systematic Review
Takotsubo Syndrome or Peripartum Cardiomyopathy? Depends on Who You Are Talking to
by Abigail O. Falola, Naveed Razvi, Ruta Gada, David R. Thompson and Colin R. Martin
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 777; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14090777 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 852
Abstract
Takotsubo syndrome (otherwise known as broken-heart syndrome or left ventricular apical ballooning) is a rare cause of reversible heart failure that predominantly affects postmenopausal women. It was first described by Japanese researchers in the 1990s and has become established as a differential for [...] Read more.
Takotsubo syndrome (otherwise known as broken-heart syndrome or left ventricular apical ballooning) is a rare cause of reversible heart failure that predominantly affects postmenopausal women. It was first described by Japanese researchers in the 1990s and has become established as a differential for heart failure following a physically or psychologically stressful event. This was popularised by a spike in cases following natural disasters in Japan. As the recognition of takotsubo syndrome in the differential diagnosis for sudden, onset heart failure in a previously healthy individual has grown, so has the discussion concerning takotsubo in the peripartum period. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare cause of reversible heart failure in the latter weeks of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Morbidity and mortality for both cardiomyopathies can be highly variable, ranging from complete recovery of cardiac function to life threatening arrhythmias and even death. This rapid review highlights the similarities between both cardiomyopathies and challenges the hitherto assumption that both takotsubo and peripartum cardiomyopathies are distinct entities that can easily be distinguished from one another. The implications of this are significant within the context of the behavioural aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rapid Reviews for Behavioral Health)
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28 pages, 1730 KiB  
Systematic Review
Exploring the Psychological Nexus of Virtual and Augmented Reality on Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Rapid Review
by Andrea Chirico, Marco Avellone, Tommaso Palombi, Fabio Alivernini, Guido Alessandri, Lorenzo Filosa, Jessica Pistella, Roberto Baiocco and Fabio Lucidi
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010031 - 31 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1857
Abstract
With the global population of older adults projected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, it becomes crucial to promote healthy aging to alleviate the associated disease burden. In this context, technology, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), has garnered attention [...] Read more.
With the global population of older adults projected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, it becomes crucial to promote healthy aging to alleviate the associated disease burden. In this context, technology, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), has garnered attention for its potential to augment physical activity in older adults. These immersive technologies offer interactive and enjoyable exercise experiences, making physical activity more appealing. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is not solely attributed to technology itself but is deeply intertwined with psychological processes. This rapid review examines the effectiveness of VR and AR interventions in enhancing physical exercise among healthy older adults while exploring the role of psychological variables, including mood, self-efficacy, and motivation. The results of the study show that technology-enhanced physical activity interventions hold great promise but call attention to the need for a comprehensive understanding of psychological dynamics that will pave the way for more tailored and effective interventions. Future research endeavors should aim to bridge these gaps in knowledge to optimize the impact of technology on healthy aging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rapid Reviews for Behavioral Health)
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