Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.3
Journals
IJERPH
Special Issues
Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions
ijerph-logo
Submit to IJERPH Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2021) | Viewed by 34836

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ciro Conversano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Interests: COVID-19; emotion regulation; mindfulness; adjustment; stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Graziella Orrù

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Interests: clinical psychology; non-invasive brain stimulation techniques; motor rehabilitation; machine learning applied to neuroscience

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a growing literature about the importance of paying attention to the psychological aspects present in medical disease. The concepts of body and mind are intrinsically and inextricably linked; therefore, it is essential to evaluate the health status of both while considering different aspects of a disease. According to epidemiological studies, the incidence of chronic physical diseases is constantly increasing, raising questions about their multifactorial genesis and progression. Moreover, psychiatric conditions and emotional/psychological subjective suffering are sadly well known to be comorbid conditions of medical diseases, thus influencing and complicating various outcomes, such as healing times and adaptation to the illness itself. However, the literature about clinical psychology applied to medical conditions is growing in different directions, and does not always clearly express the psychobiological interactions that the mind reflects in the body during mental health interventions. Furthermore, we need to clarify and standardize the methods used in evidence research when dealing with psychological/psychotherapeutic interventions in medical conditions.

This Special Issue’s purpose is to disseminate research that aims to describe the physical and psychological effects of mental health interventions on patients suffering from a medical condition. We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with a research paper, systematic review, meta-analysis, methodological paper, brief report, mini-review, or editorial addressing one or more of these topics. We also welcome papers dealing with new approaches to research in clinical psychology applied to medical conditions.

Prof. Dr. Ciro Conversano
Dr. Graziella Orrù
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. 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

  • Clinical psychology
  • Applied psychology
  • Medical conditions
  • Mind-Body therapies
  • Health impact
  • Psychological research
  • Psychiatric morbidity
  • Long term complications
  • Multi-morbidity
  • Risk factors

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

12 pages, 750 KiB  
Article
Anxiety Levels Predict Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women Undergoing Oral Bisphosphonates: A Two-Year Follow-Up
by Gabriella Martino, Federica Bellone, Carmelo M. Vicario, Agostino Gaudio, Andrea Caputo, Francesco Corica, Giovanni Squadrito, Peter Schwarz, Nunziata Morabito and Antonino Catalano
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(15), 8144; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158144 - 31 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2758
Abstract
Clinical psychological factors may predict medical diseases. Anxiety level has been associated with osteoporosis, but its role on bone mineral density (BMD) change is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between anxiety levels and both adherence and treatment response to [...] Read more.
Clinical psychological factors may predict medical diseases. Anxiety level has been associated with osteoporosis, but its role on bone mineral density (BMD) change is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between anxiety levels and both adherence and treatment response to oral bisphosphonates (BPs) in postmenopausal osteoporosis. BMD and anxiety levels were evaluated trough dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), respectively. Participants received weekly medication with alendronate or risedronate and were grouped according to the HAM-A scores into tertiles (HAM-A 3 > HAM-A 2 > HAM-A 1). After 24 months, BMD changes were different among the HAM-A tertiles. The median lumbar BMD change was significantly greater in both the HAM-A 2 and HAM-A 3 in comparison with the HAM-A 1. The same trend was observed for femoral BMD change. Adherence to BPs was >75% in 68% of patients in the HAM-A 1, 79% of patients in the HAM-A 2, and 89% of patients in the HAM-A 3 (p = 0.0014). After correcting for age, body mass index, depressive symptoms, and the 10-yr. probability of osteoporotic fractures, anxiety levels independently predicted lumbar BMD change (β = 0.3417, SE 0.145, p = 0.02). In conclusion, women with higher anxiety levels reported greater BMD improvement, highlighting that anxiety was associated with adherence and response to osteoporosis medical treatment, although further research on this topic is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 4846 KiB  
Article
Risk of Pneumonia in Pediatric Patients Following Minor Chest Trauma: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study
by Ying-Hsiang Chou, Li-Hsiu Tai, Chi-Ho Chan, Haw-Yu Liu, Han-Wei Yeh, Yu-Hsun Wang, Chiao-Wen Lin, Shun-Fa Yang, Ying-Cheng Chen and Chao-Bin Yeh
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4690; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094690 - 28 Apr 2021
Viewed by 2413
Abstract
This study investigated the association between minor chest trauma and the risk of pneumonia among pediatric patients in a Taiwanese health care setting. For this retrospective population-based cohort study, the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database was used to analyze the data of patients with [...] Read more.
This study investigated the association between minor chest trauma and the risk of pneumonia among pediatric patients in a Taiwanese health care setting. For this retrospective population-based cohort study, the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database was used to analyze the data of patients with a minor chest injury between 2010 and 2012. Data were analyzed through a multivariate analysis with a multiple Cox regression model. Patients were divided into a chest trauma group (n = 6592) and a non-chest trauma group (n = 882,623). An increased risk of pneumonia was observed in the chest trauma group (hazard ratio = 1.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.49) compared to the non-chest trauma group. In conclusion, this population-based cohort study demonstrated that pediatric patients with minor chest trauma are at an increased risk of pneumonia. The short-term adverse effects of pneumonia could be severe when a patient suffers from mild chest trauma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1045 KiB  
Article
Influences of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Episodic Memory in Patients with Acquired Brain Injuries
by Felicitas Theis, Frank Luck, Margret Hund-Georgiadis and Karin Hediger
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228466 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3696
Abstract
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is shown to be an effective method to foster neurorehabilitation. However, no studies investigate long-term effects of AAT in patients with acquired brain injuries. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to investigate if and how AAT affects long-term [...] Read more.
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is shown to be an effective method to foster neurorehabilitation. However, no studies investigate long-term effects of AAT in patients with acquired brain injuries. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to investigate if and how AAT affects long-term episodic memory using a mixed-method approach. Eight patients rated pictures of therapy sessions with and without animals that they attended two years ago. Wilcoxon tests calculated differences in patients’ memory and experienced emotions between therapy sessions with or without animals. We also analyzed interviews of six of these patients with qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Patients remembered therapy sessions in the presence of an animal significantly better and rated them as more positive compared to standard therapy sessions without animals (Z = −3.21, p = 0.002, g = 0.70; Z = −2.75, p = 0.006, g = 0.96). Qualitative data analysis resulted in a total of 23 categories. The most frequently addressed categories were “Positive emotions regarding animals” and “Good memory of animals”. This pilot study provides first evidence that AAT might enhance episodic memory via positive emotions in patients with acquired brain injury. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure A1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

18 pages, 962 KiB  
Review
Neurological Complications of COVID-19 and Possible Neuroinvasion Pathways: A Systematic Review
by Graziella Orrù, Ciro Conversano, Eleonora Malloggi, Francesca Francesconi, Rebecca Ciacchini and Angelo Gemignani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186688 - 14 Sep 2020
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6299
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has shocked the whole world with its unexpected rapid spread. The virus responsible for the disease, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), enters host cells by means of the envelope spike protein, which binds to [...] Read more.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has shocked the whole world with its unexpected rapid spread. The virus responsible for the disease, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), enters host cells by means of the envelope spike protein, which binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors. These receptors are highly expressed in heart, lungs, respiratory tract epithelium, endothelial cells and brain. Since an increasing body of significant evidence is highlighting a possible neuroinvasion related to SARS-CoV-2, a state of the art on the neurological complications is needed. To identify suitable publications, our systematic review was carried out by searching relevant studies on PubMed and Scopus databases. We included studies investigating neurologic manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 in patients over 18. According to the analyzed studies, the most frequent disorders affecting central nervous system (CNS) seem to be the following: olfactory and taste disorders, ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke, meningoencephalitis and encephalopathy, including acute necrotizing encephalopathy, a rare type of encephalopathy. As regards the peripheral nervous system (PNS), Guillain-Barré and Miller Fisher syndromes are the most frequent manifestations reported in the literature. Important clinical information on the neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 would help clinicians raise awareness and simultaneously improve the prognosis of critically ill patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

9 pages, 479 KiB  
Brief Report
Alexithymia Is Linked with a Negative Bias for Past and Current Events in Healthy Humans
by Silvia Barchetta, Gabriella Martino, Giuseppe Craparo, Mohammad A. Salehinejad, Michael A. Nitsche and Carmelo M. Vicario
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6696; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136696 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 3526
Abstract
Although research provides a rich literature about the influence of emotional states on temporal cognition, evidence about the influence of the style of emotion processing, as a personality trait, on temporal cognition is extremely limited. We provide a novel contribution to the field [...] Read more.
Although research provides a rich literature about the influence of emotional states on temporal cognition, evidence about the influence of the style of emotion processing, as a personality trait, on temporal cognition is extremely limited. We provide a novel contribution to the field by exploring the relationship between difficulties of identifying and describing feelings and emotions (alexithymia) and time perspective. One hundred and forty-two healthy participants completed an online version of the TAS-20 scale, which measures alexithymia, and the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, which monitors individual differences in time-orientation regarding the past, present, and future. The results show greater attention to past negative aspects in participants whose TAS-20 score was indicating borderline or manifest alexithymia, as compared to non-alexithymic individuals. Moreover, the higher the TAS-20 score, the higher the tendency was to focus on negative aspects of the past and interpret the present fatalistically. These results suggest that difficulties in identifying and describing feelings and emotions are associated with a negative bias for past and present events. Theoretical and clinical implications of this finding are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 295 KiB  
Brief Report
How Self-Control Predicts Moral Decision Making: An Exploratory Study on Healthy Participants
by Chiara Lucifora, Gabriella Martino, Anna Curcuruto, Mohammad Ali Salehinejad and Carmelo Mario Vicario
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3840; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073840 - 6 Apr 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3445
Abstract
Research on moral reasoning calls into question self-control, which encompasses impulsivity, compulsivity, and inhibitory control. However, a thorough investigation exploring how these three dimensions can affect moral reasoning in response to different scenarios is unavailable. We addressed this topic by testing the predictive [...] Read more.
Research on moral reasoning calls into question self-control, which encompasses impulsivity, compulsivity, and inhibitory control. However, a thorough investigation exploring how these three dimensions can affect moral reasoning in response to different scenarios is unavailable. We addressed this topic by testing the predictive role of these three dimensions of self-control on appraisals for ethical violations related with different types of scenarios. Overall, our results suggest that all three dimensions of self-control are involved in moral reasoning, depending on the type of appraisal and provided moral scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
20 pages, 2834 KiB  
Systematic Review
Is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Effective for People with Hypertension? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 30 Years of Evidence
by Ciro Conversano, Graziella Orrù, Andrea Pozza, Mario Miccoli, Rebecca Ciacchini, Laura Marchi and Angelo Gemignani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 2882; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062882 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 11590
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which are considered high mortality risk medical conditions. To date, several studies have reported positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions on physical and psychological well-being in other medical [...] Read more.
Background: Hypertension is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which are considered high mortality risk medical conditions. To date, several studies have reported positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions on physical and psychological well-being in other medical conditions, but no meta-analysis on MBSR programs for hypertension has been conducted. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of MBSR programs for hypertension. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining the effects of MBSR on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in people with hypertension or pre-hypertension was conducted. The PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were searched in November 2020 to identify relevant studies. Results: Six studies were included. The comparison of MBSR versus control conditions on diastolic BP was associated with a statistically significant mean effect size favoring MBSR over control conditions (MD = −2.029; 95% confidence interval (CI): −3.676 to −0.383, p = 0.016, k = 6; 22 effect sizes overall), without evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 0.000%). The comparison of MBSR versus control conditions on systolic BP was associated with a mean effect size which was statistically significant only at a marginal level (MD = −3.894; 95% CI: −7.736–0.053, p = 0.047, k = 6; 22 effect sizes overall), without evidence of high heterogeneity (I2 = 20.772%). The higher the proportion of participants on antihypertensive medications was, the larger the effects of MBSR were on systolic BP (B = −0.750, z = −2.73, p = 0.003). Conclusions: MBSR seems to be a promising intervention, particularly effective on the reduction of diastolic BP. More well-conducted trials are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applying Clinical Psychology to Medical Conditions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop