Frontiers in Psychiatry

Gambling-related harm comes out from dynamic interactions between craving, cognitive distortions, and physiological responses to gambling outcomes. These processes happen rapidly during play and are strongly influenced by the structural features of slot machine, yet they are seldom captured in real time using ecologically valid methods. Traditional research has relied mainly on self-report measur…

Background Chinese herbal medicine has a long history of treating insomnia with excellent curative effects; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study discusses the mechanism and curative effects of the main Chinese herbal medicines in the Bushen Anzhi recipe for managing aging-related insomnia (ARI). Methods The insomnia dataset GSE98582 was obtained from the Gene Expression O…

Introduction Early life adversity (ELA) is prevalent in the US and is associated with a number of risky behaviors, including substance use. Recent work has shown that specific forms of ELA, including violence exposure and threat exposure, is associated with alterations in reward and attentional neuro-circuitries implicated in risky decision-making. Although a couple of studies have examined the r…

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the ADOPT (Attitude-Definition-Openmind-Plan-Try it out) model combined with structured health education in alleviating preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing preventive ileostomy for rectal cancer. Methods This is a randomized controlled trial. A total of 60 patients scheduled for temporary ileostomy were randomly assigned to either the…

Background Autistic students face increased risk of school exclusion, often linked to insufficient accommodation for sensory and social challenges. The absence of structured sensory breaks contributes to stress, behavioral escalation, and removal from the classroom. Recent studies recommend dedicated spaces to support sensory regulation. Aims This community-based case series examines the use of a…

Antipsychotic drugs (APD) are commonly prescribed to people living with dementia (PwD) to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), despite well-documented safety concerns. International guidelines recommend non-pharmacological interventions as first-line treatment, yet APDs remain widely used. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize current evidence on the cons…

Background Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which non-motor psychiatric symptoms are common. Anxiety disorder is associated with poorer clinical outcomes and reduced quality of life in Parkinson’s disease, yet population-based evidence on the risk of newly diagnosed anxiety disorder after Parkinson’s disease remains limited. Methods We conducted a nationwide popu…

Background The nocebo effect refers to adverse symptoms triggered by negative expectations rather than active treatment mechanisms. These responses can undermine treatment adherence, increase symptom burden, and reduce clinical effectiveness. Patients with long-term conditions (LTCs) may be particularly vulnerable because they frequently interact with healthcare systems, monitor symptoms closely,…

Introduction Digital addiction, the problematic or addictive use of digital devices and platforms such as the internet, smartphone, or social media, harms people, including their mental health. Rapid developments in digital technologies have increased research interest in this relationship in diverse fields of study, accumulating a sound knowledge base. Methods This study investigates this rapidl…

Introduction Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating mental health condition with a high global prevalence, characterized by profound psychological and neurobiological alterations. Although many patients respond effectively to pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions, the persistently high rate of treatment resistance underscores the urgent need for novel strategies that targ…

Background Problematic use of digital technology among children, adolescents, and young adults is associated with adverse health, behavioural, interpersonal, social, academic and vocational outcomes. Most existing research focuses on treatment oriented interventions. Prevention focused interventions are limited. This is especially true for the low- and middle-income countries. There is a need for…

Background Existing cross-cultural applications of the Athens Insomnia Scale-8 (AIS-8) have been constrained by sample limitations, most notably the absence of psychiatric inpatients in validation datasets. This gap underscores the need to contextualize the scale’s performance within specialized clinical populations. Accordingly, this study aims to systematically assess the validity and reliabili…

Public mental health has become an increasing concern over recent decades, accompanied by a rapid expansion of public awareness campaigns aimed at improving population mental well-being. We argue that while psychiatric interpretations of distress promoted by these campaigns may be beneficial for individuals with clinically significant mental disorders, emerging evidence suggests that the same int…

Objective To evaluate the value of the computer-based Tree Drawing Test in the auxiliary diagnosis of depressive disorders and to analyze the differences in the performance of adolescent and adult depression patients in the Tree Drawing Projection Test. Methods This study was conducted at Guo Yang County People’s Hospital in Anhui, China, and involved a total of 184 participants: 43 adults with d…

Combining cognitive inhibition training with brain stimulation techniques has received increasing attention as a potential approach to modulating maladaptive food craving and food intake. Building on previous work in this line of research, the current study examined whether virtual reality (VR)-based no-go inhibition training paired with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulat…

Introduction Adolescents with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk for mental health problems and depression. Despite this, there is currently no evidence for effective psychological interventions for treating low mood and depression in this population. Behavioural activation has been identified as an effective intervention for treating depression in autistic adolescents and for adults…

Background Depression is a common complication after stroke. Although prior studies suggest that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may alleviate depressive symptoms in post-stroke patients, the evidence remains inconclusive. This meta-analysis aimed to synthesize randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of MBSR on depressive symptoms after stroke. Methods PubMed, Web of…

Background Satisfying intimate relationships are fundamental to young adults’ psychological well-being. Although adult attachment theory provides a robust framework for understanding relationship quality, the mechanisms linking higher attachment anxiety and avoidance to lower relationship satisfaction remain underexplored. This study tested a chain mediation model in which appreciation (both expr…

Psychiatry is increasingly being practised in environments affected by geopolitical instabilities, including economic fragmentation, democratic backsliding, and widening inequities. The confluence of these phenomena contributes to what has been described as a contemporary polycrisis, encompassing synchronous disruptions that reinforce one another and threaten collective wellbeing. Nevertheless, p…

Background and objective The rapid popularization of the Internet among Chinese adolescents has resulted in the emergence of a public major concern known as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). As demonstrated by previous studies, an association has been demonstrated among emotional distress, gaming motives and IGD. Nevertheless, the specific pathways connecting these constructs remain to be elucidate…