Our previous findings challenged the widely held view among a large proportion of psychiatrists (41% to 82%) that previous non-adherence to antipsychotics is a major barrier to the introduction of clozapine (Brodeur et al. 2022 BJPsych). Indeed, our previous work showed that most patients, even those with the poorest adherence profiles, remained on their treatment after clozapine initiation (>68% for clozapine and >84% for all antipsychotics combined) after one year of follow-up. Because of this, the study extended the follow-up period to three years to assess whether patterns of adherence were sustained over time. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether poor adherence prior to initiating clozapine predicted poor adherence to clozapine or any other antipsychotic (including clozapine) three years after initiation.

This cohort study included 2,258 patients living in Quebec (Canada) with a diagnosis of SCZ who initiated oral clozapine between 2009 and 2016 (index date). Adherence to AP was measured by the medication possession ratio (MPR) over a 1-year period before and a 3-year period after the index date. Five groups of patients were formed based on their prior MPR level (independent variable), and two dependent variables were defined after clozapine initiation (good adherence (MPR ≥ 0.8) to any APs and to clozapine only). In addition to multiple logistic regression, state sequence analysis was used to visualise the trajectories of AP use over time, before and after clozapine initiation, for each group.

The graphical representation of the SSA immediately showed that AP adherence was significantly improved in all groups, regardless of the level of previous adherence to AP treatment. On the other hand, logistic regression showed that poorer adherence to APs before the index date was significantly associated with an increased risk of poor adherence to any AP treatment 3 years after the index date (adjusted ORs ranging from 2.2 to 3.0). However, the majority of patients (ranging from 80.8% to 92.4%) had good adherence to any APs and to oral clozapine (ranging from 57.7% to 73.8%), regardless of previous adherence level.

These results add to previous findings and demonstrate that initiation of clozapine leads to improved adherence over a 3-year period. Although widely recognised by clinicians as a barrier to clozapine use, previous poor adherence does not appear to justify avoiding clozapine treatment in patients who would otherwise be considered eligible.

Hospital-treated self-harm is common, costly and associated with repeated self-harm and suicide. Providing a comprehensive psychosocial assessment following self-harm is recommended by professional bodies and may improve outcomes.

To review the provision of psychosocial assessments after hospital-presenting self-harm and the extent to which macro-level factors indicative of service provision explain variability in these estimates.

We searched five electronic databases to 3 January 2023 for studies reporting data on the proportion of patients and/or events that were provided a psychosocial assessment. Pooled weighted prevalence estimates were calculated with the random-effects model. Random-effects meta-regression was used to investigate between-study variability.

119 publications (69 unique samples) were included. Across ages, two-thirds of patients had a psychosocial assessment (0.67, 95% CI 0.58–0.76). The proportion was higher for young people and older adults (0.75, 95% CI 0.36–0.99 and 0.83, 95% CI 0.48–1.00, respectively) compared with adults (0.64, 95% CI 0.54–0.73). For events, around half of all presentations had these assessments across the age range. No macro-level factor explained between-study heterogeneity.

There is room for improvement in the universal provision of psychosocial assessments for self-harm. This represents a missed opportunity to review and tailor aftercare supports for those at risk. Given the marked unexplained heterogeneity between studies, the person- and system-level factors that influence provision of psychosocial assessments after self-harm should be studied further.

The World Health Organization and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800 000 people die from suicide yearly. The role of non-traditional risk factors such as climate and high-altitude exposure are poorly understood.

This study aims to determine a potential relationship between altitude exposure and suicide rates among 221 cantons located at different altitudes ranging from 0 to 4300 m.

We conducted an 11-year, country-wide, population-based analysis on age- and gender-standardised suicide rates in Ecuador, based on the official data from the National Institute of Statistics, using all available self-harm death codes (ICD-10 codes X60–X84).

A total of 11 280 cases of suicide were reported during 2011–2021. Suicide rates were higher among men (11.48/100 000). In terms of elevation, suicide rates were significantly higher among people from high-altitude cantons (3.7/100 000) versus those from low-altitude cantons. When applying the International Society Mountain Medicine categorisation, suicide rates were significantly higher at moderate- (4.3/100 000), high- (3.6/100 000) and very-high-altitude cantons (4.4/100 000) when compared with low-altitude locations (2.5/100 000).

Ecuador is one of the few countries that has a vast range of cantons located at different altitudes. We found that living at higher elevations is positively associated with greater suicide rates. Although the rates are significantly greater as elevation increases, a clear linear relationship is not apparent, likely because of the interplay of socioeconomic factors, including urbanicity. The effect of chronic hypobaric hypoxia on mood cannot be ruled out, although the existence of causal mechanisms remains to be elucidated.

Identification of the predominant polarity, i.e. hypomanic/manic (mPP) or depressive predominant polarity (dPP), might help clinicians to improve personalised management of bipolar disorder.

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate prevalence and correlates of mPP and dPP in bipolar disorder.

The protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework Registries (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8S2HU). We searched main electronic databases up to December 2023 and performed random-effects meta-analyses of weighted prevalence of mPP and dPP. Odds ratios and weighted mean differences (WMDs) were used for relevant correlates.

We included 28 studies, providing information on rates and/or correlates of mPP and dPP. We estimated similar rates of mPP (weighted prevalence = 30.0%, 95% CI: 23.1 to 37.4%) and dPP (weighted prevalence = 28.5%, 95% CI: 23.7 to 33.7%) in bipolar disorder. Younger age (WMD = −3.19, 95% CI: −5.30 to −1.08 years), male gender (odds ratio = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.76), bipolar-I disorder (odds ratio = 4.82, 95% CI: 2.27 to 10.24), psychotic features (odds ratio = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.41), earlier onset (WMD = −1.57, 95% CI: −2.88 to −0.26 years) and manic onset (odds ratio = 13.54, 95% CI: 5.83 to 31.46) were associated with mPP (P < 0.05). Depressive onset (odds ratio = 12.09, 95% CI: 6.38 to 22.90), number of mood episodes (WMD = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.28 to 1.70 episodes), history of suicide attempts (odds ratio = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.49 to 2.93) and being in a relationship (odds ratio = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.22 to 3.22) were associated with dPP (P < 0.05). No differences were estimated for other variables.

Despite some limitations, our findings support the hypothesis that predominant polarity might be a useful specifier of bipolar disorder. Evidence quality was mixed, considering effects magnitude, consistency, precision and publication bias. Different predominant polarities may identify subgroups of patients with specific clinical characteristics.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is associated with cognitive impairments and an increased risk of psychopathology. Most of the research has been conducted in children and adolescents, although the majority of affected individuals live well into adulthood. Hence, limited data are available on functional outcomes in adults.

To provide more insight in cognitive and adaptive abilities, and daily life functioning (marital status, living situation and work situation) in adults with 22q11.2DS.

This retrospective study included 250 Dutch-speaking adults (16–69 years) with 22q11.2DS from three sites in The Netherlands and Belgium. Data on full-scale IQ (FSIQ) scores (assessed with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), adaptive functioning (assessed with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale II), and functional outcomes including marital status, living and work situation were systematically collected from clinical files. In addition, we examined predictors of adaptive functioning.

The majority of individuals in our adult sample demonstrated a low level of adaptive functioning (65%). In contrast to previous findings in children and adolescents, the majority functioned at an intellectual disability level (56%). Male sex, lower FSIQ and autism spectrum disorder were predictors of lower adaptive functioning (P = 0.016, P < 0.001 and P = 0.16, respectively).

These results suggest that low levels of cognitive and adaptive functioning are common in adults with 22q11.2DS. Future longitudinal and multicentre studies including older patients (>40 years) are needed to further investigate cognitive and adaptive trajectories and their interactions with physical and psychiatric comorbidities.

Gender dysphoria is associated with suicidality among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people. Gender dysphoria also results in a stress on appearance.

The objectives of this study were to examine: (a) whether appearance anxiety mediates the effect of gender dysphoria on suicidality; and (b) whether gender identity moderates the mediating effect of appearance anxiety.

A total of 117 769 college and university students were recruited in this cross-sectional study from Jilin Province, China. After screening based on participants’ gender identity, 2352 TGD young people (aged from 15 to 25 years) were divided into three subgroups: female to male (FTM), male to female (MTF) and non-binary. Self-report inventories measured gender dysphoria, suicidality and appearance anxiety. A structural equation model was run to examine the relationships among TGD gender identity, gender dysphoria, appearance anxiety and suicidality.

Among TGD young people, gender dysphoria was significantly positively associated with suicidality (β = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.11–0.18, P < 0.001). Appearance anxiety partially mediated the association between gender dysphoria and suicidality (β = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.05–0.08, P < 0.001). Gender identity moderated the mediating effects: compared with individuals with FTM identity, among those with MTF and non-binary identities, gender dysphoria showed stronger positive effects on appearance anxiety, and appearance anxiety showed greater effects in mediating the association between gender dysphoria and suicidality.

Among TGD young people, gender dysphoria is significantly associated with suicidality via appearance anxiety, with gender identity moderating the mediating effects. Diverse treatments should consider the heterogeneity of TGD subgroups, with the aim of limiting the tendency of gender dysphoria to trigger appearance anxiety, thus further buffering against the risk of suicide.

Highly accessible youth initiatives worldwide aim to prevent worsening of mental health problems, but research into outcomes over time is scarce.

This study aimed to evaluate outcomes and support use in 12- to 25-year-old visitors of the @ease mental health walk-in centres, a Dutch initiative offering free counselling by trained and supervised peers.

Data of 754 visitors, collected 2018–2022, included psychological distress (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation 10 (CORE-10)), social and occupational functioning (Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS)), school absenteeism and support use, analysed with change indicators (first to last visit), and mixed models (first three visits).

Among return visitors, 50.5% were female, 79.4% were in tertiary education and 36.9% were born outside of The Netherlands (one-time visitors: 64.7%, 72.9% and 41.3%, respectively). Moreover, 29.9% of return visitors presented with suicidal ideations, 97.1% had clinical psychological distress levels, and 64.1% of the latter had no support in the previous 3 months (one-time visitors: 27.2%, 90.7% and 71.1%, respectively). From visit 1 to 3, psychological distress decreased (β = −3.79, 95% CI −5.41 to −2.18; P < 0.001) and social and occupational functioning improved (β = 3.93, 95% CI 0.51–7.36; P = 0.025). Over an average 3.9 visits, 39.6% improved reliably and 28.0% improved clinically significantly on the SOFAS, which was 28.4% and 8.8%, respectively, on the CORE-10, where 43.2% improved in clinical category. Counselling satisfaction was rated 4.5/5.

Reductions in psychological distress, improvements in functioning and high counselling satisfaction were found among @ease visitors, forming a basis for future research with a control group.

Compulsory mental health treatment has increased globally. In Scotland, compulsory treatment for >28 days is permitted under hospital- and community-based compulsory treatment orders. Community-based compulsory treatment has not been shown to lead to improved outcomes, and scrutiny of their use is needed.

To describe the trend, duration and demographic characteristics of compulsory treatment orders in Scotland over a 14-year period.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of order use in Scotland from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2020, focusing on the (a) number and demographic characteristics of those treated, (b) duration, (c) extensions beyond the 6-month review point and (d) characteristics of new versus continued orders.

The number of individuals on a community-based order increased by 118% (571 v. 1243) from 2007 to 2020, compared with a 16% increase (1316 v. 1532) for hospital-based orders. Of orders starting in 2007, 57.3% were extended, compared with 43.7% in 2020. The median duration was 6 months for first-time orders and 9 months for subsequent orders, which were longest for males (median 11 months); those of African, Caribbean or Black (median 11 months), Asian (median 11 months) and mixed ethnicity (median 10 months); and individuals from the most deprived communities (median 10 months).

There has been a marked rise of community-based compulsory treatment orders in Scotland. If existing trends continue, there will be more people receiving care under community-based orders than hospital-based orders, fundamentally changing the nature of involuntary treatment. Further work needs to explore associations between demographic and diagnostic characteristics on order duration.

Pharmacological treatment of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) is of limited benefit. The addition of non-pharmacological interventions is often essential for optimal symptom control. Music is a viable way to help patients communicate and improve quality of life. This study aims to find the most effective way to use music on a busy dementia ward.

17 inpatients (aged 63–93 years) took part over a five-week period. Music with projected lyrics was individualised and based on their preferences. Instruments (e.g., maracas) were used in some group sessions. We used the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q) and Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS) to evaluate patients’ behaviour before and after musical intervention.

Of NPI-Q scores, a significant difference between mean scores before and after the music intervention was found. Specifically, Delusion, Motor Disturbances, and Agitation scores were significantly reduced after music intervention. Of MiDAS, significant differences were found in Interest, Response, and Enjoyment during specific intervals.

A multisensory inpatient environment was effective in delivering music-based activities and managed behavioural symptoms in the short term to people with advanced dementia. Its use for inpatient wards must be further investigated as an economical and personalised non-pharmacological therapeutic tool for patients with dementia.

Patients with schizophrenia die decades earlier than the general population. Among the factors involved in this mortality gap, evidence suggests a telomere length shortening in this clinical population, which is associated with premature ageing. Recent studies support the use of strength-based training exercise programmes to maintain, or even elongate, telomere length in healthy elderly populations. However, studies aiming at modifying telomere length in severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are still very scarce.

To investigate the effect of a strength-based physical exercise programme on the telomere length of individuals with schizophrenia.

We propose a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial including 40 patients aged ≥18 years, with a stable diagnosis of schizophrenia, attending the Complejo de Rehabilitación Psicosocial (CRPS, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre) in Salamanca, Spain. These patients will be randomly assigned (1:1) to either receive the usual treatment and rehabilitation programmes offered by CRPS (treatment-as-usual group) or these plus twice weekly sessions of an evidence-based, strength-based training exercise programme for 12 weeks (intervention group). The primary outcome will be effect on telomere length. Secondary outcomes will include impact on cognitive function, frailty and quality of life.

We expect to show the importance of implementing strength-based physical exercise programmes for patients with schizophrenia. We could find that such programmes induce biological and genetic changes that may lengthen life expectancy and decrease physical fragility.

We anticipate that our trial findings could contribute to parity of esteem for mental health, reducing premature ageing in patients with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia.

Trauma-related shame and guilt have been identified as important factors for mental health following interpersonal trauma. For survivors of terror and disasters, however, the role of shame and guilt remains largely unknown.

To explore the long-term occurrence of trauma-related shame and guilt among survivors of a terror attack, and the potential importance of these emotions for mental health.

A total of 347 survivors (48.7% female, mean age at the time of the attack: 19.25 years, s.d. = 4.40) of the 2011 massacre on Utøya island, Norway, participated in face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Trauma-related shame and guilt were measured with items from the Shame and Guilt After Trauma Scale at 2.5 and 8.5 years post-terror attack. Post-traumatic reactions and anxiety/depression at 8.5 years post-terror attack were measured with the University of California at Los Angeles PTSD Reaction Index and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, respectively. Associations between trauma-related shame/guilt and post-trauma psychopathology were analysed by multiple linear regressions.

Trauma-related shame and guilt were prevalent among survivors at both 2.5 and 8.5 years post-terror attack. In unadjusted analyses, shame and guilt, at both time points, were significantly associated with post-traumatic stress reactions and anxiety/depression. Shame remained significantly associated with mental health when adjusted for guilt. Both earlier and current shame were uniquely related to mental health.

Trauma-related shame and guilt may be prevalent in survivors of mass trauma several years after the event. Shame, in particular, may play an important role for long-term mental health. Clinicians may find it helpful to explicitly address shame in treatment of mass trauma survivors.

Alcohol or drug (AOD) problems are a significant health burden in the UK population, and understanding pathways to remission is important.

To determine the UK population prevalence of overcoming an AOD problem and the prevalence and correlates of ‘assisted’ pathways to problem resolution.

Stage 1: a screening question was administered in a national telephone survey to provide (a) an estimate of the UK prevalence of AOD problem resolution; and (b) a demographic profile of those reporting problem resolution. Stage 2: social surveying organisation YouGov used the demographic data from stage 1 to guide the administration of the UK National Recovery Survey to a representative subsample from its online panel.

In stage 1 (n = 2061), 102 (5%) reported lifetime AOD problem resolution. In the weighted sample (n = 1373) who completed the survey in stage 2, 49.9% reported ‘assisted’ pathway use via formal treatment (35.0%), mutual help (29.7%) and/or recovery support services (22.6%). Use of an assisted pathway was strongly correlated with lifetime AOD diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 9.54) and arrest in the past year (AOR = 7.88) and inversely correlated with absence of lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (AOR = 0.17). Those with cocaine (AOR = 2.44) or opioid problems (AOR = 3.21) were more likely to use assisted pathways compared with those with primary alcohol problems.

Nearly three million people have resolved an AOD problem in the UK. Findings challenge the therapeutic pessimism sometimes associated with these problems and suggest a need to learn from community-based self-change that can supplement and enhance existing treatment modalities.

One of the ‘critical goals’ for psychiatric liaison services is reducing hospitalisation. Psychotropic medication is a treatment for psychosis, although research determining the efficacy of early medication administration is lacking.

To determine whether commencing psychotropic medication within 2 days of psychiatric liaison input in the accident and emergency (A&E) department is correlated with length of in-patient psychiatric admissions for patients with psychosis.

We gathered data on patients presenting to A&E sites covered by South London and Maudsley (SLaM) National Health Service Trust, who were subsequently admitted to and discharged from SLaM psychiatric in-patient wards with discharge diagnosis of psychosis between 2015 and 2020. The analysis set comprised 228 patients waiting in the A&E department under psychiatric liaison care for ≥2 days, of which 140 were started on medication within those 2 days (group A) and 88 were not (group B). Group A was divided into A1 (patients restarted on previous psychotropic medication taken within 1 week) and A2 (others, including those new to psychotropic medication or with past usage).

Although Kaplan–Meier survival curves with log-rank tests demonstrated no statistically significant difference of in-patient admission duration between groups A and B or groups B1 and B2, further analysis revealed that subgroup A1 had statistically significant shorter admissions than group B (P = 0.05).

Restarting patients with psychosis on medication they were taking within the week before A&E department attendance, within 2 days of arrival at the A&E department, is associated with statistically significant shorter admissions. The limitation is a relatively small sample size.

Availability of long-term psychological interventions for personality disorders is limited because of their high intensity and cost. Research in evidence-based, low-intensity interventions is needed.

This study aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability and potential impact of a low-intensity, digital guided self-help (GSH) intervention that is focused on emotion regulation, recovery-oriented and provides in-the-moment delivery for patients with personality disorders.

We conducted a single-blind feasibility trial. A total of 43 patients with a personality disorder were recruited and randomly assigned to either a GSH arm (n = 22) or a treatment-as-usual arm (n = 21). The GSH intervention included a series of short videos offering psychoeducation and support, personalised feedback using text messages, and supportive telephone calls, for 4 weeks in addition to treatment as usual. Outcomes of emotional disturbance, emotion dysregulation, self-harm behaviours and decentring ability were measured at baseline, 4 weeks (end of intervention) and 8 weeks (follow-up).

All patients who attended the first session continued until the last session. There was an interaction effect between time and group on anxiety (P = 0.027, Δη2 = 0.10), where the GSH group showed a significant reduction in anxiety at follow-up (P = 0.003, d = 0.25). The GSH group increased in decentring ability at the end of intervention (P = 0.007, d = −0.65), and the decrease in self-harm behaviours continued until follow-up (P = 0.02, d = 0.57).

The results suggest that a personalised digital GSH with a focus on recovery could reduce anxiety and self-harm behaviours at short-term follow-up.

Coercive measures to manage disruptive or violent behaviour are accepted as standard practice in mental healthcare, but systematic knowledge of potentially harmful outcomes is insufficient.

To examine the association of mechanical restraint with several predefined somatic harmful outcomes.

We conducted a population-based, observational cohort study linking data from the Danish national registers from 2007 to 2019. The primary analyses investigated the association of mechanical restraint with somatic adverse events, using panel regression analyses (within-individual analysis) to account for repeated exposures and outcomes. Secondary between-group analyses were performed with a control group exposed to types of coercion other than mechanical restraint.

The study population comprised 13 022 individuals. We report a statistically significant association of mechanical restraint with thromboembolic events (relative risk 4.377, number needed to harm (NNH) 8231), pneumonia (relative risk 5.470, NNH 3945), injuries (relative risk 2.286, NNH 3240) and all-cause death (relative risk 5.540, NNH 4043) within 30 days after mechanical restraint. Estimates from the between-group analyses (comparing the exposed group with a control group of 22 643 individuals) were non-significant or indicated increased baseline risk in the control group. A positive dose–response analysis for cardiac arrest, injury and death supported a causative role of mechanical restraint in the reported associations.

Although the observed absolute risk increases were small, the derived relative risks were non-negligible considering that less restrictive interventions are available. Clinicians and decision makers should be aware of the excess risk in future decisions on the use of mechanical restraint versus alternative interventions.

1. 1) To hear directly from women suffering from PMDD about their lived experiences of PMDD and the impacts that it has on their daily lives.

2. 2) To raise awareness about the impacts that PMDD can have on patients' quality of life, relationships, and productivity, to improve clinicians’ understanding of patients' needs.

3. 3) To identify a gap in research into PMDD within the UK and highlight the need for further research.

4. 4) To improve awareness of PMDD amongst diverse stakeholders, including women who are not yet diagnosed with PMDD, employers, and policymakers.

Participants were recruited from the UK's PMDD Patient Insight Group and screened using the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool (PSST) for PMDD. Eligible participants were purposively sampled, and 15 participants were invited to a semi-structured scheduled interview on Zoom. Interviews were transcribed using NVivo transcription software, and inductively analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 14.

Thirteen subthemes were identified and organised around four main themes: Theme 1: ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, Life with PMDD, Theme 2: ‘The Aftermath’, The Impact of Living with PMDD, Theme 3: ‘Surviving PMDD’, Coping Strategies, and Theme 4: ‘Seeking Treatment’, Experiences with Healthcare. The themes identified in this study highlight the negative experiences of women living with debilitating symptoms that appear during the luteal phase and disappear following the onset of menstruation. Themes also capture the immense burden PMDD places on a sufferer by uncovering how exactly these symptoms affect interpersonal relationships, career progression, quality of education received, and relationship with oneself. Theme 4 focuses on women's negative experiences with healthcare stemming from a lack of awareness of PMDD in the medical community.

The findings of this study highlight the critical importance of understanding the contextualized experiences of women living with PMDD in the UK and bringing to light the immense monthly burden sufferers face. To prevent women and Assigned Female At Birth (AFAB) individuals from experiencing severe and prolonged psychological distress which can have fatal consequences, there needs to be greater understanding and awareness of PMDD in both medical and lay communities. In addition to this, clinicians must be trained in PMDD assessment and research should be encouraged to introduce new treatments and to implement policies that minimize the burden of PMDD in the workplace.

Psychoeducational interventions are a critical aspect of supporting adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Understanding and Managing Adult ADHD Programme (UMAAP) is a six-session, group-based webinar intervention that incorporates psychoeducation with acceptance and commitment therapy. UMAAP relies on self-referrals and is facilitated by a charity, to promote accessibility.

The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of UMAAP and explore preliminary effectiveness.

Adults with formally diagnosed or self-identified ADHD (n = 257) participated in an uncontrolled pre–post design. Feasibility was indicated by attendance, confidence in completing the home practice and satisfaction. Quality of life, psychological flexibility, self-acceptance and knowledge of ADHD were assessed at baseline, 1 week post-intervention and 3 months later, to explore preliminary effectiveness.

Feasibility was demonstrated by the high attendance ratings and satisfaction with the intervention, although there was only moderate confidence in the ability to complete the home practices. Quality of life (mean increase 9.69, 95% CI 7.57–11.80), self-acceptance (mean increase 0.19, 95% CI 0.10–0.28) and knowledge of ADHD (mean increase 1.55, 95% CI 1.23–1.82) were significantly improved post-intervention. The effects were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Psychological flexibility did not significantly change immediately post-intervention, but increased significantly at the 3-month follow-up (mean increase 0.42, 95% CI 0.26–0.58).

Overall, UMAAP is a feasible intervention for adults with ADHD. Findings highlighted the feasibility of delivering psychological interventions online in group settings, to increase access to support for adults with ADHD.

Nomophobia, defined as the fear of being without one's mobile phone, and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) are on the rise and are thought to be linked to increased mental health problems. In the information era, being separated from smartphones may cause anxiety, while the expectation of continuous updates on social media may increase feelings of inadequacy and distress when comparing one's life with selected highlights of others. The extent of nomophobia and FOMO in the Middle East and whether these experiences are associated with psychiatric disorders are yet to be ascertained. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of nomophobia and FOMO among university students in the UAE and the relationship between these phenomena and depression, anxiety and stress levels.

232 female and 103 male undergraduate students in four Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman) took part in the study. An online questionnaire was developed and piloted. Nomophobia and FOMO were measured using validated questionnaires, namely NMP-Q and FoMOs. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were assessed using the DASS-21 scale. Data were analysed using SPSS 22. Significance level was set at p < 0.05.

The data revealed that 28.6% of respondents exhibited severe, 47.7% moderate, and 23.7% mild nomophobia symptoms. 52.5% of participants reported moderate to extreme fear that others have more rewarding experiences than them, with the median FoMO score being (25.62). Higher nomophobia, stress, anxiety, and depression levels correlated with elevated FOMO scores (p < 0.001). Variations in FOMO scores were noted across university, gender, and college. Strong associations existed between severe nomophobia and heightened stress, anxiety, and depression (p < 0.001). The findings underscored contextual influences on nomophobia intensity among diverse individuals.

The study identified a high prevalence of nomophobia and FOMO among UAE university students. Significant correlations were observed between these digital-related fears and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress. Our results delineate the necessity for exploring and implementing interventions that address smartphone-related phobias to safeguard the mental well-being of UAE university students, considering their unique cultural context.