The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the mental health of individuals around the world. Ex-combatants have been repeatedly shown to be increased risk of experiencing social and psychological problems during emergencies.

To compare the severity of overall posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and PTSD clusters among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim was to identify coping strategies used and track possible changes during the timeline.

Male war veterans receiving outpatient treatment at the Referral Center for PTSD were assessed at baseline (t1=12-18 months before the COVID-19 pandemic), during the first lockdown (March-June 2020) and 12 months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2021). A total of 132 veterans participated in all three measurements. The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and The Brief COPE were used.

Exposure to COVID-19 pandemic related stressors increased over time. The great majority of participants (91.0%) followed the preventive measures. The severity of the overall PTSD symptoms significantly decreased during timeline (t1=56.9, 11.15; t2= 47.24, SD=12.87; t3= 44.1, SD=14.09). At t2, all participants still fulfilled the PTSD diagnostic criteria, and at t3, 23 participants (17.42%) did not meet all of the criteria for PTSD. The participants used adaptive coping rather than dysfunctional coping during the pandemic.

Despite the expectations of worsening the symptoms, help-seeking veterans with PTSD appeared to develop adaptive adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic stressors, which is in line with the results of the recent longitudinal research and will be discussed.

No significant relationships.

Over the last decade, there has been identified that critical illness survivors have high rates of psychiatric disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The experience of admission to intensive care units (ICU) and illusory memories may cause short and long-term psychological disorders.

To evaluate psychiatric disorders, such as PTSD, after ICU discharge, and determine the prevalence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for PTSD in these patients.

Non-systematic review through research in PubMed. Addicionally, a case report will be exposed, after the patient was diagnosed with SARS‑CoV‑2 and stayed in ICU for more than 30 days.

The development of PTSD has been related to the number of adverse memories patients recall from their ICU experience. Some studies have shown that approximately 47% of patients remember real facts and 34% have illusory memories relative to their stays in the ICU. There were identified some risk factor associated to the increased risk of post-ICU PTSD, such as early post-ICU memories or psychotic experiences, pre-ICU psychopathology, benzodiazepine sedation during ICU and substantial acute stress symptoms occurring < 1 month after exposure to a traumatic stressor.

High levels of anxiety and the development by patients of PTSD are being recognized as significant problems occurring after a stay in an ICU. The results of this study highlight the need to recognise the risk factors and to establish a early follow-up after ICU stay. This way is possible to identify patients who are at risk of developing acute PTSD-related symptoms, and early intervention can be institued.

No significant relationships.

High BMI has been associated with psychiatric rehospitalisation.

We aimed to replicate this finding in a large Swiss psychiatric cohort and to examine whether other metabolic disturbances are independently associated with psychiatric readmission.

Data on 16’727 hospitalizations of 7’786 patients admitted between January 1st, 2007 and December 31st, 2019 at the Department of Psychiatry of the Lausanne University Hospital, were collected. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to International Diabetes Federation definition. Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to investigate the associations between psychiatric readmission and metabolic syndrome and/or its five components.

The readmitted population (N=2’935; 37.7% patients) had higher BMI, and were more likely to have central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. Multivariate analyses confirmed that having a BMI ≥ 25 kg.m-2 was associated with psychiatric readmission (25 kg.m-2≤ BMI< 30 kg.m-2: OR = 1.88; 95%CI [1.55-2.29]; BMI≥30 kg.m-2: OR = 3.5; 95%CI [2.85-4.30]) when compared to patients with 18.5≤BMI<25 kg.m-2. Interestingly, novel factors associated with readmission were identified including metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.57, 95%CI [1.05-2.33]), central obesity (OR = 1.81, 95%CI [1.33-2.46]), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.59; 95%CI [1.38-1.83]), HDL hypocholesterolemia (OR = 1.22; 95%CI [1.06-1.40]) and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.58; 95%CI [1.35-1.85]).

Metabolic syndrome, central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, HDL hypocholesterolemia, hyperglycemia and obesity were associated with psychiatric readmission. Possible causes will be presented and discussed (e.g. reduced adherence to treatment in patients with metabolic disorders, multiple psychotropic treatments in non-responders increasing the risk of metabolic worsening).

No significant relationships.

Several psychological and psychiatric instruments have been developed to recognize or predict different psychiatric disorders.

We studied the predictive, and discriminant validity of different psychopathology scales and temperament traits for subsequent psychiatric diagnoses due to schizophrenia, bipolar and depressive disorders in a 23-year follow-up.

Temperament traits, perceptual aberration, physical and social anhedonia, depression and anxiety subscales of Symptom Checklist (SCL-D and SCL-A), Hypomanic Personality Scale (HPS), Schizoidia Scale, and Bipolar II Scale were completed as part of the 31-year follow-up survey of the prospective Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort (n = 5006). New onset psychiatric diagnoses were followed until age of 54 years using different nationwide registers.

In the follow-up 28 (0.6%) individuals had diagnosis of schizophrenia, 40 (0.8%) bipolar and 405 (8.1%) depressive disorders. Several of the included scales associated statistically significantly with subsequent diagnoses. High SCL-A and SCL-D scores were strong predictors (Cohen’s d’s between 0.76 and 1.08) for schizophrenia and depressive disorders, whereas high HPS score was best predictor (d=0.67) for bipolar disorders. When comparing patient groups, schizophrenia group had low scores in reward dependence when compared with both bipolar (d=-0.80) and depressive (d=-0.66) disorders. Harm avoidance was the best trait to discriminate depressive and bipolar disorders, with higher scores in depressive disorders (d=0.48).

Interestingly we found that differed psychopathology scales were strong but non-specific predictors for these psychiatric disorders, whereas temperament traits were useful predictors regarding discriminating these disorders. The presented scales can be used in population samples when predicting psychiatric illnesses.

No significant relationships.

There are relatively fewer pharmacogenetic studies of antipsychotics in adolescents than in adult patients. The development of personalized pharmacotherapy is promising.

Identify the most significant pharmacogenetic predictors of antipsychotic safety in adolescents experiencing acute psychotic episodes

The study included 101 adolescents diagnosed with acute polymorphic psychotic disorder at the time of admission (F23.0-9 according to ICD-10). All patients were taking an antipsychotic as their main treatment for 14 days. Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I), UKU Side Effects Rating Scale (UKU SERS), Sympson-Angus Scale (SAS), Barnes Akathisia rating scale (BARS) were used. All study participants underwent pharmacogenetic testing of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors.

CYP2D6 “intermediate” metabolism increased the risk of developing an adverse reaction by a trend of significance (OR=2.616 (95% CI 0.950-7.203); p=0.063). Carriage of HTR2A rs6313 was associated with a lower score on the UKU SERS “Other Symptoms” subscale (Beta=(-0.289); p=0.003) and an objective score on the BARS akathisia severity scale (Beta=(-0.217); p=0.029). DRD3 rs324026 carriers had a lower BARS akathisia scale score (Beta=(-0.349); p=0.004); DRD3 rs6280 carriers had a lower SAS extrapyramidal symptom severity scale score (Beta=(-0.351); p=0.003). Carriers of ANKS1B rs7968606 were associated with a higher SAS scale score (Beta=0.237; p=0.017).

We proposed that genotyping of CYP2D6*4, *10, DRD3 rs324026 (C allele), DRD3 rs6280 (C allele), HTR2A rs6313 (TT genotype) and ANKS1B rs7968606 (T allele) will predict the high risk of intolerance to antipsychotics in adolescents with acute psychotic episodes.

No significant relationships.

The use of internet among children and adolescent has risen in the last decade. In addition, suicide is the second cause of death among adolescents. Previous research have indicated the relation between Problematic Internet Use (PIU) and different mental health problems. Nonetheless there is a lack of studies analyzing the relation between suicide behaviour and PIU

The main objective of the present work was to analyze the relation between Problematic Internet Use and suicide behaviour and depression in adolescents

A total of 1036 adolescents (450 males) were randomly selected. Mean age was 15,21 (SD = 1,23). The Adolescent Behavioural Suicide Scale SENTIA, The Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale Short Form (RADS-SF), and The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) were used. A Manova was performed with two groups (risk and non-risk to PIU) as independent variables and suicide and depression scores as dependent variables

The results revealed a statiscally signifficant association between PIU and both depression and suicide behaviour (λ = 0.245, F(2,81,000) = 15.549, P ≤ 0.001, η² = 0.116). In particular, adolescents at a higher risk for PIU obtained higher scores on suicide behaviours and depression.

Results found in the present study reveal that adolescents have moderate prevalence rates for PIU. Also adolescents at risk for PIU with a total of more than 3 hour sof internet use everyday were at a higher risk for suicide. Prevention strategies should be devote to intervene in internet use as it maybe a variable affecting suicide behaviour.

No significant relationships.

According to the World Health Organization (2016), adolescence is one of the most important transitional steps in the life of a human being, recognized by an accelerated rate of growth and changes in behavior. Adolescents from Colombia have reached this step, immersed in a context with a history of social, interpersonal and economic violence. In this sense, study of constructs such as empathy and aggressive behaviors are crucial to appease a healthy school coexistence and thus, contribute to a peace cultur

Analyze the relationship between empathy and aggressive levels from adolescents.

This study was done through a cross-sectional study of correlational scope in 240 (N= 240) students. The Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire developed by Martorell and Gonzalez (1922) and the Aggressive questionnaire, developed by Buss and Perry (1992) were applied. The first one was used to measure empathy and the latter to appraise aggressiveness.

There was evidenced of adequate levels of empathy and a great percentage of medium levels of verbal and physical aggressiveness. (Graph 1). In addition, there was a significant statistical correlation of negative magnitude between these variables (Table 1).

It was concluded that the higher the optimal levels of empathy, the lower the aggressive behavior presented by teenagers.

No significant relationships.

ADHD is known to increase the risk of substance use, and is associated with lower degrees of education, criminal behavior and neuropsychic difficulties. Previous research is limited by small samples, variable findings, and short follow-up time. Earlier research tends to be limited to substance use above the threshold for abuse or dependency.

This study aims at looking at the effects of cannabis use both over and under threshold for abuse or dependency in relations to clinical characteristics over a 3-year follow-up period.

At follow up a total of 203 patients were diagnosed with ADHD either as primary of as secondary diagnosis, of those 57 (28,1%) had lifetime use of cannabis (LUC), mean age at inclusion was 15 and half years old and 40% were of female sex. SPSS (v.29) were used to perform independent sample t-tests to test for effects and Hierarchical block-wise regressions were done to check for confounding variables.

Lifetime cannabis use was associated with lower global functioning (p=0.000), increased risk of suicidal ideation (p=0.007), more suicide attempts (p=0.049), more self-reported symptoms (p=0.001), more school drop-out (p=0.000) and with psychotic features (p=0.024). Even after testing for know confounders such as female sex and age LUC explained significant variance.

LUC is associated with increased functional and clinical characteristics. The findings are discussed in relationship with clinical practice and limitations of the study.

No significant relationships.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is one of the best described environmental risk factors for developing any psychiatric disorder, while it also confers increased odds for obesity, cardiometabolic disorders and all-cause mortality. Inflammation has been suggested to mediate the widespread clinical effects of CM. Previously, Ligthart et al. (2016) identified a polyepigenetic signature of circulating CRP levels, a measure of chronic low-grade inflammation, that has been reliably associated with a wide array of complex disorders. The study of this biomarker could dilucidate the mechanistic relationship between CM and psychiatric outcomes.

Thus, CRP-associated epigenetic modifications were explored regarding proximal exposure to CM.

Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 157 children and adolescents (7 to 17 years old). Exposure to CM was assessed following the TASSCV criteria. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed by means of the EPIC array. Fifty-two out of the 58 original CRP-associated CpG sites surpassed quality control and were included in the analysis. Age, sex, psychopathological status and cell type proportions were included as covariates.

DNA methylation at 12 out of 52 CpG sites (23%) was significantly associated with exposure to CM (p < .05); 8 of these associations survived correction for multiple testing (q < .05).

This is the first study to date to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment and an epigenetic signature of chronic low-grade inflammation. Our findings underscore the presence of immune dysregulation early after exposure to CM; further studies are needed to assess the long-term clinical implications of this signature in psychiatric patients.

No significant relationships.

There is a known association between the core psychopathological features of anorexia nervosa (AN) and sexual dysfunctions, to the point that the recovery of healthy sexuality could be considered a marker of recovery. However, no studies have evaluated the role of insecure attachment in moderating this recovery during treatment.

To evaluate the role of insecure attachment as a possible moderator of the recovery of healthy sexuality in patients with AN treated with Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E).

A total of 65 patients with anorexia nervosa were treated with CBT-E in a multidisciplinary environment, after filling out self-administered questionnaires for the evaluation of general (SCL-90-R) and ED-specific psychopathology (EDE-Q), female sexuality (FSFI) and adult attachment style (ECR). The assessment was repeated after one (T1) and two years (T2).

At baseline, all domains of sexual dysfunction were significantly predicted by avoidant attachment. A significant amelioration of both general and eating disorder-specific psychopathology and sexual dysfunctions was observed at all follow-up evaluations with respect to baseline levels. However, only 45% of remitted patients also showed a complete recovery of healthy sexuality: this subgroup reported significantly lower avoidance scores when compared to patients who only recovered from AN. Moderation analysis indicated that sexual desire did not increase in participants with higher levels of avoidant attachment.

This study highlighted the crucial role of avoidant attachment in the relationship between AN and sexual dysfunctions, underlining the importance of assessing adult attachment for a better characterization and treatment. Attachment-focused interventions may be beneficial for a full recovery.

No significant relationships.

Mental health interventions for Italian (and European) prisoners with mental disorders remain a problematic issue, despite radical changes in general psychiatric care and a 2008 major government reform transferring mental health care in prison to the National Health Service. Indeed, according to the American Psychological Association, 64% of incarcerated individuals report mental health concerns.

The aim of this study is to describe the mental health intervention model implemented since January 2020 for prisoners allocated in the Parma Penitentiary Institutes (PPI). This approach is specifically based on specialized, “person-centered” and “person-tailored” therapeutic-rehabilitation plans in line with psychiatric treatments usually provided in community mental health-care centers of the Parma Department of Mental Health.

All the processes and procedures included in the PPI intervention model were first carefully described, paying special attention to the service for newly admitted prisoners and each typology of specialized therapeutic-rehabilitation treatment potentially provided. Additionally, a preliminary descriptive process analysis of the first six months of clinical activity was also performed.

Since January 2020, 178 individuals entered the PPI service for newly admitted prisoners. In total, 83 (46.7%) of them were engaged in the services of the PPI mental health-care team (35 with pathological addiction and 48 with mental disorders): 56 prisoners were offered an integrated mental health intervention and 27 exclusively an individual psychological or psychiatric treatment.

The results support the potential applicability of an integrated mental health intervention in prison, planning a person-tailored rehabilitation in close collaboration with the prisoners, their families and the local mental health/social services.

No significant relationships.

The only available genome-wide study (Minelli et al., 2018) indicated an association between the neglect CT and MED22, a transcriptional factor gene.

To verify how the dysregulation of MED22 could be affected by environmental and genetic factors, we carried out an analysis on these components and a longitudinal study concerning the effect of trauma-focused psychotherapy in MDD patients that experienced CT.

On a large mRNA sequencing dataset including 368 MDD patients we computed the genetic (GReX) and the environmental (EReX) components affecting gene expression in relation to CT. Furthermore, we measured the expression of MED22 in 22 MDD patients treated with trauma-focused psychotherapy.

The dissection of MED22 expression profiles revealed an association of neglect with environmental and genetic components (p=6x10-3 p=2.6x10-4). Furthermore, in an independent cohort of 177 controls, we also observed a significant association between cis-eSNPs of MED22 and higher neuroticism scores (best p-value: 0.00848) that are usually associated with a decreased amount of resilience to stress events. Finally, the results of psychotherapy revealed a reduction of depressive symptomatology (p<0.001) and 73% of patients resulted responders at the follow-up visit. MED22 expression during psychotherapy showed a change trend (p=0.057) with an interaction effect with response (p=0.035). Responder and non-responder patients showed MED22 expression differences at different trauma-focused psychotherapy timepoints (p=0.15; p=0.012) and at the follow-up (p=0.021).

Our results provide insights suggesting that some biological and clinical consequences of CT depend on genetic background and environmental factors that could induce vulnerability or resilience to stressful life events.

No significant relationships.

Psychological maltreatment such as emotional abuse or neglect is a serious risk factor for poorer mental and somatic health outcomes in life. A higher rate of psychological maltreatment experienced in childhood is a predictor of aversive emotional states such as shame, and can negatively influence factors of mentalization such as perspective-taking capacity in adulthood. However, emotional abuse or neglect are also negative predictors of self-compassion.

The purpose of the study was to test two mediating models. We hypothesized, that reduced perspective-taking capacity, as well as higher levels of shame due to psychological maltreatment can be causally linked to lower levels of self-compassion.

We collected data from 120 healthy subjects (mean age=29.46, SD = 7.55) from Hungary We used Experience of Shame Scale, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Childhood Trauma Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale in our cross-sectional questionnaire study.

Psychological maltreatment is a significant negative predictor of self-compassion (b=-0,712; p<0.05), and shame seems to play a mediating role in this relationship (effect size= 0.231; p<0.05). Psychological maltreatment was not a statistically significant predictor of perspective-taking.

Our results highlight that shame has a central role between childhood traumatization and psychological well-being. In the case of early emotional maltreatment we have to focus on shame for higher levels of self-compassion and effective healing in psychotherapy.

No significant relationships.

Cancer is a disease that can cause traumatic experiences and disrupt the balance of life in individuals. The development of resilience in individuals is important in adapting to the cancer process and the difficulties that the process may bring.

To investigate the effectiveness of interventions for the psychological resilience of individuals with cancer.

The findings of randomized controlled trials related to interventions to effect resilience of individuals with cancer were included. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used to analyze the data. Hedges’ g and 95% confidence intervals were computed to estimate the effect. Additionally, funnel plots were created to assess publication bias. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis was used.

The eight studies that demonstrated the effect of the interventions on resilience of individuals with cancer were heterogeneous. The effect size was 2.649 (95% CI = 1.325 - 3.973), was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Results of the subgroup analysis showed that the effects of sample size, cancer type, lenght of treatment, duration of intervention and gender were significant. According to the lenght of treatment studies lasting >90 min and >10 weeks were less significant impact on resilience. Studies in which the sample consisted of more than 100 participants, conducted participants with mixed type of cancer and the sample consisted of participants from both genders demonstrated statistically significant effects on resilience.

This study showed that supportive interventions are crucial in developping psychological resilience among individuals with cancer. However, the findings also underscore the need for further research.

No significant relationships.

Although numerous effective antidepressant (AD) strategies are available for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), many patients do not achieve satisfactory treatment response.

The aims of the present European, cross-sectional, multicenter, naturalistic study were (1) to determine the proportion of patients suffering from primary MDD who received additional psychotherapy to their ongoing psychopharmacotherapy and (2) to identify the associated socio-demographic and clinical patterns.

Patients receiving both treatments were compared to those lacking concomitant additional psychotherapy that was manual-driven psychotherapy (MDP) in all cases.

While 68.8% of a total of 1279 MDD patients received exclusively psychopharmacotherapy, 31.2% underwent a psychopharmacotherapy-MDP combination. The latter patient population was rather younger, higher educated, employed, exhibited an earlier mean age of MDD onset, lower severity of current depressive symptoms with lower odds of suicidality and higher rates of melancholic features, and comorbid asthma and migraine, and was generally treated with lower daily doses of their first-line ADs. Whereas agomelatine was more commonly dispensed in these patients, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were more often prescribed in MDD patients lacking additional MDP. No significant between-group differences were detected in terms of treatment outcome.

The fact that the employment of additional MDP was not related to better treatment outcome in MDD represents our major and clinically most relevant finding. Generally, MDP was employed in a minority of our patients who experienced rather beneficial socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. This might reflect an inferior accessibility of these psychotherapeutic techniques for patients who are more severely ill and less socio-economically privileged.

References Bartova L, Fugger G, Dold M, Swoboda MMM, Zohar J, Mendlewicz J, Souery D, Montgomery S, Fabbri C, Serretti A, Kasper S. Combining psychopharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is not associated with better treatment outcome in major depressive disor

Several psychiatric adverse events can occur after vaccination. Passive surveillance reporting systems can support the identification of rare adverse events and contribute to hypothesis generation for potential causal associations.

To describe the psychiatric adverse reactions associated with various COVID-19 vaccines reported in the WHO database (VigiBase®)

We for individual case reports (ICSRs) for “Psychiatric disorders” linked to COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the EU, the US and the UK. Reporting rates were calculated using the number of administered doses as a denominator. Disproportional reporting was investigated through frequentist and Bayesian approaches by the calculation the information component (IC) for adverse psychiatric adverse not included in the vaccine label.

63322 ICSRs including 76,163 psychiatric adverse events were identified, 21878 (34.6 %) were serious events. Mean age in the reports was 48.8 years old (SD: 17.8) and involved 44441 (70.2%) female and 17975 (28.4%) women; sex was not specified in 906 (1.4%) reports. Rate of reported psychiatric adverse events per million administered doses were 52.0, 110.3, 164.8 and 170.8 for Tozinameran/Cominarty (Pfizer-BioNTech), Elasomeran (Moderna), Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and Ad26.COV2-S (Janssen) vaccines respectively. UK recorded the highest rates. The most frequently reported events were insomnia (21.6%), confusional state (13.6%) and anxiety (13.5%). Disproportionality was found for: habit cough (IC:3.6), clinomania (IC: 2.2), exploding head syndrome (IC: 2.2) and autoscopy (IC: 2.1).

Rates of reported psychiatric adverse events are very low. Doctors and patients should be aware of these potential adverse reactions. Continuing monitoring of emerging potential safety signals is advised.

No significant relationships.

Psychological distress during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic can manifest itself in interpretations of what is happening.

To analyze response to COVID-19 pandemic in people with high level of esoteric thinking.

Internet survey 23.03.20-29.01.21 (N=621); Constructive Thinking Inventory(CTI); SCL-90R. It was proposed to assess statements: “The authorities are hiding the true scale of the coronavirus pandemic”, “Coronavirus is the result of biological weapons development”, “Coronavirus is a punishment or a sign sent to people from above”, “The emergence of the coronavirus is the Earth’s response to its pollution”. It was offered to express an opinion about pandemic. The answers were coded on the basis of qualitative semantic analysis.

The growth of “esoteric thinking” was revealed (Std.J-T, p=.025). With a high level of esoteric thinking, emotional statements (“fear, anxiety, panic”) are more common (27.8% versus 16.9% for group with high and low level of «esoteric thinking»). Correlations of the level of «esoteric thinking» with level of depression (Spearman’s correlation ,085*), anxiety (,097*), GSI (,130**), «fears for the life» (23.4% versus 14.5%) show high emotional distress. With an increase in the level of «esoteric thinking», belief in various conspiracy theories increases; Spearman’s correlation ,370** with the belief is biological weapons, punishment for sins (,355**), belief in concealing information about the pandemic (,167**).

A high level of esoteric thinking is associated with an increased emotional response to the pandemic and with belief in conspiracy theories, and can increase emotional instability by itself also making constructive decisions difficult in situations related to protecting personal health and safety.

No significant relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented detrimental impact on mental health in people around the world. It is therefore important to examine factors that may buffer or heighten the risk of mental health problems in this context.

This study explores the buffering effects of different flows of compassion (for self, for others, from others) and the magnifying effects of fears of compassion on the impact of perceived threat of COVID-19 on depression, anxiety and stress, and social safeness.

4057 adult participants collected from the general community population across 21 countries from Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, Asia and Oceania, completed self-report measures of perceived threat of COVID-19, compassion, fears of compassion, depression, anxiety, stress, and social safeness.

Self-compassion moderated the impact of perceived threat of COVID-19 on depression, anxiety and stress, whereas compassion from others moderated the effects of fears of COVID-19 on social safeness. Fears of compassion moderated the impact of perceived threat of COVID-19 on psychological distress. Only fears of compassion from others moderated the effects of fears of COVID-19 on social safeness. These effects were consistent across countries.

Our findings highlight the universal protective role of compassion, in particular self-compassion and compassion from others, in promoting resilience by buffering against the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and social safeness. Furthermore, our results reveal that fears of compassion have a magnifying effect on the damaging impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and social safeness.

I wasn’t able to add the full list of authors above. Please add the full list as described below.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the subject of intense discussion on social media platforms. Fake news and conspiracy theories about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in particular its origin, spread, impact on health and prevention, have become especially popular. The social crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a growing tendency to believe in conspiracy theories, which in turn may contribute to an increase in anxiety tension and thus deteriorate the psychological health of citizens.

The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between the tendency to believe in false information about the COVID-19 pandemic and the severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression among the surveyed Polish citizens.

The study included 700 Polish people aged 24.7±6.34 years. We used questionnaires such as: COVID-19 Conspiratorial Beliefs Scale to measure the level of belief in false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale to measure tendencies to believe in conspiracy theories, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Belief in false information about the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with a slight increase in the severity of both anxiety symptoms (b=0.044; p=0.021) and depression (b=0.048; p=0.004). A factor known as belief in the criminal activity of government organizations may also contribute to predicting the increase in the severity of symptoms of anxiety (b=0.172; p=0.001) and depression (b=0.169; p=0.000) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belief in false information about the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as belief in general conspiracy theories, can contribute to the psychological deterioration of citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

No significant relationships.

Recent systematic reviews have highlighted that people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) have higher risks of infection, hospitalisation and death from COVID-19, although the full extent of these disparities are not yet established.

Utilising electronic health records, we investigated COVID-19 related infection, hospitalisation and mortality among people with schizophrenia/psychosis, bipolar disorder (BD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) in two large UK samples: the UK Biobank (UKB) cohort study and GP-registered patients in Greater Manchester (GM).

We sampled 447,296 adults with and without SMI from UKB (inc. schizophrenia/psychosis=1,925, BD=1,483 and MDD=41,448, non-SMI=402,440) and 1,152,831 adults from GM (inc. schizophrenia/psychosis =46,859, BD=3,461, recurrent MDD=134,661, non-SMI = 922,264). Primary care, hospital and death records were linked to identify COVID-19 related outcomes. Logistic regression models were used to estimate unadjusted and adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) to compare differences in COVID-19 outcomes by diagnosis, controlling for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities.

We will report the findings of unadjusted and adjusted analyses, comparing ORs for people with and without SMI, by diagnosis. Findings will be compared between the two datasets, with attention to the demographic and clinical profiles of each sample. We will consider the role of demographic characteristics and comorbidities in attenuating outcomes.

Emerging evidence suggests that people with SMI have higher risks of COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and mortality. Based on two large datasets utilising EHRs, we present findings from the UK on COVID-19 outcomes among people with SMI, a country that has been severely affected by COVID-19.

No significant relationships.