1. |
- Lundberg, Mathias, et al.
(author)
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Challenges and opportunities in the diagnosis and treatment of early-onset psychosis : a case series from the youth affective disorders clinic in Stockholm, Sweden
- 2024
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In: Schizophrenia. - : Springer Nature. - 2754-6993. ; 10:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Early-onset psychosis is linked to adverse long-term outcomes, recurrent disease course, and prolonged periods of untreated illness; thus highlighting the urgency of improving early identification and intervention. This paper discusses three cases where initial emphasis on psychosocial treatments led to diagnostic and therapeutic delays: (1) a 15-year-old misdiagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and autism, who improved on bipolar medication and antipsychotics; (2) another 15-year-old misdiagnosed with autism, who stabilized on lithium and antipsychotics, subsequently allowing for gender dysphoria evaluation; (3) a 9-year-old autistic boy incorrectly treated for ADHD, who recovered with appropriate antipsychotic treatment. These cases illuminate the vital importance of adhering to a diagnostic hierarchy, prioritizing diagnostic utility, and conducting longitudinal evaluations to facilitate early targeted treatment of psychotic symptoms in early-onset psychosis. Adherence to such strategies can minimize delays in managing early-onset psychosis and improve long-term prognoses.
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2. |
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Advancing Language Research through Q Methodology
- 2024
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Editorial collection (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This volume investigates the ways in which Q methodology can uncover and foreground new perspectives and contribute to language education and language policy research. It demonstrates the flexibility of this research methodology in addressing dynamic and complex language issues across a variety of educational topics and geographical contexts. The chapter authors use Q methodology to explore topics such as identity, motivation, cognition, emotion, pre-service and in-service teacher beliefs and to evaluate language programmes, curricula and policies. These contributions highlight Q methodology's potential to inform theoretical developments by revealing fresh perspectives on contemporary issues and generating new hypotheses. They foster further Q methodology research, demonstrating how it can contribute to a science of subjectivity and allow researchers to value the perspectives of all stakeholders for more inclusive research. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in language education and language policy research and those in the broader field of social sciences looking to expand their knowledge of the methodology and how it can be used to study contemporary, dynamic and complex issues.
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3. |
- Ali, Kamran, et al.
(author)
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Does problem-based learning facilitate enactment of learner agency in undergraduate dental curricula? A Q study
- 2023
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In: European journal of dental education. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1396-5883 .- 1600-0579. ; 27:4, s. 823-832
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Addressing a literature gap on leaner agency in health profession education, this study explores students' perceptions on which aspects of a problem-based learning (PBL) environment cradle their leaner agency enactment.METHODS: Thirty-eight students from a newly established undergraduate dental medicine programme in Qatar participated in the study. Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyse data both qualitatively and quantitatively. A 40-statement Q-set was established based on a proposed conceptual framework of learner agency in PBL, including three dimensions-intrapersonal, behavioural and environmental.RESULTS: Q methodological factor analysis identified four significantly different student viewpoints, which underscored participants' enactment of learner agency addressing the intrapersonal, behavioural and environmental dimensions of the conceptual framework. Despite differences in opinion regarding sources of learner agency, the four student viewpoints unanimously underscore the importance of PBL facilitators' expertise to nurture and develop agency amongst undergraduate students. Post-sorting qualitative data further confirmed the quantitative analysis. Time constraints and workload were identified as the main challenges by the participants.CONCLUSIONS: This study explored enactment of learner agency as perceived by undergraduate dental students in a PBL curriculum. The findings of this study provide new insights into participants' subjective understanding of learner agency in a PBL curriculum in dentistry. Structured support is needed for students having no prior PBL experiences to develop their learner agency at both intrapersonal and behavioural (self-regulated learning) dimensions, and to ensure they interact with their learning environment proactively.
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4. |
- Andersson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Anorexia Nervosa With Comorbid Severe Depression : A Systematic Scoping Review of Brain Stimulation Treatments
- 2023
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In: Journal of ECT. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1095-0680 .- 1533-4112. ; 39:4, s. 227-234
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) and is a predictor of greater clinical severity. However, there is a limited amount of evidence supporting the use of psychotropic medications for its management. A systematic scoping review was conducted to assess the current literature on brain stimulation treatments for AN with comorbid MDD, with a specific focus on MDD treatment response and weight restoration. This review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and the PubMed, PsycInfo, and MEDLINE databases were searched until July 2022 using specific key words related to AN and brain stimulation treatments. A total of 373 citations were identified, and 49 treatment studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the review. The initial evidence suggests that electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and deep-brain stimulation may be effective in managing comorbid MDD in AN. Emerging evidence suggests that transcranial direct current stimulation may have a positive effect on body mass index in individuals with severe to extreme AN. However, there is a need for the development of better measurement techniques for assessing the severity of depression in the context of AN. Controlled trials that are adequately designed to account for these limitations are highly warranted for deep-brain stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and hold promise for providing clinically meaningful results.
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5. |
- Andersson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Association of Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis With Suicide Mortality Rates in Adolescents in Sweden
- 2023
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In: JAMA psychiatry. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 2168-6238 .- 2168-622X. ; 80:8, s. 796-802
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Importance: The association of early diagnosis and management of bipolar disorder with adolescent suicide mortality (ASM) is unknown.Objective: To assess regional associations between ASM and bipolar disorder diagnosis frequencies.Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study investigated the association between annual regional ASM and bipolar disorder diagnosis rates in Swedish adolescents aged 15 to 19 years in January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2021. Aggregated data without exclusions reported at the regional level encompassed 585 suicide deaths, constituting 588 unique observations (ie, 21 regions, 14 years, 2 sexes).Exposures: Bipolar disorder diagnosis frequencies and lithium dispensation rates were designated as fixed-effects variables (interaction term in the case of males). An interaction term between psychiatric care affiliation rates and the proportion of psychiatric visits to inpatient and outpatient clinics constituted independent fixed-effects variables. Region and year comprised random intercept effect modifiers. Variables were population adjusted and corrected for heterogeneity in reporting standards.Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were sex-stratified, regional, and annual ASM rates in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years per 100 000 inhabitants as analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models.Results: Female adolescents were diagnosed with bipolar disorder almost 3 times more often than male adolescents (mean [SD], 149.0 [19.6] vs 55.3 [6.1] per 100 000 inhabitants, respectively). Median regional prevalence rates of bipolar disorder varied over the national median by a factor of 0.46 to 2.61 and 0.00 to 1.82 in females and males, respectively. Bipolar disorder diagnosis rates were inversely associated with male ASM (β = -0.00429; SE, 0.002; 95% CI, -0.0081 to -0.0004; P = .03) independent of lithium treatment and psychiatric care affiliation rates. This association was replicated by β-binomial models of a dichotomized quartile 4 ASM variable (odds ratio, 0.630; 95% CI, 0.457-0.869; P = .005), and both models were robust after adjusting for annual regional diagnosis rates of major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. No such association was observed in females.Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, lower suicide death rates in adolescent males was robustly associated with regional diagnosis rates of bipolar disorder at an estimated magnitude of approximately 4.7% of the mean national suicide death rate. The associations could be due to treatment efficacy, early diagnosis and management, or other factors not accounted for.
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6. |
- Andersson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Inverse association of anti-inflammatory prescription fills and suicide-related mortality in young adults : Evidence from a nationwide study of Swedish regions, 2006-2021
- 2023
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In: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health. - : Elsevier. - 2666-3546. ; 31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: This cross-sectional study examined nationwide real-world associations between anti-inflammatory agent fills and suicide-related death rates in 20-24-year-olds across the 21 Swedish regions during 2006-2021.Methods: Nationwide Swedish registers were used to compare regional year-wise suicide-related mortality (SRM) and dispensations for anti-inflammatory agents (ATC-code: M01) in 20-24-year-olds. Dispensations for paracetamol (ATC-code: N02BE01) was applied as a control variable. Associations between regional year-wise SRM and dispensation rates were analyzed by sex-stratified zero-inflated generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMM). Dispensation rates of paracetamol and inflammatory agents were designated as independent fixed effects variables, and year and region constituted random-intercept effects.Results: Acetic acid derivatives and related substances (M01AB) and propionic acid derivates (M01A3) accounted for-71% of measured dispensation fills for anti-inflammatory agents. Diclofenac fills constituted-98% of the former category, whereas dispensations for Ibuprofen (-21%), Naproxen (-62%) and Ketoprofen (-13%) constituted the most prescribed agents in the latter category. Regional yearly dispensation rates of anti-inflammatory agents in 20-24-year-old females were inversely associated with female SRM (& beta; = - 0.095, p = 0.0393, 95% CI-0.186,-0.005) - independent of paracetamol rates, which were unassociated to SRM (p = 0.2094). Results were confirmed in validation analyses for anti-inflammatory agents (OR = 0.7232, p = 0.0354, 95% CI [OR] 0.5347, 0.9781). No association was demonstrated in males (p = 0.833).Conclusion: Anti-inflammatory agent dispensation rates were independently associated to lower suicide-related death rates in female 20-24-year-olds. This adds to growing evidence implicating inflammatory processes in mental disorders, warranting trials focusing on the suicide preventative potential of anti-inflammatories in young adults.
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7. |
- Andersson, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Mapping length of inpatient treatment duration and year-wise relapse rates in eating disordered populations in a well-defined Western-European healthcare region across 1998–2020
- 2023
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In: International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1049-8931 .- 1557-0657. ; 32:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Updated international guideline recommendations for AN inpatient care rely on expert opinions/observational evidence and promote extended inpatient stays, warranting investigation using higher-level ecological evidence.Methods: The study was conducted according to Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER). Data encompassing 13,885 ED inpatients (5336 adolescents and 8549 adults) was retrieved from Swedish public health registries. Variables analyzed included (1) ED inpatient care opportunities, (2) unique number of ED inpatients and (3) mean length of ED-related inpatient stays in age groups 15–19 and 20–88+, across 1998–2020.Results: Mean length of inpatient stays was inversely correlated to relapse to ED-related inpatient care within the same year (p < 0.001, R-squaredadj = 0.5216 and p < 0.00001, R-squaredadj = 0.5090, in the 15–19 and 20–88+ age groups, respectively), independent of number of ED inpatients treated within a year in both age groups. Extending mean adolescent inpatient duration from 35 to 45 days was associated with a ∼30% reduction in the year-wise relapse rate.Conclusions: Mean length of ED-related inpatient treatment stays was associated with reduced relapses to inpatient care within the same year, which could be interpreted as support for recommendations to include a stabilization phase in inpatient ED treatment.
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9. |
- Boström, Adrian Desai E., et al.
(author)
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Regional clozapine, ECT and lithium usage inversely associated with excess suicide rates in male adolescents
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Advanced psychiatric treatments remain uncertain in preventing suicide among adolescents. Across the 21 Swedish regions, using nationwide registers between 2016-2020, we found negative correlation between adolescent excess suicide mortality (AESM) and regional frequencies of clozapine, ECT, and lithium (CEL) usage among adolescents (β = -0.613, p = 0.0003, 95% CI: -0.338, -0.889) and males (β = -0.404, p = 0.009, 95% CI: -0.130, -0.678). No correlation was found among females (p = 0.197). Highest CEL usage among male adolescents was seen in regions with lowest quartile (Q1) AESM (W = 74, p = 0.012). Regional CEL treatment frequency in 15-19-year-olds was related to lower AESM in males, reflecting potential treatment efficacy, treatment compliance or better-quality mental health care. Suicide prevention may benefit from early recognition and CEL treatment for severe mental illness in male adolescents. The results indicate association but further research, using independent samples and both prospective and observational methodologies, is needed to confirm causality.
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10. |
- Camenzuli, Rebecca, et al.
(author)
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Collective teachers' beliefs about multilingualism in Maltese primary education
- 2023
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In: International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1367-0050 .- 1747-7522. ; 26:4, s. 379-394
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Traditionally bilingual Maltese school populations are increasingly linguistically diverse, due to intensified migration flows. To shed light on central issues to be addressed by policy makers, school administrators, researchers and teacher trainers, collective beliefs of Maltese primary school teachers regarding their conceptual understanding and pedagogical actions concerning multilingualism are investigated. Through the application of Q methodology and focus group interviews, data from twenty-one in-service teachers from six different colleges were collected. Using inverted factor analysis, three factors were extracted for each of the components (understanding and pedagogy). Detailed narratives for each group of collective teachers' beliefs were described and supplemented with teachers' validating comments. Findings indicate that having a positive understanding of multilingualism does not necessarily imply positive pedagogical beliefs and vice versa. In Malta's inherently bilingual education system, teachers tend to accept and welcome children's languages in their classrooms and encourage the learning of additional languages. However, possibly due to a lack of adequate training on the subject, there is scepticism regarding whether and how to effectively draw on multilingualism in the classroom. Additionally, the need arises for more teacher autonomy and agency to make decisions regarding classroom language practices, and for a more comprehensive Maltese national language education policy.
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