International Journal of High Risk Behaviors and Addiction
Volume:12 Issue: 4, Dec 2023

 Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious and prevalent problem among the adult population. Despite its significant issue in clinical settings, there is a lack of effective, evidence-based, and affordable treatment options for NSSI.

 This study aimed to compare the efficacies of transdiagnostic therapy based on the Research Domain Criteria framework (TTB-RDoC) with treatment as usual (TAU) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of adult NSSI.

 A total of 68 males aged 18-30 years diagnosed with NSSI participated in this randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants were randomly assigned to 3 groups: TTB-RDoC (n = 24), TAU (n = 22), and tDCS (n = 22). Nonsuicidal self-injury and transdiagnostic symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and during a 12-month follow-up.

 Both TAU and TTB-RDoC treatments resulted in significantly lower ratings across all measures compared to tDCS at post-treatment (all P values < 0.001). TAU and TTB-RDoC showed significantly greater reductions in NSSI (P = 0.001 [post-treatment]; P = 0.001 [follow-up]) compared to tDCS.

 TTB-RDoC treatment may be an effective strategy to improve long-term treatment outcomes in adult NSSI.

 Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is an increasingly prevalent public health concern, particularly in adolescents and young adults. There is a dearth of recent studies that focus on DSH in countries in the Arab-Islamic world, such as Oman, which is undergoing rapid urbanization and modernization.

 This study aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with DSH at a single tertiary center in Muscat, Oman.
Patients and

 A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among patients aged ≥ 10 years clinically diagnosed with non-suicidal DSH at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients' electronic medical records were used to collect information on patients' demographics (gender, age, employment, educational, and marital status) and clinical characteristics (psychological comorbidity, method, frequency, and triggers of DSH). Descriptive and univariate analyses using the Pearson chi-squared test were performed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software program.

 A total of 98 patients were diagnosed with DSH during the study period, of whom 17 (17.3%) were male and 81 (82.7%) were female. Most patients were aged 10 - 25 years (61.2%), single (66.3%), and were students either in college (27.6%) or school (24.5%). The majority (62.2%) had mental health comorbidities, with psychotic disorders (27.6%) being the most common, followed by major depressive disorder (24.5%). The majority of DSH acts (88.9%) were impulsive in nature and not premeditated. Social stress was reported to be the most common trigger for DSH (41.8%), with the most common method being drug overdoses (58.2%). Overall, drug overdoses were slightly more common among patients aged < 40 years (60.9%; P = 0.067) and female patients (63.0%; P = 0.067), while self-cutting more frequently occurred among patients aged > 40 years (54.5%; P = 0.070) and male patients (47.1%; P = 0.080); however, these differences were not statistically significant.

 This study found that DSH was more frequent in young, single female students with comorbid mental disorders. Healthcare providers should be cognizant of the increased likelihood of DSH in this patient group and, therefore, screen and refer at-risk patients and those suspected of DSH for appropriate psychological support and counseling.

 The coronavirus pandemic and the preventive measures implemented in response to it have presented family structures with significant challenges and tensions, leading to an increase in domestic violence cases during quarantine.

 This study aimed to assess the impact of corona anxiety, cognitive emotion regulation, and distress tolerance on domestic violence among couples during quarantine.

 In this descriptive-analytical study, the study population included all married individuals who participated in the research through invitations. Three hundred and fifty participants were included in the research by available and targeted sampling. Data were collected using the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2), Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire (ERQ).

 The findings indicated that the variables of corona anxiety, cognitive emotion regulation, and distress tolerance could significantly predict domestic violence among couples. Among these variables, cognitive emotion regulation was the most suitable predictor of domestic violence. The study also revealed a significant positive relationship between corona anxiety and domestic violence (with a correlation coefficient of 0.051, P = 0.001). Additionally, there were negative relationships between cognitive emotion regulation and domestic violence (-0.45), as well as between distress tolerance and domestic violence (-0/38; P = 0.001).

 The research findings highlight the importance of addressing corona anxiety, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance to mitigate domestic violence among couples. Managing these factors can contribute to reducing the incidence of domestic violence in couples.

 Conflictual parent-adolescent interactions and parental psychological control to limit adolescents’ activities make them avoid their parents and then try to fill this emotional gap in other settings such as social media and networks.

 The present study aimed to predict social media addiction among female adolescents based on parent-adolescent conflict and parental psychological control.

 Participants in this study were 412 female adolescents in Ahvaz city, who were divided into two groups: (1) with social media addiction (206 persons); and (2) without social media addiction (206 persons). The participants completed the Social Media Addiction Scale, Parent-Adolescent Conflict Scale, and Psychological Control Scale-Youth Self-Report. The data were analyzed with SPSS 25 software. Discriminant analysis was conducted with equal groups based on the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale.

 Discriminant analysis showed that the levels of parent-adolescent conflict (conflict with the father and mother) and parental psychological control were significantly different between the two groups of adolescents (i.e., with and without social media addiction). Furthermore, parent-adolescent conflict and parental psychological control, either alone or together, could predict social media addiction among adolescents.

 Conflict between parents and adolescents and parental psychological control can gradually push adolescents toward addiction to social media. Accordingly, it is important to pay attention to parent-adolescent conflict and parental psychological control in order to prevent social media addiction among adolescents.

 Currently, the Internet is widely used by students for academic purposes; however, excessive Internet use might have negative consequences on students’ academic performance, sleep quality, and cognitive abilities.

 This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Internet usage, sleep quality, and cognitive function among medical students.

 This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 525 pre-internship medical students, including 304 first- and second-year students, 113 third-year students, and 108 externs, within 2019 and 2021 at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. The participants were selected using a stratified sampling method. All participants completed the Cognitive Ability Questionnaire (CAQ), Internet Addiction Questionnaire (IAQ), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22).

 According to the IAQ, 430 participants (81.9%) were categorized as average Internet users, 94 participants (17.9%) had occasional or frequent problems, and 1 participant had significant problems with Internet use. Mean PSQI and CAQ scores were significantly higher among participants with occasional or frequent problems/significant problems than the average Internet users (P < 0.001 each). The total IAQ score showed a positive correlation with total CAQ (r = 0.439, P < 0.001) and total PSQI (r = 0.264, P < 0.001) scores. Among the PSQI subscales, sleep latency (P = 0.032), daytime dysfunction due to sleepiness (P < 0.001), sleep efficiency (P = 0.001), and overall sleep quality (P < 0.001) were worse in participants with occasional or frequent problems/significant problems than in average Internet users.

 Excessive Internet use negatively affects the sleep quality and cognitive performance of medical students.

 Substance use is a global mental health issue and a significant challenge in many countries. As reported by the United Nations, marijuana had the highest production, trafficking, and consumption rates in 2022. Attitudes play a crucial role in influencing substance use, including marijuana.

 This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of lifetime marijuana use and attitudes regarding perceived harms, benefits, addictiveness, and reasons for use among students of Tehran universities. Additionally, it seeks to explore gender differences in these attitudes.

 This cross-sectional survey was conducted between June 2021 and January 2022 among 538 students from Tehran universities, comprising 44% men and 55.6% women. The sample size of 538 individuals was selected using convenience sampling. Lifetime marijuana use was self-reported, and attitudes were assessed using a validated marijuana attitude questionnaire rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Gender differences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.

 Overall, 17.5% of participants reported lifetime marijuana use, with a significantly higher prevalence among males (25%) compared to females (10.37%; P < 0.05). Most students (86%) considered marijuana to be addictive, especially females (92%) compared to males (78%) (χ2 = 17.6; P < 0.05). A larger proportion of females (74%) than males (58%) believed that marijuana was difficult to control (χ2 = 10.08; P < 0.05). While 93.5% acknowledged the existence of side effects, more males (39%) perceived benefits from marijuana use compared to females (28%; P < 0.05). The reported benefits included feelings of happiness (53%), stress and anxiety reduction (50%), and improved concentration (38%).

 The study revealed that both female and male students perceived marijuana use as equally harmful. However, female students exhibited a more negative attitude toward marijuana use compared to their male counterparts. Specifically, female students considered marijuana to be more addictive and harder to control than male students. This more negative attitude among female students regarding marijuana’s addictiveness, side effects, and controllability corresponded to lower actual usage rates.