Iranian Journal of Psychiatry

Worldwide Prevalence of Poor Sleep Quality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2025-02-22T09:57:58+0330

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to establish the prevalence of poor sleep quality among individuals aged over 60 years old, utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Method: To identify appropriate records, a thorough search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge databases was conducted until May 22, 2024. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Hoy tool. To calculate the pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval, the random effects model was utilized. Additionally, subgroup analyses were carried out to investigate the potential sources of heterogeneity.

Results: This study examined 52 cross-sectional studies encompassing 24,217 individuals aged 60 and older. The quality of the studies was assessed, with 4 rated as moderate and 48 as good. China reported the lowest prevalence of poor sleep quality at 14%, while Malaysia recorded the highest at 96%. The overall pooled prevalence was found to be 50% (95% CI: 45-55%), exhibiting significant heterogeneity across the studies (I² = 99.60%, Pheterogeneity < 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated that geographic location significantly influenced this heterogeneity (p < 0.001), with Africa showing a lower prevalence of poor sleep quality at 27% (95% CI: 23%-32%) compared to other regions. However, no significant differences were observed in the impact of other factors, such as gender, level of development, sample size, survey time, PSQI cut-off, and response rate on the overall heterogeneity of the analyzed data.

Conclusion: This study reveals that approximately half of older adults experience poor sleep quality. However, this prevalence varies across different locations, underscoring the necessity for targeted interventions that consider regional factors influencing sleep health.

The Use of Non-Pharmacological Treatments Plus Drugs: A Promising Approach in the Management of Schizophrenic Patients

2025-02-18T08:12:55+0330

This article is a letter to the editor and has no abstract

Validity and Reliability Assessment of the Arabic Version of the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire in a Moroccan Nursing Student Population

2025-01-06T08:26:50+0330

Objective: The Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC-Q) represents one of the existing tests for assessing these competences in students. The purpose of the present research was to examine the psychometric properties of the SEC-Q in Moroccan nursing students.
Method: A sample of 320 Moroccan nursing students, including 190 women and 130 men, was selected using a stratified convenience sampling method. Methodology consisted of forward and backward translations, linguistic adaptation, and pilot revision. Structural validity was investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was assessed through test-retest analysis using Pearson's correlation.
Results: Factor analyses produced a four-factor version of 16 items with a range of factor loadings from 0.72 to 0.89. Cronbach's alpha values were 0.92 for the self-awareness factor, 0.91 for the self-management factor, 0.90 for the social awareness factor, and 0.92 for the decision-making factor. These high values indicate excellent reliability. The test-retest coefficient for a 20-day interval between two assessments gave an rtt value of 0.92, demonstrating excellent response reliability. A strong correlation between the SECQ-AV, WLEIS and PSS-CP was found, demonstrating satisfactory convergent and divergent validity (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The Arabic version of SECQ demonstrated its validity and reliability for assessing social and emotional competencies in Moroccan nursing students. However, the sample selected was drawn from a single nursing training institute, which limits the representativeness of the entire student population, and makes it difficult to generalize the results. A cross-sectional study will therefore produce much more varied results, by including a very large sample from different regions and different nursing training institutes in Morocco.

Neurocognitive Deficits in Individuals at Ultra-High-Risk for Psychosis: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

2025-01-06T08:26:49+0330

Objective: Identifying individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHRP) is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies. Neurocognitive deficits have been increasingly recognized as potential predictors of psychosis onset. This overview aims to consolidate current evidence and elucidate the role of neurocognitive predictors in identifying UHRP individuals.
Method: we systematically searched three scientific databases, i.e., PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using predefined keywords related to predictive neurocognitive markers and ultra-high risk psychosis. By following the PRISMA procedure, we included all relevant systematic-reviews and meta-analyses in our data-synthesis.
Results: Neurocognitive deficits, including impairments in working memory, attentional control, verbal learning, and executive functions, have been consistently identified as predictors of psychosis conversion in individuals at UHRP. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have further revealed aberrant brain connectivity, reduced gray matter volume, and altered neural activation patterns in key brain regions to be involved in psychosis. Moreover, the combination of neurocognitive and clinical risk factors has been shown to enhance the accuracy of predicting psychosis onset and inform personalized intervention strategies.
Conclusion: Neurocognitive deficits serve as valuable predictors of the risk of psychosis in individuals with UHRP, offering insights into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and potential targets for early intervention. Future research should focus on refining predictive models, elucidating the neurodevelopmental trajectories, and evaluating the efficacy of targeted interventions in mitigating the psychosis risk.

A Serial Mediation Model of Perceived Social Class and Cyberbullying: The Role of Subjective Vitality in Friendship Relations and Psychological Distress

2025-01-06T08:26:52+0330

Objective: The link between individuals' perceptions of social class (PSC) and various forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, has not been extensively studied. Additionally, the mechanisms through which PSC impact aggressive behaviors like cyberbullying remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the influence of perceived social class on cyberbullying, considering subjective vitality and psychological distress as serial mediators.
Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, the research involved 584 Iranian students (Mage = 20.59, SD = 1.99) from several universities who completed questionnaires assessing Subjective Social Class (SSC), Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS), Psychological Distress Scale (K6), and Cyberbullying Involvement Scale (CIS). Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 6) in SPSS was employed to analyze the chain mediation effects.
Results: The Results demonstrated that the direct impact of PSC on cyberbullying was significant (Effect = -0.229, 95% CI: -0.294 to -0.164). Subjective vitality and psychological distress serially mediated the link between PSC and cyberbullying (Effect = -0.022, 95% CI: -0.035 to -0.012). In addition, both subjective vitality (Effect = -0.046, 95% CI: -0.080 to -0.017), and psychological distress (Effect = -0.09, 95% CI: -0.123 to -0.059), independently mediated the association between PSC and cyberbullying.
Conclusion: This research not only broadens the theoretical understanding of how individuals' perceptions of their social rank influence cyberbullying behaviors, but also provides actionable strategies for officials and experts to deploy effective interventions in higher education to mitigate cyberbullying.