Patient-reported quality of life reflects subjective factors such as well-being and autonomy, while clinicians may focus on functional capabilities. Understanding the factors behind the alignment or discordance between these assessments can help comprehend patients' values and social contexts.

This study explored the agreement between clinician-reported assessment of social autonomy and patient-reported assessment of quality of life in 92 adult participants with a mood disorder. Validated scales were used to measure the severity of depression, hypomania, quality of life, social autonomy, and internalized stigma.

Sociodemographic and clinical variables were compared between different groups using ANOVAs and chi-square tests. The results indicated that individuals with good social autonomy and quality of life had lower self-stigma scores. Those with low social autonomy and quality of life were less likely to be employed. The group with discordant scores between social autonomy and quality of life did not significantly differ from the other concordant groups in terms of sociodemographic and clinical variables.

The study suggests that mental health professionals should consider the association between clinician-reported and patient-reported assessments and their correlates before tailoring specific interventions.

Pre-transplant psychosocial assessment, in conjunction with medical and surgical evaluation, is a critical component of determining pediatric heart transplant candidacy. Psychosocial factors such as family dynamics, health literacy, mental health, financial stability, and adherence potential are often multidimensional and interdependent, making their assessment both vital and complex. However, few standardized tools exist to guide these evaluations in pediatric heart transplant settings, and even fewer have demonstrated empirical validity or predictive value. To address this gap, the Pediatric Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PPAT) was developed to provide a structured, semi-quantitative framework for evaluating psychosocial risk in pediatric transplant candidates.

This study presents initial validation data for the PPAT, based on 189 assessments conducted at a large pediatric heart transplant center. The tool evaluates nine psychosocial domains, assigns risk ratings, and yields a total risk score.

Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the tool, and internal consistency was strong (α = 0.89). Higher PPAT scores were significantly associated with lower odds of being listed for transplant by the center's multidisciplinary medical review board (MRB), even after accounting for clinical factors. Domain-level findings revealed financial and health literacy issues as commonly identified risk areas.

The PPAT holds promise as a valid, reliable, and clinically useful instrument for guiding MRB discussions and targeting interventions to support high-risk families. Future directions include expanding implementation to other centers and integrating the PPAT into digital platforms using artificial intelligence and natural language processing to enhance efficiency, consistency, and patient-centered care.

The mental health of widowed older adults has garnered increasing research attention due to its profound impact on well-being and quality of life. Despite growing scholarly interest, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of evolving research trends, key topics, and knowledge structures remains scarce. This study aims to identify key research themes, emerging trends, and interdisciplinary linkages to inform future studies on the mental health of widowed older adults.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using data from the Web of Science Core Collection (2004-2024). CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the R package "Bibliometrix" were utilized to visualize publication trends, country and author collaborations, keyword co-occurrences, theme analysis, and emerging research topics.

A total of 891 articles were analyzed. The United States produced the highest number of publications, followed by China and the United Kingdom, with the United States, England, and Canada exhibiting strong research collaborations. Depression, prevalence and mental health were identified as core research themes, while life satisfaction and social support emerged as growing areas of interest. Citation burst and thematic evolution analyses revealed shifting scholarly interest from clinical and diagnostic concerns towards psychosocial adaptation and person-centered approaches over time.

This bibliometric study systematically maps the research landscape, hotspots, and emerging trends in the mental health of widowed older adults over the past two decades. The findings provide valuable insights for researchers seeking to identify key research directions, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and develop targeted interventions to support the mental well-being of widowed older adults.

In this review, we consider digital psychiatry as a specialty to focus on combining the psychiatric clinical practices, psychiatric knowledge, and modern intelligent/digital approaches to automate the psychiatric clinical processes, such as diagnosis and treatment, in order to yield faster, better and consistent results, which is far beyond the development of smartphone apps, virtual reality (VR), and chatbots. Based on the recent advances in large-scale pre-trained models (PTMs), digital humans, VR and other immersive techniques, we here propose a framework to fully-automate the processes of mental health practices, and thus pave the way for digital psychiatric clinics. Specifically, in this paper, we first provide an outline of the related technical developments to digital psychiatry, by describing how digital entity, medical domain knowledge, autonomous agents and VR present new opportunities for practical clinical uses. Second, we introduce some basic mental health related issues in clinical settings, which should be considered in digital psychiatry systems. Third, we propose an outline of developing a fully-automated digital psychiatric system building on the existing artificial intelligence (AI) related technologies. Fourth, we discuss the challenges of implementing the digital psychiatry in the real-world environments. Finally, we discuss some key issues related to patients, medical providers and regulations which could not be avoided to implement the digital psychiatric systems and their applications.

Displaced youth face numerous stressors and are at high risk of experiencing suicidal ideation. Sport-for-protection programs offer a potentially effective strategy to reduce this risk; however, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating interventions in displacement contexts are lacking.

Displaced youth and youth from host communities in five humanitarian settings across Uganda, aged 15 to 24 years, with at least mild symptoms of anxiety and/or depression and suicidal ideation, were randomized to a 13-session sport-for-protection program or a wait-list control. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, adolescent version (PHQ-9-A) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Logistic and linear regression modeling were conducted.

In total, 542 of 817 young people (66.3%) reported suicidal ideation (PHQ-9-A ≥1) in the past 2 weeks. Of these 542, 277 were randomized to the experimental group and 265 to the control group. The median age was 19.0 years, 45.6% were boys, 13.1% had a self-reported or observed disability, 25.8% were from host communities, and 74.2% were displaced youth. The prevalence of suicidal ideation dropped to 11.5% following the sport-for-protection intervention, compared to 53.2% in the control group (Cohen's h = 0.94, P<0.001, indicating a large difference; odds ratio for no suicidal ideation following sport-for-protection vs the control condition = 8.7, 95% confidence interval = 5.6-13.5).

Sport-for-protection is an effective stand-alone or adjunctive intervention to reduce suicidal ideation among young people affected by displacement in humanitarian settings.

Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent in Brazil, with higher vulnerability among young adults. Despite the high prevalence, Brazil faces significant challenges in its mental health care system, with only a minority receiving treatment. Tailored internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) offers a promising strategy to address this treatment versus demand gap. This study examines the efficacy of individually tailored ICBT intervention with on-demand support for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in young adults.

This two-arm randomized controlled trial involved Brazilian young adults (aged 18-24 years) who were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n = 46) or a waitlist control group (n = 46). The 8-week treatment included individually tailored ICBT with therapist support on-demand via chat, conducted on an online platform. Primary outcomes were symptoms of anxiety and depression. Secondary measures included stress, insomnia, smartphone and social media use, perfectionism, and quality of life. A six-month follow-up was conducted.

Multiple regression analysis indicated that the treatment group, in comparison to the control group, showed significant reductions in anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia, as well as improvements in quality of life, with moderate to large effects sizes.

ICBT is a viable intervention for young Brazilians experiencing common mental health symptoms. Further research is needed to explore implementation and impact on other populations.

Depression is a complex and heterogeneous disorder that results from a combination of genetic vulnerability, environmental stressors, and dysregulated biological processes. While systemic inflammation and gut dysbiosis have been extensively investigated in the context of depression, the role of the oral microbiome has only recently begun to emerge. The oral microbiome is a highly diverse and dynamic ecosystem, comprising bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea, which coexist in a delicate balance with the host's immune system. This microbial community plays a fundamental role in maintaining not only oral health, but also systemic homeostasis. Emerging evidence suggests that disruptions in this balance, or oral dysbiosis, may contribute to a range of systemic inflammatory conditions, including psychiatric disorders such as depression. Factors comprising periodontal disease, dental infections, and poor oral hygiene can lead to an imbalance in oral microbial composition, promoting immune system activation, chronic inflammation and microbial translocation, which are increasingly recognised mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of depression. This review delves into the emerging evidence linking oral dysbiosis to depression, elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms and their clinical implications. By bridging the gap between oral health and mental well-being, it underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in addressing depression-one that extends beyond conventional psychiatric treatments to include oral health interventions as a viable component of comprehensive care strategies.

AI-based psychotherapy apps offer accessibility and structured interventions but face challenges regarding emotional depth, personalization, engagement, and ethical concerns. This study critically examines user experiences, identifying key advantages, limitations, and areas for refinement.

A qualitative approach was employed, using thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 17 participants (aged 18-45) who had used AI-based psychotherapy apps for at least four weeks. Ten participants had prior clinical diagnoses (e.g., anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder), while others reported subclinical psychological distress. Engagement duration ranged from 2 to 11 months, with most using the apps two to five times per week.

Ten core themes emerged, revealing a paradox of accessibility versus therapeutic depth. While users valued immediacy and anonymity, they struggled with fragmented therapeutic narratives, scripted empathy, and algorithmic stagnation in personalization. The over-reliance on CBT frameworks limited adaptability to diverse emotional needs, while linguistic and cultural microaggressions led to disengagement. Privacy concerns stemmed from a mismatch between perceived and actual risks, and AI-induced dependence raised ethical questions about user autonomy.

The AI psychotherapy must evolve beyond static, standardized interventions by integrating emotionally responsive, culturally adaptive, and ethically responsible AI models. Enhancing therapeutic continuity, adaptive learning, and human-AI hybrid models can bridge the gap between accessibility and authentic engagement. These findings inform future AI-driven mental health innovations, ensuring they align with psychological, ethical, and cultural expectations.

The mental health of doctors in India is a growing public health concern due to its impact on healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and professional fulfillment. There is a lack of comprehensive synthesis of the existing literature; hence, this scoping review was conducted. The objective of this review was to map and synthesize the literature on the mental health challenges doctors face in India and to provide a comprehensive overview of key issues.

A detailed literature search was conducted across PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, covering studies from 2000 to 2024. Data extraction included the sample size, population characteristics, mental health issues investigated, study focus, and key findings. A descriptive synthesis and thematic analysis were performed. This review included 122 studies predominantly conducted across India. More than half of the surveyed doctors exhibited significant levels of depression and anxiety, often linked to long working hours, inadequate rest, and high occupational demands. Lifestyle disorders, including inadequate sleep, poor physical activity, and unhealthy diets, were prevalent and exacerbated stress. Work-life balance was achieved by only 25% of doctors, with gender disparities placing additional burdens on females. Higher emotional intelligence correlated with better professional and life satisfaction. Organizational stressors, including resource shortages and workplace conflicts, contributed to burnout, with rates varying across specialties.

Indian doctors face mental health challenges due to professional pressures, work-life imbalance, gender disparities, and resilience issues. Systemic interventions are urgently needed, including mental health support systems and emotional intelligence training.