perceived severity

Abstract We investigated public beliefs about the extent to which mental disorders are perceived to be part of the true self, that is, the set of traits and behaviors that compose one’s core character. We conducted three quantitative vignette-based studies (total n = 601) in UK general public samples, considering seven disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)). For each disorder, participants rated how much the disorder reflects the vignette character’s true self, along with perceived causes of the disorders (studies 1 and 2), perceived severity, age of onset, duration, probability of recovery (study 2), and stigmatization (study 3). Disorders differed sharply in the extent to which they were judged to be part of the true self: ADHD, ASD, and OCD received higher true self ratings than major depressive disorder, anorexia nervosa, and schizophrenia, with bipolar disorder intermediate. A disorder was rated more ‘true self’ when it was: perceived as more “biologically” caused; less “psychologically” caused; less severe; and recovery was perceived as less likely. Although the extent of stigmatization also varied across disorders, true self ratings did not predict stigmatization. Our results show that the public thinks about different mental disorders in quite different ways, suggesting that different disorders should not be lumped together when considering attitudes and their consequences.

Autoimmune conditions may affect wellbeing through symptoms, treatment demands, uncertainty and disruption to daily activities. This cross-sectional study examined subjective psychological wellbeing among adults living with autoimmune conditions and its association with illness-related factors. The project reports data from 21 participants. Wellbeing was measured using the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), scored from 0 to 100, alongside a researcher-developed illness-impact questionnaire. The reported mean WHO-5 score was 31.05 (SD = 21.61; median = 32; range = 0?88). Illness duration was not significantly associated with wellbeing (r = .043, p = .857; n = 20). Greater perceived severity (ρ = -.587, p = .005), treatment burden (ρ = -.519, p = .016) and interference with daily activities (ρ = -.754, p < .001) were associated with lower wellbeing. The gender comparison was not statistically significant (U = 53.0, p = .299). These preliminary results require verification against the anonymized dataset. The small, mixed-diagnosis sample and cross-sectional design limit generalizability and causal interpretation.

Objective Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate the Cardiovascular Health Beliefs Scale (CHBS) to assess CVD-related health beliefs.Methods A cross-sectional methodological design was utilized in two phases. Phase 1 (n = 150) focused on item generation and exploratory factor analysis. Phase 2 (n = 531) involved confirmatory factor analysis. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using the newly developed CHBS and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) General Severity Index to test construct validity.Results The CHBS supported an acceptable six-factor structure: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, health motivation, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from .70 to .84, demonstrating adequate internal consistency.Conclusion The CHBS demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability as a measurement tool. It enables nurses and healthcare professionals to assess risk behaviors and implement culturally congruent, targeted preventive interventions for cardiovascular care within the Turkish population.

هدف: بیماری قلبی‌عروقی (CVD) یکی از علل اصلی مرگ‌ومیر است. این مطالعه با هدف تدوین و ارزیابی روان‌سنجی مقیاس باورهای سلامت قلب‌وعروق (CHBS) جهت سنجش باورهای مرتبط با سلامت قلب‌وعروق انجام شد. روش‌ها: این پژوهش به صورت مقطعی و روش‌شناختی در دو مرحله انجام گرفت. در مرحله اول (n = ۱۵۰) بر تولید گویه‌ها و تحلیل عاملی اکتشافی تمرکز شد. مرحله دوم (n = ۵۳۱) شامل تحلیل عاملی تأییدی بود. داده‌ها از طریق مصاحبه حضوری با استفاده از CHBS تدوین‌شده و شاخص شدت کلی فهرست علائم مختصر (BSI) به منظور آزمون روایی سازه جمع‌آوری شد. یافته‌ها: ساختار شش‌عاملی قابل قبولی برای CHBS تأیید شد: آسیب‌پذیری ادراک‌شده، شدت ادراک‌شده، انگیزش سلامت، منافع ادراک‌شده، موانع ادراک‌شده و خودکارآمدی. ضرایب آلفای کرونباخ بین ۰٫۷۰ تا ۰٫۸۴ بود که نشان‌دهنده انسجام درونی مناسب است. نتیجه‌گیری: CHBS روایی و پایایی قابل قبولی به عنوان ابزار سنجش نشان داد. این ابزار به پرستاران و متخصصان سلامت کمک می‌کند تا رفتارهای پرخطر را ارزیابی کرده و مداخلات پیشگیرانه هدفمند و متناسب با فرهنگ را برای مراقبت قلب‌وعروق در جمعیت ترکیه‌ای اجرا کنند.

This study examined the challenges faced by refugee parents caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Twenty-two parents participated in a mixed-methods study that included surveys and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed significant challenges, including reduced parental well-being, increased family strain, and limited access to specialized support services. Parental satisfaction with caregiving was correlated with the perceived severity of autism symptoms. Thematic analysis of interviews identified five key domains of challenges: institutional, personal, financial, family, and social. Family cohesion and presence of dependents emerged as protective factors mitigating the negative impacts of displacement. The study concludes that refugee parents caring for children with autism require comprehensive support, including specialized healthcare, psychological support, and financial assistance. The findings are discussed within the broader context of developmental disabilities in humanitarian settings, highlighting both shared challenges and autism-specific needs.

این مطالعه به بررسی چالش‌های والدین پناهنده که از کودکان دارای اختلال طیف اوتیسم (ASD) در اقلیم کردستان عراق مراقبت می‌کنند، پرداخت. بیست‌و‌دو والد در یک پژوهش با روش ترکیبی که شامل پرسشنامه‌ها و مصاحبه‌های نیمه‌ساختاریافته بود، شرکت کردند. یافته‌ها نشان داد که چالش‌های قابل توجهی از جمله کاهش بهزیستی والدین، افزایش فشار خانوادگی و دسترسی محدود به خدمات حمایتی تخصصی وجود دارد. رضایت والدین از مراقبت با شدت ادراک‌شده علائم اوتیسم همبستگی داشت. تحلیل تماتیک مصاحبه‌ها پنج حوزه اصلی چالش را شناسایی کرد: نهادی، فردی، مالی، خانوادگی و اجتماعی. انسجام خانواده و حضور افراد وابسته به عنوان عوامل محافظتی که اثرات منفی جابجایی را کاهش می‌دهند، ظاهر شدند. این مطالعه نتیجه می‌گیرد که والدین پناهنده مراقب کودکان دارای اوتیسم به حمایت جامع شامل مراقبت‌های بهداشتی تخصصی، حمایت روان‌شناختی و کمک مالی نیاز دارند. یافته‌ها در بستر گسترده‌تر ناتوانی‌های رشدی در محیط‌های انسانی مورد بحث قرار گرفته و بر چالش‌های مشترک و نیازهای خاص اوتیسم تأکید می‌کند.