Neusa Sica da Rocha

Background: Restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have raised concern among suicidology and mental health researchers regarding a possible increase in suicide risk, particularly among people already in psychological distress. Attachment style is one relational characteristic that may act as either a vulnerability or a protective factor. Objective: To analyze the association between attachment style and suicide risk among patients undergoing online psychotherapy. Additionally, it sought to explore the influence of depression on this relationship and to estimate the prevalence of suicide risk. Method: Cross-sectional analysis of a multi-center sample of patients in online psychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic ( n = 94) with complete data on all instruments analyzed. Measures included sociodemographic data, attachment style (Adult Attachment Scale-R, AAS-R), depression (PHQ-9), and suicide risk (PHQ-9-item9). Group comparisons used the Mann-Whitney U test; associations used the chi-square test, and relationships between scores used Spearman correlations. Results: The prevalence of higher suicide risk was 43.6% ( n = 41; 95% CI 34.0–53.7). Patients at higher suicide risk scored higher on anxiety/fear of abandonment (3.53 ± 0.99 vs. 3.03 ± 1.04; p = .018; r = .28) and lower on comfort with intimacy (2.88 ± 0.82 vs. 3.44 ± 0.73; p = .003; r = − .36) and trust in others (2.54 ± 0.76 vs. 2.87 ± 0.68; p = .044; r = − .24). Depression severity fully mediated the effects of comfort with intimacy and trust in others on suicide risk, but not that of anxiety/fear of abandonment. Conclusions: Attachment style was associated with suicide risk in patients receiving online psychotherapy. Much, though not all, of this association operated through depression severity. The findings support the early identification of insecure attachment as a clinically useful component of suicide risk assessment and underline that suicidal ideation is not confined to patients who screen positive for depression.

Background: The “pulling-together effect” has been widely studied in the context of large-scale crises, such as wars, natural disasters, epidemics, and pandemics. This study was conducted from November 2020 to June 2021 and suggests a possible association with this effect, as this period may represent one of the most intense phases of the pulling-together effect ever studied in the context of global catastrophes. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between life-threatening behavior and satisfaction with social relationships in online psychotherapy patients, which may be related to the pulling-together effect and the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The clinical sample was composed mostly of females (80%), aged from 21 to 30 years. Patients were selected from the psychotherapy services of five major hospitals in Porto Alegre, a state capital in southern Brazil. Results: Preliminary results indicated that 41 individuals (44%) had some form of life-threatening behavior, and 62 (66%) rated their satisfaction with personal relationships as satisfactory or indifferent. After adjustment for other variables—gender, skin-color, and marital status—satisfaction with social relationships showed a protective effect, reducing life-threatening behavior by 29% (95%CI: 0.59–0.86, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that satisfaction with social relationships was protective against suicidal behavior in the early stages of the pandemic. In this sample, we identified a possible association with the pulling-together effect.

Writing and publishing a scientific article is an important distinguishing factor for both academic and professional résumés; however, accomplishing it is a challenge. This article is a narrative literature review that seeks to identify the essential elements for writing and publishing a scientific article. The first step is to select a topic that is both interesting and relevant to the academic community. Next, writing should begin by logically structuring the ideas according to the standard sections of scientific articles. Choosing the right journal for publication is crucial, affecting the article’s visibility and impact. Analyzing the journal’s scope and the types of articles it publishes helps determine its suitability. Finally, the editorial and peer-review process is essential for ensuring high-quality scientific dissemination. Moreover, it is important to consider the use of artificial intelligence tools in academic writing. Escrever e publicar um artigo científico é um importante diferencial para o currículo acadêmico e profissional, porém é um desafio concretizá-lo. Este artigo é uma revisão narrativa da literatura que busca identificar os elementos essenciais para a escrita e publicação de um artigo científico. O primeiro passo é selecionar um tema de interesse e relevância para a comunidade acadêmica. Em seguida, deve-se iniciar a escrita, estruturando as ideias de forma lógica e conforme as seções de artigos científicos. A escolha da revista para publicação é vital, pois impacta a visibilidade e o impacto do artigo. Analisar o escopo e os tipos de artigos publicados na revista ajuda a determinar sua adequação. Por fim, o processo editorial e de revisão é essencial para a divulgação científica de qualidade. Ademais, é importante ponderar o uso de ferramentas de inteligência artificial na escrita acadêmica. https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.v20i00.1948001

Writing and publishing a scientific article is an important distinguishing factor for both academic and professional résumés; however, accomplishing it is a challenge. This article is a narrative literature review that seeks to identify the essential elements for writing and publishing a scientific article. The first step is to select a topic that is both interesting and relevant to the academic community. Next, writing should begin by logically structuring the ideas according to the standard sections of scientific articles. Choosing the right journal for publication is crucial, affecting the article’s visibility and impact. Analyzing the journal’s scope and the types of articles it publishes helps determine its suitability. Finally, the editorial and peer-review process is essential for ensuring high-quality scientific dissemination. Moreover, it is important to consider the use of artificial intelligence tools in academic writing. Escrever e publicar um artigo científico é um importante diferencial para o currículo acadêmico e profissional, porém é um desafio concretizá-lo. Este artigo é uma revisão narrativa da literatura que busca identificar os elementos essenciais para a escrita e publicação de um artigo científico. O primeiro passo é selecionar um tema de interesse e relevância para a comunidade acadêmica. Em seguida, deve-se iniciar a escrita, estruturando as ideias de forma lógica e conforme as seções de artigos científicos. A escolha da revista para publicação é vital, pois impacta a visibilidade e o impacto do artigo. Analisar o escopo e os tipos de artigos publicados na revista ajuda a determinar sua adequação. Por fim, o processo editorial e de revisão é essencial para a divulgação científica de qualidade. Ademais, é importante ponderar o uso de ferramentas de inteligência artificial na escrita acadêmica. https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.v20i00.1948001

Introduction: Resilience is a concept that has been widely studied in different contexts and is related to adaptation to different stress levels. Although research in psychotherapy has produced vast knowledge about the effectiveness and mechanisms that mediate response, there is still no clarity about the role of resilience in this process, especially research in psychotherapy with patients with severe mental illness. Due to the implications of severe mental illness in different areas of life, in these patients, the capacity for resilience may be impaired, and the mechanisms involved in mediating this process are still not well explained. Objective: Verify the associations between personality traits and resilience and their potential confounders (sociodemographic factors, pharmacological treatment, type of psychotherapy, social support, depressive and anxiety symptoms). Assess depressive symptoms as a possible mediator of the relationship between personality traits and resilience. Methods: This is a naturalistic cross-sectional study, with 83 participants undergoing psychotherapy from different theoretical lines (psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and interpersonal). Sociodemographic characteristics were evaluated, as well as resilience (25-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), anxious symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory), and Personality traits (Personality Inventory for DSM-5). Results: Resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (B = −12.1, p < 0.001). The mediation effect was significant for depressive symptoms (b = −7.21, BCa 95% CI [−12.6, −3.07]). This variable mediated approximately 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience. Conclusion: Resilience was positively associated with antagonism traits and negatively with negative affectivity and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms mediated 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience. The main findings of this study contribute to a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in resilience, thus influencing the mental health outcomes of patients with severe mental illness.

Key words: Spirituality; religiousness; spiritual QoL; WHOQOL-SRPB BREF; psychometrics