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Results for “psychological interventions”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Psychological interventions to improve maternal mental health and resilience during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women experienced increased psychological distress, while access to routine mental health care was often disrupted. Psychological interventions may provide an effective strategy to support maternal mental health under these circumstances. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of psychological interventions for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing distress and enhancing resilience. METHODS: A systematic search of four databases was conducted up to 3 September 2025. Randomised and non-randomised studies evaluating psychological interventions during pregnancy were included. RESULTS: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Interventions included cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, psychoeducation, and other psychological approaches delivered through individual, group, digital, or hybrid formats. Most studies reported reductions in depression, anxiety, or stress, and some found improvements in resilience-related factors. However, the methodological quality was modest; with heterogeneous outcome measures and limited follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, psychological interventions adapted for digital or hybrid delivery show promise for improving maternal emotional well-being in times of crises. The findings suggest that accessible and scalable psychological interventions may support maternal mental health during crisis situations when routine care is disrupted. Future research should prioritize larger, methodologically rigorous trials with standardized outcomes, and longer follow-up periods.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Positive psychology interventions during pregnancy: A systematic review.

Positive psychology interventions (PPI) have been applied and demonstrated evidence in various population groups. The present systematic review focused on the types and influence of PPI on the physical and psychological health of pregnant women. Studies that matched the selection criteria were identified on EBSCOhost, PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and four positive psychology journals. From the 2528 records identified, finally eight studies were included in the review. PPI in this review were delivered utilising various positive psychology components such as hope, gratitude and optimism based on existing theories, for example, the strengths theory, broaden-and-build theory, and hope theory. Most interventions were conducted from 14 gestational weeks onwards and were delivered via virtual platforms or mobile applications. As a result of this systematic review, it was identified that PPIs for maternal well-being were aimed at improving (1) physical health, including labour pain, nausea and vomiting; (2) psychological health, including stress, emotions, anxiety and depression; and (3) subjective health, including life satisfaction, perceived social support and quality of life. Most of the selected studies provided significant evidence towards improvement of well-being outcomes from administering PPI. For future studies, in-depth PPI integrated coping and support approaches should be further evidenced among diverse pregnant populations.

Humans↗
PubMed1979

Psychological intervention in coronary heart disease: a review.

Psychological intervention studies designed to reduce cardiac morbidity are reviewed. Preliminary findings suggest that various psychotherapeutic modalities may be effective. Such studies also provide an avenue through which the physical and psychological mechanisms involved in coronary heart disease and their interactions may be clarified. Implications for clinical interventions are also discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1978

A systematic approach to brief psychological intervention in the primary care setting.

A systematic approach to psychological intervention that can be used by the primary care physician is presented. The approach specifies the sequence the physician takes when providing therapy: (1) identify the context of the patient's complaint(s), (2) assess the patient's current status, (3) develop a therapeutic plan, and (4) implement a therapy approach. These steps are based on four current status categories-functional, ambiguous, crisis, and dysfunctional-that describe the patient's life situation. Each category serves as a gateway for planning and for carrying out therapy. Four types of psychological intervention-short-term therapy, structured assessment, crisis intervention, and referral-are described and methods for implementing each activity are given. The advantages of the schema and a brief critique are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

Psychological interventions for individuals affected by Huntington's disease: effects on depression, anxiety, and emotional well-being.

INTRODUCTION: The literature provides limited evidence on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for individuals living with Huntington's Disease (HD). This study aims to examine the role of psychological support in improving the well-being of individuals and families affected by HD. METHODS: The study methodology builds on previous work conducted by the European Huntington Association (EHA). The study includes individuals across three categories: individuals at risk of HD, premanifest HD, or with an HD-negative genetic test. Eligible participants were offered eight online individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions followed by two group sessions. Assessments were performed at pre-intervention, after the individual sessions and after the group sessions. The primary outcomes were anxiety, depression, positive and negative affect, and quality of life. RESULTS: Twenty-one individuals participated in the study, of whom 33% (n = 7) had an HD-negative genetic test, 29% (n = 6) were at risk, and 38% (n = 8) had premanifest HD; the cohort was 57% women (n = 12). Analyses showed significant reductions in depression and anxiety, with medium to large effect sizes. Negative affect also decreased significantly with a large effect, while positive affect showed a non-significant trend toward improvement. Quality-of-life outcomes (physical and mental health components) did not change significantly. Overall, the strongest effects were observed for mood-related outcomes (depression, anxiety, and negative affect). CONCLUSION: Our data shows that a short-term CBT intervention led to improvements in anxiety, depression and negative affect. These findings enhance the evidence base available supporting the efficacy of psychological interventions that may be beneficial for individuals affected by HD. The article also outlines key lessons regarding intervention tailoring and study design to inform future research exploring the efficacy of psychological interventions for this population.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Psychological interventions for cancer patients to enhance the quality of life.

Although the thrust of the nation's cancer objectives for the year 2000 is prevention and screening, each year approximately 1 million Americans are diagnosed and must cope with the disease and treatments. They do so with the aid of family, friends, and the health care system, but accumulating data suggest that psychological interventions may be important for reducing emotional distress, enhancing coping, and improving "adjustment." Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of psychological interventions are reviewed, and discussion of treatment components and mechanism is offered. A final section discusses future research directions and challenges to scientific advance.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2025

Psychological interventions for children with chronic physical conditions: a systematic review assessing the role of coping, emotional and cognitive processes.

OBJECTIVES: Coping, emotional and cognitive processes are crucial in child development, particularly in children with pediatric chronic physical conditions (CPC). No systematic review in pediatric psychology has investigated the effectiveness of interventions on these processes concurrently. This review addresses this gap by focusing on the effectiveness of psychological interventions on coping, emotional and cognitive processes in children with CPCs. METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched for studies assessing at least one of these processes. Only randomized-controlled trials with children (8-12 years) with a CPC (e.g. diabetes, asthma), which implemented a psychological intervention were included. This study is registered in (CRD42021233505). RESULTS: Ten intervention studies were identified. While cognitive interventions (Cogmed) showed some improvements in working memory, the effects varied across studies despite similar methodologies. Coping interventions (e.g. Coping Skills Training) showed little effect on coping strategies or psychological health variables and were no more beneficial than control groups. No study trained coping, emotional processes and cognitive processes together. CONCLUSION: This review shows current limitations in evaluating psychological interventions targeting coping, cognitive or emotional processes in children with CPCs, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the interventions' action mechanisms. Systematically including underlying processes in intervention studies could help to better adjust those interventions.

Humans↗
PubMed1978

Medico-psychological interventions in male asthmatic children: an evaluation of physiological change.

The purpose of this study was systematically to evaluate the effectiveness of several modes of psychological intervention used with male asthmatic children being treated in the Allergy Outpatient Clinic. Therapeutic effectiveness was measured by large airway changes in respiratory function, and the number of recurrent asthmatic attacks. The psychotherapeutic modes used were Relaxation Training, Assertive Training, and combined Relaxation plus Assertive Training. All patients were administered medication by the responsible physician. The group psychotherapy experiences were controlled by using patients who received medication alone and by patients who received medication and met in a leaderless group. The effectiveness of the therapeutic interventions was determined by comparisons between pretreatment measures and measurements taken during and after the eight-week treatment program. Both Relaxation Training by itself and combined Relaxation plus Assertive Training increased respiratory functioning and reduced the number of attacks. Assertive Training alone failed to improve respiratory function and had a tendency to increase the frequency of asthmatic attacks. It was concluded that the most effective management in male asthmatic children was achieved by the combination of medical and psychological treatments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Psychological interventions with AIDS and HIV: prevention and treatment.

In the decade since acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first diagnosed, behavioral research has focused intensively on risk reduction change processes and, to a lesser extent, on mental health needs of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) conditions. Although research to date has yielded important findings for primary prevention efforts and has identified some psychological dimensions relevant to mental health interventions, there is a pressing need for much more systematic intervention outcome research in both the prevention/behavior change and emotional coping areas. Progress in these areas will be facilitated by better linkage of intervention approaches to behavioral theory; identification of intervention elements that produce HIV risk behavior change; evaluated field-testing of promising intervention models; continued focus on populations that remain at risk (such as gay men and injection drug users); and expansion of prevention efforts to urban, poor, and minority populations increasingly threatened as AIDS/HIV enters a "second wave." Although AIDS is still a relatively new problem, existing behavioral medicine conceptual models and intervention strategies can be adapted to meet the enormous challenges created by AIDS and HIV infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

The effectiveness of psychological interventions for the rehabilitation of low back pain: a randomized controlled trial evaluation.

Forty-five low back pain patients were randomly assigned to either a standard inpatient rehabilitation program or the standard program with additional psychological components. The standard program emphasized education, support, and physical reconditioning through exercise. Patients receiving the psychological program were given additional training in relaxation and other coping skills and received contingent reinforcement for exercise. Both programs included reduction of medication intake and an emphasis on family involvement after discharge. Measures of functional status were taken prior to the program, at discharge from the 3-week inpatient program, and at a 6-month follow-up appointment. These data revealed that patients improved their overall functioning at discharge and maintained these gains at the follow-up assessment. A similar pattern of findings was obtained for self-reported pain and interference. Furthermore, 81% of the patients had returned to work or were engaged in active job retraining by the follow-up. Using a conservative measure of full-time return to the same or an equivalent job, 57% were employed by the follow-up. Patient improvement, however, was not differentially affected by treatment group assignment, suggesting that the psychological treatment failed to add to the effectiveness obtained by the standard rehabilitation program. Results are discussed in the context of improving patient outcomes from rehabilitation for low back pain.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Psychoneuroimmunology: can psychological interventions modulate immunity?

There is ample evidence from human and animal studies demonstrating the downward modulation of immune function concomitant with a variety of stressors. As a consequence, the possible enhancement of immune function by behavioral strategies has generated considerable interest. Researchers have used a number of diverse strategies to modulate immune function, including relaxation, hypnosis, exercise, classical conditioning, self-disclosure, exposure to a phobic stressor to enhance perceived coping self-efficacy, and cognitive-behavioral interventions, and these interventions have generally produced positive changes. Although it is not yet clear to what extent these positive immunological changes translate into any concrete improvements in relevant aspects of health, that is, alterations in the incidence, severity, or duration of infectious or malignant disease, the preliminary evidence is promising.

Arousal↗
PubMed1976

School psychological emergency interventions proposal for guidelines based on recent Israeli experience.

The Yom Kippur War and its stressful aftermath created a number of special psychological effects in Israeli schools. During that period mental health and counseling services were available and made use of in the educational system. Extensive experiences permit an attempt to delineate guidelines for future school psychological emergency interventions. These guidelines rest on the supposition that the planning and delivery of professional emergency interventions resemble those governing routine mental health services in a number of crucial aspects. Firstly, the need for an educated anticipation of problems, their kinds, their ecology and other characteristics. Schematically, three categories of emergency reactions could be expected in schools: shock and grief, and other acute disturbances; fear and its psychological concomitants; confusion, perplexity, and their attitudinal accompaniments. It is noted that the stressful event can also generate positive effects. Secondly, the necessity for a preliminary, on the spot, assessment of psychological affliction in any specific emergency case. Such examination should be done against the background of the total emergency situation (locally and country-wide), as well as the chronic characteristics of the particular school or system. Third, the requirement for deliberate planning of the intervention program. In this phase, judgements have to be made about the recipients of the aid, the methods of help and the levels at which professional services will be extended. Fourth, the consideration of important clinical and community psychological principles during the execution of the program.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1979

Management of acute psychologic problems in pediatric oncology.

Several psychologic issues in pediatric oncology are addressed and case illustrations of psychologic intervention for selected problems are offered. Psychologic intervention must take into account the patient's perception of his illness, the patient's developmental level, the parents' coping mechanisms, the dynamics of the child's emotional and behavioral responses, the staff's perception of the problems, and the community's capacity for reintegration of the patient. Each of these issues is addressed by use of case examples to demonstrate important aspects of psychosocial intervention.

Acting Out↗
PubMed1992

Psychosocial aspects of cardiac rehabilitation in Europe.

While the present objectives of cardiac rehabilitation include recovery or restoration of everyday behaviour and secondary prevention, the effects of the traditional exercise-based, cardiac rehabilitation programmes are quite modest. It is argued that psychological interventions may affect these targets more easily, since there is evidence from controlled studies that psychological interventions may have beneficial effects on psychosocial recovery, compliance with medical advice and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. As a consequence one may expect that psychologists would be at least part-time members of most cardiac rehabilitation teams in European countries. In order to get an impression of the position of psychologists and the share of psychosocial care in cardiac rehabilitation in Europe, a questionnaire was sent out to two or three individuals in each European country. Health care professionals from 16 European countries returned their completed questionnaires on time. Among other things, the results show that in general social workers and psychologists, who may be considered the main potential agents for psychosocial care, are largely underrepresented in cardiac rehabilitation teams. As far as psychologists are concerned, the number involved in cardiac rehabilitation varies significantly from country to country. Three groups of countries could be distinguished: a group consisting of The Netherlands, Austria, and Italy, where psychologists are fairly well represented; a second one consisting of Norway, Finland and Belgium, where small numbers of psychologists are involved in cardiac rehabilitation; and a third group (the largest) consisting of Switzerland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, the UK, Greece, Portugal and Turkey, where the number of psychologists is negligible.

Cardiac Care Facilities↗