Sex differences in response to intranasal oxytocin as an adjunctive therapy for patients with severe mental illness.

Studies investigating the potential benefits of intranasal oxytocin (INOT) as an add-on treatment for patients with severe mental illness (SMI) have yielded inconsistent results, potentially due to sex differences in response to INOT. This study explored the differential effects of INOT among male and female patients with SMI. A secondary analysis was conducted on a previously studied group of patients who participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the impact of INOT as an add-on treatment for patients with SMI.

Patient and therapist change process expectations: Independent and dyadic associations with psychotherapy outcomes.

Objective: Patients and therapists possess psychotherapy-related expectations, such as their forecast of what processes will promote improvement. Yet, there remains limited research on such , including their independent and dyadic associations with psychotherapy outcome. In this study, we explored the predictive influence of participants' change process expectations, and their level of congruence, on therapeutic outcomes.

Oxytocin as a transdiagnostic biomarker of well-being in severe mental illness during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unlabelled: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have been found to suffer a greater decline in psychological well-being compared to the general population in times of stress. The present study aimed to examine clinical and endocrine resilience factors of psychological well-being in SMI patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods: After Covid-19 crisis outburst in Israel 112 participants, 69 outpatients, and 43 inpatients and day treatment patients were recruited.

Intranasal oxytocin as an adjunct treatment among patients with severe major depression with and without comorbid borderline personality disorder.

Introduction: Results of studies concerning a possible beneficial effect of Intranasal-Oxytocin (IN-OT) as an add-on treatment for patients with major depression (MDD) have been inconsistent. One possible explanation to account for the difference in the effect of IN-OT is comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD). This randomized controlled study was aimed to explore the differential effect of IN-OT administration among depressive patients with or without comorbid borderline personality disorder.

The effect of Oxytocin administration on patient-therapist alliance congruence: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The effects of oxytocin (OT) administration on psychotherapeutic processes have thus far been elusive. This study explored the effect of OT administration on patient-therapist congruence of the working alliance.

Method: Inpatients with mental disorders (= 87) participating in a randomized controlled trial received OT (= 44) or placebo (= 43) intranasally twice a day, for four weeks.

A double-edged hormone: The moderating role of personality and attachment on oxytocin's treatment facilitation effect.

Background: Studies exploring the potential augmenting effect of oxytocin for patients with mental disorders have thus far reported mixed effects. However, oxytocin's effect may differ across patients with different interpersonal characteristics. This study aimed to examine the moderating role of attachment and personality traits on the effect of oxytocin administration on the therapeutic working alliance and symptomatic change, among hospitalized patients with severe mental illness.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale and its association with actual COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Israel.

Background: The public's willingness to get vaccinated continues to be a source of concern. In this study we assessed the psychometric properties of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale (C19-VHS) as well as the association between the scale and self-reported past COVID-19 vaccination, approximately two weeks after the national vaccine distribution plan was launched in Israel.

Methods: Participants were recruited via an online survey distributed through social media platforms and mailing lists.

Intranasal Oxytocin as Add-On Treatment for Inpatients with Severe Mental Illness: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: In recent years, several studies were conducted to explore the potential augmenting effect of oxytocin for the treatment of individuals with severe mental illness. Nonetheless, studies exploring its effects in routine inpatient settings using high-quality randomized controlled trials are scarce. The current study assessed the effect of oxytocin administration on treatment process and outcome among psychiatric inpatients, while employing a rigorous experimental methodology.

Distress and Well-Being Among Psychiatric Patients in the Aftermath of the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Israel: A Longitudinal Study.

Studies assessing the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric patients have mostly focused on cross-sectional evaluations of differences in levels of distress. In this study, we aimed to assess changes in distress and well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak as compared with pre-pandemic levels, as well as potential predictors of symptomatic deterioration, among psychiatric outpatients treated in a public mental health hospital in Israel. Patients evaluated for distress and well-being before the pandemic ( = 55) were re-evaluated at the end of the first lockdown in Israel.

Buffering effect of in-patient psychiatric care on the link between fear of covid-19 and mental health consequences.

Background& Aimes: Psychiatric admissions during the covid-19 pandemic were limited, overlooking their possible benefit. This study focused on assessing the effect of the fear of covid on the mental health and well-being of inpatients as opposed to outpatients.

Methods: During the first lockdown, forty-four inpatients and day care patients (inpatient group) and 74 outpatients (outpatient group) were recruited after an informed consent procedure.

Case Report: Oxytocin and Its Association With Psychotherapy Process and Outcome.

The potential of Oxytocin (OT) as a facilitator of psychotherapy has been previously acknowledged, nonetheless, randomized controlled trials thus far have not yielded conclusive results. One approach suggested to clarify empirical inconsistencies is to refine the study hypotheses and data collection process by utilizing an in-depth idiographic exploration of the investigated phenomena. In this case illustration we provide an in-depth analysis comparing two patients hospitalized in a closed psychiatric ward with depression and undergoing psychotherapy twice a week.

The co-occurrence of autistic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia: A nationwide population-based study.

Although the co-occurrence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia have been previously reported, the scope and magnitude of this comorbidity across large samples have not been sufficiently established. This study was aimed to assess the co-occurrence between schizophrenia and ASD in a large dataset, and to examine its predominance across different age and sex groups. Schizophrenia patients and age and sex frequency controls (n = 49,334) were assessed for the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder.

Mental pain intensity and tolerance as predictors of psychotherapy process and outcome.

Background: The extensive reliance on symptoms for the study of psychotherapy is often criticized. In this study we examined whether the subjective sense of mental pain predicts psychotherapy process and outcome, above and beyond the effect of symptomatic distress.

Methods: Outpatients (n = 53) treated in a psychiatric hospital completed measures of mental pain intensity and tolerance, symptomatic distress, and session climate at pretreatment and posttreatment.

Fear of COVID-19 scale: Psychometric characteristics, reliability and validity in the Israeli population.

Mental health clinicians worldwide have been expressing concerns regarding the broad psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, only a few studies have thus far evaluated the degree of fear of COVID-19, partially due to the lack of validated measures. In this study we evaluated the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), recently developed to assess different aspects of the fear of the pandemic, in a normative population of participants in Israel.

The effect of process and outcome feedback in highly distressed outpatients: A randomized controlled trial.

Although process and outcome feedback is considered to be facilitative of psychotherapeutic processes, recent studies have suggested that such feedback may not produce the same effect when applied to highly distressed patients. This study examined the effect of process and outcome feedback in highly distressed patients treated in a public mental health center in Israel. Patients ( = 197) were randomly allocated to receive feedback, or to treatment as usual.

Attitudes of mental health clinicians toward perceived inaccuracy of a schizophrenia diagnosis in routine clinical practice.

Background: Mental health clinicians have previously been reported to express reservations regarding the utility and accuracy of the psychiatric classification systems. In this study we aimed to examine clinicians' experiences with instances of perceived inaccuracy of a schizophrenia diagnosis.

Methods: Mental health clinicians (N = 175) participated in an online survey assessing prevalence and perceived reasons for inaccuracies of a schizophrenia diagnosis.