Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Case Report Of Tricyclic Antidepressant Toxicity With Prolonged Qt/Qtc And Widened Qrs On Ekg, Alexandra Doan, Joshua Wilkes, Jonathan Leggett, Jarratt Lark

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Comparison Of Emergency Department (Ed) Length Of Stay (Los) Between Marijuana And Alcohol Users, Paul Bomar, Jonathan Leggett, Lisa Persaud, Franklin Schaefer, Vanessa Knapp, Lauren Eisenberg, Austin Johnson

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Report, Anju Abraham, Kishor M, Bhawna Sharma

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in both childhood and adulthood. It is characterized by core symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness and impairment persisting into adulthood. Adult ADHD often coexists with other disorders including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders, which complicate its diagnosis. Adults with ADHD may struggle with difficulties in focusing, organization, planning and impulsivity making it hard to sit still during exams or complete tasks efficiently. Restlessness, verbal outbursts and intrusiveness can strain relationships. These challenges impact academics, interpersonal relationships and daily functioning. Thus, there is a need …

Havana Syndrome: A Scientific Review Of An Unresolved Medical Mystery, Aishik Dutta

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background

Since 2016, U.S. and Canadian officials have reported Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs), or "Havana Syndrome," characterised by a strange sensory experience followed by chronic neurological, cognitive, and vestibular issues. The cause is intensely debated, with primary hypotheses pointing to either psychosocial factors or a directed-energy weapon, creating a significant medical and geopolitical puzzle.

Methods

This review critically assesses the current evidence by analysing peer-reviewed clinical studies and major institutional reports.

Results

The findings are deeply contradictory. A 2020 NASEM report identified directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy as the most plausible mechanism for a core set of symptoms. Conversely, comprehensive 2024 …

Self-Inflicted, Non-Sexual, Non-Masturbatory Penile Fracture Case Report - An Atypical Presentation, Sajan Sehgal, Vijayakumar R, Sachin Dharwadkar, Amruthraj G. Gowda

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: Traumatic injuries to the genitalia are uncommon due to the mobility of the penis and scrotum. Penile fracture is a relatively rare condition arising from disruption of tunica albuginea with rupture of the corpus cavernosum. In order to ensure that such an injury is not missed, it is necessary to have a high index of suspicion to diagnose this condition.

Result: Patient underwent an emergency repair of penile fracture.

Conclusion: We hereby, report a rare case of accidental, non-masturbatory, self-inflicted penile fracture which was diagnosed promptly based on clinical assessment, confirmed radiologically and managed surgically, resulting …

Case Series On Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry In Pain Abdomen With School Refusal Among Children, Jatin Kumar, Aditya Takiar, Kishor M, Sudhamshu K.C, Anil Kumar M.G., Prashanth S.N

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Chronic abdominal pain is one of the most common causes of school refusal in children often leading to multiple hospital visits and expenses. This study was done to assess the psychiatric morbidity underlying functional gastrointestinal complaints in children presenting to paediatric surgery unit. We conducted a prospective case series (N=11; ages 8–13) of children referred from Paediatric Surgery between June and December 2025. All these children presented with idiopathic abdominal pain and a significant period of absence from school. These children were evaluated for any organic causes through the use of various investigations including imaging studies and were referred to …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Vertical Integration In Training Undergraduate Medical Students Under Competency Based Medical Education Curriculum, Pratham Mehta, Yashika Sharma, Kishor M, Arun M

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background: The National Medical Council in the Indian Medical Graduate guidelines to enhance learning, recommends Vertical and Horizontal Integration. Vertical integration may be defined as a curricular strategy that aligns para-clinical and clinical teaching across time with a view to enhancing relevance and application of knowledge. The present study is an attempt to test whether vertical integration of Forensic Medicine and Psychiatry is associated with greater short-term learning gains and improved student perceptions compared with conventional didactic lectures.

Methods: With Institutional and Ethics Committee clearance, a two-phase quasi-experimental study was performed across two consecutive academic cohorts (Phase 1, …

Approval Of Parent-Child Aggression As A Mediator Of Intergenerational Child Abuse Risk: An Evaluation Of Racial Differences, Casie H. Morgan, Christina M. Rodriguez, Doris F. Pu, Zoe O. Elkins

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose

Personal history of parent-child aggression (PCA) can predict future parenting behavior, but some effects may differ between racial groups. Black parents in the U.S. are more likely to encounter discrimination and personally experience and approve of PCA, which may account for previously reported group differences. This study examined whether personal PCA history predicted later parental child abuse risk mediated by PCA approval across the transition to parenthood, and whether effects differed by race.

Methods

Expectant parents (non-Hispanic White sample: 95 mothers with 86 fathers; Black sample: 94 mothers with 85 fathers) participated in a prospective longitudinal study, assessed prenatally …

Exploring Differences In Cannabis Use And Harm Perceptions Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Females: A Brief Report, Sarah J. Ehlke, Samantha A. Fitzer, Kendra Rigney

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Sexual minority women (SMW) have higher rates of cannabis use compared to heterosexual women, which may be partially attributed to lower harm perceptions. However, no study has examined if the association between harm perceptions and cannabis use is stronger for SMW than heterosexual women. This study examined if sexual identity (SMW vs. heterosexual woman) moderated the association between harm perceptions and past 30-day cannabis use among a sample of female young adults (18-25 years old). Method: Participants were 949 (29.8% SMW; Mean age = 24.33; 92.1% non-Hispanic White) females (99.3% cisgender) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk who reported weekly …

Using Mindfulness To Manage Moral Injury In Veterans: Feasibility And Satisfaction Of A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Michelle L. Kelley, Adrian J. Bravo, Elizabeth E. Burgin, Susan A. Gaylord, Christine Vinci, Megan Strowger, Jeffrey M. Gabelmann, Joseph M. Currier

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective

The present study assessed program feasibility and satisfaction among recent-era veterans who participated in Mindfulness to Manage Moral Injury (MMMI), a live facilitated web-based 7-week mindfulness-based program targeting moral injury among veterans.

Method

In total, 56 post-9/11 veterans were recruited with 28 randomized to the MMMI condition and 28 to the Education and Support (ES) condition. Most participants identified as being White (71.4%), male (66.1%), and had a reported mean age of 41.50 years (Median = 39.50, SD = 9.26).

Results

Among the 56 participants, 82.1% attended at least one treatment session and 44.6% completed all seven sessions. There …

Pregnant Adults' Interest In Physical And Mental Health Behavior Change Interventions Using Mobile Technology, Natalie M. Yarish, Cassidy M. Sandoval, Alicia Moulder, Meredith I. Turner, Danielle Symons Downs, Kristin E. Heron

Psychology Faculty Publications

Improving the health and well-being of pregnant adults is an important public health priority in the USA, and mobile health (mHealth) interventions may provide a scalable strategy to disseminate behavior change programs to pregnant adults. This study assessed pregnant people’s use of mobile technology, interest in making health behavior changes during and after pregnancy, and their willingness to use mHealth interventions. Participants were 133 pregnant adults (M_age = 27.86; 81% White) living across the USA recruited from social media to complete an online survey. Measures assessed mobile technology use and beliefs about improving mental/physical health in pregnancy and postpartum …

Psychometric Evaluation Of A Novel Measure Of Trauma-Related Cannabis Use To Cope, Sage E. Hawn, Terrell A. Hicks, Christopher Latourrette, Anita Thomas, Daniela Chaname, Sarah Ehlke, Abigail Powers Lott

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are commonly comorbid and are associated with many negative public health outcomes. One plausible explanation for this comorbidity comes from a self-medication framework, which suggests people use cannabis to cope with PTSD symptoms. Despite theoretical and empirical evidence for PTSD-related cannabis use to cope, no measure of this construct exists.

Objective: We sought to address this gap by developing and validating a novel measure of PTSD-specific cannabis self-medication, which we have termed the Trauma-Related Cannabis Use to Cope (TRCU) questionnaire.

Method: The psychometric properties of the TRCU and how it …

The Perceived Internalized Sexual Stigma Measure (Prissm): A New Sexual Stigma Measure For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals, Miguel A. Padilla, Lacey M. Schlappi, Evelyn S. Chiang

Psychology Faculty Publications

Society has long held negative beliefs and attitudes, in the form of sexual stigma, towards sexual minorities (e.g., lesbian, gay, and bisexual; LGB). Sexual stigma can be adopted and internalized by LGB individuals as their own beliefs and attitudes. In LGB individuals, internalized sexual stigma can result in psychological distress such as low self-esteem, depression, shame, and feelings of rejection. However, an instrument to assess internalized sexual stigma specifically developed for LGB individuals is lacking. The present study focuses on the development of a new instrument, the Perceived Internalized Sexual Stigma Measure (PrISSM), that is inclusive of LGB individuals who …

Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability Modulates The Association Between The Perceived Workload And The Stroop Effect On Behavioral Performance, Xiao Yang, Michael Gazzanigo, Fang Fang, Spencer House

Psychology Faculty Publications

Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) reflects top-down cognitive processes involved in emotion-cognition integration. Using cognitive control can be effortful and increase negative affect. However, this intrinsic affective component of cognitive control has not been well studied, and the role of vmHRV in the association between subjective experience in using cognitive control and behavioral performance remains unknown. The current study aimed to examine the relationship of vmHRV with cognitive control and perceived workload in a cognitive task. Eighty-one participants performed the Stroop interference task. Participants rated subjective workload using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scale for congruent and incongruent …

Evaluation Of A 20-Item Version Of The Trauma-Related Drinking To Cope Questionnaire, Sage E. Hawn, Lauren Smith, Kaytlin Armitage, Selah Ball, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abigail Powers, Ananda B. Amstadter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study sought to develop and psychometrically evaluate an expanded version of the Trauma-Related Drinking to Cope (TRD) scale, a four-item self-report tool, which was developed to address a crucial gap in self-medication research. Before the development of the TRD, no measures existed which assessed alcohol use for coping with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) specifically. Previous work showed that the TRD has strong psychometric properties and clinical utility in its ability to identify individuals with PTSD who may be at risk for developing comorbid alcohol use disorder (AUD). The aim of the present study was to develop …

A Multilevel Framework For The Promotion Of Maternal Mental Health And Well-Being During The Perinatal Period, Jenn A. Leiferman, Jessica Walls Wilson, Charlotte V. Farewell, Chelsea Walker-Mao, James F. Paulson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Depression and anxiety are prevalent in the perinatal period and may contribute to adverse maternal and child health outcomes. A focus on multilevel protective factors may be effective in promoting well-being and increasing quality of life (QOL) in the perinatal period while simultaneously reducing or preventing depression and anxiety symptoms. We tested a conceptual model that posits specific personal, social, and community factors affecting depression, anxiety, and QOL among pregnant and postpartum individuals.

Methods: Four hundred and thirty-eight pregnant or postpartum individuals completed a 121-item cross-sectional survey composed of validated tools that assessed multilevel protective factors, health behaviors, and …

Drinking Motives And Alcohol Sensitivity Mediate Multidimensional Genetic Influences On Alcohol Use Behaviors, Jeanne E. Savage, Spit For Science Working Group, Danielle M. Dick

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Genetic influences account for a substantial proportion of individual differences in alcohol use behaviors (AUBs). However, multiple distinct sets of genes are linked to different AUBs via uncertain causal links. Here, we explore whether intermediate neurobiological traits mediate the relationship between polygenic scores (PGSs) and multiple AUBs, with the aim to better understand processes captured by different genetic profiles.

Methods

We derived four alcohol-related PGSs in participants from Spit for Science, a longitudinal study of college students in the United States (n=4549). Using linear regression, we tested the relationship between PGSs and 22 potential mediators, including personality, …

'I Did Not Know We Could Exercise This Small Premature Baby': Challenges Experienced By Parents While Implementing Early Intervention For Their Preterm Infants-A Qualitative Perspective, Manasa Kolibylu Raghupathy, Selim Jahangir, Sonia Khurana, Leslie Edward S. Lewis, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Preterm birth is a highly stressful experience for both parents and infants. Parental participation in care enhances developmental outcomes, fosters parent-infant interactions and builds parental confidence. However, low parental adherence has always been a challenge in the successful implementation of intervention programs both in the NICU and at home. It is imperative to understand parents' perspectives and view the challenges that they experience through their lens while providing early intervention to their infants born preterm. This study is aimed at identifying new parents' challenges when implementing early intervention programs for their infants during the transition from hospital to home. …

Frequency And Perceived Influence Of Menopausal Symptoms On Training And Performance In Female Endurance Athletes, Heather M. Hamilton, Natalie M. Yarish, Kristin E. Heron

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Menopause is associated with several negative health concerns and common menopausal symptoms. Physical activity is essential to mitigate these negative effects, but menopausal symptoms may interfere with participation in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and the perceived negative effect of menopausal symptoms among female endurance athletes. Female runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes 40–60 years of age were recruited (N = 187). Participants completed an online, anonymous survey that included self-reported menopausal status; the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS), a validated measure for assessing menopausal symptoms; and the perceived effect of menopausal symptoms on …

Deep Dive In Sound Filtering, Cecilia Zoutewelle

A. The Science of Sound

A 7-page report, with illustrations and bullet-point summaries, on the ways we filter sounds as part of the standard process of hearing. Includes brief considerations of evolution, selective listening in conversations, and listening bias.