INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the sociodemographic and professional characteristics, knowledge, and experiences of nurses working in forensic psychiatry.
METHODS: The research was conducted from September 2024 to January 2025 following ethical approval and included 78 nurses working in forensic psychiatry. The nurses were administered a questionnaire comprising 31 items developed by the researchers. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.
RESULTS: Of the nurses, 65.4% (n=51) were male, the mean age was 40.75±8.41 years, and the mean duration of professional experience was 16.91±8.75 years. A total of 62.8% (n=49) of the nurses had been working in the forensic psychiatry unit for more than four years. Additionally, 79.5% (n=62) had a bachelor's degree, 21.8% had a certificate in psychiatric nursing, and 59.0% (n=46) had started working in the forensic psychiatry unit through appointment. Furthermore, 67.9% (n=53) worked in a high-security unit, and 24.4% (n=19) worked in a regional psychiatric hospital. Most nurses (87.2%) were satisfied with working in their units; however, 60.3% reported receiving no information about forensic psychiatric nursing, and 71.8% reported needing more information about forensic psychiatric nursing care.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings revealed that most nurses were undergraduate graduates, had professional experience in forensic units, and were satisfied with their work in this area; however, they did not consider their current level of knowledge in forensic psychiatric nursing sufficient. More studies should be conducted on forensic psychiatric nursing, and the knowledge gaps encountered by nurses working in these units should be addressed urgently. It is recommended that continuous and comprehensive training programs be established.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted as a pretest, posttest, follow-up randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of the SMATP provided to nursing students on their knowledge of and attitudes toward LGBT individuals.
METHODS: The study included 78 participants, with 39 in the intervention group and 39 in the control group (α=0.05, power=0.80, effect size=0.20). To account for potential dropouts, four additional participants were added to each group. As a result, a total of 86 students were included in the intervention and control groups. The LGBT Ally Identity Measure, Attitude Scale Towards Lesbians and Gays, and Attitude Scale Towards Transgender Individuals were administered. The intervention group attended an online SMATP once weekly for 4 weeks, with each session lasting 60–90 minutes, while the control group received no intervention. Assessments were conducted at pretest, posttest, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up.
RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the scores of students in the intervention and control groups on the posttest and follow-up tests. The average scores of students in the intervention group were higher on both the posttest and follow-up tests than those of students in the control group (F=157.464, p=0.00/F=6.237, p=0.01/F=11.291, p=0.00).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We found that the SMATP improved students’ knowledge of LGBT individuals and was effective in fostering positive attitudes.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate whether somatic symptom burden is elevated in euthyroid patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis compared with two control groups: healthy controls (HC) and patients with non-autoimmune thyroid diseases (NATD), including those with euthyroid nodular goiter and those who underwent thyroidectomy for benign indications.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 90 adults (38 HC, 28 HT, and 24 NATD). The Patient Health Question-naire-15 (PHQ-15) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Total (HADS-Total) were used for psychometric assessment. Group differences were assessed using the Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests with Bonferroni-adjusted posthoc comparisons. Three linear regression models were used to evaluate the independent predictors of somatic burden. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the associations between thyroid markers (TSH, FT3, FT4, anti-TPO, and anti-TG) and symptom scores within the HT group.
RESULTS: Somatic symptom burden differed significantly across the groups (p<0.001). The HT group showed higher PHQ-15 scores than both HC (p=0.002) and NATD patients (p=0.031). HADS-Total scores also differed overall (p=0.0019); however, only the comparison between patients with HT and HC remained significant after adjustment (p<0.001), whereas patients with HT and NATD did not differ. In multivariable regression analysis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis remained independently associated with higher somatic symptom burden (β=2.84, p=0.013), alongside psychological distress (β=0.25, p<0.001). Thyroid markers, including TSH, FT3, FT4, anti-TPO, and anti-TG, showed no significant correlations with PHQ-15 or HADS-Total scores within the HT group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In euthyroid Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, somatic symptom burden is elevated and appears to be driven mainly by psychological distress rather than by thyroid hormone levels or autoantibody titers. These findings suggest that the PHQ-15 may help identify patients who are more likely to benefit from psychosocial rather than endocrine-focused interventions.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the effect of Interpersonal Relational Role Analysis (IRRA) Group Therapy on attitudes toward dating violence, social problem-solving skills, self-esteem, and interpersonal awareness among nursing students who had experienced dating violence.
METHODS: This study employed a single-group, pretest, posttest, and follow-up quasi-experimental design and included 22 female nursing students who had experienced dating violence. Participants received 20 sessions of IRRA Group Therapy between April 2022 and September 2022. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Attitudes Toward Dating Violence Scales, the Revised Social Problem-Solving Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Interpersonal Mindfulness Scale. The scales were administered to participants before group therapy, immediately after group therapy, and at one-month and three-month follow-ups. Descriptive statistics (mean±standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables), the Friedman test, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction were used for data analysis.
RESULTS: The findings revealed that IRRA Group Therapy had a significant positive effect on participants’ mean scores on the Attitudes Toward Male Psychological Dating Violence Scale (p<0.001) and the total Social Problem-Solving Inventory (p<0.001), and that this effect persisted in follow-up measurements. IRRA Group Therapy did not produce statistically significant differences in participants’ mean scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (p=0.119) or the Interpersonal Mindfulness Scale (p=0.172) across pretest, posttest, and follow-up measurements.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: IRRA Group Therapy was found to be effective in reducing participants’ mean scores on the Attitudes Toward Male Psychological Dating Violence Scale and improving their social problem-solving skills. However, the therapy had no significant effect on participants’ mean scores on the Attitudes Toward Male Physical Dating Violence Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, or the Interpersonal Mindfulness Scale. In line with these results, it is recommended to increase psychosocial interventions in which students can express themselves and share their problems within group activities to generate solutions, conduct studies with different samples and problem areas to determine the effectiveness of IRRA group sessions, and extend the duration of interventions.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyze publication and citation trends, productive journals, influential authors, university productivity, and conceptual structures in the field of mental health and psychological well-being using bibliometric analysis methods.
METHODS: This bibliometric study was conducted using 522 research articles from the Web of Science database. The analysis evaluated annual publication counts, citation counts, author and institutional performance, regional distribution, co-citation networks, thematic mapping, and citation networks. Core journals in the field were also identified using Bradford’s Law.
RESULTS: The findings indicate that while the number of annual publications has increased over time, citation counts have fluctuated. The most productive journal was identified as Personality and Individual Differences. The most frequently used concepts in the field were mental health, depression, and stress. Among 1,849 authors, Creed PA stood out with 5 publications, and Crocker J. with 826 citations. In terms of institutions, publication output was concentrated at universities such as the University of Michigan, Griffith University, and Syracuse University. The United States was central in terms of regional distribution. Thematic and co-occurrence networks showed that the concept of “mental health” was central. Citation networks indicated a limited number of key studies in the field. Bradford’s Law indicated that the literature was concentrated in certain areas.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The field of mental health and psychological well-being has developed around certain authors, journals, and institutions. The number of publications has increased, but citation visibility has remained limited. Fundamental concepts related to the field continue to shape its structure.

INTRODUCTION: Imposter syndrome (IS) is characterized by persistent self-doubt, fear of being exposed as incompetent, and attribution of success to external factors. Nursing students are particularly vulnerable due to high-stakes clinical training, which may affect perceived clinical competence and patient safety. This study examined the prevalence of IS and its relationship with perceived clinical competency among nursing students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted across three UAE nursing campuses (Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Sharjah) between February and March 2025. A total of 294 students from the second year onward participated. Data were collected using the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) and the Clinical Competence Questionnaire (CCQ). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and regression analyses were used to explore associations between IS, clinical competency, and demographic/academic variables.
RESULTS: Imposter syndrome was prevalent, with younger, less experienced, lower-GPA, and early-year students reporting higher scores. Clinical competency increased with academic progression, GPA, and experience, showing an inverse correlation with IS (r=-0.757, p<0.001). Regression analysis indicated experience duration (η²=0.133), academic year (η²=0.120), and GPA (η²=0.064) as significant predictors of IS, while academic year, experience, and GPA predicted clinical competency (η²=0.230, 0.203, and 0.143, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Imposter syndrome is common among UAE nursing students and negatively associated with perceived clinical competence. Targeted interventions, including mentorship, reflective practice, and experiential training, may reduce IS and enhance clinical readiness, supporting both student development and patient safety.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the effect of group mindfulness-based cognitive counseling on social anxiety, assertiveness, self-confidence and the relationship between variables and their changes over time among nursing students.
METHODS: The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial with nursing students, who were divided into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group (n=21) received eight weeks of mindfulness-based cognitive counseling, while the control group (n=24) received a single-session debriefing meeting after the program was implemented in the intervention group. Competencies were assessed using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Assertiveness Scale, and the Self-Confidence Scale. Data were obtained at pre-test, post-test, and sixth-month follow-up.
RESULTS: The intervention group showed significant improvements in social anxiety, assertiveness, and self-confidence levels compared with the control group. The group×time interaction for social anxiety, assertiveness, and self-confidence levels was statistically significant in the intervention group. In terms of differences between measurement scores over time, a negative relationship was found between social anxiety and assertiveness and self-confidence, while a positive relationship was found between assertiveness and self-confidence levels.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: A mindfulness-based cognitive group counseling program appears to produce positive changes in student nurses’ self-confidence and assertive behaviors and is an effective intervention for reducing social anxiety. This study demonstrates that it is a promising interventional approach for reducing anxiety, strengthening assertive behavior, and increasing self-confidence in nursing students with social anxiety.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) influence adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, few reviews have examined these outcomes as distinct domains. This gap is important, as these two behavioral domains involve different developmental pathways and intervention needs. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to map the current empirical evidence linking ACE with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescents, including ACE types, measurement tools, analytical approaches, and emerging findings. A scoping review was conducted to identify and analyze studies examining adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and adolescent behaviors. Literature searches were carried out in four databases: EBSCO, Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest, for English-language articles published between 2020 and 2025. Search terms included combinations of keywords and Boolean operators: (“Adverse Childhood Experiences” OR “ACE”) AND (“internalizing behaviors” OR “externalizing behaviors” OR “behavioral problems”) AND (“adolescents”). Eligible studies were screened based on the inclusion criteria, and relevant data were extracted and synthesized. A total of eight studies examining ACE types were included, namely maltreatment, neglect, and household dysfunction. The ACE measurement tools used were the ACE Questionnaire, CTQ-SF, or ACE-IQ, while the behavioral measurement tools were SDQ, YSR, CBCL, or DSM-based tools. The reviewed studies used quantitative approaches, including multivariate regression, mediation and moderation analyses, and classification tree models. All studies reported significant associations between ACEs and both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. All studies highlighted emotional and behavioral problems and identified gender differences in response to ACEs: females tended to show internalizing symptoms, while males exhibited more externalizing behaviors. Overall, ACEs significantly impact adolescent behavioral health.