Background: TikTok has become a major source of mental health information, yet concerns persist regarding the quality and reliability of psychiatric content disseminated on the platform. While misinformation has been documented for several mental disorders, no study has specifically examined how borderline personality disorder (BPD) is portrayed on TikTok. Objective: This study aims to characterize TikTok content related to BPD by describing its thematic content, engagement patterns, presenter characteristics, and indicators of information quality using a mixed methods secondary analysis. Methods: This mixed methods observational study performed a secondary analysis of a previously established dataset of publicly available TikTok videos related to mental health. A total of 207 videos addressing BPD or BPD-like traits were included. Quantitative analyses summarized video characteristics, engagement metrics, presenter backgrounds, content type, intent, and authenticity indicators using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s methodology to identify recurrent narratives related to BPD. Results: Among the 207 included videos, 185 (89.4%) were in English and 199 (96.1%) targeted the general public. Most creators (n=124, 59.9%) did not disclose professional credentials, whereas psychiatrists (n=18, 8.7%) and psychologists (n=16, 7.7%) represented the largest identified professional groups. Seven overarching themes were identified: understanding personality disorders, treatment and management, interpersonal relationships, myths and misconceptions, co-occurring disorders, personal experiences, and diagnosis and classification. Videos focused on personal experiences generated the highest audience engagement (mean weighted likes 2389, SD 6529; favorites 333, SD 707; shares 117, SD 287), whereas treatment-focused videos demonstrated substantially lower engagement (mean weighted likes 222, SD 360; favorites 54, SD 77; shares 19, SD 40). Opinion-based or mixed-content formats predominated across most themes. Reference-based information remained limited, ranging from 0% to 33.3% depending on thematic category, while misinformation was observed across multiple themes, particularly understanding personality disorders (20/81, 24.7%) and diagnosis and classification (14/48, 29.2%). Experiential and relational narratives were substantially more prominent and engaging than evidence-based psychoeducational content. Conclusions: TikTok discourse surrounding BPD is dominated by experiential narratives that foster engagement but frequently rely on opinion-based rather than evidence-based information. Although many videos may provide validation and reduce stigma, the limited use of references and the persistence of misinformation highlight the need for the greater involvement of mental health professionals in producing accessible, accurate, and engaging digital content. To our knowledge, these findings provide the first focused overview of BPD-related content on TikTok and may inform future strategies to improve the quality of online mental health information.
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Understanding anxiety disorders among Iranian mothers and their children exposed to conflict using an extended transactional model of stress and coping
ObjectiveThe psychological impact of war on families is profound. However, the mechanisms linking war-related stressors to anxiety among mothers and their children remain insufficiently understood, particularly in Middle Eastern contexts. Grounded in an extended transactional model of stress and coping, this study examined the direct and indirect relationships between war-related stressors, cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, and anxiety among Iranian mothers and their children following a recent military conflict. The study also investigated the mediating roles of appraisal and coping processes and the moderating roles of religiosity and social support.MethodA cross-sectional design was employed approximately three months after a major military escalation. A stratified proportional sample of 343 Iranian mothers (aged 24 years and older) with at least one child aged 5–10 years living in conflict-affected areas completed validated self-report measures. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).ResultsThe extends model explained substantial variance in maternal anxiety (R² = .80) and child anxiety (R² = .72). War-related stressors were significantly and positively associated with both maternal anxiety and child anxiety. In addition, maternal anxiety was significantly associated with child anxiety. Challenge appraisal, problem-focused coping, and cognitive restructuring mediated the relationship between war-related stressors and maternal anxiety. Emotion-focused coping positively mediated the relationship between war-related stressors and child anxiety. Religiosity and social support were found to buffer the association between war-related stressors and maternal anxiety, such that higher levels of religiosity and social support weakened the positive relationship between war-related stressors and anxiety among mothers.ConclusionsThis study extends the transactional model of stress and coping by supporting an integrated framework within a conflict-affected Middle Eastern population. The findings indicate distinct pathways linking war-related stressors to maternal and child anxiety and highlight the importance of interventions that address cognitive appraisal, strengthen adaptive coping strategies, and mobilize spiritual and social resources in conflict-affected families.
Anxiety and depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life in girls with central precocious puberty versus isolated premature thelarche: a comparative cross-sectional study
IntroductionPrevious studies have examined psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) and isolated premature thelarche (IPT), but findings from direct comparisons have been inconsistent. We aimed to compare anxiety and depressive symptoms and HRQoL between girls with CPP and IPT and to examine associations between psychological symptom burden and HRQoL.MethodsThis comparative cross-sectional study included 50 girls (mean age, 8.33 ± 0.23 years), including 18 with idiopathic CPP and 32 with IPT. Breast development had first been recognized before 8 years of age in all participants. Psychological questionnaires were administered on the same day as the endocrinological evaluation. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using SCARED, RCADS-CV, and CDI, and self-reported HRQoL was assessed using PedsQL 4.0. Between-group comparisons incorporated Benjamini–Hochberg false-discovery-rate correction. Spearman correlations and exploratory hierarchical linear regression were performed.ResultsNo between-group differences in anxiety, depressive symptoms, or HRQoL remained statistically significant after FDR correction. Clinically elevated SCARED scores occurred in 38.9% of girls with CPP and 53.1% with IPT (p=0.333), while CDI scores ≥19 occurred in 11.1% and 18.8%, respectively (p=0.694). In the combined sample, psychological symptom scores were inversely correlated with PedsQL total scores (Spearman’s rs=−0.568 to −0.720; all p<0.001). In exploratory regression adjusted for endocrine phenotype, BMI SDS, and symptom duration, SCARED (β=−0.382, p=0.003) and CDI (β=−0.481, p<0.001) scores were associated with lower PedsQL total scores.DiscussionHigher anxiety and depressive symptom scores were associated with lower HRQoL in this clinical sample. The absence of statistically significant CPP–IPT differences does not establish equivalence or exclude a contribution of endocrine factors. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these associations.
Kamishoyosan reduces anxiety-like behavior by modulating GABAA receptor subunit expression in a premenstrual syndrome rat model
IntroductionPremenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) involve psychological symptoms that impact women’s quality of life. PMS pathogenesis is characterized by fluctuations in steroid hormones and γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR) subunits. Kamishoyosan (KSS) is a Kampo medicine typically used to treat menstrual-related symptoms. This study aimed to elucidate the anxiolytic effect of KSS and its underlying mechanisms in a progesterone withdrawal (PWD)-induced PMS rat model.MethodsKSS was administered via feed mixing, and elevated plus maze test and molecular biological analysis were conducted.ResultsPWD rats showed increased anxiety-like behavior and expression of GABAAR α4 and δ subunits mRNA in the hippocampal CA1 region, suggesting that decreased inhibitory GABA synaptic signaling contributes to anxiety-like behavior. KSS administration reduced anxiety-like behavior and the expression of GABAAR α4 and δ subunits, but no significant effect was observed on steroid hormone levels.DiscussionThese findings suggest that KSS exerts anxiolytic effects by reversing changes in α4 and δ subunit expression without affecting steroid hormone fluctuations. The different mechanism of action of KSS compared with GABAAR agonists may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for PMS.
Artificial Intelligence-Powered Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for OCD in College Students: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Conditions: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Interventions: Other: Traditional Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP); Device: Artificial Intelligence-Powered Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (AI-VRET)
Sponsors: University of California, San Diego
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Other: Traditional Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP); Device: Artificial Intelligence-Powered Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (AI-VRET)
Sponsors: University of California, San Diego
Not yet recruiting
Understanding the Influence of Substance Use, Mental Health, and Stigma on Smoking Behavior Among People Living With HIV: Rapid Qualitative Analysis
Background: In Vietnam, an upper-middle-income country, the majority of people living with HIV smoke. Vietnam has established quitline services to support this population, but they remain underused. Text messaging is widely used in Vietnam, and studies in other countries have shown that text messaging interventions can promote smoking cessation. Our goal was to conduct a formative study to inform the development of a text messaging intervention to increase access to quitline services and promote smoking cessation among people living with HIV who smoke in Vietnam. Objective: This study aimed to identify factors influencing smoking behaviors among people living with HIV in Vietnam through qualitative interviews to inform a tailored text messaging intervention. Methods: In October 2022, study staff conducted 30- to 45-minute qualitative interviews with 20 people living with HIV from clinics in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces, Vietnam. Interviews explored factors that influenced smoking, such as substance use, mental health, HIV stigma, social context, and health. A rapid qualitative analysis approach was used to synthesize themes from the data, including identifying key domains based on prior literature, developing a semistructured interview guide, and organizing data within domains to support iterative theme development. These interviews were used to develop prompts to guide people living with HIV who smoke in writing peer messages for a text messaging intervention. Results: Across 6 themes, participants described smoking as part of their everyday lives, shaped by social situations, stress, alcohol use, and their experiences living with HIV. Social smoking and early initiation were important influences on smoking behaviors, whereas financial concerns and protecting family members and others from secondhand smoke promoted cessation. Some participants used smoking to cope, whereas others wished to quit for better health. HIV stigma was a major contributor to smoking, with many participants describing increased smoking after diagnosis. Participants suggested that cessation support should be better tailored to their needs. Conclusions: Smoking behaviors among people living with HIV are shaped by overlapping influences, including societal norms, mental health, HIV-related stigma, and other structural stressors. An understanding of these overlapping factors can inform the development of text-based interventions that offer effective cessation support tailored to this population. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05863923; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05863923
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A Digital Tool for Culturally Responsive Reflection and Case Conceptualization in First-Line Services to Support Children With a Refugee Background: Development and Usability Study
Background: In 2023, over 117 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, 40% of them children. Refugee children are at higher risk for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, while professionals may struggle to address mental health and trauma-related concerns across unfamiliar cultural contexts. The Psychiatry Assisting the Culturally Diverse Community in Creating Healing Ties (PACCT) approach supports culturally responsive care for culturally diverse families, but first-line professionals often lack practical support to apply such an approach in routine care. Objective: The study aimed to (1) identify professionals’ support to inform the development of Implementing PACCT through a Culturally Contextualized Tool (IMPACCT), a digital decision-support tool; (2) map these needs onto the initial IMPACCT conceptualization; and (3) gather initial feedback from professionals to guide further refinement. Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study in 3 phases. First, we analyzed 905 anonymized help desk questions submitted between May 2021 and November 2023 to Solentra, a Belgian center of expertise providing transcultural mental health support and consultation for refugees and other vulnerable migrant populations. Questions were coded using a predeveloped framework to identify recurrent professional needs. Second, we mapped all help desk question categories onto the different components of the first conceptualization of IMPACCT to ensure that its content reflected users’ questions and expectations. Third, 19 professionals working with refugee and migrant populations in Belgium were recruited through an open call between December 2024 and February 2025 using convenience sampling. After hands-on experience with a first iteration of IMPACCT, they provided feedback during semistructured interviews. These interviews were subsequently analyzed using deductive qualitative content analysis. Results: In the help desk questions, trauma-related concerns were the most common, followed by anxiety/stress and depressive symptoms. Acculturation was the most dominant culture-migration category. Most contexts were family- and school-oriented, and professionals were primarily asking for supervision or concrete next-step guidance. The interviews (N=19) found that the professionals thought that IMPACCT provided them with better-structured and early reflection, lessened some of the decision-making burden, and enabled a more structurally informed understanding of culture in the context of migration. Reported barriers included the time required and a lack of adaptation in workflow, with more experienced professionals reporting less perceived value. Additionally, participants suggested using IMPACCT as a training and/or supervision aid in first-line services and as standard decision support in ambulatory and inpatient care. Conclusions: The study offers first insights into the possible conceptualization of a digital decision-support tool for first-line professionals to help them support children with a refugee background. Further technical optimization of the tool, also taking into account first-user feedback, is, however, necessary before subsequently exploring its efficacy as well as effectiveness in strengthening first-line professionals’ competencies in working with the vulnerable population.
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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Misinformation on TikTok: Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study
<strong>Background:</strong> TikTok is an important source of mental health information for children, adolescents, and young adults, but the accuracy of psychoeducational content remains uncertain. Misleading information may be particularly consequential for younger users, who may have limited digital and health literacy. <strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to characterize misinformation and disinformation in TikTok content related to child and adolescent mental health, identify mental health topics disproportionately represented in misleading content, examine whether platform-observable video characteristics could discriminate videos containing misinformation, and explore how viewers responded to this content. <strong>Methods:</strong> We conducted a cross-sectional mixed methods secondary analysis of 122 child and adolescent mental health videos identified from a previously collected dataset of 1000 publicly available TikTok videos. Videos were independently coded for content, intent, authenticity, clinical topic, presenter characteristics, and engagement. An L2-penalized logistic regression using only platform-observable characteristics was evaluated using stratified 5-fold cross-validation; 95% CIs for predictive metrics were estimated using 5000 stratified bootstrap resamples of out-of-fold predictions. Disinformation was analyzed descriptively because only 2 cases were identified. An exploratory thematic analysis was conducted on 116 selected viewer comments. <strong>Results:</strong> Misinformation was identified in 21 of 122 (17.2%; 95% CI 11.5%-24.9%) videos, whereas disinformation occurred in 2 of 122 (1.6%; 95% CI 0.5%-5.8%). Misinformation was most frequent among videos addressing autism spectrum disorders (11/27, 40.7%), impulse control disorders (1/3, 33.3%), and mood disorders (4/13, 30.8%). Professional credentials were not disclosed in 63 of 122 (51.6%) videos, and only 9 of 122 (7.4%) referenced an external scientific source. The observable-feature model demonstrated modest discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.70 (95% CI 0.56-0.82), balanced accuracy of 0.69 (95% CI 0.58-0.79), recall of 0.67 (95% CI 0.48-0.86), and <i>F</i><sub>1</sub>-score of 0.44 (95% CI 0.32-0.56). Qualitative analysis identified 5 recurring patterns in viewer responses: sharing and validation of lived experiences, discussion of diagnosis and misdiagnosis, frustration with mental health care, peer support and encouragement, and exchanges about treatment and medication experiences. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> A substantial minority of the analyzed TikTok videos contained misinformation, with particularly high proportions among some neurodevelopmental and mood-related topics. Platform-observable characteristics provided only modest discrimination of misinformation, underscoring the difficulty of identifying misleading mental health content from surface-level features alone. Viewer comments further showed that TikTok mental health content is embedded within broader processes of self-interpretation, diagnostic discussion, peer validation, and treatment-related exchange. These findings support the need for developmentally appropriate digital health literacy initiatives and accurate, transparently sourced psychoeducational content for young social media users. <strong>Trial Registration:</strong>
Newly Identified Microexons Offer Clues to Autism Spectrum Disorder’s Genetic Roots
Scientists from the University of Toronto, the Sloan Kettering Institute, King’s College London, and the Francis Crick Institute have published data that points to a role for several new microexons in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). According to the findings, published today in Nature, the scientists identified hundreds of new microexons that appear to be involved in ASD and other neurological conditions, and developed a machine learning approach to predict the impact of ASD-associated genetic variants on how these segments are regulated.
Full details are available in a paper titled “A microexon regulatory code reveals autism-linked genetic variation.” In it, the scientists described how they used a computational tool dubbed MicroExonator to analyze over 100 terabytes of publicly available RNA sequencing data. The tool was developed by Guillermo Parada, PhD, the study’s co-lead author and a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Benjamin Blencowe, PhD, at King’s and the Crick. Using the tool, he identified more than 1,500 new microexons, of which nearly 300 appeared to be specifically spliced in the brain. Furthermore, many are concentrated in genes associated with critical brain-specific processes, supporting a potential link to neurological health.
The scientists also explored whether DNA variants found in people with autism might preferentially impact the expanded repertoire of microexons. Specifically they built and applied a machine learning model designed to identify the key regulatory features governing whether a microexon is spliced in or out of messenger RNAs. “What surprised me was that the sequences the model identified as important closely matched those conserved throughout vertebrate evolution,” says Parada.
Next, the scientists applied the model to whole-genome sequence data from thousands of people with autism and neurotypical sibling pairs. Specifically, they analyzed the predicted impact of ASD-associated genetic variants on the microexon regulatory code. “We were able to show that rare genetic variants generally have the largest predicted effects on the splicing of neuronal microexons,” says Blencowe, one of the study’s senior authors and a professor of molecular genetics at University of Toronto. The model further pinpointed a subset of rare variants predicted to alter microexon splicing that are associated with autism.
Additionally, the team found that the variants predicted to affect microexons are predominantly detected among the 85% of autistic individuals that previously lacked a genetic link to autism. This is an important point because “hundreds of genomic variants have been associated with autism, and these deliver a genetic diagnosis in 15 percent of autistic individuals,” says Blencowe, who is also a part-time professor at King’s and the Crick. That means that for 85 percent of people with an ASD diagnosis, the genetic explanation for their condition remains unknown. The findings from this study could provide some answers.
“In terms of future work, it will be important to understand how disrupted microexons affect interactions between proteins that are important for nervous system development and function,” Blencowe adds. One of the research programs in his lab is also exploring new therapeutic approaches to target microexon dysregulation.
Furthermore, the scientists believe that the machine learning model they developed can be used to characterize other newly discovered genetic variants and their effects in neurological conditions like schizophrenia and epilepsy where microexons are believed to play a role.
The post Newly Identified Microexons Offer Clues to Autism Spectrum Disorder’s Genetic Roots appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
Toward a population-level public health approach to support families living under continuous traumatic stress
Since October 2023, families across Israel have been living under conditions of continuous traumatic stress (CTS): ongoing, unresolved threat due to repeated rounds of regional conflict. Demand for mental health support has far outstripped the capacity of clinician-delivered services, leaving many families without evidence-based help. This community case study describes the development and early implementation of ADAPT-Israel. To our knowledge, this is likely to be the first population-level, parenting-centered public health approach designed for families living under CTS. The initiative uses a tiered model to provide parenting support across layers of care: (i) a universal layer of brief, trauma-informed public health messages and a self-directed, interactive online parenting program (with an optional AI avatar guide); (ii) a selective layer of facilitator-delivered ADAPT groups for live higher-risk families, beginning with families of long-serving military reservists; and (iii) an indicated layer of individual telehealth support for families experiencing clinical levels of difficulty. The approach adapts Adaptive Parenting Tools/ADAPT, an evidence-based program grounded in Social Interaction Learning theory and validated in a different context – for military families in the United States across three randomized controlled trials with nearly 1,000 military families. We describe the rationale, the methodology used to develop each tier, and early implementation experience. Feasibility and acceptability indicators from initial pilot groups are promising, including high group completion and positive participant reports of improved parenting and family relationships, though these are small-sample, self-report, early-stage findings rather than effectiveness evidence. We discuss practical implications, lessons learned, and the model’s potential utility in settings of protracted conflict and chronic threat.