by Ana Valado  , Márcia Morais  , Stephanie Fortes  , Joana Rosado  , João Paulo Figueiredo  and Armando Caseiro

Received: 20 November 2023;  Published: 21 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402028

Hydrotherapy is highly recommended for older adults because it offers warmth and support, so people with pain or reduced mobility and balance can move and exercise more freely compared to regular physical activity. The high plasma antioxidant capacity of uric acid in neutralizing oxidative species and the importance of nitric oxide (NO) in vasodilation and inflammatory response are relevant in older adults. This work aimed to evaluate hydrotherapy's effect on uric acid and NO concentrations in a population aged ≥ 6 [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 14 May 2024;  Published: 15 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402027

Laser acupuncture, a rising complementary therapy, applies a low-intensity laser to acupuncture points, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Proposed hypotheses include modulation of cellular signaling, tissue repair, and immune modulation. Laser acupuncture may stimulate energy flow, neurotransmitter release, cellular changes, immune regulation, and neuroendocrine activity. Additionally, the biophoton theory suggests an involvement of ultra-weak photon radiation from cells. Litscher et al. explore these m [...]

by Tracy O'Halloran  , Jennifer Symonds  and Linda Bhreathnach

Received: 02 November 2023;  Published: 11 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402026

This systematic review examined the impact of wellbeing interventions on the anxiety levels of children attending low-income schools. Studies, published between January 2000 and April 2022, were included if they had samples of school aged children attending low-income schools who were given a universal school-based wellbeing intervention. Ten databases were searched systematically to identify 542 records. After title and abstract screening, 43 records remained for full text screening, and of these studies, 10 met i [...]

by Alyssa M. Krueger  , Kelsey Smith  , Arielle Pollock  , Christine Dunkel Schetter  and Nicole E. Mahrer

Received: 24 December 2023;  Published: 30 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402025

Residential and nonresidential fathers are taking an increasingly greater role in their children’s lives, and father involvement predicts positive child outcomes across development. This study utilized data from a large sample of racially and ethnically diverse fathers of low to middle income (n = 1,112) to test if paternal stress is associated with lower father involvement in early infancy and whether perceived social support is protective. Exploratory analyses examined whether the effects of stress on father invo [...]

by A. Maya Kaye

Received: 14 October 2023;  Published: 27 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402024

Fueled by decreased state support, economic pressures, and a growing emphasis on academic capitalism, higher education in the United States faces significant challenges. These shifts have fostered fast-paced, competitive environments, impacting the quality and equity of faculty-student mentoring in graduate programs, particularly for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and first-generation students. This article proposes a novel framework, the compassion-focused mentoring conceptual model (CFM-CM), to addre [...]

by Tara Hickey  , Sarah Strohmaier  , Ellie Fossey  and Charlie Heriot-Maitland

Received: 21 December 2023;  Published: 25 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402023

In the compassion focused therapy (CFT) model of voice-hearing, a distressing relationship with voices is thought to be influenced by evolved threat-protection patterns, which are activated and attuned by socially threatening experiences, such as being harmed by others, as well being shamed, stigmatised, invalidated, and excluded. Therefore, the CFT approach is particularly interested in the role of voice-hearers’ relationships with others and self, as well as their social context of family/friends, professionals/s [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 02 April 2024;  Published: 03 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402022

Acupuncture, as a promising complementary therapy for cancer patients, offers personalized symptom management and improved quality of life alongside conventional treatments. With its proven efficacy in alleviating chemotherapy-induced side effects such as nausea, fatigue, and pain, acupuncture stands as a holistic approach to cancer care. Tailored to individual needs and boasting a favorable safety profile, acupuncture addresses both physical symptoms and psychological distress, promoting resilience and quality of [...]

by James Hackley  , Alison Dixon  , Carol Royle  , Christopher Moss  , Richard Brown  and Tobyn Bell

Received: 29 January 2024;  Published: 27 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401021

Compassion-focused chairwork has become a recent focus of empirical investigation. This study extended this area of research by exploring how participants with depression experienced the ‘compassionate other’ imagery exercise enacted via chairwork methods. Eight individuals from primary care NHS mental health services were interviewed about their experience of the practice. The resultant data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three group experiential themes were identified: care that [...]

by Munafò Jessica

Received: 16 October 2023;  Published: 20 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401020

Compassion focused therapy concepts and techniques are explored in the context of weight management efforts within community, specialist and surgical settings. Living at higher weights within a culture that over-values life at low weights can induce feelings of shame, self-loathing and hypercriticism. This article examines points at which individuals engaging in weight management may experience heightened distress and describes some of the ways that the model has been applied with this population. An outline of the [...]

by Ampere A. Tseng

Received: 21 January 2024;  Published: 13 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401019

The aim of this article is to provide a quantitative assessment of the correlation between heightened mindfulness and stress reduction among cancer patients and survivors who engaged in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions. Utilizing data from eight studies, we conducted quantitative analyses to provide the effectiveness scores of MBSR interventions on mindfulness, assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and stress symptoms, evaluated through standardized self-reported questi [...]