TOPIC

Mental health research

Everything we have read on mental health. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,050 PAPERS · PAGE 31 OF 41 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNNarrative Review2025Depressive symptoms and heart rate variability in perinatal women: A narrative review.Japan journal of nursing science : JJNSIn perinatal women, heart rate variability was associated with stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in some studies, but results were inconsistent. Slow-breathing HRV biofeedback showed some reported benefit. Treat it as an adjunct, not a replacement for clinical assessment.
• RNQualitative2025Understanding the Consumers' Experiences of Safewards: A Qualitative Exploratory Study.International journal of mental health nursingPeople in Australian acute mental health units valued Safewards when it helped them connect with staff and each other. They also said locked calming equipment, unclear orientation, and busy nurses made it harder to feel safe.
• RNOther2025Cytokines and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents.Biological research for nursingHigher salivary IL-6 and IL-8 were linked to more depressive symptoms; IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α were linked to a positive depression screen. These are associations only, not a diagnostic test.
• RNSurvey2025Network of depression and anxiety symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and older people and its relationship with family health.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PAmong middle-aged and older Chinese adults, Fatigue was the most central depression and anxiety symptom, and Restlessness linked depression and anxiety clusters. Family health was negatively associated with symptoms, especially Family health resources with Suicide.
• RNRCT2025The Effect of Early-Initiated Half-Swaddling and Kangaroo Care Practices on Maternal Sleep Quality and Postpartum Depression in Term Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Nursing & health sciencesMothers using half-swaddling, kangaroo care, or both had better sleep and lower depression scores in the tables, but the results text calls them worse.
• RNQualitative2025Parents' Experiences With Couplet Care Following Caesarean Section in an Integrated Neonatal and Maternity Unit.Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal NursesParents who stayed with their newborn after caesarean section valued not being separated, nurse availability and clear communication. They described growing more confident in caring for their newborn, while fathers often became primary caregivers and mothers struggled with pain and immobility.
• RNRCT2025The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises Applied to Caregivers of Palliative Care Patients on Stress Coping Styles and Anxiety Levels: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Nursing openCaregivers of palliative care patients in the group that received nurse teaching, audio-guided progressive muscle relaxation, WhatsApp reminders and weekly calls reported less anxiety and more helpful coping.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Examining the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Internet-Delivered Psychological Pain Management for Regional and Rural Australians With Chronic Pain.The Australian journal of rural healthRegional and rural Australians with chronic pain who used a free internet pain course reported improved pain disability, depression and anxiety. Pain intensity also improved. There was no control group.
• RNOther2025Shared Decision-Making in Severe Aortic Stenosis: Experiences and Needs of Older Patients.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingMost older patients wanted collaborative decisions, but only 29.6% reported the highest level of shared decision-making. Nurses can ask about daily life and include caregivers before discussing treatment options.
• RNSurvey2025Self-Advocacy Among Women With Uterine Malignancies.Nursing researchWomen with uterine cancer had a mean self-advocacy score of 59.44 ± 10.14 on an 18-item scale scored 0 to 5 per item. Higher decision confidence and resilience were linked to stronger self-advocacy.
• RNCohort2025Greater Symptom Burden and Poorer Quality of Life Outcomes Are Associated With The Co-Occurrence of Anxiety and Depression During Cancer Chemotherapy.Seminars in oncology nursingAmong chemotherapy patients, higher co-occurring anxiety and depression was linked to increasingly worse fatigue, sleep, pain, thinking, and quality of life.
• RNSurvey2025The Acceptability of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Amongst Mental Health Consumers: Utilising the Theory of Planned Behaviour.International journal of mental health nursingAustralian mental health consumers were generally open to psychedelic-assisted therapy: 75% of participants wanted it and 55% preferred it over talking therapy, but many also felt concerned, fearful or worried about it.
• PTRNSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventions on Acute Inpatient Mental Health Units on Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review.International journal of mental health nursingCompared with control groups, physical activity programmes in acute mental health wards improved mood, reduced anxiety, increased fitness or improved patient experience in some studies; others found no difference. Evidence is too mixed to choose a programme.
• RNSurvey2025Identification of subgroups of self-reported outcomes among breast cancer patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy: A cross-sectional study.International journal of nursing sciencesAmong 640 breast cancer patients having surgery and chemotherapy, 48.4% fell into impaired-function subgroups, including a group with low physical, social, and cognitive function and a group with high physical but low cognitive function.
• RNQualitative2025Difficulties in providing nursing care to children with neurodevelopmental disorders admitted to child and adolescent psychiatric units for aggressive behavior.Japan journal of nursing science : JJNSNurses in child psychiatric wards struggle to manage aggression in children with neurodevelopmental disorders due to distrust, inconsistent staff responses, and lack of training. They rely on trial and error because evidence-based protocols for de-escalation and reflection are missing.
• RNOther2025Psychometric properties of the Chinese-version Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scales among stroke survivors with depressive symptoms.International journal of nursing sciencesThe Chinese BIS/BAS scales seem usable for stroke survivors with depressive symptoms. Ten participants found the items clear, scores were stable when retested, and people with probable depression showed lower activation and higher inhibition.
• RNSurvey2025Examining Differences Among Opioid Agonist Treatment Clients in Regional and Metropolitan Settings of New South Wales, Australia.The Australian journal of rural healthRegional OAT clients were more likely to use buprenorphine and private dosing sites, and to travel by car or active transport rather than public transport. They reported less past-month heroin, but driving offences mostly did not differ.
• RNOther2025Psychometric Testing of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire 12 in A European Population.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingThe Italian KCCQ-12 appears usable for assessing quality of life in Italian patients with heart failure. Scores can be compared across ejection fraction groups, but some items behaved differently in those groups.
• RNCohort2025Outcomes of Discontinuing Long-Term Opioid Therapy among Older Cancer Survivors in Long-Term Care Settings.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationIn older nursing home cancer survivors, stopping long-term opioids was linked with less worsening pain and fewer opioid use disorder or overdose events, without worse physical function or depression.
• RNSystematic Review2025Effects of digital health interventions in women with high-risk pregnancies: a systematic review.Women's health nursing (Seoul, Korea)Across seven trials, digital health tools for high-risk pregnancy did not improve primary blood pressure or birth outcomes. Some secondary anxiety, satisfaction, and illness-perception results were better with the tools.
• RNQualitative2025An Explorative Study on the Role of Family Members in Caring for Mental Health Care Users in South Africa.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingFamily caregivers of people with mental illness struggle to ensure treatment adherence and hygiene, often lacking knowledge about causes and side effects. They reported stigma and insufficient support from nurses after discharge, leaving them isolated and fearful of relapse.
• RNSurvey2025Identifying Health Services Preferences for a Community-Based HIV Status-Neutral Mobile Clinic Among Marginalized Populations in Oakland, CA: A Maximum-Difference Analysis.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACMarginalized Oakland community members ranked housing case management, mental health counseling, and mental health screening as most important services for a mobile HIV clinic, ahead of standard medical services.
• RNCohort2025High Anticholinergic Burden of Patients Hospitalized for Hip Fracture Reveals a Target for Deprescribing.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAmong older hip fracture patients with high anticholinergic burden, 42.6% had lower burden during post-acute nursing home care, but 47.5% had no meaningful change and 9.9% increased.
• RNQualitative2025"I don't think I have been out of fight or flight. Ever." Transgender people's experiences in inpatient psychiatric treatment.International journal of nursing studiesTransgender adults described inpatient psychiatric care as exhausting because staff misgendered them, withheld hormones, and ignored their distress. Nurses who actively corrected names and advocated for affirming care were rare but made the difference between feeling safe and feeling targeted.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025Postnatal Depression Beyond 12 Months: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of mental health nursingDepression rates did not differ between the first and second postpartum years: 16% then 15%, and 19% beyond 24 months. This suggests postnatal depression can continue or begin later.
• RNSystematic Review2025Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) With Workforce Solutions for Sustainable Care: A Follow Up to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) Based Decision Support Systems in Mental Health.International journal of mental health nursingAI decision support in mental health may help clinicians personalise care and reduce workload, but the reviewed evidence is feasibility, acceptability and model performance, not proven patient outcomes. Bias and transparency remain unresolved.
• RNRCT2025Effect of psychological intervention combined with feedback-based health education on lung cancer patients.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PLung cancer patients who received routine nursing plus stage-based psychological support and feedback health education reported lower anxiety and depression, better quality of life, and fewer adverse reactions than routine nursing alone in a pilot study.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025The Effectiveness of Mind-Body Exercise on Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Health During and After Breast Cancer Treatment: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses for Randomized Controlled Trials.Worldviews on evidence-based nursingYoga had the strongest evidence for reducing depression in breast cancer patients and survivors. Evidence for quality of life, fatigue, anxiety and sleep was weak or unclear, so do not expect broad benefits.
• RNQualitative2025May I, Will I and Why. A Shared Lifeworld in a Suicidal Trajectory-Told by Suicide Loss Survivors.International journal of mental health nursingSuicide loss survivors described an implicit negotiation with the person who died, felt as vigilance, relief, anger, or new meanings in familiar places. These accounts may help nurses assess suicide risk and involve families.
• RNOther2025Prevalence and Predictors of Caregiver Distress in Six European Communities: Data From the IBenC Study, Using interRAI-Home Care Assessments.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesAmong home care clients with informal caregivers, distress was most common in Iceland (34%) and least in Finland (9%). Client depression risk, incontinence, medical complexity, recent hospitalisation and cohabiting caregivers were linked to higher distress.
• RNMeta-Analysis2025The Effect of Nursing Interventions in Women With Gestational Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nursing & health sciencesNursing interventions added to standard care for pregnant women with gestational hypertension lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure, anxiety and depression, and shortened hospital stay. Preeclampsia development did not change.
• RNQualitative2025When Psychiatric Services Become a Waiting Room: Situational Analysis of Involuntary Commitment and Treatment as Experienced by Patients and Nurses.Clinical nursing researchPatients and nurses described involuntary psychiatric care as waiting for crisis to pass, medication as the main treatment, little support, and rules enforced by nurses.
• RNQualitative2025A Narrative Inquiry of East Asian Parents and Mental Health in Canada: Critical Openings for Anti-Racism Strategies in Knowledge Translation.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresEight East Asian parents described child mental health resources as hard to access because of cost, language and missing cultural terms. They also said representation alone was not enough, because resources often did not understand their lived experience.
• PTOTRNCohort2025Changes in Mental and Physical Health Outcomes Following One Day a Week Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in Regional New South Wales.The Australian journal of rural healthIn regional NSW, patients completing one weekly cardiopulmonary rehab session showed reduced depression, faster sit-to-stand times, and longer walking distances. Waist circumference decreased slightly. Blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation did not change significantly.
• RNCohort2025An Observational Study on the Association Between Nutritional Intake and Mental Health Among Older Adults in Rural Areas.Nursing & health sciencesRural Korean older adults who reported higher daily niacin and vitamin E intake had lower reported depressive symptoms. The study measured diet and symptoms at one time, so it does not show that foods or supplements prevented depression.
• RNQualitative2025Consumer Experiences of the Australian Stepped Care Model in Primary Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Study.International journal of mental health nursingAustralians using stepped mental health care valued empathetic, consistent clinicians but faced long waits, limited sessions, abrupt funding cuts and poor communication. These barriers worsened distress, especially for complex needs.
• RNRCT2025Development and Deployment of a Music Listening Intervention Mobile Application for a Two-Group Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.Clinical nursing researchA music app for an ICU delirium trial can deliver blinded music or silence, log session length and tracks, and send data securely. It does not show music reduced delirium.
• RNQualitative2025Family management of common sleep disturbances among children with autism: Implications for pediatric nursing research and practice.Journal of pediatric nursingCaregivers describe managing sleep in children with autism as a balancing act between the child’s sensory needs and the family’s own sleep. Night wakings were most common, but often went unnoticed by parents if the child stayed in bed. Screening tools may miss these disturbances.
• RNQualitative2025Women living with HIV: perception regarding diagnosis, treatment and mental health.Revista brasileira de enfermagemWomen living with HIV described stigma, anxiety, despair, and suicidal thoughts after diagnosis; these feelings were linked to missed or stopped antiretroviral treatment. Ask about mental health before treating poor adherence as forgetfulness.
• RNQualitative2025Ways to Cope With Paternal Postpartum Depression From Iranian Fathers' Perspective: A Qualitative Study.Nursing openIranian fathers with postpartum depression described coping through work, family, and spouse support, hope that problems pass, and parenting and communication training. These are experiences, not tested treatments.
• RNQualitative2025Uncertainties and contradictions experienced by women with COVID-19 during childbirth/birth and the postpartum period.Revista brasileira de enfermagemWomen who gave birth with COVID-19 described fear, isolation, and separation from their babies. Some found staff caring, but others reported being left alone, denied companions, ignored birth plans, and struggling with breastfeeding.
• RNOther2025Exploration of Perceptions of Mental Health and Self-Stigma Related to Psychological Care Seeking Among Female Refugees From War-Torn Ukraine.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingUkrainian female refugees in the US described war-related anxiety, insomnia and shame about seeking mental health care. They often coped through family, faith, work and staying busy, and preferred help only when severe.
• RNOther2025Use of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener in a General Hospital Setting.International journal of mental health nursingIn general hospital inpatients, nurse interviews for suicide screening were accepted more often than self-report, but self-report found more high-risk patients. Older patients refused self-report; male and surgical patients refused nurse interviews.
• RNSurvey2025The Association Between Caregiving Burden, the Caregiving Relationship, and Caregiver Health.Journal of gerontological nursingFamily caregivers of older adults who reported more burden also reported worse mental health and poorer general health, and the link was partly associated with lower perceived relationship quality.
• RNSystematic Review2025Predictors of Informal Caregiver Burden in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.Western journal of nursing researchCaregiver depression and anxiety, neuropsychiatric symptoms, poorer patient quality of life, and motor symptoms affecting daily living were repeatedly linked to higher caregiver burden in Parkinson's. Many other variables were inconclusive. These are assessment clues, not proven treatment targets.
• RNQualitative2025Meanings of hope constructed by users of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PUsers of specialized mental health services described hope as faith, solidarity, recovery from illness, and personal resilience. Some said the pandemic worsened substance use or depression, and some said they had no goals.
• RNSystematic Review2025Prodromal Symptoms of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence.Nursing openWomen later diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome often reported prodromal fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbance, chest discomfort and other symptoms before the event. Nurses can ask about these when triaging or assessing women with nonspecific symptoms.
• SLPRNSurvey2025The Roles of Parental Psychological Flexibility, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion in Affecting Mental Health and Self-Efficacy in Parents of Children With or Without Hearing Loss: An Analysis of the Parallel Mediation Model.Nursing openParents of children with and without congenital hearing loss reported that higher stress, depression, and anxiety were linked to lower parenting self-efficacy, and that lower psychological flexibility, mindful awareness, and self-compassion were also linked to lower self-efficacy. It did not test an intervention.
• RNSystematic Review2025Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Programmes Among Adolescents and Sociocultural Adaptation of Programmes: A Systematic Review.International journal of mental health nursingSchool-based suicide prevention programmes often improved adolescents' knowledge about suicide, help-seeking and some suicide-related outcomes, but effects were inconsistent, few reported cultural adaptation and no adverse effects were reported.
• RNOther2025The Role of Siblings in Caring for Middle-Aged and Older People With Severe Mental Illness: A Scoping Review.International journal of mental health nursingMost siblings of middle-aged or older people with severe mental illness are willing to give emotional, social, or financial support, but they resist regular daily care. They need psychoeducation, counselling, and help coordinating with services.