Supportive, nurturing relationships facilitate good health, well-being, and life satisfaction. Intimacy is crucial for developing successful relationships as it strengthens bonds between partners through the exchange of personal details, love, and affection. Despite the importance of intimacy in developing strong relationships, the extant research often conflates affection, trust, and sexual acts with intimacy or only considers one aspect of an intimate relationship (i.e., physical or sexual touch) .

The current study aimed to clarify what elicits feelings of intimacy in men and women in order to develop a more nuanced conceptualization of intimacy for use in future research and clinical practice.

In Study 1, women and men nominated over 2,700 items that “elicited feelings of intimacy” for them. Examples of nominations included: trust, communication, touch, attraction, and sex. Trained raters condensed duplicate items and created a final list of unique nominations for use in Study 2. Study 2 identified the factor structure of the nominated items by having a new sample of participants rate the extent each item elicited intimacy for them.

Data collection is ongoing but will be completed by December 2021. Results will be updated with an addendum after data analysis.

will focus on gender differences in the factor structure of intimacy, how future research can avoid conflating this important construct with other relational aspects, and how a deeper understanding of intimacy can benefit treatment in clinical contexts and strengthen relationships more broadly.

No significant relationships.

Since the emergence of the term “transsexualism” in the Ninth International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9), disciplines related to mental health have contributed to the perpetuation of stereotypical attitudes towards trans people. Recent years have shown the significant prevalence of mental pathology suffered by this group, and the need for specialized training to improve access to the health system.

The main objectives of this research are: (a) to find and analyse the scientific evidence published which assesses the attitudes of mental health professionals towards the trans community; b) to establish the main variables that modify these attitudes, paying special attention to gender, ideology, sexual orientation and previous training or experience

A systematic review of the literature was conducted following the PRISMA recommendations.

Tendency towards more positive and liberal attitudes among professionals than in the general population.

Higher values for extreme prejudice among those professionals who attributed gender diversity to a psychological, ethico-moral or religious cause.

Association of depathologising practices with belief in the psychosocial nature of diversity, clinical training and interpersonal contact with LGBT people. The following socio-demographic variables were related: being a woman, clinical psychologists, progressive political ideology, professionals who strive to know their own limitations and biases.

More positive attitudes than the general population but still insufficient Specific training in gender diversity and minority issues would be a key element in improving care for transgender people. The attitudes of professionals depend, in part, on the personal characteristics of the therapists.

No significant relationships.

Chemsex refers to the intentional consumption of specific substances, Gamma Hydroxybutyrate/Gamma Butyrolactone (GHB/GBL), Crystal Methamphetamine and/or Cocaine to facilitate or enhance the sexual experience. However, there was a plethora of associated problems ranging in severity to complex, life-threatening situations. Since its inception in 2014, The Club Drugs Clinic Ireland, the first outpatient-based clinic for GHB/GBL Detoxification in Ireland, had evolved to include managing problematic chemsex.

The Chemsex Working Group Ireland is a collaborative response from governmental and non-governmental agencies. Details of current medical and psychiatric management along with preliminary outcome findings on detoxification, relapse risk and associated factors will be presented.

Data collected include socio-demographic variables, gender and sexuality, detoxification setting, relapse history and attendance for counselling or aftercare. Descriptive analyses were conducted on referral counts, drug trends, success of first treatment episode, subsequent relapse rate, and uptake of counselling and aftercare.

There have been over 200 referrals to the Club Drugs Clinic Ireland. A number of predisposing and precipitating factors, contributed to the relapse rate (up to 70%) both in Ireland and internationally. The salutogenic, biopsychosocial-based model of addiction recovery produced the best outcomes. This integrated Dual Diagnosis Psychiatry, Sexual Health Medicine, Emergency Medicine and external services for a more comprehensive care.

The pattern of referrals reflects population trends in chemsex, despite the COVID-19 restrictions. While detoxification is largely successful, the high relapse rate highlights the challenge of maintaining abstinence. In order to competently address problematic chemsex, service coordination across various medical professions and ongoing monitoring of the substances consumed is quintessential.

No significant relationships.

Having a healthy active sex life is essential to maintain good physical health and offer the possibility of establishing moments of mental well-being. Until now, not many studies have addressed this health aspect in our context, while problems related to intimate relationships remain one of the most frequent causes of consultation in psychiatry.

The objectives of our study are: to assess sexuality among Moroccan women, analyze their sexual behavior with an epidemiological description, determine their sources of information, and identify the potential causes that could lead to lower their libido.

We conducted a cross-sectional study with around hundreds of women in the general population using the female sexual function index (FSFI), associated with a questionnaire that includes age, place of residence, origin, marital status, number of children, profession, social status, age of first sexual experience, details of different sexual practices, sources of information related to genital life, the means of contraception and the presence of comorbidities.

Preliminary results show a limited understanding of sexuality among women of low socioeconomic status. Women with a high level of education are more fulfilled and this is due to the ease of access to information and care. Depression contributes greatly to lower libido and marital conflict.

Sexuality remains today one of the most taboo subjects in our country and more among the female population. Hence the need for sex education begins with self-knowledge, understanding of different practices, and psychological support for all women from a young age toward enduring a healthy flourishing sex life.

No significant relationships.

The past years BDSM (an acronym for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) has gained a significant amount of attention and popularity in the general population, portraying an inaccurate image of BDSM and the people who share these interests. Yet despite this increasing popularity, only little empirical research has focused on this subject and it’s possible driving mechanisms so far, sustaining the existing misconceptions and stigma towards BDSM in general and BDSM practitioners in specific.

We aimed to gain more insights on understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms, such as sensation seeking and coping, in people who participate in BDSM-related activities, as well as into the factors which contribute to the existing stigma and discrimination

In a national survey study 256 Dutch-speaking BDSM-practitioners were compared to a matched sample of people from the general Belgian population (N = 300) who lack any interest in BDSM in two separate studies.

About 86% of the general population maintained stigmatizing beliefs about these sexual interests and practices. In regard to sensation seeking and coping, compared to controls, BDSM practitioners reported signifcantly higher levels of sensation seeking for all dimensions, as well as the use of more active coping skills.

People who do not conform to the current social standards of our society often seem to remain the subject of stigmatization and discrimination. Further research is needed to explore the psychological processes that drive BDSM interests in order to destigmatize and normalize consensual BDSM-related activities.

No significant relationships.

Sexuality is a growing field in the context of the management of chronic diseases and cancer in particular. Cancer treatments and the traumatic nature of the cancer experience frequently elicit considerable sexual difficulties.

To assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in patients with cancer, and to determine the associated factors.

This was a cross-sectional study, conducted over 1 month, involving 100 cancer patients followed in the oncology department at the Habib Bourguiba University Hospital in Sfax (Tunisia). General, clinical and therapeutic data were collected using a pre-established questionnaire. Sexual function was assessed with the “Female sexual Function Index” and the “International Index of Erectile Function”.

These results showed that half of the patients were female, and 70% of them were married. Their mean age was 51.96, and 68% of them were unemployed. Unemployment in men and treatment with chemotherapy were statistically associated with erectile dysfunction (p=0.049 and p= 0.001 respectively). treatment with radiotherapy was statistically associated with decreased desire in men (p=0.048). Depression correlated with a decreased orgasm (p=0.032) and erectile dysfunction (p=0.043) in men, mean score of IIEF (p= 0.019) and with a decreased sexual arousal (p=0.006) in women.

Sexual dysfunction is common in cancer patients. They can be of iatrogenic or psychological origin and can depend on the dynamics of the couple relationship. Training to raise awareness of the importance of sexuality first among cancer patients should be considered given the lack of communication between doctors and patients regarding sexuality issues.

No significant relationships.

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is prevalent among psychiatric patients than general population.

To assess the SD and quality of life (QOL) of patients with schizophrenia, and to identify the factors associated with it.

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, which began in December 2019, conducted with 60 subjects followed for SCZ or SAD, at the psychiatry outpatient unit of the Hédi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax (Tunisia). General, clinical and therapeutic data were collected using a pre-established questionnaire. The Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) and the 36 item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to evaluate subjective sexual dysfunction and QOL respectively.

Patients enrolled had SCZ in 78.2% and SAD in 21.8% of cases. The mean age was 47.2 years. Psychiatric family history, the presence of personal somatic illnesses and tobacco use were found in 43.6%, 61.8% and 67.3% of cases, respectively. The average score of ASEX was 18.21. QOL was altered in 73.3% of participants with an SGM of 53.29. The psychic component was more altered than the physical one with average scores estimated respectively at 48 and 58.44. Participants with SD were more likely to have tobacco consumption (p= 0.025), history of suicide attempt (p=0.023) and they are treated by a combination of several treatments (p=0.025). Impaired QOL was not statistically correlated with SD (p=0.5)

The physicians should pay attention to SD during the assessment and treatment of patients with schizophrenia.

No significant relationships.

The assumption that “normal” or typical sexual behavior exists is important for research and practice (van Lankveld, 2013). The definition of normal sexual behavior is multifaceted, that is why its adequate understanding by students in the course of sexuality requires some effort.

The focus of the research was the students’ understanding of complicated normal sexual behavior.

24 students (20 women; aged from 20 to 37 with M=25.5 and SD=5.7) completed adapted and modified questionnaire (Kite, 1990) consisting 30 items concerning sexual behavior by deciding whether or not they consider each item as normal. Then the evaluations by each student on all items were generalized and discussed and summarized in this general form among all participants.

Only 2 items were considered by all students as a normal: concerning sex somewhere other than a bed and masturbation after marriage. Some items were evaluated as normal by the half of participants: fantasizing about a person other than one’s partner during sex; becoming aroused by peeping; dressing of the clothing of the other sex; having rape fantasies. Many items were characterized as normal by less or more than a half of the participants. Trying to answer the question of what elements of sexual behavior can be considered as normal, students aware the ambiguity of these assumptions and observe the variability in the opinions of other participants.

Evaluation of different elements of sexual behavior and subsequent group discussion demonstrates for students some difficulties and uncertainty in defining normal sex behavior.

No significant relationships.

Though BDSM interest (bondage & discipline, dominance & submission and sadism & masochism) has proven to be quite prevalent (46.8% in recent research), there is still significant stigma surrounding it, both in general society and among mental health practitioners.

This research explores the biological mechanisms associated with a BDSM interaction in the hope to strengthen the argument that it does not belong in the psychiatric field.

The present study collected data on peripheral hormone levels, pain thresholds and pain cognitions before and after a BDSM interaction and compared these results to a control group.

show that submissives have increased cortisol and endocannabinoid levels due to the BDSM interaction and that these increases are linked. Dominants showed a significant increase in endocannabinoids associated with power play but not with pain play. BDSM practitioners have a higher pain threshold overall and a BSDM interaction will result in a temporary elevation of pain thresholds for submissives. Additionally, pain thresholds in dominants will be dependent upon their fear of pain and tendency to catastrophize pain and submissives will experience less fear of pain than the control group

Even though this is one of the first studies of its kind, several biological processes can be associated with BDSM interactions, strengthening the hypothesis of BDSM as a healthy form of intimacy and promoting its distinction from paraphilias as they are described in the DSM or ICD classifications.

No significant relationships.

Transsexual adolescents frequently present psychiatric comorbidities and psychopathology among which self-injurious behaviours are prominent (Modrego Pardo et al., 2021). GAHT seems to decrease the rate of mental health problems especially in terms of anxiety, depression and hostility (Heylens et al., 2014). However the impact of exogenous cross-sex hormones on non-suicidal and suicidal self-injurious behaviours is not thoroughly understood (Claes et al., 2015).

We present the case of a transsexual boy who was first diagnosed with depression and benign self-injurious behaviours and subsequently - transsexualism.

He was prescribed a treatment with testosterone depot injections in fortnight intervals. The initiation of testosterone injections co-occurred with the switching of antidepressant drug. Self-injurious behaviours, substance abuse and suicidal attempts were observed regularly after GAHT onset – 10-14 days after a testosterone injection. The lethality and intensity of self-harm was greater than that observed before GAHT. After admission to the psychiatry unit pharmacotherapy was adjusted accordingly to presented symptoms. Remission of self-injurious behaviours followed.

The incidence of self-injury 10-14 days after the injection of depot testosterone overlaps the peak of serum testosterone levels in treated patients (O’Connor et al., 2004). Moreover, a relative serotonin deficiency in a depressed patient may be insufficient to counteract testosterone believed to be driving aggressive tendencies (Batrinos, 2012).

Since psychiatric comorbidity and psychopharmacotherapy in transsexual young population is the rule rather than the exception, careful monitoring and therapy adjustment is crucial for maintaining safety and obtaining best results (Kaltiala et al., 2020).

No significant relationships.

Development of gender identity is a complicated process. During this process it is thought that many factors play a role. Gender dysphoria is a condition where there is a mismatch between the assigned gender at birth and gender identity. Although scarce, literature shows that compared to cisgender individuals, transgender and gender-diverse individuals have higher rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses.

To describe posible relations and overlap between gender dysphoria and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Literature search in Pubmed and other similar platforms. Articles considered relevant under this theme were included.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can compromise health and may be more prevalent amongst individuals with gender dysphoria (GD). Symptoms such as attention difficulties, deficits in communication and social skills, obsessional interests, and stereotyped behaviour can significantly impact assessment of GD and the appropriate clinical care. With some overlapping symptoms, the potential for misdiagnosis is possible. Data about prevalence of this conditions in transgender community is of low quality, but ASD is more prevalent, ranging from 6-26%.

Studies demosntrate that neurodevelopmental disorders and other psychiatric conditions are more common in transgender and gender-diverse individuals. It is important that future studies focus on exploring the mental health outcomes of neurodevelopmental-trans individuals.

No significant relationships.

Sexuality is one of the basic needs in human life and its positive effects for the wellbeing are undeniable. People with dementia, despite cognition and functioning impairments, still pursue intimacy as part of their expression of basic human instincts.

We aim to address the subject of sexuality among patients with dementia, emphasizing the physiological, environmental and legal barriers.

We conduct a non-systematic review of recent evidence on dementia and sexuality, using PubMed/Medline database.

People with dementia face several difficulties expressing their sexuality. First, they struggle with physiological barriers to enjoyment of sexuality, such as ageism, apathy and limited free mobility. Secondly, either at home or in long-term care facilities, privacy is usually abolished. For care facilities, the Sexuality Assessment Tool supports the normalization of sexuality and self-audit policies that promote resident rights for privacy and assistance. Moreover, expression of sexuality in elderly can be misinterpreted as disinhibition, leading to unnecessary use of psychotropics to cease these behaviors. Additionally, legal barriers regarding consent arise when a partner loses the ability to consent sexual activity, questioning agreement and mutual desire. The Lichtenberg and Strzepek Decision Tree for Capacity to Participate in Intimate Relationships can be helpful to address this issue.

Sexuality in older people remains neglected in clinical intervention. Besides the urgent need to deconstruct stereotypes, families and staff must be sensitized to understand the changes in expression and perception of sexuality among people with dementia, rather than being indifferent or medicate what can be perceived as disinhibited/distorted expressions of normal needs.

No significant relationships.

Sexual assault is a major problem in Tunisian society. There is no definitive typology of the characteristics of those who sexually assault. A great diversity of sexual aggression behaviors and different motivations can be described.

It is about a retrospective survey, achieved from data of Medical Expertise of the sexual offenders achieved in psychiatric departement of hospital of mahdia. This study revealed 18 cases during the period from January 2010 to December 2020.

The objective of the work was to describe the epidemiological and criminological profile of the sexual assaults.

Mean age of the sample was 40 years [30-61]. Aggressors were almost exclusively males, have medium socioeconomic status and without a regular job. Fifty percent of the perpetrators had a psychiatric diagnosis: bipolar disorder (27.7%), schizophrenia (11.1%), antisocial personality disorder (5.5%) and intellectual disability (5.5%). Indecent assault (27.7%) was the most frequent aggression then the rape (22,2%). Thirty three per cent of the victims were minor.Among these expertised patients, 72% were considered responsible for their actions and only one was considered irresponsible.

Studies on the characteristics of sexual offenders have concluded to the profile of the young, single and unemployed male, but it can’t be a commun profile.

No significant relationships.

This quality improvement project was a collaboration between an adult, inpatient female psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) in South London and the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Inclusion and Empowerment (SHRINE) programme. SHRINE is a London-based programme delivering SRH care to any individual with serious mental illness, substance misuse and/or learning disability.

The primary aim of this quality improvement project was to assess patients’ sexual and reproductive (SRH) needs, and the acceptability of providing SRH assessments in a female PICU setting. Secondary aims were to explore the barriers to access and the feasibility of providing SRH assessments and SHRINE interventions in the PICU.

A bi-monthly SRH in-reach clinic and a nurse led SRH referral pathway were implemented on the PICU over a seven-month period. Within a quality improvement framework, a staff training needs assessment was performed, training delivered, a protocol developed, staff attitudes explored, and patient and carer engagement sought.

30% of women were identified as having unmet SRH needs and proceeded to a specialist appointment, representing a 2.5-fold increase in unmet need detection. 42% of women were assessed, representing a 3.5-fold increase in uptake. 21% of women initiated SRH interventions of which 14% had all their SRH needs met.

Results identified SRH needs for PICU admissions are greater than realised. Staff highlighted the acceptability and importance of SRH care, if interventions are appropriately timed and the patient’s individual risk profile considered. Providing a nurse-led referral pathway for an SRH in-reach clinic is acceptable, feasible and beneficial for PICU patients.

No significant relationships.

There is growing evidence that sexual minority men (e.g., gay, bisexual) experience lower sleep quality when compared to their heterosexual peers. Minority stress (e.g., discrimination, victimization) may account for these differences, however little is known about these relationships and how generalized anxiety may play a role in sleep disturbance.

Therefore, the aims of this study are to (a) understand the relationship between minority stress and sleep disturbance in a sample of sexual minority men, and (b) test whether these relationships are mediated by generalized anxiety.

In 2020, 241 sexual minority men were recruited across a south-eastern state in the USA. Participants were asked to respond to scales assessing perceived social stress, minority stress constructs (i.e., internalized homophobia, experiences of harassment, microaggressions), generalized anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Linear regressions were used to test the relationship between minority stress and sleep disturbance controlling for perceived social stress and to test mediation by generalized anxiety.

Two minority stress constructs (experiences of harassment, and microaggressions) and perceived social stress were found to have a positive relationship with sleep disturbance. Generalized anxiety symptoms fully mediated the relationship between minority stress and sleep disturbance.

Because sleep quality has a profound impact on health, findings from this study suggest the need for psychological intervention to improve sleep for sexual minority men. Given that generalized anxiety fully mediates the relationship between minority stress and sleep, targeted anxiety-based interventions have the potential to reduce sleep disturbance disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority men.

No significant relationships.

The world’s population has been exposed to traumatic events and high levels of stress due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Stress is known currently as a universal experience, but the concept was first defined in 1936 by Hans Selye. It has been shown that stress is associated with impairments in neuroplasticity (e.g. neuronal atrophy and synaptic loss in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex) and has a crucial role in almost all mental disorders.

In this paper we aim to highlight the recent theoretical and experimental advances in neuroscience regarding stress induced neuroplasticity.

We analyzed scientific literature written in English and published between 2019-2021. We used the electronic portal PubMed-NCBI.

In the last few years, molecular and cellular studies on animal models of stress related and stress-induced psychopathologies revealed alterations in gene expression, micro ARNs expression, as well as in intracellular signaling pathways that mediate the stress induced adaptations. These findings have led to new theories regarding depression and anxiety in the molecular neurobiology field. It has been shown that stress reduces BDNF expression inducing neuronal atrophy in various brain areas. Contrastingly, other studies have demonstrated that chronic antidepressant treatment increases BDNF expression. Furthermore, a crucial role has been assigned to miRNAs in the development of chronic stress-induced depression-like behavior and neuroplasticity.

We hope that this paper will increase interest in the field of stress induced cellular and molecular changes. More research needs to be pursued in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of stress-induced mental disorders.

No significant relationships.

Sleep disturbances are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI) worsening morbidity and other neuropsychiatric symptoms. Post-TBI alterations in sleep architecture require further study.

(1) To evaluate polysomnographic measures of sleep architecture in participants with history of TBI compared to controls and as meta-analyses of pooled means. (2) To evaluate effects of timing and severity of TBI on polysomnographic outcomes.

PRISMA compliant systematic review was conducted of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Scopus. Inclusion criteria: 1) reporting polysomnography in the context of TBI and 2) operationalizing TBI using clear/formalized criteria. Data were pooled in random-effects meta-analyses with outcomes expressed as mean differences (MD).

In participants with TBI, sleep was comprised of 19.39% REM sleep, 8.13% N1, 51.18% N2, and 17.53% N3, as determined by meta-analyses of single means. Total sleep time was reduced in chronic (>6 months) TBI compared to acute-intermediate TBI (<6 months) (p=0.01). Compared to controls, participants with TBI differed with increased N1 sleep (MD=0.64%; 95%CI=0.02,1.25; p=0.04), reduced sleep efficiency (MD=-1.65%; 95%CI=-3.18,-0.12; p=0.03), and reduced sleep latency on the multiple sleep latency test (MD=-5.90mins; 95%CI=-10.09,-1.72; p<0.01). On sub-group analyses, participants with mild TBI differed from controls with reduced total sleep time (MD=-29.22mins, 95%CI=-54.16,-4.27; p=0.02). Similarly, participants with acute-intermediate TBI exhibited increased sleep latency compared to controls (MD=8.96mins; 95%CI=4.07,13.85; p<0.01) and differed significantly from participants with chronic TBI (X2(1,N=608)=6.54; p=0.01).

Sleep architecture is altered following TBI with potential implications regarding functional outcomes and recovery. These alterations appear to differ based on severity of injury and time since injury.

No significant relationships.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of 113 cannabinoids identified in cannabis plants. Considered as a psycho-inactive component, recently, the Court of Justice of the European Union published a ruling in which it establishes that cannabidiol extracted from the cannabis plant should not be considered a drug under the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. Due to increased publicity on social media of the supposed benefits of this product, in addition to the lack of clear regulations, it is becoming a widely used treatment for sleep disorders.

To analyse literature for the effect of CBD in sleep disturbances, emphasizing advantages and disadvantages of its use.

We carried out a literature review in Pubmed choosing those articles focused on effect of CBD in sleep disturbances.

The review of the effect of CBD on sleep cycle suggest that medium to high doses increased REM sleep latency, and medium-low doses decreased REM sleep latency. No evidence of withdrawal syndrome was found with abrupt discontinuation of short-term treatment with CBD.

Most of the literature revised shows that the data was taken by self-questionares to CBD users. Studies suggest that a short use of medium to hight doses of CBD may improve insomnia, however, combined use with THC may result in a decrease in slow wave sleep. Longitudinal research should be done in order to understand the clinical impact of CBD on sleep.

No significant relationships.

Sleep problems are common in patients with substance use disorders (SUD) and have been related to poor treatment outcomes. Little is known about the sleep characteristics in patients with opioid and alcohol use disorders after detoxification program.

To compare sleep quantitative and qualitative characteristics between patients with opioid and alcohol use disorders.

This is a secondary data analysis of the longitudinal data from the observational study in St. Petersburg, Russia. The sample included 75 patients (22.7% female) who received detoxification treatment for alcohol (n=49) or opioid (n=26) withdrawal. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and underwent daily wrist actigrahy.

Good internal consistency was demonstrated for self-report and actigraphy data (r=-0,405, p<0,01). Sleep duration and sleep onset latency were not different between alcohol and opioid groups (5.7 vs. 6.1 hours; 74 vs. 65 minutes, respectively) based on self-report data. The majority of the patients (57-100%) had sleep complaints and low quality of sleep after detoxification completion (at baseline). In both groups, the mean PSQI score had a tendency to decrease, representing better sleep quality, over the 1-week following detoxification program completion (from 12 at baseline to 10 at 1-week in alcohol group; from 13 to 12 in opioid group, p<0,001).

The findings show that sleep characteristics are similar in patients with different SUD and insomnia symptoms are prevalent after detoxification, suggesting the rationale for sleep assessment before hospital discharge. Despite the positive changes in sleep quality over 1-week abstinence, patients might benefit from the therapeutic sleep interventions.

This work was financially supported by a research grant from Russian Foundation for Basic Research, 18-013-00481.

Sleep disturbances (SDs), such as insomnia or regular nightmares, are associated with multiple mental health disorders, most notably PTSD, where SDs are reported in up to 92% of cases. Examining the effect of changing sleep on psychological symptomology is essential to develop the evidence base on the contribution of sleep to mental resilience.

To examine the effect a short skills-based sleep intervention on psychological symptomology and actigraphy measured sleep.

A 4-session sleep skills training programme was used to treat active SDs in participants likely to have experienced occupation-associated trauma, namely military and first responders.

Nineteen participants were included in the study. Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) measured; difficulty sleeping, difficulty staying asleep, waking too early, sleep satisfaction, sleep interference on quality of life and total ISI insomnia score improved significantly post-treatment (M = 9.44, SE = 7.35, p <0.001). No significant difference was identified post-treatment for actigraphy-measured sleep. The severity of depression (M = 5.27, SE = 1.41, p = 0.002), anxiety (M = 5.07, SE = 1.66, p = 0.008), and PTSD symptoms among participants with likely PTSD, were significantly lower following treatment (M = 29.4, SE = 4.19, p = 0.002).

A short sleep skills intervention based on CBT-I was effective at reducing self-report insomnia symptoms and severity of psychological symptomology but failed to improve actigraphy sleep metrics. These findings highlight a differing contribution of night-time sleep and current insomnia symptoms to the severity of self-reported psychological symptomology.

No significant relationships.