№ 86 (2023)

Relevance. An increasing amount of publications demands investigators to step beyond routine analysis strategies in their scientific research. For this purpose, Leiden University Center for Science and Technology Studies (Netherlands) has developed the VOSviewer analytical software tool, available for free download.

The goal is to analyze the structure of scientific research in international publications on psychotherapy, published within 10 year’s timespan, from 2012 to 2021.

Methods. The PubMed database search produced a sampling of 89.8 thousand items referring to international papers on psychotherapy published within the span of 10 years, from 2012 to 2021. We analyzed 88.6 % of the yielded sampling. Within the co-occurrence network of 250 keywords and 40 scientific publications, either by individual authors or co-authored, the VOSviewer software tool allowed to visualize 6 clusters based on terms and 14 clusters based on most prominent co- authorship links between researchers.

Results and discussion. The visualized network of 6 clusters showed that researchers were mainly focused on the following issues: Cluster 1 – the role of psychotherapy (specific methods and techniques) in psychological adaptation of patients, including those with mental disorders, as well as approaches and techniques to initiate psychotherapeutic intervention, and patient communication strategies for psychotherapists (having the total link strength of 26.7 % for all sampled publications); Cluster 2 – parameters for biological and neuropsychological markers of psychological impact on patient, with the total link strength of 21.4 %. Cluster 3 – efficiency of psychological impact techniques in evidence-based medicine perspective, with the total link strength of 17.1 %; Cluster 4 – cognitive therapy for addictions, including in remote on-line format, acquisition of healthy lifestyles by patients, as well as technical and economic aspects of treatment, with the total link strength of 14.9 %; Cluster 5 – treatment of patients with mental disorders using cognitive behavioral and combination therapy, including neuropharmacological drugs, with the total link strength of 10.6 %; Cluster 6 – treatment of children with developmental and behavioral disorders, child-parent relationship, pregnancy complications, parenting problems, with the total link strength of 4.4 %. The structure of the evaluated psychotherapeutic techniques and the most prominent co-authorship links between psychotherapy researchers were calculated.

Conclusion. Considering the vast amount of publications, the VOSviewer program allows to outline most dominant research perspectives for a particular area of science and, thus, determine future priorities in psychotherapy as a field of study.

Relevance. The full history of psychotherapy remains unwritten at the moment, although the historiography of the related disciplines, psychiatry and psychology, is presented quite well. Due to the fact that any area of human knowledge cannot be comprehended without studying its roots, without reflecting on the development of its own ideas about the reality being studied, the historical description of the genesis of the theory and practice of psychological assistance remains an essential task. At the same time, numerous challenges exist in this domain, which must be addressed to facilitate the writing of the history of psychotherapy.

Intention: to identify the main problems of the history of psychotherapy and offer solutions to them.

Methodology. A systematic analysis was conducted to examine five problems in the history of psychotherapy: the problems of fact and its interpretation, sources, methodology, the “starting point” of psychotherapy history, and periodization of psychotherapy history.

Results and their analysis. Five problems of the history of psychotherapy were analyzedandsolutions were proposed: the problem of fact and its interpretation (the fact is not as an event, but as a statement about the event, subjectivism in the interpretation of facts, the need to reflect different points of view in the interpretation of facts in historiography), the problem of the source (monographs, articles and lectures of classic scientists, reference and educational literature, manuals on psychotherapy were proposed as sources of the history of psychotherapy), the problem of the method (three groups of methods for studying of history of psychotherapy are proposed – organizational and strategic methods, methods of obtaining and methods of processing and interpreting data), the problem of the “starting point” of the history of psychotherapy (eight potentially possible “starting point” of the history of psychotherapy have been identified, depending on various criteria), the problem of the periodization of the history of psychotherapy (a number of criteria for the periodization of the history of psychotherapy are presented, a scheme of its division into periods is proposed, consisting of two epochs and five stages of development).

Conclusion. The insufficient development of the history of psychotherapy and the lack of consensus on even fundamental questions hinder the proposition of singularly possible and unequivocally correct solutions to the identified problems. Nevertheless, identifying these challenges represents the first step toward constructing an appropriate narrative. It is hoped that this article will stimulate discussions among specialists regarding the history of psychotherapy and lead to the discovery of solutions for the mentioned problems.

The relevance is determined by the wide spread of a new coronavirus infection. The impact of this infection on the course of other diseases is still being studied. The issue of differential diagnosis between neuroleptic malignant syndrome and febrile schizophrenia remains very important for practical activities.

Objective: to analyze a clinical case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome on the background of febrile schizophrenia in a patient who had previously experienced COVID-19.

Materials and methods. Clinical-archival and clinical-catamnestic research methods were used. According to the case history, a patient is presented who underwent a new coronavirus infection, which developed neuroleptic malignant syndrome against the background of febrile schizophrenia. Presented follow-up after 12 months.

Results and their analysis. The manifestation of a mental disorder in this clinical case occurred against the background of an exacerbation of a herpetic viral infection. Against the background of a pronounced pain syndrome, the first symptoms began to appear - severe anxiety, reduced mood, decreased appetite, hypochondria. Further, the stages of schizoaffective disorder developed sequentially, starting with “pure” affective disorders, then with the addition of psychotic symptoms in the form of delusional ideas, and later on, oneiroid-catatonic disorders. The complexity of this clinical case lies in the fact that after the patient had a new coronavirus infection (with 3% lung damage on CT), the clinical picture worsened significantly and symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome appeared. The somatic condition was also aggravated by the subsequent addition of pseudomembranous colitis, as a complication of a new coronavirus infection. The duration of the psychosis was about six months, and despite the extremely severe somatic condition, active treatment (plasmapheresis, hemosorption, drug sedation), the “break” of acute psychosis did not occur. In the future, psychosis stopped on its own, without any treatment. The patient fully recovered mental and somatic functions, despite unfavorable data before discharge from the somatic hospital (ongoing psychosis, signs of atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging).

Conclusion. Malignant neuroleptic syndrome is a life-threatening condition and requires urgent resuscitation. The ability to make a timely differential diagnosis between neuroleptic malignant syndrome and a febrile seizure determines the set of applied therapeutic measures. The presence of a symptom of brain atrophy according to magnetic resonance imaging in this clinical case is an accidental diagnostic finding and can be regarded as an artifact. In addition, the question of the impact of a new coronavirus infection on the course of a malignant neuroleptic syndrome and an oneiroid episode of acute psychosis remains unresolved and requires further research.

Relevance. In Russia, according to the World Health Organization, one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption among women of reproductive age is observed, highlighting the need for intensifying preventive measures through active and passive information dissemination about the negative consequences of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, particularly concerning fetal alcohol syndrome.

The Purpose: to investigate the awareness of women of reproductive age about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.

Methodology. The study involved 100 women aged from17 to 46 years (M = 30.7; SD = 0.6). The following scales were used: 1) the questionnaire of awareness of the alcohol consumption during pregnancy consequences, sources of information about a healthy lifestyle and activities that should be followed for a child’s health; 2) RUS-AUDIT-S, a brief test for detecting alcohol-related disorders. Data analysis included frequency distribution analysis and contingency table analysis using the chi-square test.

Results and Discussion. The results showed that 95 % of women were aware that drinking alcohol during pregnancy could harm the unborn child, but only 25 % were aware of fetal alcohol syndrome. These results indicate a lack of awareness among women of the potential effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on the fetus. According to the results of the RUS-AUDIT-S among pregnant women who participated in the study, four out of five women drank alcoholic beverages during the last 12 months, and one out of five drank alcohol in dangerous quantities during this period. Among 52 women planning a pregnancy in the next 12 months, eight were identified as drinking in hazardous amounts, and two were at risk of possible alcohol dependence. The importance of talking to a health care professional as an important source of health information for women was found to be high, enabling effective prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome in healthcare organisations providing care to the female population in the obstetrics and gynaecology specialty.

Conclusion. The findings of the study point to the remaining need to improve interventions aimed at preventing alcohol consumption among the general population, including pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant. Active dissemination of information about the harmful consequences of alcohol consumption and the developmental problems faced by children exposed to intrauterine ethanol exposure, implemented in the practical activities of healthcare professionals, serves as a significant source of health knowledge for women seeking medical assistance.

Relevance. The change in the psychophysiological state of students with somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system during remote learning in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn particular attention from various researchers [2, 5, 6]. Currently, there is a noticeable increase in psychovegetative disorders and the formation of somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system due to the factors of the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection, which influences the psychophysiological status and academic performance.

Intention. The aim of the study was to assess the psychophysiological status and features of autonomic regulation in students with somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system while studying at a university during the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19.

Methodology. In total, 250 students of the University under the IPA were examined – 127 male and 123 female persons while studying at the university in the period from 2018 to 2022 (the survey from 12.10.2020 to 29.09.2021, coincided with the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated distance learning using electronic educational platforms). Symptoms of somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system were revealed in 19 students (a group of patients). In the study, we applied clinical and instrumental, psychophysiological, mathematical and statistical methods. Students were examined during and after distance learning.

Results and Discussion. Significant correlations of academic performance indicators with the indicator of situational anxiety, the activity of the well-being, activity, mood test and the test for the detection of autonomic dysfunction syndrome according to A.M. Vane (2003) were revealed. It was established that distance learning affects the regulation of organs and systems (circulation, central nervous system) and influences the psychophysiological status of students. In addition, the emergence of autonomic imbalance in some students affects their academic performance and contributes to the formation of somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

Conclusion. The functional state of students with somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system during training during the pandemic is characterized by a change in the psychophysiological status, autonomic regulation, which requires psychophysiological correction aimed at supporting sanogenesis and normalization of symptoms of somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, affecting the success of training.