The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly altered the lives and lifestyles of several older populations in the United Kingdom. It was important to note how it has affected their physical, mental, and social health and well-being during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. To study the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the imposed restrictions on the day-to-day lives of the elderly population in the United Kingdom. A review of the published literature on the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences on the older population in the United Kingdom is done. Search engines used for medical databases were Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Internet Explorer. It was found that physical as well as mental well-being was affected in the elderly citizens of the United Kingdom. Mental health studies noted an obvious increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Social isolation and reduced access to healthcare services had a deteriorating impact on their social health. Covid-19-related lockdown and pandemic-associated physical, mental, and social well-being effects have been evident in the elderly population in the United Kingdom. The reasons identified for such findings are lack of physical activity, poor social interactions, social isolation, the perceived threat of a pandemic, and poor access to healthcare facilities.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the social well-being of single older adults through the companionship of a social robot, LOVOT (Love+Robot; Groove X). It is designed as a companion for older adults, providing love and affection through verbal and physical interaction. We investigated older adults\' perceptions of the technology and how they benefitted from interacting with LOVOT, to guide the future development of social robots.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to use a phenomenological research design to understand the participants\' experiences of companionship provided by the social robot. Our research focused on (1) examining the social well-being of single older adults through the companionship of social robots and (2) understanding the perceptions of single older adults when interacting with social robots. Given the prevalence of technology use to support aging, understanding single older adults\' social well-being and their perceptions of social robots is essential to guide future research on and design of social robots.
METHODS: A total of 5 single women, aged 60 to 75 years, participated in the study. The participants interacted independently with the robot for a week in their own homes and then participated in a poststudy interview to share their experiences.
RESULTS: In total, 4 main themes emerged from the participants\' interactions with LOVOT, such as caring for a social robot, comforting presence of the social robot, meaningful connections with the social robot, and preference for LOVOT over pets.
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that single older adults can obtain psychosocial support by interacting with LOVOT. LOVOT is easily accepted as a companion and makes single older adults feel like they have a greater sense of purpose and someone to connect with. This study suggests that social robots can provide companionship to older adults who live alone. Social robots can help alleviate loneliness by allowing single older adults to form social connections with robots as companions. These findings are particularly important given the rapid aging of the population and the increasing number of single-person households in Singapore.

UNASSIGNED: People with schizophrenia (SCZ) or schizotypal traits (ST) have difficulties in anticipating future pleasure and displeasure in social situations. However, no self-report scale has been developed to specifically capture these abilities. This study aimed to develop and validate the Social Affective Forecasting Scale (SAFS), and to examine how anticipated pleasure and displeasure are associated with ST and clinical symptoms in SCZ.
UNASSIGNED: Study 1 recruited a main sample of 666 college students and a validation sample of 927 college students to complete the SAFS and other measurements for anhedonia. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), parallel analysis, and measurement invariance analysis were conducted. Study 2 recruited 2655 college students, 47 people with SCZ and 47 matched controls to complete the SAFS. Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and independent t-tests were performed.
UNASSIGNED: Both EFA and CFA indicated a 4-factor model which was supported by parallel analysis in the validation sample. The SAFS showed good internal consistency, convergent validity, and strong invariance across sex. Interpersonal features of ST and negative symptoms in SCZ were associated with reduced anticipated pleasure for positive social events.
UNASSIGNED: The SAFS appears to be a reliable scale for evaluating anticipated pleasure and displeasure for future social and nonsocial events, and can be applied to study social anhedonia in individuals with ST and individuals with SCZ.

UNASSIGNED: Adolescents with perinatal HIV (APHIV) experience emotional turmoil, which is worsened by real or perceived negative impacts on the adolescents\' relationships, aspirations for their careers, and aspirations for their families.
UNASSIGNED: To explore the experiences of APHIV with regard to social support on their mental health and general well-being in the Vhembe District of Limpopo province.
UNASSIGNED: A mixed-methods sequential exploratory design was employed to conduct in-depth one-on-one interviews in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo province of South Africa. The interviews were conducted in selected community health centres and clinics over a period of four months (April 2019 - July 2019). This study included APHIV between the ages of 10 years and 19 years who had been initiated on antiretroviral therapy before the age of 10 years.
UNASSIGNED: Two major themes emerged. Theme 1 - Experiences within the family - included the sub-themes experience of positive social support within the family, and lack of support in the family. Theme 2 - Experiences outside the family - included the sub-themes experiences at the clinic, experiences at community level, and experiences at school and with friends.
UNASSIGNED: Adolescents with perinatal HIV are in need of social support from their loved ones as well as the community. Expansion of household programmes and intervention through integration of services by the multidisciplinary team might assist with alleviating the social support needs which will improve their mental health and adherence to treatment.

UNASSIGNED: The post-release period is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have identified deficits in pre-release planning for mentally ill people in prison, particularly in remand settings.
UNASSIGNED: We aimed to determine the proportion of mentally ill people in Ireland\'s main remand prison who were referred for mental health follow up in community and prison settings, who achieved face to face contact with the receiving service.
UNASSIGNED: This retrospective observational cohort study was based in Ireland\'s main male remand prison, Cloverhill. Participants included all those individuals on the caseload of the prison inreach mental health team who were referred for mental health follow up in community and prison settings at the time of discharge, prison transfer or release from custody over a three-year period, 2015 - 2017. Successful transfer of care (TOC) was defined as face-to-face contact with the receiving service, confirmed by written correspondence or by follow up telephone call. Clinical, demographic and offence related variables were recorded for all participants.
UNASSIGNED: There were 911 discharges from the prison inreach mental health team within the three-year study period. Of these, 121 were admitted to hospital, 166 were transferred to other prison inreach mental health services and 237 were discharged to community based mental health follow up in psychiatric outpatient or primary care settings. One third (304/911) had an ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophreniform or bipolar disorder (F20-31) and 37.5% (161/911) were homeless. Over 90% (152/166) of those referred to mental health teams in other prisons achieved successful TOC, with a median of six days to first face-to face assessment. Overall, 59% (140/237) of those referred to community psychiatric outpatient or primary care services achieved TOC following referral on release from custody, with a median of nine days from release to assessment. Clinical and demographic variables did not differ between those achieving and not achieving successful TOC, other than having had input from the PICLS Housing Support Service.
UNASSIGNED: Successful transfer of care can be achieved in remand settings using a systematic approach with an emphasis on early and sustained interagency liaison and clear mapping of patient pathways. For incarcerated individuals experiencing homelessness and mental health disorders, provision of a housing support service was associated with increased likelihood of successful transfer of care to community mental health supports.

Social and emotional communication is an integral tenant of life quality and well-being. Aberrations in functional connectivity can alter social emotional behavior in numerous disease states, including dementia. This paper aims to review the major network changes observed in Alzheimer\'s disease, with a focus on the tri-network model. The central executive network, default mode network, and principally the salience network will be discussed as they relate to both pathology and compensatory behavioral manifestations in persons with dementia. The psychological and behavioral correlates of these network changes will be reviewed with the intent of increasing understanding about the conscious experience and communication modalities utilized by persons with dementia, the understanding of which may promote meaningful communication with care providers and loved ones. This paper further seeks to reframe social emotional communication methods used by persons with dementia by marrying current knowledge of neuroscience, psychology, and person-centered care. In this way, a perspective is offered that considers the heightened emotional states experienced by persons with dementia as a potential compensatory mechanism that may hold practical value under some circumstances. The many ways in which the brain adapts to physical and psychological changes, aging, and injury are still under exploration. Emotion processing may provide clinical insight into the subjective experience of dementia in this regard. Emotions, therefore, may serve to promote social bonds, provide an avenue for non-verbal communication, and act as a construct to maintain agency in persons who ultimately lose autonomy.

UNASSIGNED: Group interventions are carried out routinely across neuropsychological rehabilitation services, to improve understanding of brain injury and aspects of impairment. Treatment provided in a group modality can bring additional perceived benefits, such as co-operative learning. However, there are very few studies which explore patient perceptions and experiences of such interventions. In the present study we investigated the experience of attending a group-based educational intervention for the consequences of acquired brain injury (ABI), which had a strong focus on emotion and emotion regulation.
UNASSIGNED: Using qualitative semi-structured interviews (approximately 20 minutes), the study explores the lived experience of participating in the seven-session programme, the better to identify the perceived efficacy, salience and value of individual elements. Twenty participants with ABI took part in individual interviews, after completion of the group programme (the Brain Injury Solutions and Emotions Programme, BISEP). The study adopted a descriptive phenomenological philosophy, which focuses on lived experience to explore a phenomenon (i.e. the experience of BISEP). As regards methods, the study employed thematic analysis to cluster experiences into themes of meaning.
UNASSIGNED: Five themes were identified: (1) \'Long term consequences and psychological needs\', which related to the persistent nature of direct consequences of injury and adjustment, and how these result in a need for interventions such as BISEP. (2) \'Positive experiences of participating in the programme\', referred to participants\' overall experience of the programme and valued elements within it. The remaining themes referred to the programme as (3) a social milieu; (4) a place to learn; and (5) a place to promote positive emotional experiences.
UNASSIGNED: Similar to previous studies, many people reported high acceptability and perceived value of the group programme, and its role in facilitating adjustment and understanding of injury. Of particular importance was the opportunity to socialise with people who \"can all relate\", in line with a growing emphasis on social rehabilitation. The findings especially highlight the relevance of emotion-focused group programmes for ABI, promoting emotion regulation, and practical tools that are delivered optimistically. Further implications for practice and future research include to focus on long term rehabilitation, a social milieu, and strategies to support adjustment.

The mirror neurons are complex neuronal circuits in the brain, and they respond to the actions that we observe in others. The mirror neurons constitute a revolutionary discovery in the field of neuroscience that has not only reshaped our understanding of social cognition and empathetic behavior but also bridged gaps in our comprehension of the human brain\'s intricate workings. This article aims to distill the crux of these groundbreaking discoveries and their transformative ramifications regarding our perception of human interactions and the advancement of neurorehabilitation techniques. The integration of non-invasive and patient-centric therapies into clinical practice underscores the immense potential that research on mirror neurons holds in enhancing patient outcomes and quality care. Research in mirror neurons will contribute significantly to the field of neuroscience, specifically neurorehabilitation.

UNASSIGNED: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, largely dominated by ischemic heart diseases (IHDs). Social determinants of health, including geographic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors, influence the development of IHD.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to evaluate yearly trends and disparities in IHD mortality and to assess the impact of social vulnerability.
UNASSIGNED: We performed cross-sectional analyses using United States county-level mortality data and social vulnerability index (SVI) obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention databases. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were compared between aggregated U.S. county groups, stratified by demographic information and SVI quartiles. Log-linear regression models were used to identify mortality trends from 1999 to 2020, with inflection points determined through the Monte-Carlo permutation test.
UNASSIGNED: We identified a total of 9,108,644 deaths related to IHD between 1999 and 2020. Overall AAMR decreased from 194.6 in 1999 to 91.8 in 2020. Males (AAMR: 161.51) and Black (AAMR: 141.49) populations exhibited higher AAMR compared to females (AAMR: 93.16) and White (AAMR: 123.34) populations, respectively. Disproportionate AAMRs were observed among nonmetropolitan (AAMR: 136.17) and Northeastern (AAMR: 132.96) regions. Counties with a higher SVI experienced a greater AAMR, with a cumulative excess of 20.91 deaths per 100,000 person-years associated with increased social vulnerability.
UNASSIGNED: Despite a decline in IHD mortality from 1999 to 2020, disparities persisted among racial, gender, and geographic subgroups. A higher SVI was linked to increased IHD mortality. Policy interventions should prioritize integrating the SVI into health care delivery systems to effectively address these disparities.

Hierarchical predictive processing provides a framework outlining how prior expectations shape perception and cognition. Here, we highlight hierarchical predictive processing as a framework for explaining how social context and group-based social knowledge can directly shape intergroup perception. More specifically, we argue that hierarchical predictive processing confers a uniquely valuable toolset to explain extant findings and generate novel hypotheses for intergroup perception. We first provide an overview of hierarchical predictive processing, specifying its primary theoretical assumptions. We then review evidence showing how prior knowledge influences intergroup perception. Next, we outline how hierarchical predictive processing can account well for findings in the intergroup perception literature. We then underscore the theoretical strengths of hierarchical predictive processing compared to other frameworks in this space. We finish by outlining future directions and laying out hypotheses that test the implications of hierarchical predictive processing for intergroup perception and intergroup cognition more broadly. Taken together, hierarchical predictive processing provides explanatory value and capacity for novel hypothesis generation for intergroup perception.