Journal of Neurological, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

Effectiveness of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama in Improving the Well-Being of Adolescent Girls

Suvetha. G — 2026-06-17

The adolescent period is a distinctive stage of human development. Practicing Nadi Shodhana Pranayama for a few minutes daily helps to keep the mind calm, happy, peaceful and has numerous mental and physical benefits.

Methods: This research utilized a quasi-experimental pretest - posttest control group design. The study was carried out at Hostel, P I M S, Puducherry. The samples were girl adolescent in the aged 17 -19 years staying in the hostel. Convenience sampling technique was employed. The sample size was 64 (32 experimental group,32 control group). The tool used was a structured questionnaire on demographic variables and a well-being scale by Singh (2011). Intervention was given to the experimental group for 4 weeks, 20 min a day.

Result: In the pre-test, majority of adolescent girls (56.2%) had average, 32.8% had low, and 10.9% had high well-being. The comparative analysis of pretest and posttest levels in the experimental group was found to be statistically significant at p < 0.001 level. The analysis of differences in post-test level between the participants in the experimental and control groups was found to be statistically significant at p<0.027 level, pointing to a significant difference in post-test in both groups.

Conclusion: The intervention increased the level of general well-being and can be practised regularly as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve the general well-being.

Machine Learning Approaches for Mental Health Relapse Prediction: Toward Clinical Deployment

Suresh Mohanrao Renge — 2026-05-01

To some extent, the study was successful in realising the goal of precision psychiatry using ML and multi-modal features for the prediction of relapse in psychosis, bipolar and depressive disorders, with AUC between 0.69 and 0.89 as evidenced in. However, based on the problems stated in the systematic review, it found that only 18% of the models in the systematic review have a methodology that could be rated acceptable for the use of external validation, workflow/operationalization, transparency and generalizability. This work proposes a novel TRIPOD-compliant pipeline that implements XGBoost, Random Forests and Deep Neural Networks using SHAP/LIME explainers for explainability of the model. It uses the FHIR standard to handle more than 500 features comprising EHR features, digital biomarkers, and NLP features. It aims to answer questions beyond just a high predictive power and look to, among other issues, address federated learning for site-independent generalizability, high-speed inference on edge devices (within 1s), and identify the patients at highest risk. This paper plans to extend on the existing state-of-the-art in the area of relapse prediction to validate the model on a phase III RCT including more than 1,500 patients and later perform validation on a multi-ethnic and independent dataset, followed by a potential deployment. The system also focuses on external validation, calibration, and ethical implementation, which are significant translational challenges in precision psychiatry. The data is a summary of pooled results and design assumptions from previously published, validated research with intended implementation in real-life cohorts.

Early Behavioural Markers of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review

Amit Das — 2026-05-27

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviours. Early identification of behavioural markers is critical for timely intervention and improved developmental outcomes.

Methods: A narrative review was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, covering publications from 2010 to 2024. Studies focusing on behavioural markers of ASD in children aged 0–36 months were included. A total of 17 peer-reviewed articles, encompassing prospective, retrospective, observational, screening-based, and review designs, were analyzed. Data were extracted on study characteristics, tools used, and key findings, and synthesized thematically.

Results: Early behavioural markers of ASD clustered into five domains: impaired social orienting and joint attention, atypical language and communication development, restricted and repetitive behaviours, sensory processing abnormalities, and reduced social smiling and affective responsiveness. These markers were identifiable as early as 6–12 months, particularly among high- risk infants. Screening and observational tools such as M-CHAT-R/F, AOSI, CSBS, and SACS demonstrated utility in early detection across clinical and community settings.

Conclusion: Early behavioural markers of ASD can be reliably identified prior to the conventional diagnostic age of 24–36 months. Nurses and primary healthcare providers play a critical role in developmental surveillance, caregiver education, and early referral. Integration of standardized screening tools into routine child health services is essential to enhance early detection and intervention outcomes.

Violence Against Girl Children: A Comprehensive Review on Causes, Consequences, Prevention, and the Role of Healthcare Professionals

Subrahmanya Nayak — 2026-05-29

Violence against girl children is a major global public health and human rights concern affecting physical, psychological, social, and educational well-being. Girls are vulnerable to physical abuse, sexual violence, emotional abuse, trafficking, cyber exploitation, and neglect. This review article examines the magnitude, risk factors, consequences, legal safeguards, preventive strategies, and the role of healthcare professionals in protecting girl children. Literature was reviewed from databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, WHO publications, UNICEF reports, and governmental reports. The review identified multiple contributing factors, such as gender inequality, poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse, social stigma, and increasing digital vulnerabilities. Violence against girls leads to depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor academic performance, social withdrawal, and long-term trauma. Legal frameworks, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, play a significant role in child protection; however, underreporting and inadequate implementation remain major challenges. Nurses and healthcare professionals contribute through early identification, mandatory reporting, counselling, rehabilitation, and community awareness programs. Preventive strategies involving families, schools, healthcare systems, communities, and policymakers are essential to ensure the safety, dignity, and empowerment of girl children.

A Case Report of Depression with Generalized Anxiety Symptoms in a 21-Year-Old Female

Priya Bhardwaj — 2026-06-11

Background: A gloomy mood or a loss of interest and enjoyment in daily activities are characteristics of this illness. Blunt social and vocational functioning has been authenticated for a minimum of two weeks. The symptoms cannot be attributed to substance abuse or a general medical condition, and there is no history of manic behavior.

These are a few prominent depression subtypes.

Depression that is not typical
Depression with melancholy
Major depression with psychosis
Catatonic depression
Depression upon childbirth
Affective disorders that are seasonal

Early detection, therapeutic communication, medication administration, and psychosocial support for patients are all critical functions of mental health nurses. Improving patient outcomes requires an understanding of the clinical presentation and treatment of depression with anxiety.

This case study focuses on a 21-year-old female patient, highlighting the clinical presentation, possible etiological factors, and the importance of timely psychiatric assessment and management in adolescent depressive episodes.

Case Presentation: A 21-year-old woman presented to the psychiatric outpatient clinic with persistent sadness and a loss of interest in their usual activities and academic work. They gradually developed low energy, difficulty concentrating, and irregular sleep patterns. Following a comprehensive evaluation, it was determined that the hand tremors they had experienced for the previous four years were not due to any underlying organic cause. There was no history of substance misuse, brain trauma, or seizures. There was no contribution from family history. Regarding the state of mind upon assessment, the patient showed signs of anxiety and emotional discomfort but was conscious, cooperative, and oriented. Pessimistic thinking and a lack of social engagement characterized the poor mood. There were no hallucinations or delusions seen. Cognitive abilities remained unaltered. The patient additionally experienced tremor, restlessness, anxiety, and anxiety in the absence of stimuli. These signs and symptoms resulted in social disengagement and academic challenges. Over time, the patient's condition deteriorated, and they began to have sporadic thoughts of harming themselves, which led to a psychiatric appointment.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates how a young adult's emotional, social, and functional well-being can be significantly impacted by a combination of anxiety and depression symptoms. Persistently poor mood, excessive worry, sleep disturbance, and diminished energy highlight the importance of early detection and thorough evaluation. The patient's health significantly improved as a consequence of a multidisciplinary strategy that included medication, psychotherapy, and psychoeducation. Regular follow-up and family support were also essential for recovery. To avoid chronicity, enhance quality of life, and foster long-term mental health stability, prompt diagnosis and comprehensive treatment are crucial.