This study investigates how women’s mindsets influence their ability to achieve work-life balance and maintain mental health, which are critical factors for sustainable career success. Given the increasing professional demands alongside personal responsibilities, women’s psychological resilience and mindset set the tone for managing these complexities effectively.

The primary objective is to explore the relationship between mindset, work-life balance, and mental health among working women. Specifically, the study aims to identify how a positive, growth-oriented mindset correlates with better stress management, boundary setting, and enhanced career outcomes.

A qualitative approach was utilized, measuring mindset orientation, perceived work-life balance, and mental health indices, with qualitative interviews exploring personal experiences of career challenges and coping mechanisms. A qualitative approach was utilized to assess mindset orientation, perceived work-life balance, and mental health indices. In-depth interviews explored participants’ personal experiences with career challenges and coping mechanisms.

Findings reveal that women who exhibit a growth mindset demonstrate significantly higher work-life balance satisfaction and lower levels of occupational stress and burnout. Qualitative data support these results, illustrating that mindset influences practical behaviors such as prioritizing self-care, seeking social support, and setting professional boundaries. Moreover, these women reported greater career advancement and psychological well-being.

The study concludes that mindset functions as a foundational element shaping women’s experiences balancing work and life demands, directly impacting mental health and career success. Interventions promoting a positive mindset could enhance women’s resilience, leading to improved well-being and professional outcomes. Women with a goal-oriented mindset were less likely to engage in self-defeating attitudes that hinder progress. Future research should develop targeted mindset-training programs to support women navigating complex work-life dynamics.

None Declared

Women married to career military personnel face distinctive challenges that combine the intensity of their spouses’ military service with gendered expectations of caregiving, family management, and emotional support. Frequent and prolonged absences, demanding routines, and repeated reintegration processes often generate role overload, loneliness, and marital tension, all of which may be associated with psychological distress. Despite their central role in family and community wellbeing, women married to career military personnel has received very limited academic attention.

The study examined how background variables (marriage duration, length of partner’s absence, presence of young children), psychosocial variables (role overload, loneliness, perceived social support), and marital variables (marital satisfaction, reintegration stress) contribute to psychological distress among women married to career military personnel.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 595 women married to career military personnel. Recruitment occurred via social media platforms. Participants completed standardized questionnaires and hierarchical regression model was used to test three main constructs: background, psychosocial, and marital.

Findings showed that psychosocial and marital variables explained a significant portion of psychological distress. Specifically, higher role overload, loneliness, and reintegration stress were strongly associated with greater psychological distress, while higher social support and marital satisfaction were linked to lower levels of psychological distress. Background variables showed no significant association with psychological distress.

This study provides evidence from a large sample that women married to military personnel represent a vulnerable population facing elevated mental health risks. The findings contribute to theory by clarifying the interplay of background, psychosocial, and marital domains. The results highlight a neglected area requiring systematic attention from policymakers, health professionals, and the military system, with integration of this population’s needs into services to reduce distress and promote long-term wellbeing.

None Declared

Female university staff experience notable psychological and mental health challenges, highlighting the need for close mental health monitoring and promotion of workplace well-being.

Our study aims to evaluate the mental health among female university staff.

We conducted a descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional survey to evaluate the mental health of university staff using a self-administered questionnaire. We assessed socio-professional characteristics. Mental health was assessed by the Mental Health Continum Short Form (MHC-SF) questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Forty-four female participants were included, with a mean age of 51.8 ± 6.6 years. Most (88.6%) were married, and none were active smokers. The mean job satisfaction score was 7.3 ± 1.9. The mean MHC-SF score was 41.5 ± 16.6, with mean scores for emotional, psychological, and social well-being of 8.4 ± 4.2, 20.1 ± 7.2, and 12.9 ± 6.2, respectively. Anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms were reported by 52.3%, 38.6%, and 45.4% of participants, respectively. Bivariate analysis showed that overall well-being was negatively correlated with anxiety, depression, and stress (p < 0.05).

Despite moderate job satisfaction, a substantial proportion of female university staff experienced anxiety, stress, and depressive symptoms, which were significantly associated with lower psychological well-being.

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India has a complex relation with concepts of gender and sexuality. While a third gender or nature has been recognized since ancient time, India decriminalized homosexuality only in 2018, after waking up from its colonial hangover. Existing stigma in Indian society results in complex trauma and high psychiatric morbidity.

We explore the challenges faced, mental health struggles and resources available to the LGBTQ community through this narrative review. Additionally, we suggest adaptations to trauma and dissociation informed therapy to ideally support the Indian queer community.

We searched PubMed using keywords “LGBT India mental health”, “LGBT Trauma psychotherapy”, and “LGBT India”, yielding 174 studies. Inclusion Criteria: relevant English original or meta-analytic studies from India. Exclusion criteria: non-English, non-Indian, inaccessible studies. After duplicate removal, abstract screening and full text analysis, a total of 37 studies (6 studies- LGBT Statistics, 13 studies- struggles of LGBT Indian community, 11 studies- mental health impact, 9 studies- available resources, and 7 studies- trauma and dissociation informed therapy) were included for this narrative review (Figure 1).

Familial, communal and police violence against the LGBTQ+ still exists in India. Stigma, microaggressions, homophobia, re-traumatization in healthcare causes complex PTSD and other psychiatric disorders (Figure 2). Government, non-profit and community-based interventions are lacking. Individually-tailored, socially-sensitive trauma-informed therapy would be ideal for the Indian queer community. ‘Narrative exposure therapy’ creating culturally empowering narratives, ‘Mentalization-based therapy’ reducing internalized stigma, ‘Prolonged exposure group therapy’ building a support system, ‘Milan family therapy’ combating negative stigma and ‘somatic therapy’ reclaiming one’s body, would help adapt existing western trauma and dissociation informed therapy models for the LGBTQ+ population in India (Figure 3).Image 1:

By adapting a model of trauma informed therapy for the Indian LGBTQ+ community, we provide culturally and ethically sensitive recommendations for mental health professionals through this narrative review.

None Declared

The recent rise in consultations for gender dysphoria (GD) is largely driven by exogenous factors: globalization, virtualization of social life, ubiquitous and diverse information flow, intensified cross-group communication and virtual communities, easy access to medical content, and a cultural shift that romanticizes mental illness.

To determine clinical features of gender identity disorder (GID) arising within endogenous non-psychotic illnesses and personality disorders, and to identify patterns of course and outcomes.

63 patients (46 women, 17 men; mean age 19.4 years) with GID formed within a depressive state in the context of schizotypal disorder, histrionic personality disorder, or hystero-schizoid spectrum personality disorders.

Schizotypal disorder (50.8%): GID appeared during depressive episodes of varying severity; after depression remitted, its intensity did not consistently track depressive symptoms. Manifestations included eccentric, idiosyncratic attempts to approximate the opposite sex, applications to change legal gender marker, and unsupervised HRT. Symptoms largely persisted despite treatment, with only partial reductions/transformation in some; social adaptation declined over 4 years. Hystero-schizoid spectrum PDs (30.1%): GID emerged during depressive decompensation (usually moderate), often outlasting the depressive phase and persisting in compensation. Depth was substantial: external changes, initiation of HRT, plans for surgery; by follow-up, no surgeries occurred. Two patients achieved full remission. Social adaptation remained relatively high. Histrionic PD (19.0%): GID arose with mild–moderate depression, did not outlast the period of maladaptation, was non-persistent, led to no surgery, and in some cases fully remitted. Social adaptation stayed high.

Identifying the underlying disorder within which GID presents helps estimate its likely course and outcomes.

None Declared

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in reproductive-age women, with a prevalence estimated at 4–20%. PCOS patients are at a higher risk of developing sleep disorders and experience greater stress levels than the general population. Withania somnifera has been identified as a candidate for supporting the treatment of these disorders, due to evidence indicating its capacity to enhance sleep quality by modulating γ-aminobutyric acid signaling, and to reduce stress by withanolides activity.

To assess the impact of 3-month Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) supplementation on sleep quality and stress level in PCOS women.

The study involved data from 18 patients of the Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Lodz, aged 21–34 years. The intervention comprised the administration of dietary supplements (study group: 2000 IU of cholecalciferol, 400 μg of folic acid, 400 μg of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and standardized Withania somnifera extract for 10 mg of withanolides per day; control group: 2000 IU of cholecalciferol, 400 μg of folic acid, and 400 μg of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate per day) over a period of 3 months. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), as well as socio-demographic and health-related data questionnaire were used to conduct a survey.

PCOS was diagnosed on average 3.50±3.64 years prior to participation in the study. More than half of the women had a normal body mass index. In the initial assessment (N=18), the mean PSQI and PSS-10 scores were 6.72±3.75 (p=0.005) and 20.50±5.51 (p=0.390), respectively. The analysis revealed that nearly half of the patients demonstrated poor sleep quality, and over ¾ had moderate (f=0.28) or high stress levels (f=0.56). The baseline data indicated a significant, positive and moderate correlation between sleep quality and stress levels (r=0.53, p=0.024). The mean PSQI and PSS-10 scores in the pre-intervention and post-intervention measurements were 8.67±2.52 vs. 8.33±2.52 and 21.67±5.51 vs. 21.33±11.06 in the study group (n=3), and 5.00±1.00 vs. 4.33±0.58 and 21.00±7.21 vs. 17.00±6.24 in the control group (n=3). Following the intervention, some effect on sleep quality (Me: 9.00, IQR: 5.00 and Me: 8.00, IQR: 5.00 vs. Me: 5.00, IQR: 2.00 and Me: 4.00, IQR: 1.00) and stress levels (Me: 22.00, IQR: 11.00 and Me: 20.00, IQR: 22.00 vs. Me: 19.00, IQR: 14.00 and Me: 15.00, IQR: 12.00) was observed.

The correlation between sleep quality and stress level was observed, which justifies the necessity of providing psychiatric and psychological support to PCOS patients. A trend toward improved sleep quality parameters and reduced stress levels was observed in the study group. Further research is required to evaluate the results of the intervention.

None Declared

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a common problem among women of reproductive age and is associated with impairment in physical, psychological, and social functioning. Depression is one of common disorders that may co-occur with PMS, and the two conditions can negatively influence the severity of each other. Recognising the co-occurrence of these two disorders is important for timely and effective management. Although some local research has addressed women’s mental health problems during perinatal and perimenopausal periods, there remains limited evidence on PMS and its psychiatric comorbidities in Myanmar. This gap suggests that PMS and its associated mental health challenges are often overlooked in local research.

This study aimed to describe the prevalence of PMS and depression and to examine their association among nursing students in Yangon.

This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. The study population included female students from Nursing Training Schools in Yangon. Students who were pregnant or taking any type of hormonal contraception were excluded. PMS symptoms were assessed by using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), a validated, user-friendly instrument that identifies clinically significant PMS and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) according to DSM-IV criteria. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to determine associations.

A total of 90 students participated in the study. Moderate to severe PMS was present in 38.9% of participants, and 12.2% met the criteria for PMDD. Regarding depression, 50% reported no depression, while 28.9% had mild, 17.8% moderate, and 3.3% severe depression. Among students with moderate to severe PMS, 54.3% reported depression compared with 47.3% in the non-PMS group. Although depression was more frequent in the PMS group, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.333). Analysis of background characteristics showed that BMI distribution was significantly associated with PMS (p=0.047), with overweight and obesity more common among students with PMS.

A considerable proportion of nursing students experienced moderate to severe PMS, and half of the study population reported some degree of depression. Although PMS was not significantly associated with depression, the high prevalence of both conditions highlights the need for routine screening, mental health support, and lifestyle interventions in this population. The findings of this study underline the importance of addressing PMS among the women population as well as integrating screening practices for PMS symptoms in women presenting with depression (and vice versa).

None Declared

South East London (Oxleas) Perinatal Mental Health Services (PMHS) recommend an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) at 14-16 weeks, in addition to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended 28-week OGTT for pregnant women prescribed atypical antipsychotics. Oxleas’ early screening pathway, developed in collaboration with King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, aims to facilitate earlier identification and management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).

This project aims to evaluate current GDM optimisation practices amongst responsible clinicians and midwives, following Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines.

To evaluate baseline documentation practices, a retrospective database audit was conducted on RiO, the Trust’s electronic patient record system, from November to December 2024. Three low-resource, education-focused Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles followed. Cycle One involved a student-led educational session, followed by questionnaires assessing perinatal psychiatrists’ recall of GDM screening principles i.e., indication, fasting, and NICE vs Trust OGTT timings. Cycle Two involved an infographic prompt (Image 1), distributed to all responsible midwives, with semi-structured interviews assessing effectiveness. Following feedback, the infographic was displayed at all three Oxleas sites and shared with clinicians. Cycle Three revised the Trust’s assessment template to prompt documentation of OGTT booking and results on RiO, at both 14-16 and 28 weeks. Effectiveness will be evaluated in January 2026, by comparing documentation rates in a new cohort of pregnant women on atypical antipsychotics against baseline, accounting for sample size variation.

Of the 47 pregnant women on atypical antipsychotics, 34% (n=16) had a documented 28-week OGTT, result, and management plan. No patient had the Trust-recommended 14-16-week OGTT. After Cycle One, all clinicians (n=5) were able to recall GDM screening principles and 28-week OGTT, but only one clinician recalled the 14-16-week OGTT. Midwife absences limited Cycle Two data, however, two respondents reported that the infographic positively influenced their practice due to prior unfamiliarity with antipsychotic risks and GDM screening.Image 1:

Limited clinician and midwife awareness of the Trust’s OGTT guidance, plus discrepancies between national and Trust recommendations may contribute to suboptimal identification, management and documentation of GDM risk in pregnant women prescribed atypical antipsychotics across Oxleas. Integrating clinician- and midwife-targeted education, infographic prompts and Trust-wide assessment template amendments, offer a scalable strategy adaptable to national and international PMHS’ provision, to optimise GDM risk in this group.

None Declared

Gender-based violence directly impacts the quality of life and mental health of the women who experience it. Violence against women is the leading cause of mental health problems, according to the World Health Organization. Women with dual pathologies are more susceptible to gender-based violence and suffer greater stigma and social exclusion. They also find it more difficult to access care services and therapeutic treatment.

Describe the interrelationship between gender violence and psychiatric pathology.

We present a series of four clinical cases of women treated in the Short-Term Hospitalization Unit for acute psychiatric symptoms, manifesting as a suicidal attempt or psychotic episode. All of them were found to be actively using substances (alcohol, cocaine, or cannabis) upon admission, with a problematic pattern of use linked to past or present violence and used as a dysfunctional coping mechanism. In these contexts, intimate partner violence created an environment of heightened psychological vulnerability. The first case corresponds to a 31-year-old woman who presented an acute psychotic episode with delusional ideas of harm, suspicion, and self-referentiality, as well as delusional interpretations. The symptoms resolved with antipsychotic treatment along with cannabis abstinence. The remaining three cases correspond to women aged 54, 35, and 34, all of whom had used alcohol and/or cocaine. In these cases, the suicidal behavior materialized through the ingestion of psychotropic drugs, one of them in the context of acute intoxication. All patients received psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment during their stay and, after discharge, continued community follow-up in both mental health and addiction treatment and substance withdrawal.

The interrelationship between gender-based violence, substance use, and severe psychiatric symptoms poses a complex therapeutic approach and hinders treatment adherence.Early detection of these cases is essential to offer a comprehensive intervention that simultaneously addresses the psychiatric dimension, the violence experienced, and substance use.

This series of cases highlights the need to strengthen interdisciplinary resources and support networks for women in this situation, given the high risk of chronicity and mortality associated with this clinical profile.

None Declared

Gender dysphoria (GD) is frequently accompanied by anxiety and depressive symptoms. This real-world longitudinal observational study examined the evolution of these symptoms during the early stages of gender affirmation.

To assess changes in depression and anxiety from T0 (intake) to T1 (~1 month after GD diagnosis) and T2 (6 months after initiation of gender-affirming hormone therapy); (2) to compare clinician-rated (HDRS/HAM-D; HARS/HAM-A) and self-report measures (BDI-II; STAI-Y1/Y2); (3) to explore T0–T1 correlations; and (4) to describe socio-clinical features and psychotropic medication use.

Seventeen adults were followed at an outpatient GD clinic (mean age = 25.5 ± 6.7 years; 58.8% assigned female at birth; 10 FtM, 7 MtF). RMANOVA was performed on nine participants with complete T0–T1–T2 data for each scale, while Pearson correlations were computed for all 17 participants with T0–T1 data. Clinical, demographic, and treatment information were collected.

Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated significant improvements over time for HDRS (F(2,16) = 3.80; p = 0.045), HAM-A (F(2,16) = 4.77; p = 0.024), BDI-II (F(2,16) = 42.58; p < 0.000001), STAI-Y1 (F(2,16) = 16.47; p = 0.00013), and STAI-Y2 (F(2,16) = 15.00; p = 0.00021). Trajectories were more homogeneous for self-report measures, with marked reductions already evident at T1 and further declines at T2. T0–T1 correlations were weak/non-significant for HDRS (r = 0.36; p = 0.152) and HAM-A (r = 0.44; p = 0.081), but strong and significant for BDI-II (r = 0.89; p = 0.000002), STAI-Y1 (r = 0.87; p = 0.000006), and STAI-Y2 (r = 0.84; p = 0.000023).

Access to dedicated care and initiation of the gender affirmation process—including hormone therapy—were associated with clinically and statistically significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms, more consistently detected by self-report instruments. Clinician-rated scales reflected greater inter-individual variability, suggesting heterogeneous trajectories of change. Despite the small sample and naturalistic design, these findings support integrated, culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary care and highlight the need for larger longitudinal studies.

None Declared

Eco-anxiety—though not a formal diagnosis—captures climate-related distress overlapping with anxiety-spectrum processes. While mindfulness is often framed as protective, facet-level links to eco-anxiety are underexplored in Central/Eastern Europe. Ecological connectedness may also heighten sensitivity to environmental threat. We examined how mindfulness facets and nature relatedness jointly predict eco-anxiety.

(1) Test correlations between mindfulness and eco-anxiety; (2) identify protective vs risk-enhancing mindfulness facets; (3) probe indirect effects via well-being and nature relatedness.

Hungarian adults (N=351; target N≈450; No of ethics approval UD-IP-2023/156) completed validated self-reports: FFMQ facets (Baer et al. Assessment 2006;13:27–45), EAQ-22 (Ágoston et al. Climate Risk Management 2022;37), PERMA positive composite (Butler & Kern Int J Wellbeing 2016;6:1–48), and NR-6 (Nisbet & Zelenski Front Psychol 2013;4). Linear models predicted eco-anxiety from five FFMQ facets (Nonjudging, Acting with Awareness, Nonreactivity, Describing, Observing), controlling for age and gender. Indirect effects via PERMA and NR were tested with 5,000-sample bootstraps. Reliability: FFMQ facets α=.49–.83 (Awareness lower; 3 items); EAQ-22 α=.93; NR-6 α=.88; PERMA positive (15 items) α=.89. Reporting & diagnostics: Standardized β with 95% CIs; collinearity acceptable (max VIF = 2.27).

Eco-anxiety correlated modestly and negatively with overall mindfulness (r = –.18). In the facet-only model (controls: age, gender), R²=.155: Awareness (β=−.23, 95% CI −.34 to −.11, p<.001) and Nonjudging (β=−.16, −.27 to −.06, p=.003) predicted lower eco-anxiety; Observing (β=+.12, .02 to .22, p=.024) predicted higher eco-anxiety; Describing/Nonreactivity were ns. Women reported higher eco-anxiety than men (β=.15, .04 to .25, p=.008). In the full model adding PERMA positive and NR (R²=.221), NR emerged as a robust positive predictor (β=.29, .18 to .40, p<.001), while Awareness (β=−.24, −.35 to −.13, p<.001) and Nonjudging (β=−.16, −.27 to −.06, p=.003) remained protective; Observing attenuated to ns and PERMA positive was ns. Indirect effects (pre-registered exploratory): Observing has a small–moderate, significant indirect via NR (ab_std≈.13, 95% CI .08–.20); other indirects trivial (|ab_std|≤.03; CIs include 0).

This first facet-level test in a CEE sample suggests that apparent protective effects of some mindfulness facets attenuate once nature relatedness is considered. Ecological connectedness emerges as a double-edged factor—supporting environmental identification yet sensitizing to climate-related distress—highlighting both mindfulness dispositions and connectedness as clinically relevant but complex intervention targets. Preliminary data are presented; full-sample analyses (N≈450) will be reported at the conference.

None Declared