Journal of Advanced Research in Psychology & Psychotherapy (E-ISSN: 2581-5822)

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depressive Disorder: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Case–Control Study from North India

Anubhav Katyal — 2026-06-18

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are increasingly recognized as important determinants of adult mental health. Evidence suggests that childhood adversity is associated with depression; however, studies exploring cumulative ACEs in the Indian context remain limited.

Objective: To examine the association between adverse childhood experiences and depressive disorder and explore their relationship with depression severity.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional case–control study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Fifty patients diagnosed with depressive disorder according to ICD-11 Diagnostic Criteria for Research (DCR) and 50 healthy controls were recruited using purposive sampling. Controls were screened using the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20), with scores less than 8 considered eligible. The Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) was administered to both groups, while depression severity among cases was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Statistical analyses included chi-square test, Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results: Cases demonstrated significantly higher ACE frequency total scores than controls ACE frequency related to parental abuse was significantly higher among cases, demonstrating a moderate-to-large effect size. Although ACE scores showed a positive trend with increasing depression severity, no statistically significant association was observed between cumulative ACE scores and HDRS severity.

Conclusion: Adverse childhood experiences, particularly parental abuse, were significantly associated with depressive disorder in adulthood. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating trauma-informed assessment into psychiatric care and underscore the need for preventive strategies addressing childhood adversity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2581.5822.202602

How to cite this article:
Katyal A, Garg B, Kataria D, Prasad S. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Depressive Disorder: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Case–Control Study from North India. J Adv Res Psychol Psychother. 2026; 9(1&2): 1-5.

Dissociative Experiences and Symptom Severity in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study from North India

Bhavuk Garg — 2026-06-18

Background: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and disabling psychiatric disorder characterized by intrusive obsessions and repetitive compulsions that significantly impair functioning and quality of life. Increasing evidence suggests that dissociative experiences may contribute to the clinical heterogeneity and symptom severity of OCD. However, limited data are available from India examining the relationship between dissociative experiences and OCD severity. The present study aimed to assess dissociative experiences in patients with OCD and examine their correlation with symptom severity.
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients diagnosed with OCD attending the psychiatry services of a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. Adult patients meeting diagnostic criteria for OCD were recruited consecutively after obtaining written informed consent. Symptom severity was assessed using the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and dissociative experiences were evaluated using the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Sociodemographic and clinical details were recorded using a semi-structured proforma. Correlation analyses were performed to examine correlation between dissociative experiences and OCD symptom severity.
Results: A significant positive correlation was observed between dissociative experiences and overall OCD symptom severity. Dissociative experiences were also significantly correlated with obsessive symptom severity and compulsive symptom severity. Patients with greater OCD severity demonstrated higher dissociative experiences, indicating a close relationship between dissociative psychopathology and OCD symptom burden.
Conclusion: Dissociative experiences were significantly associated with symptom severity in OCD. Routine assessment of dissociative symptoms in individuals with OCD may help identify clinically relevant subgroups and guide comprehensive treatment planning. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to explore causal pathways and implications for treatment outcomes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2581.5822.202601

How to cite this article:
Garg B, Sharma A, Prasad S, Ramesh O S V. Dissociative Experiences and Symptom Severity in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study from North India. J Adv Res Psychol Psychother. 2026; 9(1&2): 6-11.

Experiences of Young Women with PCOS: A Qualitative Study

Bhawna Devi — 2026-07-07

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a noteworthy medical issue alluded to as a standout amongst the most widely recognized endocrine disorders in women of reproductive and conceptive age, yet is a condition that is open to a great extent uninformed of and that health care service providers don't appear to completely get it. Though PCOS has its roots in the biological factor it is also important to understand the psychological and social perspective. Thus the present paper has attempted using bio-psychosocial model to explain the aspects of PCOS to understand its essential features, which may occur overtime. Therefore, this perspective is essential to understanding to what extent PCOS is affected by physical, social and psychological attributes. It is becoming increasingly clear that PCOS is now so prevalent and found to be associated with several aspects of mental health and psychological wellbeing, including mood disorders like depression and anxiety, eating disorders, self-esteem issues, body dissatisfaction with physical appearance. Therefore, in order to understand the relevance of the psychosocial factors contributing in the behavioural or lifestyle changes of young women suffering with PCOS a focused group discussion was conducted with an aim to qualitatively assess the psychosocial factors and lifestyle changes of women diagnosed with PCOS over a span of time with the aim to study by exploring and understanding the psychosocial experiences of young women with PCOS.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2581.5822.202604

How to cite this article:
Devi B, Yadav N. Experiences of Young Women with PCOS: A Qualitative Study. J Adv Res Psychol Psychother. 2026; 9(1&2): 12-22.

Occupational Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Era: Review on Remote and Conventional Workspaces

Shraddhadip Koitiya — 2026-07-07

The work environment plays a crucial role in shaping employee mental health. This narrative review synthesizes recent (2024–2026) literature comparing work-from-home (WFH), office- based, and hybrid work arrangements. WFH is associated with greater flexibility, autonomy, and reduced commuting stress, which together improve work–life balance and job satisfaction, but it is also linked to social isolation, blurred boundaries, and burnout. Office-based work promotes social interaction, structured routines, and collaboration, but it introduces stressors such as commuting, workplace pressure, and reduced flexibility. Mental health outcomes ultimately depend on individual personality, job type, and the level of organizational support available. Across the reviewed literature, hybrid work models are consistently reported as the most balanced approach for sustaining both productivity and well-being.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2581.5822.202603

How to cite this article:
Koitiya S, Nageswaran K. Occupational Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Narrative Review of Remote and Conventional Workspaces. J Adv Res Psychol Psychother. 2026; 9(1&2): 23-26.