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Objectives: Tele-mental health services can play an important role in overcoming barriers in mental health services in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, despite its potential, tele-mental health has not been widely adopted in Oman. This study is an exploratory investigation into the experiences of therapists and their clients in utilizing video-based tele-mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 19 semistructured qualitative interviews were individually conducted, it included 13 adult clients with mental health conditions who received video-based tele-mental health care and six clinical psychologists who provided video-based tele-mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The clients reported favorable experiences using tele-mental health, with the primary benefits being convenience, easy accessibility to subspecialized care, reduced absenteeism from work with commuting costs, and alleviated mental health stigma. The therapists also expressed experiencing benefits from tele-mental health, such as reduced risk of intrahospital infection, reduced healthcare costs, and the achievement of work-life balance. Primary concerns were related to the lack of public tele-mental health services, lack of specified tele-mental health guidelines, shortage of trained therapists, limited access to high-speed Internet, electronic devices, privacy, and concerns toward the security of telehealth systems in general. Conclusion: Clients and therapists report that tele-mental health offers new opportunities to improve the quality of mental healthcare services in Oman, and that the challenges could be resolved by establishing governmental tele-mental health services along with developing tele-mental health guidelines and implementing local postgraduate clinical psychology programs in universities in Oman.

Caregivers of individuals with chronic psychiatric disorders are frequently exposed to high subjective burden, which may undermine their psychological resilience. Trait Emotional Intelligence (TEI), particularly its self-control facet, has been proposed as a protective factor; however, the mechanisms linking caregiver burden, self-control, and resilience are not well established. This cross-sectional study investigated whether self-control mediates the relationship between caregiver burden and psychological resilience among psychiatric caregivers in Oman. A total of 187 caregivers attending a tertiary outpatient clinic completed validated Arabic versions of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire–Short Form (TEIQue-SF), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the Zarit Burden Interview–Short Form (ZBI-12). Mediation analysis was conducted using 5,000 bootstrap resamples, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Higher caregiver burden was significantly associated with lower self-control (β = –0.28, p = 0.002), and higher self-control was significantly associated with greater resilience (β = 0.52, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of burden on resilience via self-control was statistically significant (β = –0.15, 95% CI: –0.24 to –0.07), whereas the direct effect was non-significant after accounting for self-control, consistent with full mediation. These findings suggest that self-control may play a mediating role in the relationship between caregiver burden and resilience. Interventions targeting emotion-regulation skills could potentially enhance resilience among psychiatric caregivers, however longitudinal studies are needed to establish causal pathways.

This study investigated the personal and academic factors associated with the presence and search for meaning in life among college students in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2021. A self-reported survey comprising the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and a sociodemographic questionnaire was completed by 970 students at the National University of Science and Technology in Oman. We used multiple linear regression to explore the independent predictors. Compared with engineering students, medical students were found to have a higher degree of both the presence of meaning in life as well as the search for meaning in life (p-value 0.001), and with each advancing academic year, the presence of meaning in life was found to be lower (p-value = 0.002). Students with chronic physical disease had a lower degree of presence of meaning in life and a lower degree of search for meaning in life ( p  = 0.001) compared with those without chronic disease. In addition, mental illness was associated with a lower degree of presence of meaning in life (p-value 0.001) and financial strain was associated with a lower degree of presence of meaning in life (p-value = 0.001). In conclusion, no prior research demonstrated higher levels of meaning in life among medicine major students compared to those in engineering or pharmacy majors. Moreover, other academic, socio-economic, and health-related factors correlated with individuals’ sense of meaning & search in life. Therefore, psychologists and psychiatrists should consider these diverse factors when designing interventions to support individuals in exploring and enhancing their meaning in life, considering their unique needs and contexts.

The current literature, mostly Euro-American based, indicates that the presence of meaning in life (MIL) improves resilience and lowers stress. However, the differential mediating roles of resilience in the relationship between the search for and presence of MIL, and stress have not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the differential mediating roles of resilience in the relationship between the presence of and search for MIL, and stress among Omani college students amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study consisted of the Brief Resilience Scale, Perceived Stress Scale 4, and Meaning in Life Questionnaire, as well as socio-demographic questions. A path analysis model was used to examine the hypothesis. A total of 970 Omani college students responded to the questionnaire. Findings indicate that searching for MIL was significantly associated with a high level of stress directly (β = 0.023; p  < 0.001) and indirectly, through a negative effect on resilience (β =  0.006; p  < 0.001). Conversely, the presence of MIL was significantly associated with a decreased level of stress directly (β = − 0.045; p  < 0.001) and indirectly via a positive effect on resilience (β = − 0.151; p  < 0.001). In keeping with the proposed hypothesis, this study contributes to the current knowledge, by extrapolating the effect of searching for MIL on resilience and stress, and culturally re-contextualizing MIL research. University counseling centers could adopt meaning-based strategies to mitigate stress by promoting meaningful living and resilience.

ObjectivesThe utilisation of tele-mental health services has the potential to address challenges in mental health services within the Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, the adoption of tele-mental health in Oman remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of psychiatrists with telephone consultations, offering valuable insights to advance the field of telepsychiatry.DesignThis is a qualitative exploratory study. The analysis of the data involved the application of manifest content analysis.SettingThe semi-structured interviews were conducted with the psychiatrists at Al Masarra Hospital.ParticipantsA total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted.ResultsThe study reveals that psychiatrists encounter communication challenges in telephone consultations, such as the absence of visual cues, confirming patient identity, conducting comprehensive assessments and effectively communicating with younger patients who may lack developed social skills or patients with specific health conditions. Infrastructure limitations, such as outdated medical records, lack of electronic prescriptions and limited availability of child/adolescent psychiatric medications, further restrict the effectiveness of telepsychiatry consultations. In contrast, telephone appointments offer convenience and flexibility for psychiatrists, allowing them to manage non-clinical responsibilities and provide focused consultations tailored to individual needs. In addition, it benefits patients by improving appointment adherence, diminishing stigma and financial savings compared with in-person consultations.ConclusionsTele-mental health has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing mental healthcare services in Oman. Addressing psychiatrists’ challenges is crucial to further developing and strengthening these services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a notable increase in psychological distress, globally. Oman is no exception to this, with several studies indicating high levels of anxiety and depression among the Omani public. There is a need for adaptive and effective interventions that aim to improve the elevated levels of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to comparatively assess the efficacy of therapist-guided online therapy with that of self-help, internet-based therapy focusing on COVID-19-induced symptoms of anxiety and depression among individuals living in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a 6-week-long pragmatic randomized controlled trial involving 60 participants who were recruited from a study sample surveyed for symptoms of anxiety or depression among the Omani public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the intervention group were allocated to receive 1 online session per week for 6 weeks from certified psychotherapists in Oman; these sessions were conducted in Arabic or English. The psychotherapists utilized cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy interventions. Participants in the control group received an automatic weekly newsletter via email containing self-help information and tips to cope with distress associated with COVID-19. The information mainly consisted of behavioral tips revolving around the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. The primary outcome was measured by comparing the change in the mean scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale from the baseline to the end of the study (ie, after 6 sessions) between the two groups. The secondary outcome was to compare the proportions of participants with depression and anxiety between the two groups. Data from 46 participants were analyzed (intervention group n=22, control group n=24). There was no statistical difference in the baseline characteristics between both groups. Analysis of covariance indicated a significant reduction in the GAD-7 scores (F =7.307; P=.01) between the two groups after adjusting for baseline scores. GAD-7 scores of participants in the intervention group were considerably more reduced than those of participants in the control group (β=-3.27; P=.01). Moreover, a greater reduction in mean PHQ-9 scores was observed among participants in the intervention group (F =8.298; P=.006) than those in the control group (β=-4.311; P=.006). Although the levels of anxiety and depression reduced in both study groups, the reduction was higher in the intervention group (P=.049) than in the control group (P=.02). This study provides preliminary evidence to support the efficacy of online therapy for improving the symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 crisis in Oman. Therapist-guided online therapy was found to be superior to self-help, internet-based therapy; however, both therapies could be considered as viable options. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04378257; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04378257.

Previous research has focused on the significance of occupational burnout and the role of emotional intelligence and poor coping abilities among physicians. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of occupational burnout among first-year medical residents in Oman, exploring the relationship between trait emotional intelligence subscales and the three dimensions of burnout syndrome, and examining the association between sociodemographic covariates and the three dimensions of burnout syndrome. The outcome measures included various indices of the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEI) and its subscales were examined. The data showed a high burnout rate of 25.8%. Specifically, among the residents, 57.5% reported high levels of emotional exhaustion, 50.8% reported high depersonalisation and 49.2% reported a low sense of personal achievement. Age was significantly associated with depersonalisation (P < 0.003) and personal achievement (P < 0.0001). Marital status was the only variable significantly associated with emotional exhaustion (P = 0.001). Single residents had considerably lower emotional exhaustion than married residents (P = 0.001). The global mean score for the TEI was 4.77 (±0.64). A statistically significant relationship was found between personal achievement and emotional intelligence (r = 0.203, P = 0.026).

PurposeEmotional intelligence (EI) can improve patient–doctor relationships, foster empathy, develop teamwork in the workplace, and boost communication skills. This study aims to determine whether a cohort of residents has different profiles to their demographic and EI.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017–2018 (n = 440). The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire was used to measure EI. Cluster analysis was used to identify different profile groups.FindingsCluster analysis identified three clusters with different profiles. The residents in cluster A (n = 146, 33.2%) were older, more males, studying in their final year, and perceived lower EI. Cluster B (n = 184, 41.8%) were predominantly young females, more single, studying in year one, and perceived moderate EI. Cluster C (n = 110, 25.0%) were predominantly married females studying their year 1 in surgical and perceived higher EI.Research limitations/implicationsStudy limitations include respondent honesty, cross-sectional design, and lack of a comparison site. Including EI education can improve emotional regulation, well-being, and sociability and should be assessed as part of residents' development.Practical implicationsMedical residents differ in emotional profiles, with higher EI improving coping and problem-solving skills. EI training should be integrated into the medical curriculum, particularly given the high-stress levels and unique stressors of hospital practicums.Originality/valueThe study suggested that three groups of residents exist, and they differ in demographic, EI, and subscale levels. This study recommended that residents be taught EI-related concepts to help them develop their EI through training on emotionality, self-control, well-being, and sociability.

Background We aim to address the dearth of knowledge regarding general electroconvulsive therapy practice in Oman, by examining and investigating the electroconvulsive therapy practices at all hospitals providing electroconvulsive therapy across the country, and to compare our local practice against the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on the appropriate use of electroconvulsive therapy to inform the development of guidelines locally. Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and Al Masarra Hospital were included in a nationwide audit of all hospitals in Oman that administer electroconvulsive therapy. The demographics, diagnostic and electroconvulsive therapy indications, treatment characteristics, and side-effect profiles of all patients who had electroconvulsive therapy between January 2019 and December 2020 were collected from the hospital’s electronic data. A descriptive analysis of the results was performed. Results The total number of patients was 197 (92 males and 105 females). The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia 32.5%, followed by major depressive disorder 31.5%. The most common immediate side effect was headache 10.2%, followed by dizziness 7.1%, and amnesia 4.1%. Only 57.4% of patients who received electroconvulsive therapy met the NICE guidelines for appropriate electroconvulsive therapy use. Clinical status was assessed after each electroconvulsive therapy session for 66% of patients, and cognitive function monitoring was achieved for only 7.6% of patients. Conclusions The current audit has indicated that the assessment of the clinical status and cognitive functions of electroconvulsive therapy patients is inadequate. Because there is a significant rate of cognitive dysfunction following electroconvulsive therapy delivery, cognitive assessment before, during, and after therapy should be more rigorously implemented and documented.