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Background Psychological disorders including depression and anxiety are not rare in primary care clinics. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is a clinical diagnostic tool that is widely utilized by primary health care physicians worldwide because it provides a practical in-clinic tool to screen for psychological disorders. This study evaluated the validity of the Arabic version of the PHQ in all six modules including depression, anxiety, somatic, panic, eating, and alcohol abuse disorders. Methods This is a quantitative observational cross-sectional study that was conducted by administrating the translated Arabic version of PHQ to a sample of King Saud University students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results The sample was 731 university students who participated in this study including 376 (51.6%) females and 354 (48.4%) males with a mean age of 21.30 years. Eight mental health experts carried out the face validation process of the PHQ Arabic version. The internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha for the PHQ9, GAD7, PHQ15, and panic disorder modules. The results were 0.857, 0.763, 0.826, and 0.696, respectively. In comparison, the eating disorders and alcohol abuse modules demonstrated poor internal consistency due to small number of participants in these modules. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the Arabic version of the PHQ is a valid and reliable tool to screen for depression, anxiety, somatic, and panic disorders in a Saudi sample.

Background Mental disorders account for a significant proportion of the world’s disease burden and are more significant among females than males. However, most global mental health research is sex neutral, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study, therefore, estimated the prevalence of mental disorders and investigated the sociodemographic correlates, sex disadvantage factors, and treatment-seeking in Saudi women concerning lifetime and 12-month mental disorders. Method The Saudi National Mental Health Survey is a stratified multistage clustered area probability design. Lifetime and 12-month mental disorders were assessed through the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). The correlates considered for this study included age-at-interview, education, marital status, employment status, socioeconomic status (SES), any chronic condition and household characteristics (region, urbanicity, and income), as well as domestic violence, age at marriage and in a polygamous marriage. Data was analysed using PROC SURVEYFREQ procedure as well as logistic regression in SAS 9.2. Results Overall, 24.7% and 35.9% of Saudi women experienced at least one of the disorders in the prior 12 months and at least once in their lifetime, respectively. Anxiety disorders were the most frequently reported 12-month and lifetime disorders, followed by mood disorders. The region, urbanicity, chronic conditions, employment status, as well as certain sex disadvantage factors were significantly associated with both 12-month and lifetime disorders. Most women did not seek treatment for 12-month mental disorders (86.2%) and lifetime disorders (73.8%). Conclusion Our study confirms that mental health issues, particularly anxiety and mood disorders, are highly prevalent among Saudi women, influenced by chronic conditions and sex-related factors like domestic violence and polygamy. Future research should focus on improving mental health literacy, using rigorous study designs to explore female-specific variables, and investigating genetic and environmental factors.

Background University students use caffeine to cope with stress in spite of its adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to explore caffeine consumption among university students in Saudi Arabia, as well as its correlation with stress and caffeine intoxication. This cross-sectional study examined a convenience sample of 547 students at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU). A self-administrated questionnaire was used to assess caffeine consumption in milligrams per day, stress was assessed by the perceived stress scale (PSS), and caffeine intoxication was assessed using the DSM-5 criteria. Results The mean total caffeine consumption was 424.69 ± 385.31 mg/day. High levels of caffeine consumption were found among students of non-health colleges and students who were undiagnosed with psychiatric disorders ( p values <0.040 and 0.027, respectively). A significant positive correlation was found between caffeine consumption and perceived stress ( p <0.045). Only 13.26% of all participants fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for caffeine use disorder. The majority of participants showed moderate and high stress levels (69.9% and 18.7%). Conclusion This study revealed high caffeine consumption and perceived stress levels among female undergraduate students with a significant positive association between them. The results emphasize the importance of educational campaigns about caffeine consumption and intoxication. They also encourage the development of stress management programs. Longitudinal studies need to be designed for evidence-based intervention.

To examine public's knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward bipolar disorder (BP) in Saudi Arabia (SA). A cross-sectional survey was performed in 2016 in Riyadh, SA. The survey included sociodemographic characteristics and BP awareness scale. Of 416 participants, 49.5% had prior knowledge of BP, mainly from internet and social media, and 57% considered it to be common in SA. About half believed BP is caused by a neurophysiological or neurochemical imbalance and that it can be treated with psychiatric medications. Supernatural causes, weak faith, and weakness of character were considered causes of BP by 55%, 48%, and 40% of participants, respectively. Recreational activities and head bandaging by traditional therapists were considered viable treatment options by 55% and 41% of participants, respectively. Students and healthcare professionals scored significantly higher on awareness scale. Regarding attitude, a majority believed that persons with BP can work effectively ‎(86%)‎, have to pull themselves together to get over it (47%), and consider it a shame to mention that someone in a family is affected by BP (32%). Regarding relationships, 22% were not willing to maintain a friendship and 39.3% were not willing to marry someone with BP. This study revealed suboptimal public awareness towards BP in SA. It identified several misconceptions and negative attitudes toward patients with BP. Further studies are needed to investigate potential public interventions to improve literacy of BP.

Objectives: To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms and its correlation with the level of perceived stress among the Saudi population. Methods: In July 2020, a cross-sectional survey of 2909 participants in Saudi Arabia during the outbreak was conducted to collect data related to sociodemographic characteristics and scores on the Brief Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (BOCS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: Most participants were female (73.9%) with a university level of education or higher (81%). The prevalence of new-onset obsessions was 57.8%, compulsions 45.9%, and moderate/high perceived stress 72.4%. New-onset dirt, germs, and virus obsessions were significantly higher among 40-49 age group, employees, housewives, students, quarantine discipliners, and those who spent 20 or more days in quarantine. New-onset hand-washing compulsions were significantly higher among the 30-49 age group. A significantly higher level of perceived stress was reported among those in the 18-29 age group, females, singles, participants with no children, students, nonsmokers, those who were unemployed, living with families, diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, living in the northern region, quarantine discipliners, and those who spent 60 or more days in quarantine. Conclusion: This study revealed a significantly higher prevalence of high perceived stress in respondents with new-onset OCD contamination symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This implies that a biodisaster is associated with high psychological morbidity. Keywords: obsessions, compulsions, stress, COVID-19

Background: Concerns over women’s mental health have intensified globally, especially among mothers managing dual careers and family responsibilities. Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs), such as gratitude journaling and well-being workshops, have demonstrated promise in enhancing mental health; however, their applicability in Arab contexts remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of PPIs on mothers’ well-being, gratitude, depression, anxiety, and stress in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This quasi-experimental, one-group pretest–posttest study assessed the effects of a four-week PPI on 37 Saudi working mothers (aged 21–50 years) employed at a private school in Riyadh. The intervention included guided gratitude journaling thrice weekly and two workshops on positive psychology and gratitude. Pre- and post-intervention assessments used validated Arabic versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), WHO-5 Well-being Index, and Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6). Results: Significant improvements were found post-intervention: depression, anxiety, and stress scores decreased (p < 0.001), while well-being and gratitude increased (p = 0.001). However, participants with lower household income (<50,000 SAR) showed less improvement, indicating a potential moderating effect of socioeconomic status. Conclusions: The intervention demonstrated promising short-term improvements in mental health and well-being among Saudi mothers. The findings underscore the importance of culturally appropriate PPIs and highlight the need for further research using controlled, long-term designs. Limitations include the small, non-random sample, absence of a control group, and restriction to a single geographic region.

Background Women comprise a sizeable portion of the workforce in various industries. They might face many challenges that affect their mental well-being. Hence, a study that addresses working women’s psychosocial and perinatal aspects mandates the necessity to fill the void and deficiencies related to clinical research. Objectives To explore the prevalence of depression and anxiety among working women in Saudi Arabia and its psychosocial and perinatal correlations. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 580 working women from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who participated via convenience sampling. An online-based questionnaire was used to collect data, including sociodemographic, occupational, medical, and perinatal data. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) were used to assess depression and anxiety. Results More than half (56.4%) had a pregnancy history, half of them took maternity leave (49%), and most needed additional leave (65.2%). Half of the participants had mild to moderate levels of depression and anxiety, 50.2% and 49%, respectively. A positive correlation was found between depression and anxiety (p-value = < 0.001). Participants who drank alcohol or had a lower mean score of total pregnancies had a significantly higher prevalence of moderately severe to severe depression (p = < 0.05). And smokers had a significantly higher rate of severe anxiety (p = < 0.01). Participants previously diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder displayed a higher risk of severe depression and anxiety ( p  < 0.001). Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the significant prevalence of mild to moderate level of depression and anxiety among working women in Saudi Arabia and their strong association with various psychosocial and perinatal factors. These results underline the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support and interventions tailored to the unique challenges faced by working women in the region.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood psychiatric disorder. It frequently persists into adulthood and is a risk factor for other mental disorders and adverse outcomes, mainly if not managed optimally. This study aimed to assess ADHD treatment adherence and explore the underlying causes of non-adherence in ADHD children in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 221 participants. The survey included demographic characteristics of the child and parents, the child's medical history, quality of services evaluation, as well as medication adherence assessment by Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS), the general beliefs about medicines questionnaire (General-BMQ), in addition to assessing the parents' beliefs about ADHD and provided/recommended treatment. The sample was primarily 6 to 8-year-old children (32.81%) and males (78.52%). Most subjects were prescribed extended-release agents (45.7%), and overall, high-quality services were provided to the patients. The adherence rate of ADHD patients to their medication was 89.77%. The mother's education correlated significantly with patient adherence (p=0.029), and the mother's age correlated significantly with their beliefs (p=0.021), in addition to the family income (0.033). Children on Methylphenidate Immediate Release had good compliance with the medication (p=0.008). Moreover, Methylphenidate Extended Release has shown continuity results, increasing the adherence rates (p=0.035). ADHD medication adherence was high and associated with older age, educational status, and type of medication used. Physicians should consider these factors to improve adherence in their patients.

Background Stigma plays a powerful role in an individual’s attitude towards mental illness and in their seeking psychiatric and psychological services. Assessing stigma from the perspective of people with mood disorders is important as these disorders have been ranked as major causes of disability. Objectives To determine the extent and impact of stigma experiences in Saudi patients with depression and bipolar disorder, and to examine stigma experiences across cultures. Method Ninety-three individuals with a mood disorder were interviewed at King Saud University Medical City using the Inventory of Stigmatizing Experiences (ISE). Results We detected no significant differences in experiences of stigma or stigma impact in patients with bipolar vs. depressive disorder. However, over 50% of respondents reported trying to hide their mental illness from others to avoiding situations that might cause them to feel stigmatized. In comparison with a Canadian population, the Saudi participants in this study scored significantly lower on the ISE, which might be due to cultural differences. Conclusion More than half of the Saudi participants with a mood disorder reported avoiding situations that might be potentially stigmatizing. There are higher levels of stigma in Canada and Korea than in Saudi Arabia. Our results suggest that cultural differences and family involvement in patient care can significantly impact self-stigmatization. The ISE is a highly reliable instrument across cultures.