Albert Feliu-Soler

Autonomous University of Barcelona | UAB · Department of Clinical and Health Psychology

University students constitute a population that is highly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, such as distress. The role of different variables associated with the development of states of stress has been studied in order to identify potential risk and protective factors. This study explored whether mindfulness, self-compassion, and e...

Mind-body treatments can improve coping mechanisms, and occasionally perceived pain, in individuals with Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). However, their mechanisms-of-action remain unclear and predictors of treatment response are lacking. We employed resting-state blood oxygen level dependent (rsBOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to add...

Previous studies during the Covid-19 pandemic reported particularly high prevalence of anxiety and depression among university students, suggesting that they can be a vulnerable group at greater risk than the general population for developing psychological disorders in situations of confinement. However, the impact varied between countries and indi...

Introduction: The On&Out study is aimed at assessing the effectiveness, cost-utility and physiological underpinnings of the FIBROWALK multicomponent intervention conducted in two different settings: online (FIBRO-On) or outdoors (FIBRO-Out). Both interventions have proved to be efficacious in the short-term but there is no study assessing their com...

These are the two datasets extracted from the PSY-COVID-1 study for the analysis of the university students's mental health. Dataset labelled "Dataset PSY-COVID university students " contains only data of 7601 from 6 Ibero-American countries (Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, and Uruguay). Dataset labelled "Dataset PSY-COVID university s...

This systematic review aimed to investigate immune-inflammatory and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis biomarkers in individuals with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) compared to healthy control. The search was performed in five databases until 4 November 2021. Two reviewers independently conducted screenings, data extraction, risk of bias,...

Background/Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two video-based multicomponent programs (FIBROWALK) and the Multicomponent Physiotherapy Program (MPP) for patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) only. We posit that FIBROWALK, due to inclusion of specific psychological ingredients (cogniti...

Results of the Research Yourself Program on Self-Efficacy. Communication presented August 25th. 2022, Budapest (Hungary).

Results of the Third Half at the UAB, presented on August 26th. 2022 at the 1st. Conference of Researchers' Mental Health, Budapest (Hungary), organized by the Researcher Mental Health Observatory.

Objective Understanding how different psychotherapies produce their effect can lead to identifying mechanisms of change that could be enhanced to produce better outcomes. This study aims at exploring the potential mediating role of mindfulness and self-compassion facets in the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and attachment-based...

Rationale: widespread population vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a matter ofgreat interest to public health managers as it is the main pharmacological measureto contain the COVID-19 epidemic. Hesitancy or reluctance to vaccination hasbecome one of the main barriers to containing the pandemic. The young adultpopulation appears as one of...

We assessed the cross-cultural role of Time Perspective (TP) tendencies [Past Positive (PP), Past Negative (PN), Present Hedonistic (PH), Present Fatalistic (PF), and Future (F)], the Deviation from a Balanced Time Perspective (DBTP) profile, the Deviation from a Negative Time Perspective (DNTP) profile, and mindfulness on life satisfaction (LS). T...

Introduction There is evidence that low-dose naltrexone (LDN; <5.0 mg/day) reduces pain and improves the quality of life of people with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). However, no randomised controlled trials with long-term follow-ups have been carried out. The INNOVA study will evaluate the add-on efficacy, safety, cost–utility and neurobiological ef...

Objectives Further mechanistic insight on mind–body techniques for fibromyalgia (FMS) is needed. Arterial spin labelling (ASL) imaging can capture changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) that relate to spontaneous pain. Methods We recruited FMS patients undergoing either mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR, n = 14) or a psycho...

Methods. A randomised controlled trial was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week multicomponent treatment based on pain neuroscience education, therapeutic exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness, in addition to treatment as usual, compared to treatment as usual only in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). A total of 272...

The identification of general population groups particularly vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on mental health and the development of healthcare policies are priority challenges in the current and future pandemics. This study aimed to identify the personal and social determinants of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on...

Despite the considerable amount of research evidence on the significant role of subjective happiness on mental health, there is no psychometric study of the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) in psychiatric samples. This study was aimed at exploring the psychometric properties of the SHS in a Spanish sample of patients with depressive disorders. Part...

The practice of Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing is an outdoor therapeutic modality with mounting evidence suggesting positive effects on individuals' psychological wellbeing and overall health. However, its benefits have mainly been studied in Asian biomes and more reseach is needed to evaluate if its benefits are also generalizable to other regions...

Abstract: FIBROWALK is a multicomponent program including Pain Neuroscience education, therapeutic exercise, cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness training which, recently, has been found to be effective in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). This RCT started before the COVID-19 pandemic and was moved to virtual format (i.e., online videos) whe...

COVID-19 pandemic has altered women's mental health as a consequence of the global threat and the lockdown measures adopted by public health policies. It has been suggested that women are at a higher risk for mood alterations, but most of the studies are cross-sectional or have only considered the first days of the confinement in their longitudinal...

Congress presentation Results from the Ultreya study -final sample- : The effects of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (The Way of Saint James) on mental health and wellbeing

Objectives: The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) is a short screening instrument to measure depressive and anxious symptoms. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the online version of the PHQ-4 in a large sample of the general population in Colombia. Methods: Data were collected during the first phase of mobility restrictions o...

COVID-19 pandemic has altered women’s mental health as a consequence of the global threat and the lockdown measures adopted by public health policies. It has been suggested that women are at a higher risk for mood alterations, but most of the studies are cross-sectional or have only considered the first days of the confinement in their longitudinal...

Se presentó la Unidad de Coaching y Acompañamiento Académico de la UAB (UCAA_UAB) en el XVII Encuentro de Servicios Psicológicos y Psicopedagógicos Universitarios (ESPPU) que se celebró los días 15 y 16 de abril del 2021 en la Universidad de Cádiz. El XVII ESPPU facilitó el intercambio de ideas, de propuestas, de reflexiones y experiencias, sobre...

Objectives. There is burgeoning interest in studying the effectiveness of mindfulness-based and traditional contemplative practices, and brief yet suitably and comprehensive measures of mindfulness are needed to assess related changes. There is preliminary evidence that pilgrimage may share some aspects with contemplative practices. This study exam...

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of the general population due to the fear of contagion and to the lockdowns imposed by public health policies to stop the spread of the pandemic. Cost-effective interventions are urgently needed to stop de mental health wave of COVID-19 and several autors suggest the practice o...

Background and aim Humor has been described as an effective coping strategy for dealing with chronic pain conditions; likewise, coping strategies predict some clinical outcomes after cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions. The present study aims to preliminarily explore the role of humor styles in predicting clinical chang...

In this webinar, the results of the PSY-COVID study at the Autonomous University of Barcelona are presented in relation to the impact on mental health (anxiety disorder, depression and somatization), comparing the different clusters of the academic community with each other (students, professors and administration and services staff) and with the g...

Background and aim: Humor has been described as an effective coping strategy for dealing with chronic pain conditions; likewise, coping strategies predict some clinical outcomes after cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based interventions. The present study aims to preliminarily explore the role of humor styles in predicting clinical cha...

This preprint has been published in Journal of Clinical Medicine: DOI: 10.3390/jcm10225297 ResearchGate link to published version: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356199784_Social_Inequities_in_the_Impact_of_COVID-19_Lockdown_Measures_on_the_Mental_Health_of_a_Large_Sample_of_the_Colombian_Population_PSY-COVID_Study Link to the paper's...

Background/Objective: ‘Third-wave’ psychotherapies have shown effectiveness for treating psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. There is burgeoning interest in examining how these therapies’ core constructs produce their therapeutic benefits. This study explores the hypothetical mediating effect of resilience in the impact of m...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a heterogeneous and complex syndrome; different studies have tried to describe subgroups of FM patients, and a 4-cluster classification based on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQR) has been recently validated. This study aims to cross-validate this classification in a large US sample of FM patients. A pooled sa...

La comunicación presenta los resultados preliminares sobre salud mental de una muestra de población residente en Perú (n = 530) durante las medidas de restricción demovilidad adoptadas para el control de la pandemia de COVID-19

The conference presents the preliminary results on mental health from a sample of the population resident in Peru (n = 530) during the mobility restriction measures adopted to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most important healthcare and societal challenges to have emerged in the last century. It may have effects on both physical and psychosocial health, but studies considering the impact on vulnerable populations, such as people with chronic pain, are needed. In this cross-sectional study...

Objectives. The goal of this study was to identify central sensitization-related symptom severity subgroups in a large multicountry sample composed of patients with chronic pain and pain-free individuals using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). Methods. A large, pooled international (n= 8 countries) sample of chronic pain patients plus heal...

A recent study (FIBROWALK) has supported the effectiveness of a multicomponent treatment based on pain neuroscience education (PNE), exercise therapy (TE), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness in patients with fibromyalgia. The aim of the present RCT was: (a) to analyze the effectiveness of a 12-week multicomponent treatment (nature...

The lack of highly effective treatments for fibromyalgia (FM) represents a great challenge for public health. The objective of this parallel, pilot randomized controlled trial was two-fold: (1) to analyze the clinical effects of mindfulness plus amygdala and insula retraining (MAIR) compared to a structurally equivalent active control group of rela...

The burnout syndrome is the consequence of chronic stress that overwhelms an individual’s resources to cope with occupational or academic demands. Frenetic, under-challenged, and worn-out are different burnout subtypes. Mindfulness has been recognized to reduce stress, comprising five facets (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judgin...

Second report on the results of the PSY-COVID study in Colombia This document, entitled "Social behavior of the Colombian population during the COVID-19 pandemic," presents descriptive analyses of public health variables.

Aim: To provide a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of the NAT-FM protocol as a complimentary treatment in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Methods: A trial was conducted, with two arms: TAU (n = 6) and TAU+NAT-FM (n = 6). Results: There was a reduction in physical limitations and anxious/depressive symptoms and an improvement in positive affe...

Methods. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week multicomponent treatment based on pain neuroscience education, therapeutic exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness, in addition to treatment as usual (TAU), compared to TAU only in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). The multicompone...

This calculator is a result of the following study: "Clustering a large Spanish sample of patients with fibromyalgia using the FIQR: differences in clinical outcomes, economic costs, inflammatory markers and gray matter volumes". Authors: Adrián Pérez-Aranda, Laura Andrés-Rodríguez, Albert Feliu-Soler, Christian Núñez, Christian Stephan-Otto, Marí...

Segundo informe de resultados del estudio PSY-COVID en Colombia. En este documento, titulado “Comportamiento social de la población colombiana durante la pandemia del COVID-19“, se dan a conocer los análisis descriptivos de las variables de salud pública.

Introduction. The IMPACT study focuses on chronic low back pain (CLBP) and depression symptoms, a prevalent and complex problem that represents a challenge for health professionals. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Brief Behavioural Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD) are effective treatments for patients with persistent pain and...

First report on the results of the PSY-COVID study in Colombia. In this document, entitled "Effects on the mental health of the Colombian population during the COVID-19 pandemic", descriptive analyses of mental health variables are presented.

Primer informe de resultados del estudio PSY-COVID en Colombia. En este documento, titulado “Efectos en la salud mental de la población colombiana durante la pandemia del COVID-19“, se dan a conocer los análisis descriptivos de las variables de salud mental.

The objective was to identify immune alteration in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) compared to healthy controls (HC) using meta-analysis and meta-regression. The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane and Web of Science were searched for suitable original articles investigating immune biomarkers in FMS in comparis...

A recent study has supported the efficacy of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) compared to relaxation (REL) for the management of fibromyalgia (FM). The main objective of this paper is to examine the cost-utility of ABCT compared to REL in terms of effects on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as well as healthcare costs. Forty-two Spanis...

This study explored the brain structural correlates of psychological flexibility (PF) as measured with the Psychological Inflexibility in Pain Scale (PIPS) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Structural magnetic resonance imaging data from 47 FM patients were used to identify Gray Matter Volume (GMV) alterations related to PIPS scores. Brain GMV cl...

The study protocol of a prospective and randomized controlled trial for the assessment of the efficacy of nature activity therapy for people with Fibromyalgia (NAT-FM) is described. The primary outcome is the mean change from baseline in the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) score at post-treatment (12 weeks) and at 9 months of follo...

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) represents a great challenge for clinicians and researchers because the efficacy of currently available treatments is limited. The present study examined the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for reducing functional impairment as well as the role of mindfulness-related constructs as mediators of treatm...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disabling syndrome characterized by chronic pain associated with fatigue. Its pathogenesis is unknown, but alterations in central sensitization, involving an imbalance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory biomarkers, appear to be implicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of attachmen...

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent and highly disabling chronic pain syndrome. However, differences among patients regarding how pain impacts on daily life are remarkable. The main aim of this study was to identify clinical and pain-related cognitive variables characterizing patients reporting high adaptability despite experiencing severe...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, and physical and emotional symptoms. Although its pathophysiology is largely unknown, immune-inflammatory pathways may be involved. We examined serum interleukin (IL)-6, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), CXCL-8, and IL-10 in 67 female FM patients a...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent, chronic, disabling, pain syndrome that implies high healthcare costs. Economic evaluations of potentially effective treatments for FM are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze the cost-utility of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as add-on to treatment-as-usual (TAU) for patients with FM compared to...

Thought control ability is a vulnerability factor implicated in the etiology and maintenance of emotional disorders. This manuscript aims to systematically review the use and psychometric performance of the Thought Control Ability Questionnaire (TCAQ), designed to assess people’s ability to control unwanted thoughts. Three electronic databases were...

The main objective of this study is to identify fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) clusters using the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR); and to examine whether the clusters differ in sociodemographic characteristics, clinical measures, direct and indirect costs, levels of inflammatory markers and brain morphometry. A hierarchical cluster an...

The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the benefits of mindfulness meditation in controlling ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and the impact of the intervention on anxiety, stress and depression levels in a Mediterranean population. Twenty-four and 18 patients [n = 42; mean age 56.5 (7.7) years; similar men and women proport...

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a highly prevalent and disabling syndrome characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain and a broad range of cognitive and affective symptoms. Up to now, the pathogenesis of FM is unknown although a peripheral and central sensitization involving an imbalance on immune biomarkers appears to have a relevant role in its...