Humanistic Studies and Social Researches

Abstract Objective: This review aims to integrate and critically evaluate the existing neurobiological evidence concerning Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). It synthesizes findings from neuroimaging, genetic, and neuropsychological studies to propose a distinct etiological model that differentiates OCPD from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar for studies published between 1990 and 2025. Keywords included “obsessive-compulsive personality disorder,” “neurobiology,” “neuroimaging,” “genetics,” and related terms. Studies were included if they provided original empirical data on the neurobiology of OCPD or its core traits. Data were narratively synthesized due to methodological diversity.
Results: Fifty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Structural MRI findings indicate increased grey matter volume in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Functional MRI studies reveal hyperactivation in the DLPFC, dorsal ACC, and fronto-parietal network during tasks of cognitive control and error monitoring, alongside reduced connectivity with limbic regions. Neurochemical evidence points to dysregulation in serotonin and dopamine systems. Genetic studies show high heritability (approximately 50–78%) and potential associations with genes such as SLC6A4, COMT, and DRD3. Neuropsychological profiles reflect intact planning abilities but impairments in cognitive flexibility and heightened error sensitivity.
Conclusion: OCPD is associated with a unique neurobiological profile characterized by overactive prefrontal cognitive control systems and diminished integration with emotional processing regions, rather than the fear-based circuitry typical of OCD. This “hyper-executive” model accounts for core OCPD traits such as perfectionism, rigidity, and excessive need for order. Future research should prioritize well-defined OCPD cohorts to validate this model and develop targeted, biologically informed interventions.
 

Abstract Background: Ovarian cancer kills more women than any other gynaecological cancer. Culture plays a big role: many patients show stoicism, follow Confucian rules, and believe in fate, which changes how they see stress, how they cope and how confident they feel.

Objective: This review brings together studies that show how perceived stress, coping methods, health locus of control, and self-efficacy work together in Asian women with ovarian cancer.

Methods: We looked at quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies that were written in English and came mostly from East, Southeast, and South Asia.

Results: Studies repeatedly showed that high perceived stress strongly indicated more anxiety, more depression, and worse quality of life that was clearly worse. Task-oriented coping together with family support showed lower distress again and again, while emotion-focused or avoidance coping indicated higher distress every time. In Asian patients, both internal health locus of control and powerful-others locus of control indicated better self-efficacy and better adherence, but chance locus of control showed helplessness and passive behaviour. Self-efficacy often worked as the link that explained how stress, coping, and locus of control finally affected quality of life. Exercise and good nursing care indicated clear increases in self-efficacy.

Conclusion: Mental suffering in Asian women with ovarian cancer is deeply shaped by collectivist thinking, trust in doctors and family, and beliefs about fate. Regular screening with tools that fit the culture and family-based psychological help are necessary so that patients gain self-efficacy, learn active coping, and reach better quality of life.

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic forced nursing education and practice into an unprecedented crisis that is constantly shifting most teaching online overnight and intensifying already high levels of stress among nurses.

Objective: This review examines how nursing students and professional nurses around the world experienced and managed heightened psychological pressure during the pandemic, highlighting both adaptive and maladaptive ways of coping.

Methods: A narrative synthesis of international studies conducted between 2020 and 2025 explored common stressors, preferred coping approaches, and factors that supported or hindered resilience in diverse settings.

Results: Academic workload, fear of infection, isolation from peers and family, financial strain, and limited hands-on training emerged as universal sources of distress. Many turned to helpful strategies such as planning ahead, seeking emotional support from colleagues, reframing difficult situations positively, and using humor or structured reflection techniques. These approaches consistently reduced anxiety, lowered burnout, and helped people stay in school or remain at work. In contrast, avoidance, denial, or emotional detachment often worsened mental health and increased dropout intentions. Strong social networks, institutional mental health programs, resilience training, and clear communication tools proved especially protective.

Conclusion: The pandemic exposed serious gaps in mental health support for nursing students and nurses, yet it also revealed remarkable adaptability worldwide. Moving forward, nursing programs and healthcare organizations should routinely teach evidence-based stress management, build peer-support systems, and provide accessible counseling. Embedding these practices into everyday training will better equip the next generation of nurses to handle future crises while protecting their own well-being.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the impact of key lifestyle factors on liver function in patients with liver cancer receiving radiotherapy, integrating both conventional clinical evidence and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspectives.

Methods: A systematic review of literature published between January 2000 and March 2024 was conducted using PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, Web of Science, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria focused on studies assessing the effect of lifestyle factors such as stress, diet, sleep, and exercise on liver function in the context of liver cancer and radiotherapy.

Results: A total of 47 studies were included (18 RCTs, 22 observational studies, 7 systematic reviews). Emotional stress was significantly associated with worsened liver function during radiotherapy (OR = 2.87; 95% CI: 2.14–3.84; p < 0.001). High-fat diets increased the risk of hepatic steatosis and impaired liver function (RR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.67–2.25; p < 0.001), while plant-based diets were protective (OR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.57–0.81; p < 0.001). Poor sleep quality correlated with liver enzyme elevation (r = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.54–0.69; p < 0.001). Moderate exercise, including TCM-based practices like Tai Chi, was linked to improved liver function and reduced radiation-induced toxicity (SMD = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.67–0.97; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Lifestyle factors significantly influence liver function in liver cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Interventions targeting emotional regulation, diet optimization, sleep hygiene, and physical activity—especially when aligned with TCM principles—may enhance hepatic resilience and therapeutic outcomes. These insights support integrative, lifestyle-centered care in oncology settings.