peer-reviewed journal articles

2024

1. ADHD@Work

   

   Strengths and challenges to embrace attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in employment—A systematic review

   A. Hotte-Meunier, L. Sarraf, A. Bougeard, F. Bernier, C. Voyer, and 6 more authors

   Neurodiversity
   Nov 8, 2024

   Highlights Abs TLDR OSF Bib

   • Workers with ADHD can effectively transform what are typically seen as challenges into workplace assets when given the right environment and support structures.
   • The success of employees with ADHD is heavily dependent on person-environment fit, suggesting that the traditional “one-size-fits-all” workplace model needs to be reconsidered.
   • Across over 68,000 individuals in 22 countries, findings consistently showed that embracing neurodiversity and implementing flexible working practices leads to better outcomes than trying to “fix” ADHD traits..

   Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a significant impact on psychosocial and occupational functioning. Sixty-five percent of children with ADHD continue to meet full or partial diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adulthood, and an estimated 4% of the workforce has a diagnosis of ADHD. We performed a systematic literature review to understand the experience of ADHD in the workplace. Articles were included in the systematic literature review if they reported results on employment outcomes of adults with ADHD. Methodological quality assessment was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Seventy-nine studies were included in this systematic literature review (N_ADHD = 68,275). Results were synthesized into four categories: challenges, strengths, adaptations, and sex differences. Eight themes were included: ADHD symptoms at work, workplace performance, job satisfaction, maladaptive work thoughts and behaviors, interpersonal relationships at work, personal strengths, embracing ADHD, person-environment fit, and accommodations and support. Workers with ADHD can adapt and thrive in employment with the right person-environment fit, and accommodations and support. Many challenges related to ADHD can be remodeled into assets in a workplace environment that promotes flexible working practices and openness to neurodiversity.

   A systematic review of 79 studies (68,275 ADHD participants) found that while ADHD presents workplace challenges, employees with ADHD can thrive when provided appropriate accommodations and support. Success depends on both leveraging ADHD-related strengths and creating neurodiversity-friendly work environments.

   @article{hottemeunierADHDStrengthsChallenges2024,
     title = {Strengths and challenges to embrace attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in employment—A systematic review},
     author = {Hotte-Meunier, Adèle and Sarraf, Lisa and Bougeard, Alan and Bernier, Félicia and Voyer, Chloé and Deng, Jiaxuan and El Asmar, Stéphanie and Stamate, Alina and Corbière, Marc and Villotti, Patrizia and Sauvé, Geneviève},
     year = {2024},
     month = nov,
     day = {8},
     journal = {Neurodiversity},
     volume = {2},
     pages = {1-13},
     doi = {10.1177/27546330241287655},
     url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241287655},
     osf = {https://osf.io/rbnf4},
   }

2023

1. Cognitive Biases

   

   Transdiagnostic cognitive biases in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
   [Special issue]

   K. Lavigne, J. Deng, D. Raucher-Chéné, A. Hotte-Meunier, C. Voyer, and 3 more authors

   Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
   Feb 8, 2023

   Highlights Abs arXiv Bib Supp Code

   • Prevalence of cognitive biases were assessed across 19 biases and 21 diagnoses.
   • Overall, patients showed more severe biases than controls.
   • Bias severity was associated with transdiagnostic symptom dimensions.
   • Network meta-analysis identified variability in bias severity across diagnoses.
   • Cognitive biases show similar transdiagnostic features to cognitive deficits..

   Psychiatric disorders are characterized by cognitive deficits, which have been proposed as a transdiagnostic feature of psychopathology ("C" factor). Similarly, cognitive biases (e.g., in attention, memory, and interpretation) represent common tendencies in information processing that are often associated with psychiatric symptoms. However, the question remains whether cognitive biases are also transdiagnostic or are specific to certain psychiatric disorders/symptoms. The current systematic review sought to address whether the proposed "C" factor of transdiagnostic cognitive dysfunction in psychopathology can be extended to cognitive biases. Overall, 31 studies comprising 4401 participants (2536 patients, 1865 non-clinical controls) met inclusion criteria, assessing 19 cognitive biases across 20 diagnostic categories, with most studies focusing on interpretation (k = 22) and attention (k = 11) biases and only 2 assessing memory biases. Traditional meta-analyses found a moderate effect size (g = 0.32) for more severe cognitive biases in all patients relative to non-clinical controls, as well as small but significant associations between interpretation biases and transdiagnostic symptom categories (general psychopathology: r = .20, emotion dysfunction: r = .17, psychotic symptoms: r = .25). Network meta-analyses revealed significant patient versus non-clinical control differences on attention and interpretation biases across diagnoses, as well as significant differences between diagnoses, with highest severity in panic disorder for attention biases and obsessive-compulsive disorder for interpretation biases. The current findings extend the big "C" interpretation of transdiagnostic cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders to cognitive biases and transdiagnostic symptom dimensions. Results also suggest that while the presence of cognitive biases is transdiagnostic, bias severity differs across diagnoses, as in traditional neurocognitive deficits.

   @article{lavigneTransdiagnosticCognitiveBiases2024,
     title = {Transdiagnostic cognitive biases in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and network meta-analysis},
     author = {Lavigne, Katie and Deng, Jiaxuan and Raucher-Chéné, Delphine and Hotte-Meunier, Adèle and Voyer, Chloé and Sarraf, Lisa and Lepage, Martin and Sauvé, Geneviève},
     year = {2023},
     month = feb,
     journal = {Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry},
     volume = {129},
     number = {6},
     pages = {403-404},
     doi = {10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110894},
     issn = {0278-5846},
     url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110894},
   }

preprints

2024

1. Job Tenure

   

   Protocol for a scoping review on predictors of job tenure in people living with mental illness from a transdiagnostic perspective

   ^*K. Shulman, ^*M. Hannon, C. Voyer, E. Gagliano, N. Hannaoui, and 4 more authors

   Aug 2024

   Abs OSF Bib PDF

   Studying mental health in the context of employment often focuses on individual disorders, potentially overlooking underlying commonalities across different conditions. A transdiagnostic perspective recognizes that certain aspects of job tenure may have broad-reaching implications for employability services that cut across multiple mental health disorders. This scoping review seeks to identify common predictors of job tenure in people living with a mental health disorder from a transdiagnostic approach. The study protocol followed JBI guidelines and was registered on the Open Science Framework platform. The search strategy involved comprehensive searches in electronic databases such as Embase, MEDLINE, and APA PsycINFO. A total of 8,796 abstracts were extracted and uploaded to Covidence for screening. Eligibility criteria will be discussed in the final report. This scoping review aims to highlight predictors of job tenure, such as cognitive and social skills deficits, negative symptoms, scarcity of accommodations, and lack of support inside and outside the workplace, that span multiple mental health disorders. Ideally, identifying predictors will fill gaps in the literature and guide support strategies in order to increase job tenure across diverse psychiatric conditions.

   @preprint{shulmanProtocolScopingReview2024,
     title = {Protocol for a scoping review on predictors of job tenure in people living with mental illness from a transdiagnostic perspective},
     author = {Shulman, Kayla and Hannon, Maya and Voyer, Chloé and Gagliano, Emily and Hannaoui, Nada and Hotte-Meunier, Adèle and Lavigne, Katie and Raucher-Chéné, Delphine and Sauvé, Geneviève},
     year = {2024},
     month = aug,
     journal = {Open Science Framework},
     doi = {10.17605/osf.io/bnjz3},
     url = {https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/bnjz3},
     osf = {https://osf.io/rp97e},
   }

2023

1. Cognitive Biases

   

   Transdiagnostic cognitive biases in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
   [Special issue]

   K. Lavigne, J. Deng, D. Raucher-Chéné, A. Hotte-Meunier, C. Voyer, and 3 more authors

   Jul 2023

   Highlights Abs OSF Bib PDF Supp Code

   • Prevalence of cognitive biases were assessed across 19 biases and 21 diagnoses.
   • Overall, patients showed more severe biases than controls.
   • Bias severity was associated with transdiagnostic symptom dimensions.
   • Network meta-analysis identified variability in bias severity across diagnoses.
   • Cognitive biases show similar transdiagnostic features to cognitive deficits..

   Psychiatric disorders are characterized by cognitive deficits, which have been proposed as a transdiagnostic feature of psychopathology ("C" factor). Similarly, cognitive biases (e.g., in attention, memory, and interpretation) represent common tendencies in information processing that are often associated with psychiatric symptoms. However, the question remains whether cognitive biases are also transdiagnostic or are specific to certain psychiatric disorders/symptoms. The current systematic review sought to address whether the proposed "C" factor of transdiagnostic cognitive dysfunction in psychopathology can be extended to cognitive biases. Overall, 31 studies comprising 4401 participants (2536 patients, 1865 non-clinical controls) met inclusion criteria, assessing 19 cognitive biases across 20 diagnostic categories, with most studies focusing on interpretation (k = 22) and attention (k = 11) biases and only 2 assessing memory biases. Traditional meta-analyses found a moderate effect size (g = 0.32) for more severe cognitive biases in all patients relative to non-clinical controls, as well as small but significant associations between interpretation biases and transdiagnostic symptom categories (general psychopathology: r = .20, emotion dysfunction: r = .17, psychotic symptoms: r = .25). Network meta-analyses revealed significant patient versus non-clinical control differences on attention and interpretation biases across diagnoses, as well as significant differences between diagnoses, with highest severity in panic disorder for attention biases and obsessive-compulsive disorder for interpretation biases. The current findings extend the big "C" interpretation of transdiagnostic cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders to cognitive biases and transdiagnostic symptom dimensions. Results also suggest that while the presence of cognitive biases is transdiagnostic, bias severity differs across diagnoses, as in traditional neurocognitive deficits.

   @preprint{lavigneTransdiagnosticCognitiveBiases2025,
     title = {Transdiagnostic cognitive biases in psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and network meta-analysis},
     author = {Lavigne, Katie and Deng, Jiaxuan and Raucher-Chéné, Delphine and Hotte-Meunier, Adèle and Voyer, Chloé and Sarraf, Lisa and Lepage, Martin and Sauvé, Geneviève},
     year = {2023},
     month = jul,
     doi = {10.31234/osf.io/te6fx},
     url = {https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/te6fx},
     osf = {https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/te6fx},
   }

manuscripts in preparation

2024

1. Future Work Skills

   

   Development and validation of the Contemporary Workplace Skills Inventory (CWSI) for the post-pandemic workforce in a French-Canadian sample

   C. Voyer, J. Deng, and G. Sauvé

   Oct 2024

   Abs Bib

   The COVID-19 pandemic brought in a multitude of global economic changes, particularly in skilled labor shortages. In response to contemporary changes in the job market and required skills, this study aimed to develop and validate the psychometric properties of a new assessment tool which measures workplace skills. A preliminary 32-item pool was administered to 230 participants, resulting in ten initial factors covering skills like professional development, communication, critical thinking, and inclusivity. Exploratory factor analyses showed that all factors independently explained variance, totaling 64.34% (eigenvalues > 1, factor loading > .3). After removing unstable factors (n = 4), items with no loading (n = 3), and cross-loading items (n = 1), the final 26-item self-report inventory with five factors showed good reliability (internal consistency α = .83; test–retest reliability r = [.34–.76], except for one factor, r = .13). This tool is reliable and valid for local employability organizations to assess future-oriented skills among their clientele. Further refinement is suggested for a comprehensive measurement of workplace skills, enabling targeted interventions for skills gaps and supporting the re-entry of unemployed individuals into the labor market.

   @unpublished{voyerFutureWorkSkills2024,
     title = {Development and validation of the Contemporary Workplace Skills Inventory (CWSI) for the post-pandemic workforce in a French-Canadian sample},
     author = {Voyer, Chloé and Deng, Jiaxuan and Sauvé, Geneviève},
     year = {2024},
     month = oct,
     type = {Manuscript in preparation},
   }

2. Psychological Distress

   

   Interactive effect of prenatal adversity and COVID-19 hardship on youth psychological distress: Longitudinal study

   Y. Wang, C. Voyer, X. Wang, F. Freddy-Ateba, A. Brunet, and 2 more authors

   Oct 2024
3. RCT Protocol

   

   Efficacy of an occupational intervention for quality of work life in ADHD: A randomized controlled trial protocol

   C. Voyer, M. Corbière, P. Villotti, A. Stamate, and G. Sauvé

   Oct 2024

   Abs

   Background: The Minds@Work-ADHD study aims to determine the efficacy of a new workplace intervention targeting psychological well-being. The current study will deliver a manualized group psychosocial intervention in adults living with a disability related to ADHD. Methods: The Minds@Work-ADHD study is a longitudinal cohort with a single-blind randomized controlled design. Eligible participants will be recruited from the general population and randomly assigned to either a control condition or an eight-week intervention. The primary outcome is quality of life at work, assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at trimonthly follow-ups. Secondary outcomes will assess self-report measures of progress towards a personal goal, cognitive functioning at work, social and emotional abilities, work motivation and the quality of relations with members of their workplace. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this will be the first randomized controlled trial examining the effect of an occupational-psychosocial intervention in adults living with an ADHD-related disability.

4. Resilience

   

   Predicting mental health problems and resilience in youth with early life adversity and pandemic-related stressors

   C. Voyer, X. Wang, F. Freddy-Ateba, ^†A. Wazana, and ^†D. P. Laplante

   Oct 2024

   Abs

   Objectives: In efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the imposed mitigation measures (e.g., school closures, remote learning, social distancing, curfew) were particularly disruptive to the lives of adolescents. While many studies have emphasized the risks to youth mental health brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated mitigation measures, little attention has been given towards identifying markers of resilience. The present study aimed to examine the role of prenatal stress on general psychopathology outcomes and indicators of resilience in youth, recognizing the need to understand protective factors amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods: Data from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) longitudinal birth cohort collected pre- and during the COVID-19 formed the basis of our examination. The study involved 144 mother-infant dyads. Maternal prenatal adversity was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Pregnancy-Specific Anxiety Scale, and measures of socio-demographic adversity. Family and youth resilience was assessed using the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised, and Responses to Stress Questionnaire. Youth psychopathology was assessed using the Youth Self-Report, Child Behavior Checklist, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Conners’ Rating Scales. Latent factor modeling, including prenatal maternal adversity, pandemic-related family and youth resilience, and youth psychopathology, was employed to analyze the relationships between various factors. Results: Findings revealed an increase in COVID-related youth general psychopathology. While the maternal adversity × resilience interactions were not significant, resilience main effects (family organization patterns and caregiver support) were observed for COVID-related youth psychopathology and changes in youth psychopathology levels from pre-COVID-19 levels. Conclusion: This study underscored the importance of addressing the mental health implications of pandemic-related stress on the different trajectories in child development. Our results suggested the need for preventive interventions tailored to those at greater risk, emphasizing the role of caregiver support and family organization patterns as potential protective factors. Understanding these dynamics can inform targeted strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of stress during these challenging times.

5. Youth Psychopathology

   

   COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats moderates the relationship between prenatal maternal adversity and youth mental health: The MAVAN longitudinal study

   X. Wang, C. Voyer, F. Freddy-Ateba, ^†A. Wazana, and ^†D. P. Laplante

   Oct 2024

   Abs

   The COVID-19 pandemic directly, and indirectly as a result of the mitigation measures, resulted in daily life disruptions. The present study examined whether youth-reported COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats experiences moderated the relationship between maternal prenatal adversity and youth psychopathology during the pandemic. The sample consisted of 91 mothers and 124 youths from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment cohort assessed between February and July 2021. Maternal prenatal adversity, youth daily life changes and personal threats, and youth psychopathology were constructed into latent variables and then included in interactive models. Results showed that youth with low or moderate levels of maternal adversity exposure in utero experienced higher levels of pandemic-related general psychopathology and specific internalizing symptoms (but not externalizing symptoms), and greater changes in these psychopathology levels compared to pre-pandemic levels when they experienced higher levels of daily life changes and/or personal threats. The greatest impact on youth psychopathology was seen in youth who experienced higher levels of mitigation disruptions to their daily lives and/or threats to their person and who experienced lower levels of exposure to maternal adversity in utero. This study also demonstrates the need to use youth-reported measures of pandemic experience, rather than relying on maternal reports as proxy measures for youth experiences.