Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire Research Articles

The Prevalence of Late-Onset Hypogonadism in Middle-Aged Men and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background: Life expectancy has increased dramatically worldwide, resulting in a sharp rise of age-associated diseases, including late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in men. Aim: To assess the prevalence of LOH and to determine its relationships with cardiovascular risk factors in healthy middle-aged men. Material and Methods: A total of 200 men aged 44–55 (median 48.44, interquartile range 45.02–52.50) undergoing regular medical examinations were enrolled in a study. All participants were asked to complete the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction, Aging Male's Symptoms, and Beck Depression Inventory questionnaires. Sex and gonadotropin hormones were measured in all participants. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk was assessed in all participants by using the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation scale, and additional risk factors were recommended in the 2019 European Society of Cardiology and European Atherosclerosis Society guidelines for the management of dyslipidemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. Results: Ninety-eight (49%) men suffered from LOH. Men with total testosterone (TT) of <12 nmol/L were considered testosterone-deficient. The mean TT level was 8.9 ± 2.4 nmol/L in the LOH group. Clinical signs and symptoms of LOH were associated with lower TT levels: 7.78 ± 2.49 and 10.15 ± 1.32 in the groups with and without LOH, respectively (p = 0.004). The prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and depression was significantly higher among men with LOH, compared with men without it. High cardiovascular risk was found only in those participants present with LOH (p = 0.003). After collecting other risk factors, we found that 94.9% of participants assigned to the LOH group had high cardiovascular risk. Conclusion: The prevalence of LOH is high among healthy middle-aged men. Moreover, it is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Early measurement of TT levels in this population group may predict the development of CVD and allow the introduction of timely primary prevention measures to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Positive Effects of Laser Acupuncture in Methamphetamine Users Undergoing Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Pilot Study.

Background Methamphetamine (MA) addiction has become a crucial public health concern because of its adverse consequences to individuals and the society. Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of laser acupuncture combined with group cognitive behavioral therapy for MA addiction treatment. Materials and Methods MA users who participated in group cognitive behavioral therapy and met the inclusion criteria were referred from psychiatrists to participate. The participants received laser acupuncture treatment once a week for 2 months (total eight treatments) on selected acupoints (PC6, HT7, LI4, ST36, SP6, and LR3). Laboratory assessment included urinalysis for MA and liver function tests aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltransferase (AST, ALT, and γ-GT), whereas the objective assessment included visual analog scale (VAS) for MA craving and refusal and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires. All data were collected before and at 1 and 2 months after treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy completion rate and rate of relapse to MA use were also determined. Result Fifteen participants were enrolled, of whom seven completed the trial. Urinalysis for MA revealed a decrease in drug use from 57.1% to 28.6%. Compared with those before treatment, PSQI scores were significantly lower at 1 and 2 months after treatment (−3.73 and −4.10, respectively; both p < 0.001), and so were BDI scores (−5.64 and −8.17, respectively; p=0.01 and 0.001, respectively). However, no significant difference was observed in the liver function test, VAS of craving and refusal, and BAI results. A slight improvement in the motivation for drug abstinence and anxiety was observed during the treatment course. Participants reported no adverse events. Conclusion Laser acupuncture combined with group cognitive behavioral therapy may improve sleep quality, alleviate depression, and reduce MA use. Additional large-scale studies confirming the effectiveness of this modality are warranted.

322 Comparisons of clinical and polysomnographic characteristics between negative and positive sleep state misperception in insomnia

Abstract Introduction Most of insomnia patients tend to underestimate their sleep duration and quality. In current study, we classified insomnia patients into negative sleep state misperception (NSSM) group and positive sleep state misperception (PSSM) group according to difference between subjective and objective sleep duration. We compared clinical and polysomnographic characteristics between two groups. Methods Objective sleep measures using nocturnal polysomnography (nPSG) and subjective measures including Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and subjective questionnaire at the morning after overnight nPSG of 150 insomnia patients were reviewed. The questionnaire included subjective total sleep time (subjective TST), subjective sleep latency (subjective SL). Additionally, TST/SL discrepancy was calculated by subtracting objective variables of nPSG from the morning subjective questionnaire. We calculated misperception index (MI) using the following method; MI=(objective TST-subjective TST)/objective TST. According to MI value, insomnia patients were classified into NSSM (MI&amp;gt;0, n=115), and PSSM (MI&amp;lt;0, n=35) groups. Results There were no significant differences in nPSG parameters, except N3 sleep (%); the PSSM group had significantly higher N3 sleep than NSSM group (p=0.002). On the subjective measures, the NSSM group had significantly higher PSQI score (p&amp;lt;0.001), longer subjective SL (p=0.001) and higher SL discrepancy (p=0.001). In the NSSM group, MI showed positive correlations with N1 sleep proportion (r=0.250, p=0.011), PSQI (r=0.250, p=0.011), BDI (r=0.211, p=0.032), subjective SL (r=0.441, p&amp;lt;0.001) and SL discrepancy (r=0.453, p&amp;lt;0.001). Meanwhile, there were no significant correlations of MI with subjective measures in PSSM group. In the multiple regression analysis, MI was related with SL discrepancy and BDI (R2=0.216, p=0.004) in NSSM group. For belonging the PSSM group, associated factors were N3 sleep (OR=1.075, p=0.001), PSQI (OR=0.813, p=0.002) and SL discrepancy (OR=0.956, p&amp;lt;0.001) on binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusion In the NSSM group, MI was related with high SL discrepancy and depressive mood. High N3 sleep, low PSQI score, and low SL discrepancy were associated factors in the PSSM group. Perception of sleep should be properly evaluated and managed, since they vary with different characteristics of sleep state misperception. Support (if any) This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018R1D1A1B07049704).

Lactose Sensitivity and Lactose Malabsorption: The 2 Faces of Lactose Intolerance

Background/AimsSelf-reported lactose intolerance (LI) is frequent in patients with functional bowel disorders (FBD) that could be interpreted as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The present study aims to characterize the responses of patients with FBD, without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and LI, in terms of lactose malabsorption (LM) and lactose sensitivity (LS) according to psychological and clinical features.MethodsOne hundred and fifty-eight consecutive FBD outpatients with LI, and no SIBO, were classified according to the Rome III questionnaire and filled Beck Depression Inventory, and State and Trait Anxiety questionnaires. They underwent a lactose tolerance test in which glycemia during 60 minutes and digestive symptoms for 3 hours were recorded.ResultsAbnormal lactose tolerance tests were found in 110 patients (70%), 44 (28%) with LM, 96 (61%) with LS, and 30 (19%) having both LM and LS. LM patients had a higher frequency of functional diarrhea (P = 0.040) and a lower frequency of dysphagia (P = 0.031). LS patients had a higher depression score (P = 0.007), higher frequency of globus (P = 0.042), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (P = 0.027) and mixed IBS (P = 0.049), and lower frequency of abdominal pain (P = 0.040). LS was significantly associated with a higher depression score (P = 0.002), and a higher frequency of globus (P = 0.046).ConclusionsThirty percent of LI patients have normal lactose absorption and normal LS. In the other 70% of patients, LI could be associated with LM and/or LS.

Effect of Asthma Gymnastic on Blood Nitric Oxide, Mood, Energy Expenditure and Sex Quality

Background: Sex is a basic function in human life. Exercise stimulates formation of blood nitric oxide (NO) as a potent vasodilator in all organs of the body including the genitals. Exercise prevents and improves depression and anxiety, but the link between exercise and sexual function has received less attention. Asthma gymnastic is an exercise in pulmonary rehabilitation that everyone can practice it. The effect of asthma gymnastic in sexology has never been studied yet. Methods: The pretest and posttest experimental clinical trials were carried out on 40 people aged 40-60 years old in Surakarta on 21st July 2019 until 27th October 2019. The intervention group (n=20) were treated with asthma gymnastics once a week for 12 weeks while the control group (n=20) didn’t exercise regularly. The aims of this study are to assess the effect of asthma gymnastic on blood nitric oxide, mood based on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, energy expenditure (physical and sexual activity) and sex quality based on the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) questionnaire. Results: Asthma gymnastic had a significant positive effect on blood NO (B=0.426;P<0.003), physical activity (B=0.664;P<0.001) and sexual activity (B=0.336;P=0.026). Asthma gymnastic had a significant negative effect on the BDI score (B=-0.664;P<0.001). Asthma gymnastic did not have a direct effect on sex quality (B=-0.071;P=0.756). BDI score had a positive effect on sex quality (B=0.464;P=0.009). NO blood levels had no effect on sex quality (B=0.018;P=0.904). Conclusion: Asthma gymnastic had no direct effect on sex quality, but it increased blood NO, energy expenditure and improved mood. Asthma gymnastic would have significant effect on improving sex quality if supported by good mood.

The effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood in patients with Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Gut microbiota could modulate brain functions and consequent behavior through gut-brain axis. We evaluated the impact of intestinal flora using probiotics in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) on cognitive reactivity to sad mood. Method Patients in Group 1 received multiple probiotics followed by Chamomile capsules. Patients in Group 2 received Chamomile capsules followed by multiple probiotics. Patients accomplished the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity (LEIDS-r), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires after each cycle of cross-over treatment. Results The baseline LEIDS-r in two groups did not have significant difference. After 3 weeks of treatment, patients in Group 1 had better LEIDS-r scores compared with patients in Group 2 (36.6 vs. 40.9, P = 0.012). After crossover, patients in Group 1 had worse LEIDS-r scores compared with patients in Group 2 (39.2 vs. 35.2, P = 0. 0.016). Conclusion Probiotics have the tendency to improve cognitive reactivity to sad mood in CD patients.

Quality of Life and Psychological Impact in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a dermatological disorder that affects patients’ mental health and psychological state in complex ways. The importance of understanding the entire scope of this burden is well recognized, but there is limited comprehensive information about the resulting stress on adult patients with AD. This study aimed to determine the degree of psychological stress in patients with AD compared to healthy participants. A total of 352 adult patients participated in this cross-sectional study—174 with AD and 178 healthy participants. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Itch and sleep disturbance were assessed using a numeric rating scale and a visual analogue scale. The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires were administered to assess the symptoms of alexithymia and depression. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed in AD patients using the Dermatology Quality Index. In our study, we found high TAS-20 and BDI scores among patients with AD. The prevalence of alexithymic personality features was 56.3% in patients with AD versus 21.3% in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Based on BDI scoring (BDI-21 > 13), depression was suspected in a significantly higher number of patients with AD than in the control group (56.9% (99/174) vs. 15.7% (28/178); p < 0.0001). Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score did not show any significant correlations with psychological parameters. Among clinical parameters, only sleep disturbance was positively correlated with depression (R = 0.307, p < 0.005). Our data show that the severity index score as a representative factor of skin involvement has a limited role in predicting the effect of skin diseases on mental status. Screening and assessment for psychiatric disorders, QOL, and sleep disturbance in patients with atopic dermatitis cannot be neglected by physicians and they should be treated in clinical practice with the consideration of psychosomatic approaches.

COPING MECHANISMS AND DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH DRUG ABUSE

Introduction: The high level of depression or life problems among adolescents impacted different coping for each individual intending to overcome the problems that occur. This study aimed to determine the relationship between levels of depression and coping mechanisms of adolescent drug users.Methods: This study was a correlational analytic research with cross-sectional approach. The sampling technique was simple random sampling. This study's sample was 32 adolescent drug users undergoing rehabilitation at the drug rehabilitation facility Rumah Obit Surabaya. Depression variables was measured used the Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire, and variable coping mechanisms used the Ways of Coping Checklist questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the rho spearmen test.Results: The analysis result showed that coping mechanism had a significant relationship with depression in adolescent drug users with p-value = 0.001 (p &lt;0.05). The adolescent drug users mostly experienced mild depression as many as 25 respondents (78.1) and maladaptive coping mechanism as many as 21 (65.6%).Conclusion: Optimizing socialization to increase knowledge about the impact of drug use on adolescents is needed to prevent depression in adolescent therefore they can use adaptive coping mechanisms in problem solving.

Long-term effects of pallidal and thalamic deep brain stimulation in myoclonus dystonia.

Observational study to evaluate long-term effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus internus (GPi) and the ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus (VIM) on patients with medically refractory myoclonus dystonia (MD). More recently, pallidal as well as thalamic DBS have been applied successfully in MD but long-term data are sparse. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of seven MD patients with either separate (n=1, VIM) or combined GPi- DBS and VIM-DBS (n=6). Myoclonus, dystonia and disability were rated at baseline (BL), short-term (ST-FU) and long-term follow-up (LT-FU) using the United Myoclonus Rating Scale, Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) and Tsui rating scale, respectively. Quality of life (QoL) and mood were evaluated using the SF-36 and Beck Depression Inventory questionnaires, respectively. Patients reached a significant reduction of myoclonus at ST-FU (62% ± 7.3%; mean ± SE) and LT-FU (68% ± 3.4%). While overall motor BFMDRS changes were not significant at LT-FU, patients with GPi-DBS alone responded better and predominant cervical dystonia ameliorated significantly up to 54% ± 9.7% at long-term. Mean disability scores significantly improved by 44% ± 11.4% at ST-FU and 58% ± 14.8% at LT-FU. Mood and QoL remained unchanged between 5 and up to 20years postoperatively. No serious long-lasting stimulation-related adverse events were observed. We present a cohort of MD patients with very long follow-up of pallidal and/or thalamic DBS that supports the GPi as the favourable stimulation target in MD with safe and sustaining effects on motor symptoms (myoclonus>dystonia) and disability.

Psychiatric morbidity of patients with keratoconus: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with keratoconus and the effect of clinical parameters and psychiatric morbidity on quality of life in this patient group. Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 94 patients with keratoconus. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic and psychiatric examination and completed the The National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument-42 (NEI-RQL-42), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaires. The current diagnosis of psychiatric disorders was determined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). The impact of disease severity (binocular BCVA ≥0.4 logMAR, steep K reading ≥52, and Amsler-Krumeich grades) on vision-related quality of life was also analyzed. ResultsThe patients' mean age was 23.9 ± 4.8 (range, 18–40) years. Of the 94 participants 35 (37.2%) had a psychiatric diagnosis, 13 (13.8%) had moderate-severe depression and 20 (21.2%) had moderate-severe anxiety according to the BDI and BAI, respectively. The probability of having a psychiatric disorder was higher if the keratoconus was more severe. Patients with a psychiatric diagnosis scored lower on physical functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, energy/fatigue; emotional well-being, social functioning and pain subscales of the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Having a SCID-1 psychiatric diagnosis and the presence of a psychiatric disorder did not significantly affect NEI-RQL-42 questionnaire scores. ConclusionsThere was high psychiatric morbidity among patients with keratoconus. Having a psychiatric disorder was associated with lower QoL as measured using the SF-36.

Psychometric Properties of the Thai Version Psychological Well-Being Scale and the Factors Related to among Thai Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

Background The assessment to provide care and support to patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) currently focuses on the recovery from the disease, but it is still lacking in measuring and developing psychological well-being among Thai patients with MDD. Therefore, this research is aimed at studying the psychometric properties of the Thai version psychological well-being scale and study factors related to among patients with MDD. Materials and Methods The Thai version psychological well-being scale, an 8-point Likert-type scale, was translated by our research team and used to examine psychometric properties as well as to identify the factors related to psychological well-being in a cross-sectional study among samples of 111 patients diagnosed with MDD from Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. Results Cronbach's alpha for the Thai version psychological well-being scale was .91, unidimensionality was examined with exploratory factor analysis, and the structural validity was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. The convergent validity was found using the correlation coefficients of the Thai version psychological well-being scale with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6). However, none of the social factors were significantly correlated with Thai patients' psychological well-being with MDD. Conclusion The Thai version psychological well-being scale is a brief and concise scale with high reliability to evaluate Thai patients with MDD which can support and improve their well-being.

The Effect of Alpha-Lipoic Acid on Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and the Upcoming Depressive Disorders of Type II Diabetics.

IntroductionPeripheral neuropathy is one of the possible complications of diabetes. Alpha-lipoic acid (a-lipoic acid or ALA) is a powerful antioxidant cofactor synthesized in mitochondria that could help stimulate nerves and regenerate nerve fibers, thus preventing disease progression. Moreover, the possible feeling of oppression from the lifestyle changes needed to avoid the complications of diabetes may contribute to the development of depressive symptoms. ALA increases insulin sensitivity, which could increase serotonin synthesis and thus reduce the manifestations of depressive disorder.AimThe aim of this study is to investigate the therapeutic effect after oral administration of a-lipoic acid in patients with type II diabetes mellitus, regarding the possibility of developing peripheral neuropathy and the possibility of developing depressive disorder due to the existence of diabetes type II.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 148 Greek patients, type II diabetics, 68 men and 80 women, aged 50-75 years. All of them were non-smokers and did not consume alcohol. Their treatment was a combination of gliclazide, sodium-glucose-linked transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, metformin, and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs. None of them were under insulin administration. Any other treatment received chronically from the patients for other comorbidities was not altered or paused. All patients were in regular monitoring of renal, hepatic, and ocular function, which was normal. Patients were monitored with a balanced diet, based on equivalents, in order to maintain an almost constant body mass index (BMI). All were given one tablet of 600 mg a-lipoic acid, two hours before a meal, for eight months, and the incidence of developing peripheral neuropathy and depressive disorder was assessed, using the Subjective Peripheral Neuropathy Screen Questionnaire (SPNSQ) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire.ResultsALA administration after both four and eight months resulted in statistically significant results and, specifically, the peripheral neuropathy development mean score was reduced by 4.79 at four months and 6.22 after eight months. Concerning the incidence of depressive disorder, an average decrease of 4.43 in the related depression score was observed at the four-month milestone and 7.56 at eight months, both statistically significant.ConclusionA-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant and, when used with conventional treatment, has shown to significantly decrease the incidence of depression and peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Alcohol use and risk factors for self-harm behavior in Spanish adolescents.

Self-harm behaviors in children and adolescents constitute an important public health problem with prevalence figures in the clinical population between 40 and 80%. The objectives of the study were to analyze and compare the Spanish sub-samples of two studies, SEYLE and WE-STAY to determine prevalence, self-harm patterns and factors associated with self-harm behaviors, notably the use of alcohol or drugs. The questionnaires used in both studies were the Global School Health Survey (GSHS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The self-harm behaviors were evaluated with a modified 6-item version of s the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). The independence of the study's categorical variables was assessed using the Chi-square test. The change in the relative risk of self-harm between the SEYLE study and WE-STAY was evaluated through the odds ratio (OR) calculation. Two different logistic regression models were calculated in order to establish the factors associated with self-harm behaviors in each study. In the present study, the rates of DSH vary according to study and sex, ranging from 0.58% to 2.08%, and different patterns of self-harm are evidenced by sex, with males self-injuring more frequently by self-inflicted blows and burns, while young women more often cut themselves. The presence of depressive symptoms and alcohol use were the factors most strongly associated with an increased risk of DSH.

Comparison between the effect of aromatherapy with lavender and damask rose on sleep quality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUNDNumerous studies have investigated the effect of lavender and damask rose aromatherapy on sleep quality. There is, however, little research to compare the impact of them over each other. The aim of current study was to compare the effect of aromatherapy with lavender and damask rose on sleep quality in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in Guilan Province, Iran, in 2017-2018.METHODSIn this randomized clinical trial (RCT) study, 97 patients undergoing CABG were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. In the intervention groups, the patients were asked by the researcher to inhale the lavender or damask rose randomly every night for 5 consecutive nights at 22:00. The control group received routine nursing care in compliance with the hospital procedure. Data were obtained by demographic-clinical and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires. To analyze the data, chi-square test, t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Wilcoxon test were used.RESULTSDuring the 5-night intervention period, despite a relative improvement of sleep quality in intervention groups compared to the control group, none of the two aromatherapies had a statistically significant effect on any of delayed sleep (P = 0.514), sleep duration (P = 0.839), sleep efficiency (P = 0.067), sleep disturbances (P = 0.061), and daily functional disorders (P = 0.114) except for subjective sleep quality (P = 0.016) and use of sleep medications (P = 0.031).CONCLUSIONUsing both aromatherapies with lavender and damask rose indicated positive effects on sleep quality of the CABG patients, but we could not find a superiority over each other.

The effectiveness of gentle prenatal yoga on the recovery of depression level in pregnant women aged

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of gentle prenatal yoga toward depression and abnormal serotonin hormone levels in pregnant women aged <20 and >35 years old. MethodThis study was conducted at Bara Baraya Health Center, Antang Health Center, Kapasa Health Center, and Mamajang Health Center. The applied research design in this study was a quasi-experiment with a non-equivalent control group design approach. Samples were selected using a purposive sample technique. The instrument used was the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire. The number of samples in this study was 24 respondents divided into 2, 12 in the intervention group and 12 in the control group. Sample criteria in this study were pregnant women aged <20 and >35 years old, having been in trimester II-III with the gestational age of ≥20 to <31 weeks, and not having complications in pregnancy. ResultsThe mean values for the intervention group were 6.50 in the pre-test to the mid-test and 6.50 in the mid-test to the post-test. Meanwhile, the mean values for the control group were 5.61 in the pre-test to the mid-test and 4.50 in the mid-test to the post-test. This indicated that the intervention group experienced a significantly reduced level of depression based on the BD-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores when compared to the control group. Furthermore, based on the comparison of the post-test data between the intervention group and the control group, it was obtained the p-value of 0.005 (α<0.05). ConclusionThere were differences in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) scores between the intervention group and the control group after receiving prenatal gentle yoga treatment.

Levels of happiness and depression in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Poland.

There are numerous factors that determine the sense of happiness and level of depression in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this paper is to evaluate happiness and depression in/among families with an ASD child and compare with families with neurotypical children. The study included 182 participants. The participants answered questions for two questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. The outcome of the study identified significant differences for sense of happiness and level of depression among the parents of children with ASD compared with the parents of neurotypical children. It was shown that parents of children with ASD reported a lower sense of happiness and a higher level of depression compared to the parents of neurotypical children. They also showed a significantly higher level of depression relative to the decreased level of happiness. Moreover, parents who have a university education degree and a child with ASD showed a higher sense of happiness and a lower level of depression than parents who had a secondary education degree, in the studied groups.

Text messages to reduce depressive symptoms: Do they work and what makes them effective? A systematic review

Objective: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to quantify the effects of text messaging interventions to reduce depressive symptoms and identify variables that might influence the effectiveness of the intervention. Design: Electronic databases including EMBASE, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and SCOPUS, as well as Clinicaltrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) were searched for randomised controlled trials that sent one or more text messages with health-related content to adults who had been identified by a healthcare provider. Results: Seven trials (nine comparisons), with 1,918 participants, were included in the review, and the pooled analysis revealed a borderline statistically significant reduction in depressive symptom scores between the text messaging intervention and control groups (standardised mean difference [SMD], −0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.54 to 0.00; p = .00) favouring intervention at the end. Statistically significant reductions were shown in important subgroups, for example, where the primary aim of the messages was to reduce depressive symptoms; in those using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) or 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaires; where text message content was targeted at mental well-being, mood improvement and cognitive behavioural therapy information; and when the message frequency was ⩾2 times per week. Conclusion: Text messaging has potential to reduce depressive symptoms. The results of this review should be interpreted with caution, however, due to the methodological limitations of included trials. More research is required before recommendations can be made about the routine use of text messaging for the management of depressive symptoms.

Depressive symptoms among mothers of children with psoriasis-A case-control study.

Childhood psoriasis is known to have a negative impact on caregivers' quality of life (QoL). The prevalence of depression among caregivers of children with psoriasis has not been fully studied. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in mothers of children with psoriasis. Sixty mothers caring for a child with psoriasis were identified. The control group consisted of 60 age- and gender-matched children with nevi and their mothers. The severity of psoriasis was analyzed using Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). The QoL of each child was evaluated using Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) or Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Mothers completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). BDI score of ≥10 points was considered to be indicative of depression. Mothers of children suffering from psoriasis achieved significantly higher scores in the BDI questionnaire when compared to mothers in the control group (7.3±6.91 points vs 2.75±3.46 points, respectively; P=.000005). More mothers in the study group demonstrated depressive features on BDI compared to controls (n=14 psoriasis and n=3 control, respectively; P=.009). BDI score did not correlate with any of the child's scores including severity of the child's psoriasis and the impact of psoriasis on child's QoL. The current study demonstrates high levels of depressive symptoms among mothers of children with psoriasis. Presence of emotional disturbances among caregivers should be taken into consideration in the integrated approach to childhood dermatological disorders.

INFLUÊNCIA DA DEPRESSÃO NA COMPETÊNCIA LEITORA EM ESTUDANTES DE PSICOLOGIA

The prevalence of mental disorders in the university population is increasing, mainly depression, anxiety and stress. Assuming that vulnerability in mental health can reflect on students' learning, the present study sought to understand how depression symptoms interfere with the reading comprehension ability of university students. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study, composed of a sample of 96 students from the 1st and 5th year of the Psychology Course. Beck Depression Inventory, Cloze Test and sociodemographic questionnaire were used.&nbsp;The data were treated using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. There was an inverse correlation between the intensity of the symptoms of depression and reading skills in the graduates (r = -0.3), among the freshmen a direct non-significant correlation (r = 0.1).&nbsp;It is concluded that there is an influence of the symptoms of depression on the difficulties in reading comprehension, which shows the need for attention to the mental health of students, especially in the final period of the Psychology course. Among psychology students, this situation can influence their future professional performance.

Association Between Serum Uric Acid and Depression in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease not Requiring Kidney Dialysis: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses

BackgroundDepression is the main problem of psycho-nephrology. We aimed to investigate clinical risk factors for depression in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD).Material/MethodsA non-dialysis CKD cohort study was conducted with 223 patients. Information on demographic and clinical parameters was collected at baseline. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires were used to estimate depression and sleep quality in the patients. The questionnaires were repeated in 158 patients after 6 months. Logistic regression was performed to identify independent factors associated with depression and any longitudinal changes in BDI scores.ResultsAt baseline, 17 patients (7.72%) in the CKD cohort presented with depression. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that being female (odds ratio [OR] 0.319, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.108 to 0.944, P=0.039) and having lower levels of serum uric acid (SUA) (OR 0.675, 95% CI 0.469 to 0.970, P=0.034) were independent risk factors for depression. A decrease in PSQI score (OR 0.873, 95% CI 0.777 to 0.981, P=0.022) and an increase in SUA level (OR 1.383, 95% CI 1.115 to 1.715, P=0.003) were independently associated with decline in BDI scores in the patients in the 6-month follow-up group.ConclusionsLower SUA levels and being female were independent risk factors for depression in non-dialysis CKD patients. Improving sleep quality and increasing SUA levels may relieve depression to some extent.