Complaints Scale Research Articles

Replication and cross-validation of the personality assessment inventory (PAI) cognitive bias scale (CBS) in a mixed clinical sample

Objective: This study is a cross-validation of the Cognitive Bias Scale (CBS) from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), a ten-item scale designed to assess symptom endorsement associated with performance validity test failure in neuropsychological samples. The study utilized a mixed neuropsychological sample of consecutively referred patients at a large academic medical center in the Midwest. Participants and Methods:Participants were 332 patients who completed embedded and free-standing performance validity tests (PVTs) and the PAI. Pass and fail groups were created based on PVT performance to evaluate classification accuracy of the CBS. Results: The results were generally consistent with the initial study for overall classification accuracy, sensitivity, and cut-off score. Consistent with the validation study, CBS had better classification accuracy than the original PAI validity scales and a comparable effect size to that obtained in the original validation publication; however, the Somatic Complaints scale (SOM) and the Conversion subscale (SOM-C) also demonstrated good classification accuracy. The CBS had incremental predictive ability compared to existing PAI scales. Conclusions: The results supported the CBS, but further research is needed on specific populations. Findings from this present study also suggest the relationship between conversion tendencies and PVT failure may be stronger in some geographic locations or population types (forensic versus clinical patients).

Construct validity of the Smoker Complaint Scale: A clinimetric analysis using Item Response Theory (IRT) models

A number of rating scales evaluating symptoms of nicotine withdrawal have been developed over the years but insufficient attention has been devoted to the assessment of their clinimetric properties. Clinimetrics, the science of clinical measurements, is an innovative approach, particularly useful for assessing the validity of rating scales. This is the first study using clinimetric principles to test the construct validity of the Smoker Complaint Scale (SCS), a self-rating scale specifically developed to assess acute symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Construct validity was evaluated via Item Response Theory (IRT) models (i.e., combining Rasch and Mokken analyses). A total of 366 subjects (mean age = 34.0, SD = 11.3 years) participated in the study. IRT analyses showed that SCS was a multidimensional measure of symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, including unidimensional subscales, particularly a four-item subscale (the SCS4), which was found to entail the clinimetric property of construct validity. IRT analyses also revealed that affective symptoms of nicotine withdrawal preceded cognitive ones. The SCS should be considered as an item bank, including a particularly valid subscale, the SCS4 that can be used as a screening or outcome measure to evaluate the severity of cognitive and affective symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. SCS4 is a sensitive clinimetric index which differentiates “ceiling symptoms” of nicotine withdrawal (e.g., “feeling slowed down”) from “floor symptoms” of nicotine withdrawal (e.g., “feeling lightheaded”) that emerge in the severe form of nicotine withdrawal.

Road traffic delays in commuting workplace and musculoskeletal health among sedentary workers: A cross-sectional study in Dhaka city.

ObjectivesDespite previous research aimed at identifying factors linked to musculoskeletal health issues, there was no evidence about the relationship between road traffic delays (RTDs) and musculoskeletal health in sedentary employees. As a result, the aim of our research was to understand such a correlation among bank employees in Dhaka, Bangladesh.MethodsA cross‐sectional analysis was conducted with bank employees who worked in sedentary settings. The Eriksen subjective health complaints scale was used to measure the eight items of musculoskeletal health complaints (MHCs), and RTDs were measured using principal component analysis using variables commute time, distance, and traffic congestion experience to work. The association between RTDs and MHCs was identified using a multilevel model after adjusting potential confounders.ResultsA total of 628 employees (mean[SD] age, 36.1[7.0] years; 254[40.5%] women) participated in the study. Among the employees, the one‐month prevalence of MHCs was 57.2%. The highest prevalence of MHCs was low‐back pain (36.6%), followed by neck pain (22.9%) and upper‐back pain (21.2%). Also, 136(21.7%) employees reported long‐RTDs in commuting workplace and 81% of them had MHCs. The multilevel analysis identified that long‐RTDs had a significant relationship with MHCs (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 10.20, 95%CI = 5.41–16.91). Private transportation commuters reported 70% reduced odds of MHCs (AOR = 0.30, 95%CI = 0.15–0.59) and walking or bicycling commuters had 84% fewer MHCs (AOR = 0.16, 95%CI = 0.10–0.28) compared to public bus commuters.ConclusionsSedentary employees with long‐RTDs reported increased MHCs, emphasizing the importance of including musculoskeletal exercise in office facilities. Findings of this study also highlight the need for a sound public transportation system in Dhaka city.

Psychiatric and Cognitive Morbidity Following Moderate and Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Cohort Study

Background: Recent studies indicate that psychiatric and neurocognitive symptoms are frequent after Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). The present study aims to investigate the occurrence of psychiatric and cognitive impairments in a cohort of survivors from moderate or severe forms of COVID-19.Methods: 425 adults (mean age 55.7 years) were assessed 6 to 9 months after hospital discharge with a structured psychiatric interview (Clinical Interview Schedule, CIS-R) and a combination of psychometric tests. Cognitive state was examined with a subjective memory complaint scale and screening tests. A large, multidisciplinary, set of clinical data depicting the acute phase of the disease, along with relevant psychosocial variables, were used to predict psychiatric and cognitive outcomes using the ‘Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator’ (LASSO) method.Outcomes: CIS-R diagnoses of ‘depression’, ‘generalized anxiety disorder’ and ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’ were established respectively in 8%, 15.5% and 13.6% of the sample. Memory decline was reported by 51.1% of the patients. Psychiatric or cognitive outcomes were not predicted by any clinical variables related to the severity of acute-phase disease, nor by disease-related psychosocial stressors. Rather, depression and anxiety were only predicted by current frailty and worse general health status.Interpretation: Using a structured psychiatric interview and an objective assessment of cognitive state, we found high rates of psychiatric and cognitive morbidity in the long-term outcome after moderate or severe COVID-19. The lack of associations of previous medical or psychosocial factors with these diagnoses suggests a direct, disease-related, mechanism in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 related psychiatric and cognitive impairments.Funding: This work was partially supported by donations from the general public under the HC-COMVIDA crowdfunding scheme (https://viralcure.org/c/hc) and the Fundação Faculdade de Medicina (ALA). ARB receives scholarships and support from FAPESP, the Brazilian National Council of Scientific Development (CNPq-1B), University of São Paulo Medical School (FMUSP), the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (Newton Advanced Fellowship), and the International Health Cohort Consortium (IHCC).Conflict of Interest: Authors Declare no Conflict of Interest.Ethical Approval: This research protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee at HCFMUSP (CAPPesq HC), and registered at the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) under the registration number 4.270.242 (RBR-8z7v5wc) and will be reported according to The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement.

Short-term effectiveness of an intervention targeting lower limb range of motion on pain and disability in patellofemoral pain patients: A randomized, non-concurrent multiple-baseline study

IntroductionPatellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common and often long-standing musculoskeletal condition. Evidence of the effectiveness of interventions addressing soft tissue flexibility is conflicting and of inconsistent scientific quality. However, reduced soft tissue flexibility can negatively affect patellofemoral joint kinematics. Lower limb range of motion (LLROM) reflects soft tissue flexibility throughout the kinetic chain. The aim was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of an intervention targeting LLROM on pain and disability in patients with PFP. MethodsA randomized, non-concurrent, multiple-baseline single-case design with a two-week intervention phase and baseline and postintervention phase with varying length was conducted. Eight participants (5 females, 3 males) of age 19(±1.6) years, weekly sports participation 12(±3.1) hours and 17(±14) months symptom duration were included. The Anterior Knee Pain Scale – Dutch Version (AKPS-DV) and the Patient Specific Complaint Scale (PSCS) were administered twice a week. After allocating participants to one of four subgroups of reduced LLROM the intervention was applied. The intervention consisted of soft tissue techniques (mobilization, taping, and stretching). ResultsParticipant 3 and 6 showed a medium and small but statistically significant positive effect on the AKPS-DV. Participant 2 showed a large and statistically significant positive effect on the PSCS. ConclusionsThis study provides moderate evidence that an intervention targeting LLROM in patients with PFP reduces pain and disability in the short-term. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and optimize individual treatment outcomes.

Die Anwendung der Beschwerdeliste-38 zur Erhebung subjektiver Gesundheitsbeschwerden in einer epidemiologischen Kohortenstudie (Study of Health in Pomerania, SHIP)

The application of the BL-38 subjective complaints scale in an epidemiological cohort study (Study of Health in Pomerania)Objective: We provide an overview of the application of the BL-38 complaints scale in the epidemiological Study of Health in Pomerania. We examine the influence of socio-demographic variables on complaint burden and the stability of complaint burden over time. Methods: 16 studies that used the BL-38 in analyses of SHIP-data were examined in terms of how the BL-38 was operationalised and the statistically significant results yielded. We conduct linear regression analyses to assess effects of sociodemographic variables on complaint burden in four SHIP populations and assess test-retest-reliability over a 17-year period. Results: The BL-38 is predominantly used flexibly to depict specific complaints in analyses covering a heterogeneous range of disciplines and study questions. Total, somatic and mental complaint burden have different determinant, predictive and confounding effects. Test-retest-reliability was moderate. Conclusions: The BL-38 allows consideration of (specified) health complaint patterns across many research disciplines. Cross-sectional and longitudinal reproducibility of significant results underlines its validity. The results underscore the importance of subjective health complaints in epidemiological and psychosomatic research.

Trajectory of Unawareness of Memory Decline in Individuals With Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease

Recent studies have suggested that unawareness, or anosognosia, of memory decline is present in predementia stages of Alzheimer disease (AD) and may serve as an early symptomatic indicator of AD. To investigate the evolution of anosognosia of memory decline in individuals who carry the PSEN1 E280A variant for autosomal dominant AD compared with family members who do not carry the variant. This cohort study investigated a total of 2379 members of a Colombian kindred with autosomal dominant AD who were part of the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Registry. Assessments were completed at the University of Antioquia, Colombia, with data collected between January 1, 2000, and July 31, 2019. Awareness of memory function was operationalized using the discrepancy between self-report and study partner report on a memory complaint scale. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess memory self-awareness over age separately in variant carriers and noncarriers. This study included 396 variant carriers (mean [SD] age, 32.7 [11.9] years; 200 [50.5%] female), of whom 59 (14.9%) were cognitively impaired, and 1983 cognitively unimpaired noncarriers (mean [SD] age, 33.5 [12.5] years; 1129 [56.9%] female). The variant carriers demonstrated increased awareness until the mean (SD) age of 35.0 (2.0) years and had anosognosia at approximately 43 years of age, approximately 6 years before their estimated median age of dementia onset (49 years; 95% CI, 49-51 years). Cognitively unimpaired noncarriers reported more complaints than their study partners aged 20 and 60 years (10.1 points, P < .001). On the awareness index, a decrease with age (mean [SE] estimate, -0.04 [0.02] discrepant-points per years; t = -2.2; P = .03) in the noncarriers and in the variant carriers (mean [SE] estimate, -0.21 [0.04] discrepant-points per years; t = -5.1; P < .001) was observed. In this cohort study, increased participant complaints were observed in both groups, suggesting that increased awareness of memory function was common and nonspecific to AD in this cohort. In variant carriers, awareness of memory function decreased in the predementia stages, reaching anosognosia close to the age of mild cognitive impairment onset, providing support for the usefulness of awareness of memory decline.

Evolution of unawareness of memory decline in individuals with autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundWhile loss of insight of cognitive deficits, anosognosia, is a common symptom in Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia, there is a lack of consensus regarding the presence of altered awareness of memory function in the pre‐dementia stages of the disease. Here, we investigated the evolution of memory awareness in the AD‐course in a large cohort of individuals who carry mutations for autosomal dominant AD (ADAD; a population that are genetically determined to develop early‐onset dementia, and have a well‐characterized disease trajectory from pre‐symptomatic to clinical stages) and compared it with family members who do not carry the mutation.MethodsPseudo‐longitudinal analyses using linear mixed‐effect models was used to predict self‐awareness (assessed using an awareness index based on the discrepancy score between participant and study‐partner report on the Memory Complaint Scale (Spanish version),in a total of 2,379 members of a Colombian kindred including 396 ADAD (14.9% impaired) and 1,983 non‐carrier family members (Table 1). Age was entered as a fixed and random factor in the models.ResultsThe mutation carriers complained significantly more than their study‐partner until the mean age of 35, and complained significantly less (unawareness/anosognosia) than their study‐partner around the age of 43 (Figure 1A), approximately 6 years prior to their estimated median age of dementia onset (49yo). Cognitively‐unimpaired non‐carriers complained significantly more than their study‐partners (heightened awareness/hypernosognosia) between ages 20‐60 (Figure 1B). Using the awareness index (Figure 2) we observed a decrease with age (est.=‐0.04 discrepant‐points/year,se=0.02,t=‐2.2,p=0.03) in the non‐carriers and an even steeper decline in the mutation carriers (est.=‐0.21 discrepant‐points/year,se=0.04,t=‐5.1,p=2.8*e‐7). The awareness index was significantly different between groups from age 22.5, indicating less awareness of memory in the mutation carriers as compared to the non‐carriers.ConclusionHypernosognosia was observed in both groups, indicating that heightened awareness of memory function is common and non‐specific in this cohort. In mutation‐carriers, awareness of memory decreased in the pre‐dementia stages, reaching anosognosia 6 years before dementia onset. These findings provide further support for the usefulness of informant‐reported cognitive decline and add to the sporadic AD literature suggesting that individuals who become unaware of cognitive change in preclinical stages may represent a specific risk group to develop AD dementia.

A-230 Symptom Validity and MMPI-2-RF Somatic/Cognitive Scales

Abstract Objective In addition to the standard validity scales, the MMPI-2-RF Somatic/Cognitive Scales (SCS) are associated with symptom validity in veteran and epilepsy samples. The Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) is a self-report questionnaire with an embedded symptom validity index (Validity-10) developed by examining endorsement on atypical neurological items. The current study examined relationships among symptom validity and SCS in a physical medicine and rehabilitation sample. Method Participants underwent outpatient evaluation with the MMPI-2-RF and NSI among other measures. Cases with invalid MMPI-2-RF (TRIN or VRIN&amp;gt;79; Cannot Say&amp;gt;14) were excluded (n = 5). The sample (N = 120) was 43% female and 96% white with average age and education of 41 (SD = 13) and 14 (SD = 2) years, respectively. A linear regression model was examined with Valdity-10 as outcome and SCS as predictors. Participants were grouped by Validity-10 cutoff (&amp;gt;18). SCS were examined with receiver operating characteristic analysis and compared to the MMPI-2-RF Symptom Validity Scale (FBS). Results A regression model predicting Validity-10 was significant (p &amp;lt; .001; R-squared = .51). Gastrointestinal complaints and neurologic complaints (NUC) scales made independent contributions with standardized beta-weights of .18 and .43, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of participants scored above cutoff on the Validity-10. NUC showed area under the curve (AUC) of .78 predicting Validity-10 status, which was not significantly different from the FBS AUC of .81. A NUC cutoff of 91 or higher showed 34% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Conclusion MMPI-2-RF SCS are associated with symptom validity as determined by the NSI Validity-10. In this rehabilitation sample, NUC was comparable to FBS in classifying participants grouped by symptom validity.

Appearance Self-Attitudes and Health and Well-Being of Bulgarian Adolescents

Objective − The study aims to explore the associations between adolescents’ appearance self-attitudes and their self-rated health, psychosomatic complaints and psychological well-being. A number of covariates known to impact health and well-being are also being investigated. Materials and Methods − The study utilizes data from the Bulgarian 2013/2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study. The national representative sample included 3204 adolescents aged 13 and 15. The methods used were the Body image feelings and attitudes subscale of the Body Investment Scale (BIS), the HBSC psychosomatic complaints scale, the KIDSCREEN-10 index as a measure of psychological well-being, and single-item measures for appearance satisfaction and self-rated health. Results: Adolescents’ appearance satisfaction and positive feelings and attitudes towards body and appearance were significantly associated with better self-rated health, absence of or little psychosomatic complaints and better psychological well-being. These associations remained significant after the addition of a large number of covariates, including sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, and family affluence); chronic health conditions; health behaviours (healthy eating, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dieting to lose weight); overweight/obesity; and peer victimization. Adolescents’ appearance self-attitudes explained the largest proportions of the variances in self-rated health, psychosomatic complaints and psychological well-being, compared to the other groups of independent variables. Conclusion − The results demonstrate the great significance of appearance self-attitudes for physical and mental health and well-being in adolescence. They are important for medical practice, health education and health promotion among adolescent populations, where appearance self-attitudes should be considered as crucial risk factors for health.

Subjective cognitive complaints and migraine characteristics: A cross-sectional study.

Subjective cognitive complaints by patients with migraine have been associated with memory impairment. However, whether the severity of memory impairment relates to migraine characteristics, such as attack frequency and aura, remains undetermined. We investigated the relationship between subjective cognitive complaints and migraine characteristics. This cross-sectional study recruited 669 clinic outpatients from Taiwan. We stratified them by migraine frequency and the presence or absence of aura, and we controlled the data for confounding variables. We performed multivariable linear and logistic regressions to investigate whether different migraine frequencies are associated with subjective cognitive complaints, which were evaluated by the subjective memory complaints scale and the Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8) questionnaire. Total subjective memory complaints scores tended to increase with the migraine attack frequency (P=.022) in patients with migraine with aura; similar results were obtained for AD8 scores in women with migraine with aura. Poor sleep quality was associated with a higher total subjective memory complaint (B=0.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.03-0.14) and AD8 (B=0.07, 95% CI=0.02-0.11) scores. In addition, more severe depression was associated with higher total subjective memory complaints and AD8 scores (B=0.05, 95% CI=0.02-0.09; B=0.08, 95% CI=0.05-0.11, respectively). Subjective cognitive complaints tend to increase with the frequency of migraines with aura, and this interrelation is substantially influenced by depression severity and sleep disturbances.

Subjective memory complaint and its relationship with cognitive changes and physical vulnerability of community-dwelling older adults.

ABSTRACTMemory complaint (MC) is common in older adults and can be confirmed by people close to them, such as family members and caregivers. Studies show an association between MC and cognitive impairment and, hence, physical vulnerability may exacerbate MC. However, the relationship between MC and physical vulnerability is not yet clear in the literature.\\Objective:to investigate the association between MC, cognitive impairment, and physical vulnerability.Methods:this is a cross-sectional study. We evaluated 100 older adults with a mean age of 65 years or over. The Memory Complaint Scale (MCS), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Vulnerable Elderly Research-13 (VES-13), Geriatric Depression Scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire were applied.Results:participants were divided into two groups according to results on the MCS-A (elderly) and MCS-B (informant). Correlations were found between the MCS-A and the MMSE (p=.045/ρ=.201), ACE-R/Visual-Spatial (p=.048/ρ=.199), and ACE-R/Attention-Orientation (p=.026/ρ=.223). For the MCS-B, correlations were found with total score on the ACE-R (p=.044/ρ=-.202) and the ACE-R/Visual-Spatial (p=0.003/ρ=-.291).Conclusion:MC reported by the informant indicate the need to assess, in more depth, the cognition of the older adult. Thus, for clinical practice, screening of MC through an informant is advised.

Subjective cognitive impairment, cognitive disorders and self-perceived health: The importance of the informant.

ABSTRACTThere is great divergence of results in the literature regarding the clinical relevance and etiology of subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). Currently, SCI is studied as a pre-clinical symptom of Alzheimer's disease, before establishing a possible diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The hypothesis was that SCI is associated with low cognitive performance and poor self-perceived health.Objective:to investigate the relationship of SCI with objective cognitive impairment and self-perceived health in older individuals and to compare SCI reported by the elderly subjects and by their respective informants.Methods:83 subjects participated in the study, divided between the forms of the Memory Complaint Scale (MCS). Cognition was evaluated by the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised and self-perceived health by the Short Form Health Survey-8.Results:there was no association between SCI and self-perceived health. SCI reported by the older adults was associated with executive functions. SCI reported by the informant was associated with overall cognitive performance, memory, verbal fluency and visuospatial functions.Conclusion:we found more robust results between SCI reported by the informant and cognitive impairment in the elderly assessed. There is a need to include and value the perception of someone who knows the older individual well enough to evaluate SCI globally.

Predictors of change in cognitive processing therapy for veterans in a residential PTSD treatment program.

Cognitive processing therapy is an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, questions remain regarding variability in treatment response. A total of 123 veterans participated in group-based cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in residential PTSD treatment. Change over time in PTSD symptoms was modeled as a function of selected demographic and clinical variables. PTSD checklist (PCL) scores decreased by an average of 1 point per session (standard deviation [SD] = 0.1). Initial PCL scores were predicted by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (γ01 = 0.25; standard error [SE] = 0.08), Insomnia Severity Index (γ02 = 0.53; SE = 0.15), and Infrequency (F) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (γ03 = 0.09; SE = 0.04). Rate of change was predicted by the Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale (γ11 = -0.03; SE = 0.01) and the Antisocial Behavior (RC4) scale (γ12 = 0.02; SE = 0.01). These results provide insight into characteristics that may influence degree of benefit received from group-based CPT.

Measuring Positive Health Behaviors and Outcomes with Low Scores on MMPI–2–RF Somatic Scales

Previous empirical studies have established that poor mental and physical health often cooccur. However, positive health behaviors and outcomes have been demonstrated to buffer against psychological dysfunction. Thus, the ability to assess for positive health behaviors and outcomes with instruments commonly used in practice, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form (MMPI–2–RF), is important. However, no study has examined the ability of MMPI–2–RF somatic scale scores to predict positive health behaviors among a healthy population. As such, in this study, we conducted correlational analyses and difference tests with 406 undergraduate students from a Midwestern university to examine whether scores on MMPI–2–RF scales assessing somatic complaints were meaningfully related to measures of health behaviors and outcomes. Results indicated high scores on the Restructured Clinical Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale and associated Specific Problems (SP) scales were meaningfully related to symptom reporting and energy level, and the SP Malaise (MLS) scale was also related to sleep quality and exercise. Additionally, low scores on RC1 and MLS were related to lack of somatic complaints and good sleep quality respectively. Overall, these findings suggest that low scores on MMPI–2–RF scales might be useful for predicting specific resilient health behaviors.

Effects of prenatal education on complaints during pregnancy and on quality of life

ObjectiveThe study was conducted to determine the effects of prenatal education on quality of life and complaints during pregnancy. MethodsThis study is a quasi-experimental research with a control group. Personal Information Form and Scale of Complaints during Pregnancy and their Effects on Quality of Life (SCPEQL) were used to collect the data. Thirty participants were included in both the control and the intervention groups (N = 60). ResultsThe mean scores of SCPEQL of the intervention group was 46.2 ± 21.1 and the mean scores of SCPEQL of the control group was 99.8 ± 21.6 in 2nd trimester. In the 3rd trimester, the mean score of SCPEQL of the intervention group was 43.5 ± 16.4, and the mean score of SCPEQL of the control group was 108.0 ± 16.8. The difference between the groups was statistically significant in 2nd and 3rd trimesters (p < 0.05). ConclusionFindings of the study suggest that providing prenatal education reduces complaints and increases quality of life of pregnant women. Practice implicationsAssessing complaints during pregnancy by nurses is a part of the prenatal care. Therefore, nurses should evaluate pregnancy-related complaints. Quality of life should be increased by giving effective education about complaints during pregnancy.

Psychometric properties of the subjective health complaints for Chinese children: parent- and self-reports

This study assessed the reliability and construct validity of the Chinese version of the subjective health complaints (SHCs) scale in children. A total of 851 children completed the self-reported subjective health complaints questionnaire (SHCs-C), and 572 parents completed the subjective health complaints questionnaire (SHCs-P), and reported well-being and depression of children using the Children’s Subjective Well-Being Scale and the Children’s Depression Inventory, respectively. After 2–3 weeks, 237 children and their fathers/mothers participated in a retest. We explored the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SHCs-C and SHCs-P. The structure of the questionnaire was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling. The present study showed that the two-factor model (SHCs-Psycho and SHCs-somatic) fit the data better than the one-factor model. SHCs-C had the advantage of providing a better fit to the data than the one-factor model. Similarly, the SHCs-P scale of the two-factor CFA fit indices was better than that of the one-factor model. The Chinese version of the SHCs-P and SHCs-C had adequate internal reliability for the two dimensions (SHCs-Psycho and SHCs-somatic), with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.72–0.80, and with test-retest correlations of 0.57–0.79. The concurrent validity of the Chinese version of the SHCs-C was supported by significant correlations with depression (r = 0.29–0.52) and well-being (r = 0.17–0.46). The Chinese version of the SHCs-C had better adaptability than that of the original English version, but similar reliability coefficients and construct and convergent validity. The Chinese version of the SHCs-C showed acceptable psychometric properties to measure Chinese children’s personality.

Self perceived memory difficulties in medical students as another symptom of anxiety

Abstract The current study investigated memory issues among medical students and explored possible causes. Methods Fifty-nine medical students (age: 25.7 ± 2,5) in their last year filled out the following instruments: Beck Depression and Beck Anxiety inventories, Insomnia Severity Index, ASSIST and Subjective Memory Complaints Scale. Results Memory complaints were found in 71%, 54% recognized that anxiety was a negative factor for their performance, 10% presented suicidal ideation, and 64% reported insomnia. The average sleep hours was 6.4 ± 1.1 hours/day. The use of drugs in the last two months was alcohol: 93%, nicotine: 32%, cannabis: 27%, hypnotics: 17%. Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression indicated that anxiety and sleep disturbances were associated with memory difficulties at the level of p Conclusions Memory complaints may represent a symptom of anxiety and are associated with insomnia.

Effects of health education in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment.

to analyze the effects of health education on both cognition and depressive/anxiety symptoms in the elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). this is a randomized and controlled clinical trial. Participants (n=22) were recruited from a specialized outpatient clinic, and assigned into two groups: a Health Education Group (HEG) (n=10) and a Control Group (CG) (n=12). The participants were evaluated before and after the intervention, which was composed of classes and dynamics. The intervention consisted of 20 meetings, over a period of five months. The assessment was performed by means of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination - Revised (ACER), the Mini-Mental State Examination to access participant's cognitive state, and the Beck's Scale to access depressive/anxiety symptoms. A Memory Complaints Scale (EQM) was also used. The analysis was carried out using the Student's t test for paired samples. the HEG group demonstrated an improvement in attention/orientation (p= 0,026), memory (p=0.001), language (p= 0.033), and ACE-R (p= 0.003). On the other hand, the CG did not present improvement. the results highlight the importance of non-pharmacological interventions in older adults with MCI to reduce cognitive deficits.

Relationship between somatic symptoms, peripheral inflammation, and clinical outcomes after traumatic injury

Traumatic injuries are highly prevalent and cause chronic symptoms for a substantial minority of patients. We have accumulated consistent evidence that elevated self-reported somatic symptoms confer particular risk for prolonged symptom recovery after traumatic injuries in diverse patient samples. The aim of this pilot study was to examine whether peripheral inflammation might contribute causally to this predictive relationship. Peripheral inflammation is elevated in patients with a wide array of medical and psychiatric diagnoses, and experimentally-induced inflammation produces diffuse illness-like symptoms similar to those captured by self-report somatic symptom scales. In a sample ( N = 27) of patients undergoing brief hospitalization for traumatic injuries, we hypothesized that somatic symptoms would (1) correlate with concurrently-assessed blood markers of peripheral inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6) and (2) mediate the relationship between inflammation and later clinical outcomes. Somatic symptoms were operationalized as scores on the Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Findings partially supported hypotheses: Somatic symptoms were positively associated with plasma concentration of IL-6, particularly for females (Spearman r = 0.71; r = 26 for males). Furthermore, somatic symptom burden mediated the relationship between acute IL-6 levels and 1-month depression severity for females. Future studies should further investigate the construct tapped by the MMPI-2-RF RC1 scale, consider outcome measures beyond depression, and identify the cause of sex differences in inflammation-symptom associations.