Differences In Psychosocial Functioning Research Articles

Cross-sectional evaluation of the multidimensional indicators of psychosocial functioning and its sociodemographic correlates among Indian adults: WHO SAGE Study (2007-2010).

This study examined the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial functioning (PF) among Indian adults. Data (N = 11,230) for this study came from the World Health Organization's SAGE (Longitudinal Study of Global Aging and Adult Health) Wave 1 2007-2010. First, multivariable regression analyses (logistic or linear regression depending on the outcome variable) were run to evaluate whether PF indicators varied by gender after controlling other sociodemographic characteristics. Next, the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and PF indicators was examined using ordinary least square regression (OLS) models and logistic regression models, separately for men and women. Specifically, the PF indicators, including social indicators of interpersonal relationship difficulty, social connectedness, and personal indicators of sleep, affect, perceived quality of life, and cognition were each regressed on sociodemographic factors. All analyses in the study were cross-sectional in nature and conducted using STATA version 15.1. Overall, the study found significant sociodemographic differences in PF among Indian adults that also varied by gender. As such, social and/or economic disadvantage was associated with poorer PF. However, the results demonstrated that socioeconomic patterns in PF were much more nuanced among women than among men. This study adds to previous research on PF in India and provides new insights into how sociodemographic characteristics shape it. A major research implication of this finding is that inconsistent with assumptions of previous research, an increase in SES is not always linked to proportionate increases in PF among women. The study also makes a compelling case for separately examining multiple non-clinical outcomes of psychosocial health.

Cognitive intraindividual variability, cognitive impairment and psychosocial functioning in first-episode psychosis patients

Cognitive intraindividual variability (IIV) refers to fluctuations in performance across tasks (i.e. dispersion) or in a single task on multiple occasions (i.e. inconsistency). Little is known about IIV in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). We aimed to explore the association between IIV and both global cognitive performance and psychosocial functioning in a sample of 103 FEP patients.Patients were recruited at discharge from the PEPsNa program, a FEP follow-up intervention program lasting 24 months. The Social and Occupational Functioning Scale (SOFAS) and the Cognitive Assessment Interview (CAI-Sp) were employed for assessing psychosocial functioning. Cognitive assessments were performed using the MATRICS Cognitive Assessment Battery (MCCB), and the variability in the cognitive functions assessed with the MCCB was used to calculate the IIV.Significant correlations were obtained between IIV and global MCCB scores, the CAI-Sp and the SOFAS. We found significant differences in psychosocial functioning and cognitive performance between patients with high and low IIV. A higher IIV in FEP patients was related both to worse psychosocial functioning and worse global cognitive performance. Unlike global cognitive performance, IIV was not related to clinical characteristics, suggesting that it could be an indicator of cognitive impairment even in the absence of global impairment.

Anxiety, depression, and psychosocial adjustment in people with epilepsy.

Effect of psychological disorders on social functioning in people with epilepsy (PWE) is not extensively reported. We evaluate psychosocial functioning in PWE attending an outpatient clinic and aim to understand the differences in psychosocial functioning between anxiety, depression, and coexisting anxiety and depression in PWE. A prospective evaluation of psychosocial functioning of 324 consecutive adult PWE attending outpatient epilepsy clinic was done using self-reported Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory. The study population was divided in four groups - without psychological disorders, anxiety, depression, and both anxiety and depression. The mean age of study population was 25.90 ± 6.22 years. Anxiety was noted in 73 (22.5%), depression in 60 (18.5%), and both anxiety and depression were seen in 70 (21.6%) and the rest had normal psychosocial function. There were no significant differences across all the four sub-groups for sociodemographics. Psychosocial functioning did not differ significantly between PWE with normal psychosocial function and PWE with anxiety alone. However, psychosocial functioning scores were worse in PWE with depression and PWE with both anxiety and depression when compared to PWE with normal psychosocial function. In the present study of PWE attending an outpatient epilepsy clinic, one-fifth of PWE had both anxiety and depression. Psychosocial functioning in PWE with anxiety was similar to otherwise healthy/normal PWE, whereas PWE with depression showed poor psychosocial functioning. Role of psychological interventions on psychosocial aspects of epilepsy should be studied extensively in future.

Differences in psychosocial functioning between psychotic disorders in the Finnish SUPER study

BackgroundPsychotic disorders differ in their impact on psychosocial functioning. However, few studies have directly compared psychosocial functioning and its determinants between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder (SAD), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder with psychotic features (psychotic MDD). ObjectiveWe compared rates of independent living, employment, marriage, and having children between these diagnostic groups in a large national sample of participants with psychotic disorders in Finland. MethodsA cross-sectional substudy of participants (N = 9148) aged 18 to 65 years in the Finnish SUPER study, recruited nationwide from health- and social care settings and with advertisements. Psychosis diagnoses, age of onset, and hospitalizations were collected from healthcare registers. Participants were interviewed for psychosocial functioning. Associations of age of onset, hospitalizations, gender, and education with psychosocial functioning were analyzed using logistic regression models. ResultsOf participants, 13.8% were employed or studying, 72.0% living independently and 32.5% had children. Overall, BD was associated with best, SAD and psychotic MDD with intermediate, and schizophrenia with worst level of psychosocial functioning. Greatest differences were found in independent living (OR 4.06 for BD vs. schizophrenia). In multivariate models, gender and number of hospitalizations predicted employment, marriage, and independent living in all diagnostic categories, and age of onset in some diagnostic categories. ConclusionsLevel of functioning and psychosocial outcomes differed markedly between psychotic disorders, particularly in independent living. Outcomes were worst for schizophrenia and best for BD. Across all psychotic disorders, female gender and lifetime number of hospitalizations had strong independent associations with marriage, employment, and independent living.

Subjective well-being across the retirement transition-Historical differences and the role of perceived control.

Given substantial cohort differences in psychosocial functioning, for example in perceived control, and ongoing pension reforms, the context of retirement has changed over the last decades. However, there is limited research on the consequences of such developments on historical differences in subjective well-being (SWB) in the retirement transition. In the present study, we investigated historical differences in change in life satisfaction and positive affect across the retirement transition. We further included perceived control as a predictor of change in well-being. Analyses were based on subsamples of retirees among three nationally representative samples of the German Ageing Survey (1996; 2002; 2008) and their respective follow-ups 6 years later. Results showed historical improvements in preretirement positive affect (i.e., later samples had higher preretirement levels). Contrastingly, earlier samples showed a larger increase in positive affect across the retirement transition compared to later samples. No historical differences were found in life satisfaction. Perceived control showed no historical improvement and did not seem to contribute to historical differences in subjective well-being. Nevertheless, we found that the association of perceived control and positive affect increased over historical time. The results showed that the historical context seems to play a role in the experience of retirement, and that it is helpful to distinguish between cognitive-evaluative and affective components of well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19 Pandemic Associated With Increased Self-reported Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Congenital Craniofacial Diagnoses.

ObjectiveThe current study investigated the influence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with congenital craniofacial diagnoses.MethodsPatients (n = 66) with craniofacial diagnoses aged between 8 and 17 were prospectively evaluated with longitudinal psychosocial assessments using the anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and peer relationships instruments within the pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). The COVID-19 cohort (n = 33) included patients with assessments within 2 years prior to the pandemic (t0) and during the pandemic (t1; March 2020 to March 2021). An age-matched comparison cohort (n = 33) with similar demographics and diagnoses included patients assessed twice over 3 years prior to the pandemic.ResultsAll PROMIS measures were in the average range clinically for both groups across time points. However, the COVID-19 group reported a significant increase in depressive symptoms during the pandemic (t1) compared to pre-pandemic (t0) scores (48.2 ± 10.1 vs 44.3 ± 9.4, P = .04, d = −0.37), while the comparison group did not demonstrate any differences in psychosocial functioning between t0 and t1. For the COVID-19 cohort, only the pandemic timeframe (r = 0.21, P = .03) was significantly associated with increased depressive symptom scores, and no other sociodemographic or medical variables were associated with depressive symptoms.ConclusionsSelf-reported depressive symptoms increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with congenital craniofacial diagnoses. Longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate whether such changes will be persistent or compound known variables associated with psychosocial functioning.

Psychological Characteristics and Goals of Caregivers Choosing Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Children With Type 1 Diabetes.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) can improve glycemic outcomes in pediatric type 1 diabetes management. However, its impact on the psychosocial functioning of caregivers is less well described. The objectives of this pilot study were to explore caregiver reasons for adding CGM to their child's type 1 diabetes management, parental psychosocial function before initiating CGM, and the relationship between the two. Thirty-two families with a child with type 1 diabetes from Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital diabetes clinics who were initiating CGM were recruited over 3 months. Before CGM initiation, the caregivers completed the Fear of Hypoglycemia Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale, and a questionnaire assessing their primary reason for starting CGM. Participant characteristics and questionnaire results were summarized with descriptive statistics. Participants were grouped by reason for starting CGM, and results were compared among groups using ANOVA and reporting the global F test. Fifty percent of respondents indicated that they were starting CGM to optimize glycemic control. The majority of parents (71.8%) expressed worry about helplessness during a hypoglycemic episode. There were no statistically significant differences in patient characteristics or questionnaire results between groups. Forty-three percent of participating families started using CGM during the study's 8-month follow-up period. The main reason (64%) for not starting CGM was not having the chance to start the process of obtaining a CGM system. There were no statistically significant differences between children who did and did not start CGM. Caregivers have different reasons for starting CGM for their child with type 1 diabetes. Further studies are needed to understand whether these reasons are related to differences in psychosocial functioning. Despite interest in starting CGM, there remain barriers to implementation.

An Emerging Preventive Mental Health Care Strategy: The Neurobiological and Functional Basis of Positive Psychological Traits.

Even with the expanding burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, our approach to mental health care remains largely reactive rather than preventive. This trend is problematic because the majority of outpatient visits to primary care providers across the country is related to unmet mental health needs. Positive psychology has the potential to address these issues within mental health care and provide primary care providers with strategies to serve their patients more effectively. Positive psychology has many frameworks like hope, which can be measured using simple questionnaires in the waiting room. Moreover, there is a growing body of neurobiological evidence that lends credence to positive psychology concepts in the context of differential neuronal activation patterns. Many positive psychological instruments not only have high construct validity but also have connections to observable neurobiological differences tied to differences in psychosocial functioning. Despite the current evidence, we still need robust research that explores if such psychometric measurements and related interventions lead to clinically significant and favorable health outcomes in patients outside of controlled environments.

QS6: Developing The Psychosocial Growth Chart: Prospective Longitudinal Psychosocial Functioning Of Children With Craniofacial Anomalies

Background:While improvement in quality of life has long been the ultimate goal in the care of children born with craniofacial anomalies, the intersection between surgical care and psychosocial functioning has not been well understood. A major reason for this discrepancy is the lack of consistent, systematic, validated, and quantitative assessments of psychosocial functioning incorporated as standard of care. Traditional screening within multi-disciplinary teams has relied upon qualitative evaluations by pediatricians, social workers, and psychologists. However, qualitative exams do not allow for the comparison of psychosocial outcomes accurately over time. One of the first steps in establishing psychosocial functioning as a measured health outcome in children with craniofacial anomalies is to chart their typical psychosocial development longitudinally. Our group previously reported that children with craniofacial anomalies are at increased risk for psychosocial dysfunction from ages 8-10 in a cross-sectional analysis. In this work, we evaluate the longitudinal changes over 5 years of the original cohort of children between ages 8-10 as an initial pilot study to develop a psychosocial growth chart for children with craniofacial anomalies.Methods:From 2015 to 2020, children with craniofacial anomalies from the University of California Los Angeles were prospectively evaluated using the Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System to assess anger, anxiety, depression, and peer relationships. Demographics and patient characteristics were also recorded. Changes in psychosocial functioning from ages 8-14 were evaluated using linear regression analyses, and responses at ages 8-10 were compared to responses at ages 11-14 using paired samples t tests.Results:Overall, 29 patients were assessed longitudinally yielding a total of 97 data points (3.34 ± 1.45 per patient), of which 23 patients were surveyed at both ages 8-10 and ages 11-14 yielding 87 data points (3.78 ± 1.24 per patient). Primary diagnosis included cleft lip and/or palate (n = 13), microsomia (n = 6), and others (n = 10). There was a decreasing linear trend from ages 8-14 for anger, anxiety, and depression among all 29 patients. In particular, increasing age was a significant negative predictor of anger (β = -0.25, p = 0.01). Psychosocial functioning improved overall when comparing the responses from ages 8-10 to ages 11-14 among the 23 patients, as characterized by trends of decreased anger, anxiety, and depression and improved peer relationships. In subset analysis, children with cleft lip and/or palate reported significantly higher anxiety symptoms at ages 8-10 (52.1 ± 9.7) than at ages 11-14 (47.1 ± 9.5, p = 0.02). No differences in psychosocial functioning were found when patients were stratified by insurance type, family language, ethnicity, or sex.Conclusions:The current longitudinal study of psychosocial functioning in children with craniofacial anomalies demonstrates age-related changes in concordance with our previous cross-sectional work. The current study serves as the initial pilot study for developing a psychosocial growth chart for children with craniofacial anomalies that may be incorporated as standard of clinical care. Future directions include expansion of longitudinal analyses with potential stratification based on diagnostic subsets and evaluation of children without medical diagnoses for comparison.

Psychosocial functioning in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury: the roles of childhood maltreatment, borderline personality disorder and depression

BackgroundThere is a lack of studies examining psychosocial functioning in patients with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), especially in adolescents, and rates of impaired functioning in existing literature vary considerably. These variations may be attributable to further risk factors that influence psychosocial functioning. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine whether adolescent NSSI patients with childhood maltreatment (CM), a known risk factor for lower psychosocial functioning, may differ from adolescent NSSI patients without CM, and whether these differences may be explained by the severity of comorbid disorders. Specifically, we examined whether severity of borderline personality disorder (BPD), depression and posttraumatic stress disorder may explain differences in psychosocial functioning in NSSI patients with and without CM.MethodsData of 368 adolescents with NSSI disorder from an outpatient clinic were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Clinicans’ rating of the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) was collected, in addition to clinical interviews.ResultsResults indicate that GAF scores were lower among NSSI patients with CM and that the difference in psychosocial functioning between these groups was explained by BPD and depression severity.ConclusionsPsychosocial functioning in NSSI patients varies depending on whether they have experienced CM or not. Specifically, these differences seem to be attributable to higher BPD and depression severity in adolescent NSSI patients with CM. Clinicians should ensure to assess CM and focus on BPD and depression severity in this population. Treatment of BPD and depression may notably reduce psychosocial impairment in NSSI patients with CM.

Functioning assessment short test (FAST): validity and reliability in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BackgroundThe assessment of functional impairment is crucial both for the diagnosis and the therapeutic approach to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the FAST is a reliable and valid tool to assess functional impairment in adults with Level 1 ASD and to study the differences in psychosocial functioning between younger and older adults with ASD.MethodsA case–control study was carried out in a sample of 150 participants, 71 adults with Level 1 ASD, and 79 adults without psychiatric history records.ResultsResults showed good psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability. Cronbach’s alpha for the total scale was .91 and the area under the curve was .98. The study also showed that adults with ASD present different profiles of functional impairment depending on their age: while younger patients present greater impairment in autonomy, older patients show more difficulties in interpersonal relationships.ConclusionsOur results support the use of the FAST in the evaluation of adaptive functioning in adults with Level 1 ASD.

Psychosocial Impact of Cancer Care Disruptions in Women With Breast Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in cancer care, and preliminary research suggests that these disruptions are associated with increased levels of psychosocial distress among cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to offer a descriptive report of the psychosocial functioning, perceived risk and fear of cancer progression, and COVID-19 pandemic impact and experiences in a unique, high-risk patient cohort: breast cancer survivors whose cancer treatment was delayed and/or changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 50 women with dual carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma in situ, or invasive breast cancer whose cancer surgery was postponed due to the pandemic. As they awaited delayed surgery or shortly after they received delayed surgery, participants completed questionnaires on psychosocial functioning (depression, anxiety, sleep, and quality of life), their perceived risk and fear of cancer progression, patient-provider communication about disruptions in their care, personal impact of the pandemic, worry/threat about COVID-19, and COVID-19 symptoms/diagnoses. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were computed among continuous study variables. Independent samples t-tests explored group differences in psychosocial functioning between survivors who were still awaiting delayed surgery and those who had recently received it.Results: Overall, the sample denied that the pandemic seriously negatively impacted their finances or resource access and reported low-to-moderate levels of psychosocial distress and fear about COVID-19. Twenty-six percent had clinically significant levels of fear of cancer progression, with levels comparable to other recent work. About a third were still awaiting delayed cancer surgery and this group reported lower satisfaction with communication from oncology providers but overall did not seem to report more psychosocial difficulties than those who already had surgery.Conclusion: Shortly before or after primary breast cancer surgery that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this sample of survivors appears to be generally managing well psychosocially. However, many psychosocial difficulties (e.g., fear of cancer recurrence/progression) typically have an onset after the completion of treatment, therefore, research should continue to follow this cohort of cancer survivors as the pandemic’s direct impact on their care likely increases their risk for these difficulties later in survivorship.

Adolescents with and without head and neck burns: comparison of long-term outcomes in the burn model system national database

IntroductionFacial burns account for persistent differences in psychosocial functioning in adult burn survivors. Although adolescent burn survivors experience myriad chronic sequelae, little is known about the effect of facial injuries. This study examines differences in long-term outcomes with and without head and neck involvement. MethodsData collected for 392 burn survivors between 14–17.9 years of age from the Burn Model System National Database (2006–2015) were analyzed. Comparisons were made between two groups based on presence of a head and neck burn (H&N) using the following patient reported outcome measures: Satisfaction with Appearance Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Community Integration Questionnaire, and Short Form-12 Health Survey at 6, 12, and 24 months after injury. Regression analyses were used to assess association between outcome measures and H&N group at 12-months. ResultsThe H&N group had more extensive burns, had longer hospital stays, were more likely to be burned by fire/flame and were more likely to be Hispanic compared to the non-H&N group. Regression analysis found that H&N burn status was associated with worse SWAP scores. No significant associations were found between H&N burn status and other outcome measures. ConclusionsAdolescents with H&N burn status showed significantly worse satisfaction with appearance at 12-months after injury. Future research should examine interventions to help improve body image and coping for adolescent burn survivors with head and neck burns.

Social and sex differences in psychiatric comorbidity and psychosocial functioning among adolescents with depression

BackgroundTo determine social and sex differences in psychosocial functioning and psychiatric comorbidity among adolescents with depression. MethodsA cohort-based study in Stockholm, Sweden. Adolescents who turned 13 years during 2001–2007, were followed in registers until they turned 18 in 2005–2011, (n = 169,262). In the current study, those with depression at age 13–17 were included (n = 6,439). ResultsAdolescents with parents with low (OR=1.5, CI 1.1–2.2) education were more likely to have low psychosocial functioning. Those with parents with low education and low household income were more likely to have comorbid internalizing (OR=1.3, CI 1.0–1.7/1.3, CI 1.0–1.7) and externalizing disorders (OR=2.5, CI 1.5–4.0/2.4, CI 1.4–4.2). Adolescents with parents born outside the Nordic countries were more likely to have comorbid externalizing disorders (OR=1.6, CI 1.1–2.4). No social differences were evident in relation to family receipt of unemployment benefits. Social differences were found for both girls and boys in relation to psychosocial functioning and comorbidity but the magnitude of social differences in depression with comorbidity was overall larger for boys than girls. LimitationsThe findings of the current study can only be generalized to adolescents that have sought care for and been diagnosed with depression, within a setting similar to this study, e.g. with free access to care. ConclusionAdolescents with depression and with more disadvantaged social circumstances in the childhood run a higher risk of psychiatric comorbidity and low psychosocial functioning, which can indicate a lengthy clinical course and poorer response to treatment. Both boys and girls follow this path but partly in different kinds of psychiatric comorbidity.

485 Evaluation of Somatic Pain Distribution Using Body Maps for Patients With Chronic Abdominal Pain Syndromes

INTRODUCTION: Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) is a widespread condition with a large impact on the healthcare field. Understanding the characteristics of patients with CAP and identifying high risk patients remains an important issue, particularly in the opioid epidemic era. A body map is a validated tool shown to accurately depict pain locations across the body. Our aim was to use body map data to characterize the pain distribution patterns of patients referred for abdominal pain to the Stanford Pain Clinic and to assess whether patterns of pain distribution (e.g. localized abdominal pain vs. widespread pain) are associated with underlying diagnoses and differences in psychosocial functioning. METHODS: We evaluated patients with CAP who presented to the Stanford Pain Clinic between 2013-2018. Data was collected through the CHOIR registry - a platform that longitudinally collects data for patients seen at our pain clinic. Patients were divided into 3 groups by their body map response: Localized (abdominal pain), Intermediate (abdominal pain + pain at 1-3 additional sites), and Widespread (abdominal pain + pain at 4-8 additional sites). We evaluated demographics, ICD-codes, and psychosocial functioning with NIH PROMIS questionnaires. Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA for the PROMIS scores, and the Kruskall-Wallis test for comparing measures across the 3 groups. RESULTS: A total of 258 patients with abdominal pain were identified through the CHOIR registry. The majority of the patients were female (91%) and had widespread pain patterns (61%). Patients with widespread pain patterns reported higher pain interference (P < 0.01), anxiety (P < 0.05), and sleep disturbances (P < 0.01) compared to the intermediate pain group. Patients with widespread pain were more likely to carry a diagnosis of 2 or more chronic overlapping pain conditions (P < 0.001). Opioid use remained high in all patients, regardless of somatic distribution pattern. CONCLUSION: Our study supports that a body map is an effective and quick screening tool to help characterize CAP patients and identify higher risk patients. Identifying patients with widespread pain patterns early may help guide therapeutic interventions towards factors more prominent in this group such as pain interference, anxiety and sleep disturbance. Patients with widespread pain patterns are more likely to also suffer from chronic overlapping pain syndromes and should be screened for these conditions.

1.42 ON THE BORDER: PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AT RISK FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER

The authors assessed differences in psychosocial functioning between children with parents having bipolar disorder compared with healthy control subjects, in a prospective study in 2 Texas cities near the Mexican-American border.

Autistic traits in a sample of adult patients with schizophrenia: prevalence and correlates.

Schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are currently conceptualized as distinct disorders. However, the relationship between these two disorders has been revisited in recent years due to evidence that they share phenotypic and genotypic expressions. This study aimed to identify ASD traits in patients with schizophrenia, and to define their demographic, psychopathological, cognitive and functional correlates. Seventy-five schizophrenia patients (20 females, mean age 42 ± 12) were evaluated with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Participants were also assessed with clinical, neuropsychological, and psychosocial functioning measures. Of the 75 patients, 47 were negative to all the autism scales administered (ADOS-TOT-NEG), 21 patients were positive to the ADOS Language sub-domain (ADOS-L-POS), 21 patients were positive to the ADOS Reciprocal Social Interaction (RSI) sub-domain (ADOS-RSI-POS), 14 patients were positive to the ADOS Total scale (ADOS-TOT-POS), and nine patients were positive to the ADI-R scale (ADI-R-POS). Demographic (duration of illness), psychopathological (negative symptoms and general psychopathology), and cognitive (working memory and processing speed) differences emerged between schizophrenic patients with and without ASD traits, while no differences in psychosocial functioning were detected. Results of this study indicate the existence, in a sample of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, of a distinct group of subjects with ASD features, characterized by specific symptomatological and cognitive profile. These findings may contribute to better characterize patients with schizophrenia in order to develop new procedures and therapeutic tools in a more personalized perspective.

Resiliency and socioemotional functioning in youth receiving surgery for orofacial anomalies.

Restorative interventions for cleft lip and palate involve annual evaluations, adjunct treatment, and multiple surgeries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal impact of cleft surgery on psychosocial functioning among youth with cleft. Data were derived from a 5-year, multicenter, prospective longitudinal study of children with cleft (N = 1196). Children completed psychological inventories for self-concept, anxiety, depression, mastery, and relatedness. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of craniofacial surgery for cleft on psychosocial outcomes over time. There were 1196 participants at baseline, of whom 258 (27.5%) received a surgical intervention prior to their 1st follow-up visit. Approximately 78% of participants had cleft lip and palate, and 22% had cleft palate only. Surgery receipt was significantly associated with lower relatedness (β = -1.48, 95% CI = -2.91, -0.05) and mastery (β = -1.32, 95% CI = -2.49, -0.15) scores, although overall scores appeared to increase over time. Surgery was not related to anxiety (β = -0.15, 95% CI = -1.08, 0.79), depression (β = 0.18, 95% CI = -0.65, 1.01), and self-concept (β = -0.84, 95% CI = -1.83, 0.15). The treatment-time interaction was not significant. Significant differences in psychosocial functioning were found across sex, race/ethnicity, and age groups. Surgery may have negative short-term impacts on psychosocial functioning, although effects may diminish over time. Given the limited postsurgical follow-up period, long-term change in psychological well-being and the moderating effects of surgery may not be fully realized. Further follow-up of children with cleft through adulthood to explore developmental trajectories of psychosocial functioning in more detail is recommended.

Psychosocial Characteristics of Adult Daughters of Breast Cancer Patients: Comparison of Clinic and Community Caregivers Samples

Objective: The long-term psychosocial impact of adult daughters caring for their mothers with breast cancer has been recognized but understudied. The objectives of this study were to characterize the psychosocial functioning of women who served as informal caregivers during their mothers. treatment for breast cancer in two distinct samples, community and high risk clinic, and to determine differences in psychosocial functioning between the two samples. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of mostly married, Caucasian and college educated women (N = 59) were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing socio-demographic and psychosocial factors (i.e. coping, caregiving tasks and difficulty, social support, spirituality, mental distress, depressive symptoms). Results: Using descriptive analysis, chi-square and T tests, results demonstrated significant differences between the two samples in time since caregiving, with the community sample reporting few years since the caregiving episode (e.g. 2.1 versus 15.1 years); coping strategies, with the clinic sample reporting higher scores on active coping, behavioral disengagement, planning, and self-blame; support type care tasks difficulty, with the clinic sample reporting higher scores on emotional support and tangible support, and all domains of spirituality (e.g. peace, meaning, faith), with higher levels being reported by the community sample. Although participants did not exhibit clinically significant levels of emotional distress, almost 25% of the community sample and 10% of the clinic sample had clinically significant depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Findings underscore the need for interventions tailored for caregivers to consider the unique psychosocial characteristics of caregivers across settings.

The cohort effect in studies related to differences in psychosocial functioning of women with Turner syndrome.

The physical health deficits and psychological disorders of women with Turner syndrome (TS) are the deciding factors in their treatment, but also their own relation to their own and their family's experiences. This study aimed to find the differences in psychosocial functioning of TS women coming from two different generations. These differences show the cohort effect as change in personal functioning and quality of life. In-depth interviews were conducted with 176 TS women and their parents to collect data. The first cohort was composed of patients up to the age of 29 (n = 139), and the second included patients aged 30 or above (n = 37). Fifty-two variables, important from the point of view of health and quality of life, were analysed in two age groups. The paths models were compared to analyse differences between the cohorts. Belonging to a particular age cohort significantly affected the variance of the biomedical variables tested, which seems to be related to the therapeutic procedure due to an earlier diagnosis and treatment for younger patients. We also found differences in the number and strength of the correlations between the factors of psychosexual development, personal and family resources, socio-economic life, and professional or educational activity. (1) The psychosocial functioning of TS women changes over time. This is a kind of illustration of the cohort effect. (2) Medical aspects of Turner syndrome may remain in connection with the psychosocial functioning of patients, and determine their quality of life. (3) Psychosociological resources are more complex and involved in younger women with Turner syndrome.