Intensity Of Psychopathological Symptoms Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 on the clinical picture and therapy of Bipolar I Disorder Maniacal Episode

Objective: The purpose of this study was a retrospective study of the contingent of Impact of COVID-19 on the clinical picture and therapy of Bipolar I Disorder maniacal episode who were most infected with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: We study 150 patients Bipolar I Disorder who infected with COVID-19 impact on the clinical picture and therapy of the illness. The investigation ware carried out in psychiatric hospital Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The hospital has a capacity of 2000 beds. Results: patients with Bipolar I Disorder who infected with COVID-19 in these clinically observed following changes: the intensity of psychopathological symptoms increased, psychosomatic balancing occurs, that is, during the COVID-19 illness, Bipolar I Disorder symptoms fade into the background, practically prevalence maniacal faze become intensively. Conclusion: patients Bipolar I Disorder who infected with COVID-19 in these clinically observed shows psychotic maniacal faze become intensively.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Clinical Picture and Therapy of Schizophrenia

Objective: The purpose of this study was a retrospective study of the contingent of schizophrenia patients who were most infected with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: We study 350 patients schizophrenia who infected with COVID-19 impact on the clinical picture and therapy of the illness. The investigation ware carried out in psychiatric hospital Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The hospital has a capacity of 2000 beds. Results: Patients with schizophrenia who infected with COVID-19 in these clinically observed following changes: the intensity of psychopathological symptoms decreases, psychosomatic balancing occurs, that is, during the COVID-19 illness, schizophrenic symptoms fade into the background, practically become invisible. Conclusion: Patients schizophrenia who infected with COVID-19 in these clinically observed shows an improvement in their mental health.

Location of lesions versus intensity of psychopathological symptoms in patients with skin diseases.

The location of skin lesions may be a significant psychological factor in dermatological disease. The study assesses the correlation between the location of skin lesions and the intensity of psychopathological symptoms. The analysis considers various effects including the tendency for deliberate concealment of lesions and subjective feelings of being stigmatized. The study included 150 patients (M = 46.14; SD = 17.28) treated for various skin complaints. Patients were divided into 3 equal groups according to the location of skin lesions: all over body, on covered or exposed body parts. The intensity of psychopathological symptoms was measured with the SCL-90. Demographic data and disease-related characteristics were collected by means of a questionnaire developed for the present study. The relationship between the location of skin lesions and the severity of some psychopathological symptoms was observed, especially among patients treated only for skin diseases. Patients' mental condition can be indirectly influenced by their inclination to deliberately hide lesions, as well as by their subjective experience of hostility from their environment. The most severe psychopathological symptoms were observed in the patients with skin lesions all over their bodies. The patients with lesions on visible body parts are characterized by a higher intensity of "interpersonal sensitivity" when compared to those with lesions on the covered body parts. The opposite trend was observed for the remaining SCL-90 variables. The obtained results can prompt further direction of research which takes into consideration the share of psychosocial factors in the functioning of dermatological patients.

Psychological peculiarities and family emotional communications of the mothers of drug addicts

The paper is devoted to study of peculiarities of emotional communication in families of drug addicts as well as personal characteristics of their mothers, and possible violations in receiving of social assistance. 91 families have been surveyed: 30 families of healthy individuals and 61 families of patients with drug addiction. Survey included: level of co-dependence, the intensity of psychopathological symptoms, level of anxiety and depressive experience of the mothers of drug addicts, their styles of emotional communication and level of social assistance. Study revealed the negative styles of emotional communications in the parent families of drug addicts in comparison with the styles of emotional communications in the families of healthy persons. The mothers of drug addicts differed from the mothers of healthy persons with increased level of paranoid features, suspiciousness, high hostility, anxiety, increased number of phobic fears and obsessions; they are less socially integrated, and are reluctant to seek emotional and instrumental support from others.

Cancer genetic counseling and quality of life: the effect of coping strategies and psychopathological symptoms during pre-test genetic counseling

The cancer genetic counseling (CGC) identifies genetic mutations for hereditary neoplastic diseases, but little is known on its psychological effects on subjects. The present study involved women who underwent genetic counseling for breast or ovarian cancer: 19 unaffected, 43 current patients, and 28 past patients. The aim of the study was to examine the relation between coping strategies and the quality of life during genetic counseling before testing, considering the effects of psychopathological symptoms and the health status. Results showed that the use of avoidance strategies led to a decrease in quality of life, and that this relationship was entirely mediated by the intensity of psychopathological symptoms, while the health status did not show any effect on it. The study, which is the first in Italy, suggests the importance of assessing coping strategies in subjects who undergo the CGO to identify individuals who are at risk of decrease of psychological well-being. Indeed, psychological counselling improving coping strategies could preserve the psychological well-being of individuals.

Social and psychological functioning of opiate dependent patients in methadone maintenance treatment – longitudinal research report

IntroductionSubstitution treatment is recommended by the WHO as an effective form of curbing and abstaining from opiate use and improvement of psychosocial functioning of drug addicted persons. It was positively demonstrated that this treatment leads to abstinence from illegal drugs and reduction of harm of use. However, despite the long-term application of this form of treatment, and despite various studies on changes occurring under its influence, still little is known about what changes occur in patients participating in substitution treatment. For this reason, the aim of the present research analysis was to determine what changes appeared in cognitive emotion regulation strategies, sense of coherence, intensity of psychopathological symptoms and level of developmental task completion in the patient group. MethodThe longitudinal study procedure was applied. Opiate addicts were studied twice – first when on starting therapy and second after six months of participation. The research was conducted at five substitution treatment centres in Poland. The first research stage included 37 subjects addicted to opiates, and the second 22 persons after 6 months of substitution treatment. ResultsAfter six months of methadone treatment, patients displayed a statistically significant change in sense of coherence. The respondents believed life to be more understandable, predictable and meaningful. A significant increase in the realisation of all developmental tasks was also observed, but not of specific tasks. There were no significant changes in cognitive emotional regulation strategies and intensity of psychopathological symptoms.

Psychological reserves of patients with laryngeal cancer

Aim. To reveal the psychological features of the patients, suffering from laryngeal cancer depending of surgical treatment type and extent. Methods. 109 patients of the clinical oncological hospital were included. The first group included 88 patients who underwent surgery: larynx resection - 35 patients, laryngectomy - 40 patients, and 13 patients in whom voice rehabilitation by imposing a shunt between a trachea and a gullet and vocal prosthesis introduction were performed. The second group included patients of radiological department who have refused surgery (21 patients) and were receiving radical gamma-knife radiotherapy. The psychological techniques were applied to assess the types of reaction to illness and intensity of psychopathological symptoms. Results. The psychological traits of patients in whom a tracheaesophagal shunt was formed, can describe them as socially adapted, patient with low anxiety level. Due to vocal prosthesis they can communicate, that is resulted in features of their behavior. Among compared groups, there were statistically significant differences in the extent of «projection» psychological protection mechanism and the degree of phobic disorders. Conclusion. It is necessary to create a rehabilitation complex for psychological rehabilitation of patients with laryngeal cancer. Further studies will help to understand, why they refuse surgery and to help them to complete a correct apprehension of illness basing on true data about their disease.

Wpływ leków przeciwpsychotycznych na funkcje poznawcze u pacjentów ze schizofrenią

The aim of the present study was twofold: 1. to compare the efficacy of three antipsychotics (ziprasidone, olanzapine and perazine) in schizophrenia 2. to compare the improvement in cognitive functioning between groups treated with the three different neuroleptics. A total of 58 Caucasian patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia were recruited into the study group. We used the Polish version of the CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview) to obtain ICD-10 diagnoses. The intensity of psychopathological symptoms was examined using the PANSS. The patients were randomly assigned to treatment with perazine, olanzapine or ziprasidone administered as monotherapy for 3 months. The treatment efficacy was measured as a change in the PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) total score from baseline (T0) to 3 months (T1). The WCST (The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) was used to measure working memory and executive functions in the evaluated patients. Wilcoxon's and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to compare changes in the PANSS scores between the treatment groups. To analyze the cognitive functions, Kruskal-Wallis test for the WCST parameters was used. The three antipsychotics similarly reduced the total PANSS score. The WCST parameters in the 3 groups of examined patients using the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed some differences between the three administered antipsychotics. Results suggest that the short-term efficacy of the atypical (olanzapine, ziprasidone) and typical (perazine) antipsychotic drugs did not differ. Based on the analysis, a conclusion can be drawn that the three neuroleptics provided similar improvements in cognitive functioning.

Illness acceptance degree versus intensity of psychopathological symptoms in patients with psoriasis

IntroductionChronic inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis have undoubtedly a negative impact on the patients’ quality of life. Many of them may face various limitations in their psychosocial lives because of symptoms indicating the presence of psychopathological phenomena. Mental disorders in patients with skin diseases occur much more frequently than in the general population. Studies show that a considerable percentage (30-60%) of dermatological patients suffers from mental disorders (depressive and anxiety disorders being the most common). A person's attitude towards illness, its acceptance, and also the recognition of its limitations may be of a great importance in the process of the disease control.AimTo evaluate of the relationship between the illness acceptance degree, and the presence and intensity of psychopathological symptoms in patients with psoriasis.Material and methodsThe research was conducted on a group of 54 people (23 men and 31 women), who were treated for psoriasis in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Lodz and in the Department of Dermatology, Pediatric Dermatology and Oncology, Medical University of Lodz. The following research methods were used: a questionnaire prepared for the purpose of the research, Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and Symptom Checklist (SCL-90).ResultsIt was found that there was a relationship between the skin illness acceptance degree and intensity of psychopathological symptoms in patients with psoriasis (negative correlations).ConclusionsThe higher the degree of illness acceptance is, the better mental condition of patients with psoriasis is. The intensity of psychopathological symptoms is also affected by the duration of illness, other people's attitude to the skin disease, age and education level of the patients examined.

P03-327 - Searching for the genetic markers connected with paranoid schizophrenia and conditioning the treatment efficiency

AimThe aim of the study was to find genetic markers which can influence on susceptibility of paranoid schizophrenia and the treatment efficiency measured by the PANSS. We analyzed genes polymorphisms: DRD2 (Taq 1A, in egzon 8, - 141 C ins/del), DAT, GRIK3, SERT, 5HT2A, MAO-A, COMT.MethodOne hundred and ninety one patients with the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia were recruited as study group. To obtain the diagnosis meeting the criteria to ICD-10 we used the polish version of CIDI - Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Exclusion criteria included serious neurological disorders, major somatic disorders impairing cognitive functions and diagnosed mental impairment. The intensity of psychopathological symptoms was examined using the PANSS. Genomic DNA was extracted from leucocytes using the Miller's salting method. Polymorphisms were studied by the PCR method.Statistical analyses were performed by the Statistica computer program, specifically Pearson's chi-square test. Associations between the treatment progress and the genotype were studied by analysis of variance (ANOVA).ResultsWe didn’t find associations between investigated genes polymorphisms and susceptibility of paranoid schizophrenia. Probably, there is no influence of studied polymorphisms on the treatment efficiency.ConclusionsNo differences were found in the genotypes distribution in investigated genes polymorphisms between the whole schizophrenics and the control group. No association was found between any particular genotype and the effect of antipsychotic treatment.

Insight in paranoid schizophrenia—Its relationship to psychopathology and premorbid adjustment

The patient's insight in the course of a mental disease has recently become a matter of interest for psychiatrists. Various aspects of insight are examined, as well as the relationship between insight and different clinical variables. In the current study, we examined correlations between aspects of insight and intensity of psychopathological symptoms, occurrence of the various types of delusions, and the level of premorbid adjustment in patients with paranoid schizophrenia. We found significant relationships between poor insight and negative symptoms, thought-broadcasting, delusions of grandeur and sexual delusions, and worse premorbid adjustment in late adolescence and adulthood.