Symptom Checklist-90 Subscales Research Articles

Comparison of healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers in terms of obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms during COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal case-controlled study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms of healthcare workers in a case-control setting as longitudinal. In this study included 49 healthcare workers and 47 non-health workers. A sociodemographic data form, the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) were used to assess individuals between June 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. We assessed the same healthcare workers after 12 months on June 30, 2021 using MOCI, HAM-D, and SCL-90. MOCI and SCL-90 obsessive-compulsive subscale scores were significantly higher in the healthcare workers than in the non-health workers. When we assessed MOCI, HAM-D, and SCL-90 obsessive-compulsive subscale scores after 12 months, there was a statistically significant decrease in the scores of all three scales among the healthcare workers. The results of the study showed that healthcare workers were more likely to have obsessive-compulsive symptoms than non-health workers in the early part of the pandemic on June 1, 2020, as shown by their scores on MOCI and the obsessive-compulsive subscale of SCL-90. When we assessed the same participants after 12 months (June 30, 2021), both MOCI and SCL-90 obsessive-compulsive subscale scores had decreased significantly. In contrast to these results, HAM-D scores significantly increased.

Psychopathological characterization of modern-type depression in subjects with Internet Gaming Disorder

IntroductionIn recent years, more evidence is emerging in favor of a new form of depression, aka “Modern-Type Depression” (MTD). It has also been theorized that MTD may have multiple relationships with other psychiatric disorders, including techno-addictions.ObjectivesOur study aims at clinically characterizing subjects with MTD in a sample of individuals affected with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD).Methods1,157 subjects were recruited from a sample of Italian young people (aged 18-35), and selected only if they declared to be video game players (48.6%, n=542). Video game players filled out the 22-item Tarumi’s Modern-Type Depression Trait Scale (TACS-22), Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ), Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Subjects were classified as IGD+/IGD- and MTD+/MTD-. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney’s U-test for independent data and Chi-square tests were carried out.Results60.5% (n=328) of the sample were male. 21.7% (n=118) were positive to MTD. MTD subjects reported significantly higher scores at IGDS9-SF (p<0.001), POGQ (p<0.001), MOGQ (p=0.003), MSBS (p<0.001). Significant higher scores were found at the MOGQ subscales “reality avoidance” (p<0.001), “coping” (p=0.001), and “fantasy” (p<0.001) and at the SCL-90 subscales “interpersonal sensitivity” (p<0.001), “phobic anxiety” (p<0.001), and “psychoticism” (p<0.001).ConclusionsMTD displayed a strong association with technopathies, particularly IGD. Therefore, further studies should evaluate whether MTD could represent a predictor to IGD onset and/or maintenance and adequately address this aspect from a preventive and treatment perspective.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Psychopathological mediators between insecure attachment and psychotic features in a non-clinical sample: the role of depression and interpersonal sensitivity.

Attachment styles represent a personality pattern critical to psychological health, with insecure attachment being a central factor in developing psychopathological characteristics of psychosis. However, its downstream psychopathological pathways remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the putative psychopathological mediators in the relationship between insecure attachment and psychotic features in a non-clinical sample of university students. We recruited two non-clinical samples for a total of 978 subjects, 324 males and 654 females, and administered the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) to assess attachment styles and the Symptom Check-List 90 (SCL-90) to assess psychopathological symptoms. Moreover, the Paranoia and Psychoticism subscales of SCL-90 were combined and used as a measure of Psychosis (PSY). A mediation analysis model was carried out to establish the relationship among variables. Mediation analysis showed a total effect from RQ-Preoccupied and RQ-Fearful to PSY, respectively, 0.31 and 0.28. Direct effects from the SCL-90-R factor candidate mediator to PSY ranged from 0.51 for somatization to 0.72 for depression and 0.72 for interpersonal sensitivity. Indirect effects ranged from 0.08 for RQ-Preoccupied via hostility to 0.21 for RQ-Preoccupied via depression. Our results show that the effect of insecure attachment on psychosis features is differentially mediated by some psychopathological dimensions, being depression and interpersonal sensitivity the most relevant ones. PSY feature, therefore, is predicted by other specific symptoms in the psychological context of insecure primary relationships. From a preventive and clinical point of view, our results could be relevant in informing the early-stage psychological treatment of pre-psychotic states and, in general, people experiencing sub-threshold psychotic symptoms.

Effects of psychological capital and social support availability on anxiety and depression among Chinese emergency physicians: Testing moderated mediation model.

Anxiety often precedes depression, and the pathway from anxiety to depression may be affected by multiple exposures. Our research aims to explore the mediating effect of the social support availability (SSA) between anxiety and depression and how it is moderated by psychological capital. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Chinese emergency physicians at the top-level general hospitals in eastern China. Data were collected via the questionnaire including anxiety and depression subscales of Symptom Checklist-90, Psychological Capital Questionnaire as well as Social Support Rating Scale. The PROCESS v3.4 macro was employed to assess the mediating role of SSA and a moderating role of psychological capital. A total of 536 valid samples were filtered. Anxiety, depression, SSA, and psychological capital were significant correlated. Anxiety was positively associated with depression (β = 0.82, p < 0.001), and the SSA mediated the relationship between anxiety and depression (indirect effect = 0.013, 95%BootCI [0.005, 0.023]). Psychological capital (specifically, self-efficacy, hope and resilience) further played a moderating role in the relationship between SSA and depression (β = 0.06, p < 0.01). The mental health of emergency physicians should be concerned. In order to decrease anxiety and depression, SSA and psychological capital should be increased as the interventions for emergency physicians.

Resting-state EEG-based convolutional neural network for the diagnosis of depression and its severity.

Purpose: The study aimed to assess the value of the resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG)-based convolutional neural network (CNN) method for the diagnosis of depression and its severity in order to better serve depressed patients and at-risk populations. Methods: In this study, we used the resting state EEG-based CNN to identify depression and evaluated its severity. The EEG data were collected from depressed patients and healthy people using the Nihon Kohden EEG-1200 system. Analytical processing of resting-state EEG data was performed using Python and MATLAB software applications. The questionnaire included the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Symptom Check-List-90 (SCL-90), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Results: A total of 82 subjects were included in this study, with 41 in the depression group and 41 in the healthy control group. The area under the curve (AUC) of the resting-state EEG-based CNN in depression diagnosis was 0.74 (95%CI: 0.70–0.77) with an accuracy of 66.40%. In the depression group, the SDS, SAS, SCL-90 subscales, and N scores were significantly higher in the major depression group than those in the non-major depression group (p < 0.05). The AUC of the model in depression severity was 0.70 (95%CI: 0.65–0.75) with an accuracy of 66.93%. Correlation analysis revealed that major depression AI scores were significantly correlated with SAS scores (r = 0.508, p = 0.003) and SDS scores (r = 0.765, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our model can accurately identify the depression-specific EEG signal in terms of depression diagnosis and severity identification. It would eventually provide new strategies for early diagnosis of depression and its severity.

Association between Occupational Stress and Psychopathological Symptoms Among Nurses in Cardiovascular Hospital During COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Occupational stress is known to be one of the factors that are often found in nursing professionals. Occupational stress can affect a person both physically and mentally. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional workload for healthcare professionals, including nurses. This study aimed to analyze the association between occupational stress and psychopathological symptoms among nurses in Cardiovascular Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 108 nurses in Cardiovascular Hospital X. Samples were taken by simple random sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Occupational stress was assessed by Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) and psychopathological symptoms were assessed by Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Results: The mean ENSS total score was 88,17 ± 32,24 (maximum score of ENSS was 228). 19,4% of nurses had psychopathological symptoms. Somatization, obsessive-compulsive, and psychoticism had higher t-score values than other SCL-90 subscales. There was a strongly significant association between occupational stress and psychopathological symptoms (p&lt;0,001). Conclusion: Its highly recommend early diagnosis and prompt treatment for psychopathological symptoms among nurses. Monitor and evaluation of occupational stress and psychopathology in nurses are recommended as periodic medical check-up program in hospital.

Prevalence and correlates of somatization in anxious individuals in a Chinese online crisis intervention during COVID-19 epidemic

BackgroundSomatization is a common comorbidity in anxious people. From January 31 to February 2, 2020, a high prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety was detected due to COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of somatization among Chinese participants with anxiety receiving online crisis interventions from Feb 14 to Mar 29 during the COVID-19 epidemic. MethodsA total of 1134 participants who participated in online crisis interventions completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and demographic questions online. Somatization was defined as the average score of each item ≥ 2 in SCL-90 somatization subscale. Moderate to severe anxiety was defined as a score ≥ 10 in the GAD-7 scale. ResultsAmong all participants, 8.0% reported moderate to severe anxiety and 7.4% reported somatization. After March 1, the prevalence of anxiety with or without somatization did not significantly change (both p > 0.05), while the prevalence of somatization increased significantly (p < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis indicated that somatization was associated with chronic disease history (with an odds ratio of 4.80) and female gender (with an odds ratio of 0.33). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the history of chronic diseases is associated with somatization in individuals with anxiety, indicating some stress-related mechanisms. Chinese men in crisis intervention need more attention because they are more likely to report anxiety comorbid somatization.

Cognition and mental wellbeing after electrical accidents: a survey and a clinical study among Swedish male electricians

PurposeThe purpose was to examine long-term consequences of exposure to electrical current passing through the body. We investigated (1) whether electricians after having experienced an electrical accident report more cognitive problems and lower mental wellbeing and (2) have objectively verifiable reduced cognitive function; and (3) which circumstances at the time of the accident affect long-term subjective cognitive function and mental wellbeing?MethodsA survey of male electricians who had experienced electrical accidents (n = 510) and a clinical study in a subsample (n = 23) who reported residual health problems was carried out. Both groups were examined regarding subjective cognitive function (Euroquest-9) and mental wellbeing (Symptom Checklist-90 subscales). The clinical study included neuropsychological tests of memory, attention, spatial function, and premorbid intellectual capacity. A matched control group was retrieved from reference data.ResultsThe survey participants reported more cognitive problems and lower mental wellbeing than referents. Of the examined circumstances, having experienced mortal fear at the time of the accident and health complaints, especially mental symptoms, for > 1 week after the accident were the most significant risk factors for later subjective cognitive problems and lower mental wellbeing. The only statistically significant difference in neuropsychological tests was better performance in part of the memory tests by the clinical study group compared to the control group.ConclusionsThe participants reported more cognitive problems and lower mental wellbeing than referents, but no long-term objective cognitive dysfunction was detected. Emotional response at the time of the accident and health complaints in the aftermath of the accident may constitute important indications for medical and psychological follow-ups.

Development of the psychosomatic symptom scale (PSSS) and assessment of its reliability and validity in general hospital patients in China

ObjectivesTo develop and verify the Psychosomatic Symptom Scale (PSSS) among psychosomatic patients and the cut-off value of PSSS in distinguishing psychosomatic patients from health controls. MethodsThe PSSS was drafted by an expert workgroup. 996 patients and 366 controls from 14 general hospitals in China were recruited to complete PSSS, Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Student's t-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Cronbach's α, Spearman's correlation, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to verify the PSSS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to determine the cut-off value. ResultsCronbach α of PSSS was 0.907. The PSSS was significantly correlated with SCL-90 somatization subscale (r = 0.682, P < 0.001) and PHQ-15 (r = 0.724, P < 0.001). CFA supported the theoretical two-factor structure of the PSSS, with comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.979, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.977, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.039 (90% CI: 0.035–0.042), and standardized root mean residual (SRMR) = 0.054. As the sum score of PSSS was significantly higher in female, cut-off values were determined as 11 in females and 10 in males respectively. ConclusionsThe PSSS is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring psychosomatic symptoms.

A preliminary study on potential association between psychopathological status and rhythmic masticatory muscle activity of young patients with sleep bruxism in Tianjin China

ObjectivesThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the psychological status of patients with bruxism and to explore the potential relationship between psychological status and rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA), since the basic manifestation of sleep bruxism is RMMA. MethodsTwenty-five patients (nine males, 16 females, and mean age 27.84 ± 5.60) who self-reported having SB and 25 normal subjects were randomly recruited. Fifty subjects filled out the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) to assess their psychopathological status. SB was diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG), and RMMA was recorded based on the results of PSG. ResultsIn this study we detected 15.89 ± 4.23 RMMA episodes per hour in normal subjects, whereas 41.23 ± 16.78 RMMA episodes per hour were recorded in patients with SB, which was nearly three times of the former group with statistical significance (P = 0.001). Paired t-test revealed significant differences between SB patients and normal subjects in any of the SCL-90 subscales (P = 0.001). Regarding total psychopathological scores, 10 of the 25 SB patients endorsed scores higher than 160, and the positive rate was 40%. In addition, obsessive-compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism were all statistically associated with RMMA (P < 0.05). ConclusionWithin the limitations of the study, we found that patients with sleep bruxism tend to have poor psychological status, and obsessive-compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism are related to onset of SB.

The psychological health and associated factors of men who have sex with men in China: A cross-sectional survey.

ObjectivesThe psychological health of men who have sex with men (MSM) has received increased attention in recent years. We thus investigated the psychological status and associated factors among MSM in China.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 248 MSM was conducted from April to September 2015 using Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) in Huludao and Zhengzhou, China. Statistical analyses utilized SPSS version 19.0 for Windows.ResultsAll Cronbach’s α coefficients of the SCL-90 subscales exceeded 0.7, suggesting acceptable reliability. The coefficient range of the collective validity for all the subscales was >0.4. For the divisional validity, each item correlated better with the hypothetical subscale than with other subscales. Collective validity and divisional validity were both acceptable. The four most frequent types of psychological distress among MSM were depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, interpersonal sensitivity, and anxiety. Results of the univariate analysis revealed that the following groups had significantly higher SCL-90 scores (P < 0.05): peasantry, married MSM, respondents who reported condomless anal intercourse and a greater number of male partners, and respondents who had not undergone psychosocial counseling and whose family or friends did not know about their sexual identity. In a multivariate logistic regression model, the following parameters were independently associated with higher SCL-90 scores: being married (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 3.19; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.96 to 5.93), condomless anal intercourse (AOR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.31), number of male partners (AOR = 1.66 and 1.81; 95% CI: 1.08 to 2.34 and 1.32 to 2.69), family or friends not knowing about sexual identity (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.17 to 4.92), and lack of psychosocial counseling (AOR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.06 to 4.09).ConclusionsOur results indicate that psychological health problems among MSM in China are of concern. It is thus necessary to strengthen intervention efforts, with more emphasis on intervention programs to improve psychological health among Chinese MSM.

Predictors of Broad Dimensions of Psychopathology among Patients with Panic Disorder after Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Background Many patients with panic disorder meet criteria for at least one other diagnosis, most commonly other anxiety or mood disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the best empirically supported psychotherapy for panic disorder. There is now evidence indicating that cognitive-behavioral therapy for panic disorder yields positive benefits upon comorbid disorders. Objectives The present study aimed to examine the predictors of broad dimensions of psychopathology in panic disorder after cognitive-behavioral therapy. Methods Two hundred patients affected by panic disorder were treated with manualized group cognitive-behavioral therapy. We examined if the baseline personality dimensions of NEO Five Factor Index predicted the subscales of Symptom Checklist-90 Revised at endpoint using multiple regression analysis based on the intention-to-treat principle. Results Conscientiousness score of NEO Five Factor Index at baseline was a predictor of four Symptom Checklist-90 Revised subscales including obsessive-compulsive (β = −0.15, P < 0.01), depression (β = −0.13, P < 0.05), phobic anxiety (β = −0.15, P < 0.05), and Global Severity Index (β = −0.13, P < 0.05). Conclusion Conscientiousness at baseline may predict several dimensions of psychopathology in patients with panic disorder after cognitive-behavioral therapy. For the purpose of improving a wide range of psychiatric symptoms with patients affected by panic disorder, it may be useful to pay more attention to this personal trait at baseline.

Psychiatric (Axis I) and personality (Axis II) disorders and subjective psychiatric symptoms in chronic tinnitus

Objective: Chronic tinnitus has been associated with several psychiatric disorders. Only few studies have investigated these disorders using validated diagnostic interviews. The aims were to diagnose psychiatric and personality disorders with structured interviews, to assess self-rated psychiatric symptoms and elucidate temporal relations between psychiatric disorders and tinnitus. Design: Current and lifetime DSM-IV diagnoses of axis-I (psychiatric disorders) and axis-II (personality disorders) were assessed using structured clinical interviews (SCID-I and -II). Current subjective psychiatric symptoms were evaluated via self-rating instruments: the Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90), the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Study sample: 83 patients (mean age 51.7, 59% men) with chronic, disturbing tinnitus and a median Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score of 32. Results: The rates of lifetime and current major depression were 26.5% and 2.4%. The lifetime rate of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (type C) was 8.4%. None of the patients had cluster B personality disorder or psychotic symptoms. The SCL-90 subscales did not differ from the general population, and median DES score was low, 2.4. Conclusions: Tinnitus patients are prone to episodes of major depression and often also have obsessive-compulsive personality features. Psychiatric disorders seem to be comorbid or predisposing conditions rather than consequences of tinnitus. Clinical trial reference: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT 01929837).

Use of novel psychoactive substances and induced psychiatric symptoms: Outcomes from the Eivissa Project

IntroductionPolydrug abuse seems to be especially popular in Ibiza, an important market for new psychoactive substances (NPS). The misuse of psychoactive substances can lead to serious psychiatric symptoms.AimsTo evaluate symptoms induced by NPSs and other club drugs, correlating with the main classes of drugs.MethodsNinety subjects (M/F 59/31) admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Can Misses Hospital (Ibiza) referring a recent intake of substances were enrolled. The following scales were administered: TLFB (Timeline follow-back); Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS); Symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) ; Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) ; Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D); Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A); Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS); Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS).ResultsPolydrug abuse was reported by 67.4% of the sample; the sample was grouped by the main preferred substance in THC-, stimulants-, and depressors-users. The majority of patients reported a previous psychiatric history. Positive symptoms resulted to be higher among THC-users (P &lt; .05). Anxiety evaluated by SCL-90 was prevalent in the group of Depressors-users (P &lt; .05). The scores of MOAS and SCL-90 subscale for hostility/aggression resulted to be significantly (P &lt; .01) greater in the THC-users group.ConclusionsSome specific psychiatric symptoms are characteristic of some classes of substances and may help to identify them when a urine sample is not available. The possibility to develop psychiatric symptoms after a recent drug use is more common in two situations: (1) patients with a previous psychiatric history; (2) subjects with a history of very strong substance use.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Disturbed EEG sleep, paranoid cognition and somatic symptoms identify veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

BackgroundChronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) behavioural symptoms and medically unexplainable somatic symptoms are reported to occur following the stressful experience of military combatants in war zones.AimsTo determine the contribution of disordered EEG sleep physiology in those military combatants who have unexplainable physical symptoms and PTSD behavioural difficulties following war-zone exposure.MethodThis case-controlled study compared 59 veterans with chronic sleep disturbance with 39 veterans with DSM-IV and clinician-administered PTSD Scale diagnosed PTSD who were unresponsive to pharmacological and psychological treatments. All had standardised EEG polysomnography, computerised sleep EEG cyclical alternating pattern (CAP) as a measure of sleep stability, self-ratings of combat exposure, paranoid cognition and hostility subscales of Symptom Checklist-90, Beck Depression Inventory and the Wahler Physical Symptom Inventory. Statistical group comparisons employed linear models, logistic regression and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID)-like decision trees.ResultsVeterans with PTSD were more likely than those without PTSD to show disturbances in non-rapid eye movement (REM) and REM sleep including delayed sleep onset, less efficient EEG sleep, less stage 4 (deep) non-REM sleep, reduced REM and delayed onset to REM. There were no group differences in the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoeas/hypopnoeas and periodic leg movements, but sleep-disturbed, non-PTSD military had more EEG CAP sleep instability. Rank order determinants for the diagnosis of PTSD comprise paranoid thinking, onset to REM sleep, combat history and somatic symptoms. Decision-tree analysis showed that a specific military event (combat), delayed onset to REM sleep, paranoid thinking and medically unexplainable somatic pain and fatigue characterise chronic PTSD. More PTSD veterans reported domestic and social misbehaviour.ConclusionsMilitary combat, disturbed REM/non-REM EEG sleep, paranoid ideation and medically unexplained chronic musculoskeletal pain and fatigue are key factors in determining PTSD disability following war-zone exposure.Declaration of interestNone.Copyright and usage© The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

Gender differences in attitudes towards antipsychotic medications in patients with schizophrenia.

Non-adherence was more frequent in male than in female psychiatric patients. This multi-center study in China examined the gender difference with regard to attitude towards antipsychotic medications and its associations with socio-demographic variables, insight, and psychopathology. Patients' basic socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. Psychopathology and insight were measured with the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Insight and Treatment Attitudes Questionnaire (ITAQ), respectively. Their attitudes towards antipsychotic medications were assessed by two standardized questions. Nearly 39.6% (109/275) males and 31.1% (70/225) females reported negative attitudes towards antipsychotic medications. Binary logistic regression revealed that in males single marital status (OR=2.9, 95% CI=1.3-6.4), rural residence (OR=0.4, 95% CI=0.2-0.7), longer duration of schizophrenia (OR=1.0, 95% CI=1.0-1.1), knowledge of medication (OR=1.5, 95% CI=1.3-1.6) and the SCL-90 hostility subscale (OR=0.9, 95% CI=0.9-1.0) were contributors to negative attitudes. In female patients, knowledge about medications (OR=1.4, 95% CI=1.3-1.6), the SCL-90 somatization (OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.8-0.9) and anxiety (OR=1.1, 95% CI=1.0-1.2) subscales were contributors to negative attitudes. The study suggested that different psychosocial and clinical factors accounted for the negative attitude towards antipsychotic treatment in male and female patients.

A retrospective observational study investigating the relationship between somatisation and pain perception in subjects with intractable pain

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between somatisation and perception of pain in subjects classified as having intractable pain. MethodsSomatisation features were assessed in 526 intractable pain patients, referred to a psychosomatic clinic between 2002 and 2014 due to the failure of at least 2 pharmacological and 1 surgical/invasive or rehabilitative interventions. The somatosensory amplification (SSAS), illness behaviour questionnaire (IBQ) and the symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) Somatisation subscale and the other SCL-90 subscales were used to measure psychopathology. The IPQ and cold pressor test (CPT) was used to investigate the perception of clinical and evoked pain stimuli, respectively. ResultsThe principal predictor of an increase in pain perception was age, which was also associated with a greater effect of SSAS and IBQ affective disturbance scores on sensorial and affective dimensions and intensity of pain, and sensorial, affective and cognitive dimensions of pain, respectively. However, high SCL-90 somatisation scores were predictive of increases in sensorial, affective and cognitive dimensions of clinical pain and a lower experimentally induced pain threshold independently of both age and gender. No other psychopathological dimension predicted the increased perception of pain in patients with intractable pain. ConclusionsAs well as contributing to the body of knowledge on gender bias in pain, our results indicate that is not solely the source lesion that makes pain difficult to treat, but rather individual components of pain perception, including sociodemographic and somatisation features, whose influence should therefore be recognized and treated appropriately as routine.

The dual perspectives of the well-being and ill-being in middle school students’ physical and mental health

The present study surveyed the physical and mental health of middle school students which was based on the Well-being and ill-being dual perspectives. 2344 Chinese middle school students were tested by Well-being (WB) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) scales. The mean score of well-being was 5.46±1.997 and the mean scores of all SCL-90 subscales were lower than 2.00. The independent sample t-test analysis indicated that seven of nine SCL-90 subscales were significantly lower than the norm in 2004. These results implied that the well-being and physical and mental health were good in Chinese middle school students. The independent sample t-test analysis indicated that girls’ scores of SCL-90 were significant higher than those of boys’, but there was no difference in well-being scores between girls’ and boys’. In addition, the scores of SCL-90 were significant difference between senior high school students and junior high school students, and high school students got higher scores in all subscales of SCL-90; but there was no difference in well-being between senior and junior school students. One-Way ANOVA results indicated that there was significant difference among six grades in SCL-90 but not in well-being. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that there was a negative correlation between well-being and subscales of SCL-90, but it was not significant. According to the above analysis, we conclude that the well-being and ill-being are independent of each other and they play different roles in the mental health.

Cross-cultural validation of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in Chinese adolescents.

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20-C) in a sample of Chinese adolescents. Method Adolescents (n=1260) recruited from three schools in mainland China completed the TAS-20-C, the somatization subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Five different factorial models of the TAS-20 were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's α, mean inter-item correlations and predictive validity were also evaluated. Results Among those five different factorial models, the four-factor structure model was suitable and invariant across gender and age in this sample. The TAS-20-C demonstrated adequate internal reliability. Gender and age accounted for insignificant amounts of variability in total TAS-20-C and factor scores. TAS-20-C total and subscale scores were correlated significantly with SCL-90 somatization subscale and CES-D. Girls scored higher than boys on difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) and pragmatic thinking (PR) subscales. DIF and lack of subjective significance or importance of emotions (IMs) subscale scores were higher among younger than among middle and older adolescents. Implications for Practice Validating the TAS-20 in adolescents is quite important to use it in evaluating adolescents' alexithymia, and screen those at risk of alexithymia.

Psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life in idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields

ObjectiveNeed for better understanding of the etiology of idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) motivated the present study of psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in person who attribute health problems to electromagnetic fields. MethodsParticipants with IEI-EMF (n=114) and a population-based sample of referents (n=104) were investigated with six subscales of the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) to assess psychological symptoms, and with eight subscales of the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) to assess HRQoL. ResultsSignificantly higher scores were found on obsessive/compulsive behavior, interpersonal hypersensitivity, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid thoughts in the IEI-EMF group compared to referents, whereas only a tendency of such a difference was found for psychotism. Furthermore, poorer HRQoL in the IEI-EMF group, compared to referents, were found regarding physical and social functioning, physical and emotional role limitations, general health, vitality, bodily pain, and mental health. Significant correlation with moderate to strong effect sizes were found between several of the SCL-90 and SF-36 subscales. ConclusionThe results suggest that IEI-EMF is associated with various types of psychological symptoms and with poor HRQoL. Clinical implications include theoretical support for cognitive behavioral therapy, and, although further research is needed, that attention should be directed towards feelings of inferiority and uneasiness in relationships as well as anger, hostility and resentment towards other people.