Symptom Checklist-90-R Research Articles

Presence, Cybersickness, Anxiety, and Heart Rate Variability in a Non-Clinical Population Using Virtual Reality Environments Designed For Specific Phobias' Treatment

The current study was performed to assess the phenomenon known as Presence, to measure Anxiety responses, simulator sickness and autonomic activation in subjects of the general population. The sample consisted in 37 Argentine participants (15 male, 22 female) between ages 20 and 40; who were exposed to 3 virtual environments designed to research and treat phobias. Instruments utilized for this study were the Symptom Checklist 90-R, Acrophobia Questionnaire, Fear of Spiders Questionnaire, The Claustrophobia Questionnaire, Igroup Presence Questionnaire, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. All virtual environments generated sufficient feeling of presence. Cybersickness was only registered in the Elevator scenario. The Apartment and Spiders environments have shown not to be anxiety triggers within this population. As for Elevator, a significant increase in the level of state anxiety was generated. A possible hypothesis to account for this fact might be that reported anxiety responds to movement simulated in the virtual scenario while on the other two scenarios the subjects remained static. The existence of a correlation between HRV and state anxiety has been analyzed and no significant relation has been found between the variables. Even though there is a relation between anxiety and presence, no significant relation has been found between anxiety and presence. Regarding sensory conflict, a follow up study in the Elevator environment should be done, eliminating movement and exposing subjects to the stimuli while static at different heights. Future studies should consider broadening the size of the sample and studying clinical population to compare results.

The Role of Alexithymia and Coping Strategies in Eating Disorders: a Pilot Study

The majority of studies have found higher levels of alexithymia and a higher use of maladaptive coping strategies in individuals with eating disorders (ED). In this study, we consider the relationships between alexithymia and coping skills in different types of ED, in order to identify the specific role of these constructs in predicting dysfunctional eating symptoms. Thirty-four patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), 30 patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), 29 with binge eating disorder (BED) and 28 healthy control (HC) took part in the study. Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation (CISS) were used to assess the constructs of interest. Patients with ED showed higher levels of alexithymia in comparison with HC. Moreover, they presented a higher use of Emotion oriented coping strategy than HC. Regression analysis showed that alexithymia difficult to identify feeling predicted the eating disorder risk in patients with AN, whereas the same risk was predicted by the Emotion oriented coping strategy in BED group. For AN group, the model remain significant also when controlling for anxiety and depression. Alexithymia appears to be a predictor of eating symptoms specifically in an AN group, whereas a high use of emotion-oriented coping strategy appears to be a predictor of ED specifically in BED patients. The present findings may orient various kinds of intervention specifically targeted to different levels of emotion processing.

Association between happiness and psychopathology in an elderly regional rural population in Crete.

Research has shown that socio-demographic profile and psychopathology symptoms are related to levels of happiness in old age. The aims of this cross-sectional study were: 1) to investigate the effect of recent stressful life events and socio-demographic factors on psychopathological symptoms in elderly residents in mountain regions of Crete, Greece and 2) to explore the mechanism which underlies the relationship between socio-demographic factors and psychopathological symptoms, with levels of happiness in old age. To this end, we used the nine psychopathology dimensions of symptoms as defined in the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90), while the Holmes and Rahe stress inventory was administered to quantify the stressful life events. A sample of 205 elderly men and women (age=77.1±6.7 years) living in 10 remote rural and isolated villages participated in this study. Data was collected through questionnaires completed upon individual meetings with each participant, with the interviewer's assistance. Each questionnaire included the two aforesaid scales alongside questions on individual socio-demographic characteristics. Analysis of variance was applied to detect socio-demographic factors that have a significant effect on specific psychopathological symptoms. Then, path analysis was applied to quantify the direct and indirect effect of the selected socio-demographic factors on happiness levels. Stressful life events were found to have no statistically significant effect on the presence of specific symptoms (somatization, psychoticism, anxiety) in elderly adults. Furthermore, certain socio-demographic factors (marital status, smoking, family income and social activity) were found to influence happiness, which varied according to the level of psycho-emotional tension. The results suggest that somatization, psychoticism, and phobic anxiety symptoms are psychic reactions independent of recent stressful life events. Our study,despite its regional character, may contribute in the development of appropriate clinical assessment tools and interventions, helping primary care practitioners to approach elderly people living in remote villages in a more appropriate and holistic manner, improving thereby the effectiveness of their interventions.

Validity and Reliability of The Turkish Version of Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale

Anhedonia is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders and its reliable evaluation is needed for the dimensional understanding of psychiatric disorders. Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) is one of the most widely used scale to assess anhedonia. Here, we aimed to search the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of SHAPS. Translation of the original scale was completed in a two-step procedure. 188 healthy controls, 56 patients with a depressive disorder (F32-F34, excluding F34.0 cyclothymic disorder, according to ICD-10), and 52 patients with anxiety, stress-related or somatoform disorder diagnoses (F40-49 diagnosis according to ICD-10) were recruited, and evaluated with the Turkish version of SHAPS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). For the Turkish version of SHAPS, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found 0.87. The item-total item correlation indices ranged from 0.39 to 0.64. Principal components analysis extracted two factors and explained 46.57 % of total variance. The most significant correlation of SHAPS was found with BDI scores. SHAPS weakly correlated with somatization, interpersonal sensitivity and depression sub-scales of SCL-90-R, but not with BAI or other sub-scales of SCL-90-R. Depressive group had significantly higher SHAPS scores compared to controls and anxious group. Anxious group and control group were not significantly different for SHAPS scores. The current study shows that the Turkish version of the SHAPS has good psychometric properties. SHAPS scores may correlate with depression, somatization, and interpersonal sensitivity scores, and it may help to differentiate depressive patients from anxious patients and controls.

Emergent Forms of Psychopathology and Their Associations with Homophobic Bullying in Adolescents: An Exploratory Quantitative Study

This study identified emergent forms of psychopathological traits and explored their role in the etiology of homophobic bullying in adolescence. Participants were 394 adolescents and young adults (41.6% male and 58.4% female) aged 15–20 years (M = 16.55; SD = .85) attending the third and fourth classes of public high schools in Italian cities. Participants completed the Homophobic Bullying Scale to evaluate acts of bullying towards gays and lesbians and the Symptom Check-list-90-R (SCL-90) to evaluate symptomatology connected to anxiety, depression, hostility and psychoticism. An exploratory factor analysis yielded three unique scales in the Italian sample: (1) paranoid destructiveness; (2) social desolation, and (3) anxious exhaustion, that drew items from across the Symptom Check-list-90-R (SCL-90). The scales were tested using confirmatory factor analysis and used to predict homophobic bullying in a structural equation model. Results demonstrated that paranoid destructiveness predicted bullying of gay and lesbian adolescents, anxious exhaustion prevented bullying of gay adolescents, and social desolation did not associate with bullying in the sample. Theoretical and educational implications are provided.

Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire: Greek Translation, Validation and Psychometric Properties

Aim of this study is to assess the reliability, validity and psychometric properties of the Greek language version of the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ). Method: The Greek language version of the DCQ scale was presented to 88 healthy individuals (57 women and 31 men) and 32 subjects suffering from body dysmorphic disorder BDD (20 women and 12 men) matched for age and sex. All the BDD group subjects and 57 subjects from the healthy individual group were also assessed according to the following psychometric scales: Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90) scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI 1 and STAI-2) and the Zung Self-Rating Depression scales. Results: Regarding the DCQ scale, the analysis revealed that one single factor was extracted that accounted for 71.4% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.933, indicating a high level of internal consistency. Comparison between groups, healthy individuals vs BDD patients, showed statistically significant differences in almost every item of the SCL-90 scale (p < 0.05). The Spearman correlations of DCQ score, the DCQ factor score and DCQ T factor with SCL-90, EPQ, as well as the ZUNG depressive scales present high correlation with most items of SCL-90 and ZUNG and STAI-2 (p < 0.005). Conclusion: The Greek version of the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) is a valid and reliable instrument, appropriate for both research and clinical settings where dysmorphic concern or body image is a variable which needs to be measured or screened for.

Social-Demographic Correlates of the Mental Health Conditions among the Chinese Elderly

Studies on psychological problems among the elderly were mainly conducted in developed countries, which may not fit China under the context of the dramatic changes of social environment. This study aims to assess the status and social-demographic determinants of the mental health among the Chinese elderly. The Chinese version of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) was used to measure participants’ mental health. A logistic model was established to identify the main socio-demographic factors associated with the overall detection rate of SCL-90-R. The overall positive detection rate of SCL-90-R was 23.6%, and the four symptoms with the highest positive detection rate were somatization (39.5%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (28.1%), other poor mental health symptoms (mainly sleep and diet problems) (25.7%), and depression (25.1%). The results showed those aged 75–79 (OR = 0.640, 95% CI 0.452 to 0.905) and 80 or above (OR = 0.430, 95% CI 0.302 to 0.613), those received 0 (OR = 0.224, 95% CI 0.162 to 0.310) or 1–5 years of education (OR = 0.591, 95% CI 0.449 to 0.776), those were living with spouse only (OR = 0.817, 95% CI 0.563 to 0.997) and with multiple generations (OR = 0.689, 95% CI 0.472 to 0.950), those holding a non-agricultural household registration (OR = 0.727, 95% CI 0.537 to 0.984), and those with an better higher household income were less likely to be positive in overall mental health symptoms. Mental health was shown to be better among those with more advanced ages (≥75), lower levels of schooling (≤5), normal body mass index, higher household incomes, and those who are married and live with their spouse or multiple generations, and those who came from city and currently live in the county.

ADHD symptoms in the adult general population are associated with factors linked to ADHD in adult patients

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adults. It is characterized by inappropriate levels of inattention (IA) and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity (HI). The ADHD diagnosis is hypothesized to represent the extreme of a continuous distribution of ADHD symptoms in the general population. In this study, we investigated whether factors linked to adult ADHD as a disorder are associated with adult ADHD symptoms in the general population. Our population-based sample included 4987 adults (mean age 56.1 years; 53.8% female) recruited by the Nijmegen Biomedical Study (NBS). Participants completed the Dutch ADHD DSM-IV Rating Scale for current and childhood ADHD symptoms, the Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R) anxiety subscale, and the Eysenk Personality Questionnaire (EPQR-S). Partial Spearman correlation and Hurdle negative binomial regression analysis were used to assess how age, sex, childhood ADHD symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, and psychoticism) are associated with current IA and HI symptoms. Increasing age was associated with a lower proportion of participants reporting HI symptoms and with reduced levels of HI; IA levels remained fairly stable over the age-range, but the probability of reporting IA symptoms increased throughout middle/late adulthood. Females were more likely to report IA symptoms than males. Childhood ADHD symptoms, neuroticism, and psychoticism were positively associated with current IA and HI symptoms, while extraversion had an opposite association with these symptom domains. Anxiety symptoms affected HI symptoms in females. Our results indicate that factors associated with categorical ADHD are also correlated with ADHD symptoms in the adult population.

Dysfunctional personality traits: relationship with Five Factor Model, adaptation and symptomatology in a community sample from Buenos Aires.

The paper introduces an analysis of the dimensional maladaptive personality traits model stated in the section III of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), conducted on a community sample composed of 906 adults from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Data were gathered using a socio-demographic survey as well as the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5), the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the Symptom Check List 90-R (SCL-90-R), and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). A joint exploratory factor analysis was carried out including the PID-5’s 25 facets along with BFI’s 5 factors as input variables. Findings showed a 5-factor structure mostly coincident with DSM-5’s hypotheses as well as with previous research. Besides, correlations calculated between PID-5 and BFI scores behaved according to theoretical hypotheses. By means of a two-stage cluster analysis which used WHODAS 2.0 score and the Global Severity Index index from SCL-90-R as segmentation criteria, two groups were differentiated: The High-Adaptation/Low-Symptomatology group vs the Low- Adaptation/High-Symptomatology one. The second group obtained significantly higher means in the five domains, and in 24 of the 25 facets of PID-5.

The Study of Hardiness and Its Association with Aggression and Interpersonal Sensitivity in Physicians

Background: Physicians experience a significant amount of stress. Medical residents and physicians are considered a high-risk group because of long working hours and high levels of stress associated with their training and life. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate hardiness in physicians according to specialty, sex, age, and marital status and investigate the relationship between hardiness and aggression, interpersonal sensitivity, and educational success. Methods: In a cross- sectional study, 194 second-year residents from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, who were studying in 23 different specialties in the year 2017, were enrolled. The data collection tools included a demographic form, hardiness scale, and aggression and interpersonal sensitivity scales of The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL90). Results: Mean scores of commitment, challenge, and control were 71.91 ± 15.57, 48.23 ± 13.30, and 71.66 ± 12.98, respectively. Women had significantly lower challenge scores than men (P = 0.017), and the mean challenge score was significantly higher among married participants (P = 0.008). Commitment and control scores were not influenced by the subject’s characteristics (P > 0.05). Increment of grade point average (OR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.29 - 0.87) and control score (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.93 - 0.99) significantly decreased the risk of deterioration of aggressive behaviour. Interpersonal sensitivity level was significantly associated with the challenge (P = 0.001), control, and commitment (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, and emergency medicine specialists obtained the highest scores in hardiness, while radiotherapists and gynaecologists scored highest in aggression and interpersonal sensitivity. Considering the reverse relationship of hardiness with aggression and interpersonal sensitivity, it is necessary to implement educational programs for boosting hardiness among physicians.

Behavioral responses in people affected by alcohol use disorder and psychiatric comorbidity: correlations with addiction severity.

In this study, we investigated in people suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD) with or without dual diagnosis (concomitant psychiatric disability) how they feel their dependence condition. We predicted that AUD people with a dual diagnosis could feel potentiated their addiction. Alcohol habits and psychiatric conditions of 183 AUD men and 62 AUD women were measured by using the DSM-5, the severity of alcohol dependence questionnaire (SADQ), the alcohol anamnesis and psychiatric examination by the symptom check list 90-R (SCL-90-R). We have shown that alcohol drinking does not correlate with both psychiatric examination and self-reported psychopathology. SADQ shows that severe alcohol dependence correlates with highest psychiatric symptoms and with the levels of alcohol consumption. This finding suggests that high SADQ scores may represent a tool to early disclose only patients with dual diagnosis. SADQ may provide information to address pharmacological interventions because revealing aspects of the dark side of addiction potentiated by AUD associated psychopathology.

Comparisons of measures that evaluate oral and general health quality of life in patients with temporomandibular disorder and chronic pain

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the oral and general health related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, and to establish their ability to categorize chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods: Data were collected from 104 patients through a questionnaire with detailed socio-demographic information, the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), the Short-Form-36 (SF-36), the Revised Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), and the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) Axis I and II. Descriptive statistics were computed. Results: Better self-rated health and having no muscle pain were the key predictors for better physical HRQOL, whereas higher levels of depression, worse self-rated health and mandibular functioning were highly associated with worse mental HRQOL. The oral HRQOL were significantly lower in TMD patients with higher pain-related disability and worse oral health rating. Discussion: The use of the OHIP-14 in chronic TMD patients may provide valuable clinical information for better assessing the pain–related disability when compared to SF-36.

Rural birth/upbringing and childhood adversities are associated with psychotic experiences in university students in China

BackgroundUrbanicity has been reported to associate with an increased risk of psychotic experiences (PEs) in developed countries but less is known about the situation in developing countries. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of birth/upbringing place and other environmental factors on PEs in Chinese university students. MethodsA computer-assisted cross-sectional survey was conducted on 4620 second-year undergraduates, using a stratified cluster sampling. Birth places and residential mobility before 16 years old were recorded. PEs were measured using the subscales of psychoticism and paranoid ideation in the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). Six questions extracted from the childhood section of the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) were used to assess childhood trauma. ResultsGeneralized ordered logit model of multiple regression analysis revealed that participants with rural birth/upbringing (e.g. rural upbringing, on graded factor score of psychoticism and paranoid ideation [GFSPPI], 0 versus 1 & 2, odds ratio [OR] 1.409, 95% CI 1.219–1.628, p < 0.00001; 0 & 1 versus 2, OR 1.584, 95% CI 1.179–2.128, p < 0.00001) and those who reported childhood trauma (e.g. on GFSPPI, 0 versus 1 & 2, OR 1.737, 95% CI 1.498–2.014, p < 0.00001; 0 & 1 versus 2, OR 1.618, 95% CI 1.224–2.140, p < 0.00001) were apt to present more severe PEs. While upbringing places and childhood trauma affected both the presence and the severity of PEs, gender affected the presence or absence of PEs only (e.g. females, on GFSPPI, 0 versus 1 & 2, OR 1.887, 95% CI 1.631–2.183, p < 0.00001; 0 & 1 versus 2, OR 0.927, 95% CI 0.702–1.223, p = 0.593). Besides, the number of risk factors was associated with the severity of PEs in the cumulative odds logistic regression analysis (e.g. 3 risk factors versus 0 risk factor, on GFSPPI, OR 4.126, 95% CI 3.075–5.537, p < 0.00001). ConclusionsFemale, rural birth/upbringing and childhood trauma are risk factors of PEs in university students in China. The discrepancy in the findings between developed countries and China has important implications for urbanicity as a risk factor for PEs.

Short-term versus long-term mentalization-based therapy for outpatients with subthreshold or diagnosed borderline personality disorder: a protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundPsychotherapy for borderline personality disorder is often lengthy and resource-intensive. However, the current length of outpatient treatments is arbitrary and based on trials that never tested if the treatment intensity could be reduced. As a result, there is insufficient evidence to inform the decision between short-term and long-term psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. Mentalization-based therapy is one treatment option for borderline personality disorder and consists traditionally of an 18-month treatment program.Methods/designThis trial is an investigator-initiated single-center randomized clinical superiority trial of short-term (20 weeks) compared to long-term (14 months) mentalization-based therapy for outpatients with subthreshold or diagnosed borderline personality disorder. Participants will be recruited from the Outpatient Clinic for Personality Disorders at Stolpegaard Psychotherapy Centre, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark. Participants will be included if they meet a minimum of four DSM-V criteria for borderline personality disorder. Participants will be assessed before randomization, and at 8, 16, and 24 months after randomization. The primary outcome is severity of borderline symptomatology assessed with the Zanarini Rating Scale for borderline personality disorder. Secondary outcomes include self-harm incidents, functional impairment (Work and Social Adjustment Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning) and quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey 36). Severity of psychiatric symptoms (Symptom Checklist 90-R) will be included as an exploratory outcome. Measures of personality functioning, attachment, borderline symptoms, group alliance, and mentalization skills will be included to explore potential predictors and mechanisms of change.DiscussionThis trial will provide evidence of the beneficial and harmful effects of short-term compared to long-term mentalization-based therapy for outpatients with subthreshold or diagnosed borderline personality disorder.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03677037. Registered on September 19, 2018.

Symptom-Checklist-K-9: Norm values and factorial structure in a representative German sample.

BackgroundThe SCL-K-9 is the latest short version of the multidimensional Symptom-Checklist 90-R. Up to now, its psychometric properties have not been clarified sufficiently as the nine items have not yet been presented exclusively in a representative sample. Therefore, psychometric properties, model fit values as well as norm-values were analyzed.MethodsFor the sample, N = 2,507 participants aged 14 to 92, n = 1,379 women and n = 1,128 men, and a mean age of 48.79 (SD = 17.91), were selected from the general population by random-route sampling. Confirmatory factor analyses applying full information maximum likelihood (FIML) tested the model fit. The reliability estimations and effect sizes were reported.ResultsThe items’ discriminative power ranged between .49 to .65, and the Cronbach’s Alpha was α = .87, which stands for a good reliability of the SCL-K-9. Norm values as well as gender and age specificities were presented in this section. The CFA with all nine items loading on one latent factor resulted in a good fit. There was evidence of invariance across age and gender groups.SummaryBased on these results, the short screening version SCL-K-9 of the Symptom-Checklist 90-R showed good reliability and good model fit; specific norm values could be determined. Further studies should evaluate the usefulness of the standardization in clinical samples.

Psychological distress in cancer patients after laryngectomy

The study objective is to analyze mental state of patients with laryngeal cancer after laryngectomy. Materials and methods . The study included 38 patients at various stages of laryngeal cancer treatment. To assess mental state, we used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). Results . In general, preoperative mental state of study participants was close to that in healthy individuals (described in literature), although there was a slight increase in their levels of depression and anxiety and higher distress severity indices. Six months after laryngectomy, a high level of distress was found; all patients had higher scores in all primary symptom dimensions; however, a significant increase was registered only for anxiety, depression, somatization, hostility, and interpersonal sensitivity. Six months postoperatively, mean anxiety score reduced, but was still higher than preoperative one and normal one. There was a significant increase in depression score and interpersonal sensitivity score. Conclusion . Our findings suggest the need for special programs of psychological rehabilitation for patients with laryngeal cancer to teach them the skills needed for self-regulation of mental state in order to increase their stress resistance.

Validation of a substance craving questionnaire (SCQ) in Italian population

BackgroundThis study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Substance Craving Questionnaire (SCQ-NOW), extended version of the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ-NOW), defined as a multidimensional measure assessing the craving about cocaine, as conceptualized by Tiffany, Singleton, Haertzen, and Henningfield (1993). Method344 substance addicts (age 38.56 ± 10.63 years old; 20.6% females) took part in the research. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the Italian SCQ-NOW retains good psychometric properties, supporting the conception of substances craving as a multifold concept. ResultsThe internal consistencies were good; correlations between the SCQ-NOW, the Symptom Check List 90 – R (SCL-90-R), and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) were consistent with literature. ConclusionOur findings confirm the application of SCQ-NOW as a psychometric useful measure of the craving in the Italian context, highlighting its validity and reliability. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate certain social and psychological parameters and to compare them with basic demographic information, such as the gender and the education, of patients suffering from Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study of Type 2 diabetic patients was conducted. In total, 200 patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study. Psychological factors were assessed with questionnaires, including the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R), the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) and the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ). The associations of psychological with socio-demographic factors were assessed through logistic regression analyses.FindingsWomen patients had higher levels of heart-focused anxiety psychopathology than men, and therefore, women tend to avoid activities that burden the heart. Men patients had a significantly higher index of physical functionality than women. No differences were recorded by the SCL-90R questionnaire between men and women. For the patients with elementary education, lower levels of mental health (SF-36-MCS) were observed.Originality/valueThe chronicity of the disease aggravates the psychopathology of the patients thereby creating adverse impact not only on health but also on efforts for compliance. A personalized approach by the health professionals could contribute in addressing the psychological factors that accompany T2DM.

Psychiatric Symptoms in Refractory Epilepsy During the First Year After Surgery

Psychiatric morbidity in drug-resistant epilepsy is frequent. Surgery is the best therapeutic alternative for treating seizures, but the current evidence concerning the effects of surgery on psychiatric disorders (PDs) is inconclusive. We aim to clarify surgery's role in long-term PDs. Using a prospective controlled study, we analyzed the psychopathologic outcomes of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, comparing those who underwent surgery to those who did not due to not being suitable. Surgical candidates were paired (n = 84) with the immediately following nonsurgical candidates (n = 68). Both groups continued their usual medical treatment. We studied psychiatric changes for each group and analyzed de novo and remission cases. The assessments were made during the presurgical evaluation, and at 6 months (6-M) and 12 months (12-M) after surgery. Finally, we determined associated factors for postsurgical PDs. At 12 months, using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), anxiety improved in both groups (p = 0.000), while depression improved only in the surgical group (p = 0.016). Moreover, all symptom dimensions on the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90), as well as severity, distress, and total symptoms, decreased only in the surgical group. These ameliorations reached not only statistical significance but also clinical significance for depression (HADS) (p = 0.014) and the interictal dysphoric disorder (p = 0.013). The main predictors for PDs after surgery were as follows: the presurgical and 6-month psychiatric symptoms, the absence of surgery, seizure outcomes, and some antiepileptic and psychiatric drugs. This study provides evidence that surgery for epilepsy could have a role in improving some symptoms of psychiatric disorders 12-M after the surgery.

Neuropsychological and Psychological Functioning Aspects in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Patients in Italy

Introduction: Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant genetic illness, characterized by a progressive loss of strength. Important deficits in cognitive functioning and a significant prevalence of psychiatric disorders have been previously reported.Methods:A neuropsychological and psychological assessment was carried out in 31 DM1 patients (61% males) in order to measure the cognitive functioning and explore their personality profiles. The MMSE Mini-Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), ENB-2 Battery assessing memory (short term, long term and working memory), integration capacities, visual-spatial ability, attention (selective, divided, shifting/switching) executive functions, praxis, discrimination and logic capabilities and psychopathology Symptom Check List 90-R (SCL-90-R) were administered. The neuropsychological and psychological evaluation of DM1 patients was carried out taking into consideration the clinical parameters (CTG repeat, age at onset, disease duration, Muscular Impairment Rate Scale (MIRS), Medical Research Council Scale (MRC) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scales (EPS)).Results: Regarding psychopathology 19.4% of patients scored a moderate or high level of symptoms intensity index (GSI), 12.9% reported a high number of symptoms (PST) and 16.1% reported a high intensity level of the perceived symptoms (PSDI). Fatigue and daytime sleepiness resulted as being associated with higher levels of psychoticism (PSY). Only 1 patient reported a severe impairment in the spatial and temporal orientation, memory, language, praxis, attention and calculation. Longer disease duration was also associated with cognitive impairment evaluated through ENB-2 (p < 0.05).Discussions and Conclusions:There are indications of the utility of neuropsychological and psychological screening and support for these patients and their families due to the link between disease duration and cognitive performances. A proposal of a clinical protocol, with an illustration of a clinical case report of a family is presented.