Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Research Articles

Psychological Symptomatology in Informal Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: Influences on Health-Related Quality of Life.

Informal caregivers of persons with dementia often report high levels of anxiety, depression and burden. Nonetheless, other less evaluated psychological symptoms might also influence their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyse other psychological symptoms and their influence on the health-related quality of life of informal caregivers. Fifty-four informal women caregivers and fifty-six women non-caregivers were recruited to participate in the study. Psychological symptoms were assessed using the Symptom Check-List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire and the HRQoL with the EuroQoL-Five Dimensions and Three Levels (EurQoL-5D-3L) questionnaire. Significant between-group differences were found in the majority of scales in the SCL-90-R questionnaire (p < 0.01) and caregivers also reported a worse HRQoL than non-caregivers (p < 0.05). Several psychological symptoms such as obsession-compulsive (β = 0.47), hostility (β = 0.59), and somatization (β = −0.49) had a significant impact on caregivers’ HRQoL (R2 explained between 0.17 and 0.30 of the variance). Caregivers are at a higher risk of suffering other psychological symptoms and show a moderate–high level of psychiatric morbidity, which therefore explains the poorer HRQoL outcomes. Supporting interventions should be provided to mitigate these psychological symptoms in order to improve their general distress and HRQoL.

Psychobiotics Regulate the Anxiety Symptoms in Carriers of Allele A of IL-1β Gene: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background Probiotic oral intake, via modulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, can impact brain activity, mood, and behavior; therefore, it may be beneficial against psychological distress and anxiety disorders. Inflammatory cytokines can influence the onset and progression of several neurodegenerative mood disorders, and the IL-1β rs16944 SNP is related to high cytokine levels and potentially affects mood disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the combined effect of IL-1β polymorphism and probiotic administration in mood disorder phenotypes in the Italian population. Methods 150 subjects were randomized into two different groups, probiotic oral suspension group (POSG) and placebo control group (PCG), and received the relative treatment for 12 weeks. Psychological profile assessment by Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Body Uneasiness Test (BUT), and Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL90R) was administered to all volunteers. Genotyping was performed on DNA extracted from salivary samples. Results After 12 weeks of intervention, a significant reduction of HAM-A total score was detected in the POSG (p < 0.01), compared to the PCG. Furthermore, IL-1β carriers have moderate risk to develop anxiety (OR = 5.90), and in POSG IL-1β carriers, we observed a reduction of HAM-A score (p = 0.02). Conclusions Consumption of probiotics mitigates anxiety symptoms, especially in healthy adults with the minor A allele of rs16944 as a risk factor. Our results encourage the use of probiotics in anxiety disorders and suggest genetic association studies for psychobiotic-personalized therapy.

Effect of psychiatric symptoms and male sexual function of couples on the success of treatment for vaginismus.

The study was performed on 110 women diagnosed with vaginismus and their partners. The women underwent cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and couples were divided into two groups: successful and unsuccessful therapy. Sexual function in couples was evaluated using the Golombok Rust Index of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) in men and the Female Sexual Function Index in women. The psychopathological symptoms of participants were evaluated using the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Of the 110 women in this study, 98 completed CBT and treatment was successful for 59 (60.2%). GRISS scores pertaining to the subscales of infrequency (66.7% and 39.0%), non-communication (56.4% and 22.0%), avoidance (76.9% and 52.5%), impotence (56.4% and 33.9%) and premature ejaculation (64.1% and 32.2%) before treatment were significantly lower in the successful than unsuccessful treatment group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between complaints of impotence and premature ejaculation in men and symptoms of depression and anxiety in men. In the successful treatment group, pretreatment values were lower for the SCL-90-R subscales of anxiety and depression in men and anxiety, depression, phobic anxiety and obsessive compulsiveness in women than in the unsuccessful treatment group. The psychiatric symptoms and sexual functions of couples were found to affect the success of treatment for vaginismus. As such, treatments should be administered in accordance with other symptoms present in couples.

Cognitive error characteristics of rumination and cleaning dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objective: Cognitive errors in psychiatric disorders have been frequently investigated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cognitive errors, cognitive domains including interpersonal relationships (IP) and personal achieve-ments (PA), and psychiatric comorbidity in the rumination (R) and cleaning (C) dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Methods: The disorder symptoms were assessed via the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inven-tory (MOCI) and Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). The Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS) was used to evaluate cognitive errors. Results: There were 31 female patients with OCD-R, 31 female patients with OCD-C and 31 healthy female controls. The mean age and the mean education level of the patient and control groups were similar (p=0.461 and p=0.203, respectively). The patient and control groups were different in terms of MOCI, SCL-90-R, and CDS scores (p

Caregiver burden and affecting factors for patients with schizophrenia

Caregiver burden is a complex concept that is influenced by many different factors. This study aimed to evaluate caregiving burden in caregivers of schizophrenia patients and to examine the effect of gender and other socio-demographic and clinical characteristics on caregiving burden. This study included 100 (50 female, 50 male) patients, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and their caregivers. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were administered to the caregivers. Insight Rating Scale (IRS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Functional Recovery Scale in Schizophrenia (FRSS), Global Assessment Scale (GAS) were administered to the patients. The caregivers of male patients had significantly higher HAM-A, HAM-D, ZCBS total and all subscale, and SCL-90-R total and all subscale scores. The male patients had significantly higher PANSS general psychopathology subscale and CDSS and lower IRS scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that male patient gender, living in urban areas and HAM-D scores of the caregivers were predictive of ZCBS total scores. This study found that schizophrenia has a significant burden. In addition, male patient and depression level of the caregivers were determined as the predictors of the caregiven burden.

Стратегии совладания, психологическое благополучие и проблемное использование интернета в период пандемии

Pandemic and accompanying isolation period made significant changes in the daily activities of adolescents and young people. In the changed conditions, it is of interest to study the most adaptive coping strategies that contribute to the preservation of psychological well-being. The study involved 88 girls in Russia, aged 13 to 22 (M = 17.8; SD = 3).Data collection was carried out from 6 to 7 May 2020.The scales used were: Pandemic Lifestyle Changes Questionnaire, Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale (GPIUS3), Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and Symptom Check List- 90-Revised (SCL-90-R).Short and long term planning was found to be positively associated with less depressive symptoms and greater life satisfaction. Social interaction and altruism are associated with lower rates of problematic Internet use. Family interaction is associated with indicators of psychological well-being and less loneliness. Family conflicts are correlated with an increase in rates of problematic Internet use and lower levels of psychological well-being.

Уровень профессионального выгорания врачей-ординаторов, проходящих стажировку в скоропомощном стационаре: данные до ситуации пандемии

The review of modern studies on the issue of professional burnout in young doctors and medical residents revealed the highest emotional distress in young residents doing internships in intensive care and emergency units. The paper presents the results of the study on 143 medical residents in the multi-profile hospital of emergency medicine. The methodical complex used included Maslach Burnout Inventory, Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised (SCL-90-R) by L. Derogatis, and a survey on the attitude to professional troubles. Most young doctors pointed out the close relationship between problems with physical health and emotional wellbeing to their professional activity. The vast majority of the participants met the criteria for burnout, as indicated by high emotional exhaustion (69%) and depersonalization (85%) indications from the Maslach Inventory. Although most residents didn’t endorse any problems in communicating with the patients, their high level of depersonalization is more likely to attest to formalizing their relationships with the patients as opposed to having high social competence. The yielded results let us conclude that it is necessary to develop and implement into training programs for medical residents of the multi-profile hospital of emergency medicine programs promoting their communication competence, coping with distress, and preventing professional burnout.

The Effect of Traumatic Experiences on Self-Esteem

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı psikiyatrik hasta grubu ile psikiyatrik hastalığı olmayan sağlıklı kontrol grubunun yaşadıkları travma şiddetini karşılaştırarak, travmanın benlik saygısı üzerine olan etkisini ve benlik saygısının psikiyatrik semptomlarla ilişkisini araştırmaktır.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya Düzce Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Psikiyatri Anabilim Dalı’na başvuran psikotik hastalığı olmayan, depresyon, anksiyete bozuklukları, somatoform bozuklukları, obsesif kompulsif bozuklukları, travma sonrası stres bozukluğu olan 100 hasta ile 100 sağlıklı kontrol grubu alındı. Hasta ve kontrol gruplarının sosyodemografik özellikleri kaydedildi. Travma algısının şiddeti Görsel Anolog Skala (VAS) ile değerlendirildi. Yaşanılan travmayı tespit etmek için Travmatik Yaşantılar Ölçeği (TYÖ), bilişsel durumu belirlemek için Travma Sonrası Bilişler Envanteri (TSBE), benlik saygısı için Rosenberg Benlik Saygısı Ölçeği (RBSÖ) ve psikolojik semptomları belirlemek için Belirti Tarama Listesi (SCL-90R) kullanıldı.Bulgular: Hasta grubunun hem kendilerinin hem de ebeveynlerinin eğitim seviyesi kontrol grubundan düşükken, VAS ise yüksek bulundu. RBSÖ açısından benlik saygısı, anne-baba ilgisi ve babayla ilişki hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre daha düşük iken, eleştiriye duyarlılık, depresif duygulanım, hayalperestlik, psikosomatik belirtiler, kişilerarası ilişkilerde tehdit hissetme ve psikolojik izolasyon yüksek saptandı. Hasta grubunda TYÖ ve TSBE değerleri ve SCL-90R’deki tüm semptomlar hasta grubunda daha fazla idi.Sonuç: Hasta grubunda kontrol grubuna göre travma puanları yüksek benlik saygısı ise düşük bulunmuştur. Hem travmanın kendisi hem de benlik saygısının düşüklüğü psikiyatrik belirtilerin hasta grubunda daha fazla olmasına sebep olmuştur.

Assessing Depression Following Injury or Illness: Preliminary Validation of the Neuropsychology.Org Measures of Anxiety and Depression (NOMAD) Scale.

Evaluation is an important aspect of any evidence-based rehabilitation program, as it helps to determine the course and scope of the prescribed therapy. Several brief, empirically validated measures of depression are available, yet these measures lack a few innovative features that are useful when evaluating rehabilitation and other medical populations. Such features include a retrospective self-report of premorbid psychological status, embedded symptom validity measures, and means of quickly accounting for physiological symptoms directly resulting from injury or illness that may not indicate psychological distress. This was a preliminary study investigating the utility and psychometric properties, including normative data, of the Neuropsychology.Org Measures of Anxiety and Depression (NOMAD) Depression scale. This brief screening measure for rehabilitation and other medical patients provides ratings of current and preinjury/illness depression levels, and a screening for symptom magnification and minimization. Clinical and control participants completed the NOMAD Depression scale. Clinical participants also completed some or all of the following criterion standard measures: Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). University hospital-based rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology clinic and a private neuropsychology and pain psychology practice. Convenience sample of 575 adults referred for neuropsychological or psychological evaluation, along with 85 undergraduate control subjects. NOMAD Depression scale results were correlated with criterion standards. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were calculated. The NOMAD Depression scale demonstrated moderate convergent validity with other brief mood measures: correlation coefficients (r = .76 to .87, P < .001). Adequate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were found (area under the curve [AUC] = .81). Suggested cut-off scores for severity ranges are presented for the NOMAD Depression scale Total score and separately for the Cognitive-Affective subscale. These preliminary results suggest that the NOMAD Depression scale may be clinically useful for quick assessment of mood and mood change following injury/illness in rehabilitation and other health care contexts.

Psychiatric symptoms and expression of glucocorticoid receptor gene in cocaine users: A longitudinal study

BackgroundChronic cocaine users (CU) display reduced peripheral expression of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1), which is potentially involved in stress-related psychiatric symptoms frequently occurring in CU. However, it is unknown whether psychiatric symptoms and lower NR3C1 expression are related to each other and whether reduction of drug consumption reverse them. MethodAt baseline, NR3C1 mRNA expression was measured in 68 recreational CU, 30 dependent CU, and 68 stimulant-naïve controls. Additionally, the Revised Symptom Checklist (SCL-90R) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) were assessed. At a one-year follow-up, the association between change in NR3C1 expression and psychiatric symptoms was examined in 48 stimulant-naïve controls, 19 CU who increased and 19 CU who decreased their consumption. At both test sessions, cocaine concentrations in hair samples were determined. Mixed-effects models were used to investigate how changes in drug use intensity affect severity of psychiatric symptoms and NR3C1 expression over time. ResultsAt baseline, recreational and dependent CU displayed elevated impulsivity and considerable symptom burden across most of the SCL-90R subscales. Time-group interaction effects were found for several impulsivity scores, SCL-90R Global Severity Index, Paranoid Thoughts, and Depression subscales as well as for NR3C1 expression. Pairwise comparisons showed that decreasing CU specifically improved in these SCL-90R subscales, while their NR3C1 expression was adapted. Finally, changes in NR3C1 expression were negatively correlated with changes in impulsivity but not SCL-90R scores. ConclusionOur findings suggest that NR3C1 expression changes and some psychiatric symptoms are reversible upon reduction of cocaine intake, thus favouring abstinence-oriented treatment approaches.

Psychological distress symptoms and illness perception in patients with epilepsy in Northwest Greece

ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to compare psychological distress between patients with epilepsy and healthy controls and to evaluate potentially related factors to psychological distress in patients with epilepsy. Furthermore, we assessed how psychological distress and other potential factors mediate illness perception in patients with epilepsy in an urban area of Northwest Greece. Materials and methodsA case–control study was conducted in adult patients with epilepsy followed up at the University Hospital of Ioannina and in healthy controls. The Symptom Checklist—90 Revised (SCL-90R) for symptoms of psychological distress and the overall psychological distress Global Severity Index (GSI) evaluation, the brief illness perception questionnaire (B-IPQ), and the Adverse Event Profile (AEP) questionnaire for the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were used. ResultsSeventy patients with epilepsy and 70 controls were recruited in the study. Somatic, depression, and anxiety symptoms and the GSI were higher in patients than in controls. In patients with epilepsy, the AEP score was significantly associated with psychological distress.Illness perception was associated with the number and the total number of administered AEDs; the AEP score; somatic, obsessive, depressive, and anxiety symptoms; and the GSI. After regression analysis, epilepsy characteristics, AEDs, and psychological distress accounted for 11.7%, 28.7%, and 5.5% of variance in BIP-Q score, respectively. ConclusionScreening for psychological distress in patients with epilepsy is of high importance in clinical practice as somatic, depression, and anxiety symptoms and overall psychological distress are more severe in patients with epilepsy than in healthy controls. The symptoms of psychological distress are strongly associated with the adverse effects of AEDs. The epilepsy characteristics, the AEDs, and the psychological distress could determine a large part of illness perception in epilepsy, with the adverse effects of AEDs being the strongest predictor.

Attention and inhibitory control deficits in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizure

This study aimed to evaluate the attention and inhibitory control functions in patients with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) and compare the results with the healthy control subjects. A total of 30 patients with GGE, 30 patients with PNES, and 32 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The severity of attention and inhibitory control deficit, general intelligence status, and psychopathology screening in all subjects were respectively investigated with the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and the Symptoms Checklist 90-revised (SCL-90-R). Patients with PNES had severe impairments in all performed tasks compared with the control group and the group with GGE (p < 0.01), whereas patients with GGE had significantly lower attention quotient versus healthy subjects (p < 0.01). The full-scale attention quotient (FSAQ) and full-scale response control quotient (FSRCQ) in patients with PNES were significantly lower in comparison with GGE (47.83 ± 32.68, 60.18 ± 35.35, p < 0.01), respectively. Multiple regression analysis did not demonstrate any significant effect of seizure frequency or epilepsy duration on attention and inhibitory control deficits, but patient's intelligence quotient (IQ) showed a significant effect on FSAQ and FSRCQ (β: 0.997, p < 0.001; β: 0.933, p < 0.001, respectively). Attention and inhibitory control are significantly impaired in patients with GGE and PNES. The cognitive deficits in patients with GGE and PNES have potentially important clinical implications in planning their neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Abbreviated assessment of psychopathology in patients with suspected seizure disorders

PurposePsychopathology is common in patients undergoing investigation for seizure-related disorders. Psychometric examination using self-report instruments, such as the Symptom Checklist 90 – Revised (SCL-90-R), can assist diagnosis. The SCL-90-R, however, is a lengthy instrument and might not be tolerated by all patients. We assessed several abbreviated forms of the SCL-90-R in patients undergoing video encephalographic monitoring (VEM). MethodSix hundred eighty-seven patients completed the SCL-90-R, and scores were computed for the full SCL-90-R and five abbreviated forms. Correlations and mean differences were computed between different forms. Classification accuracy was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and measurements models were examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). ResultsAll abbreviated forms were strongly correlated with the SCL-90-R for general psychopathology (r = 0.93–0.99), depression (r = 0.89–0.95), anxiety (r = 0.97–0.98), psychosis (r = 0.95–0.99), and obsessive–compulsive symptoms (r = 0.97). Classification performance was similar across forms for depression and anxiety, with high negative predictive values (0.90–0.94) and lower positive predictive values (0.34–0.38). Classification performance for psychotic and obsessive–compulsive disorders was poor. Differences were observed between the full SCL-90-R and its abbreviated forms across most domains (d = 0.00–0.65). The published measurement model was most strongly validated for the SCL-27, SCL-14, and the SCL-K-9. ConclusionsThese five SCL-90-R abbreviated forms show high convergent validity with the full version. In patients undergoing investigation for seizure-related disorders, the Brief Symptom Inventory full form (BSI) or short form (BSI-18) is most appropriate where screening for both depression and anxiety is required. The SCL-K-9 is appropriate when only a single measure of global psychological distress is required. None of the instruments were able to detect psychotic or obsessive–compulsive symptoms with great accuracy. Caution should be exercised when making direct comparisons across the different forms.

Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms are Less Common in Huntington's Disease than Reported Earlier.

Previous research using the Symptom-Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) has shown that compulsive symptoms in Huntington's disease (HD) occur in 10% to 52% of all cases. The "Hamburger-Zwangsinventar" (HZI), a self-rating questionnaire comprising 188 items, taps into the domain of compulsiveness in greater detail, but has not been used in HD so far. In addition, little is known about the association of obsessive-compulsive symptoms with pre-clinical stages of HD. Comparison of OC symptoms measured by the SCL-90-R and the HZI in pre-HD and HD. 29 premanifest mutation carriers (pre-HD) and 40 manifest HD patients completed both questionnaires. Clinical characteristics of HD were rated by using the UHDRS. Compared to data from general population prevalence of OC symptoms were not higher as expected in preHD and only slightly elevated in manifest HD if using HZI. Both instruments detected more OC symptoms in HD patients compared to pre-HD. The SCL-90-R more often detects compulsivity than the HZI. Results of both questionnaires showed correlations to cognition, depression, and disease duration. Compared to findings from OCD patients, there was a subordinate role in the HZI subscale for "washing and cleaning" in HD. OC symptoms in pre-HD occur not more often than in general population. The HZI appears to be useful for examining OC symptoms in detail in pre-HD and HD. HZI-subscale ratings for washing and cleaning compulsions were less pronounced in HD compared to OCD patients, possibly due to loss of disgust. The SCL-90-R might overestimate OC symptoms in both groups.

Relevance of sleep, pain cognition, and psychological distress with regard to pain in patients with burning mouth syndrome

ABSTRACT Objective: To clarify the influence of sleep, psychological distress, and pain catastrophizing on the pain experience in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS). Methods: Ninety-three patients with BMS were investigated by reviewing medical records and questionnaires using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Symptom Checklist-90 revised (SCL-90R), and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). Results: Of the 65 patients included in the study, 81.5% and 66% showed high PSQI and PCS scores, respectively. The PSQI, PCS, and SCL-90R scores correlated positively with pain interference. The result of multiple regression analysis demonstrated that helplessness and rumination of PCS significantly add to the prediction of pain interference. Discussion: Pain catastrophizing rather than psychological distress and sleep quality seems to be associated with pain experience in patients with BMS. Therefore, targeting pain catastrophizing, specifically rumination and helplessness, might lead to reduction of pain-related disability in BMS patients.

Parental Stress of Preschool Children With Generalized Anxiety or Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Background: Generalized anxiety and oppositional defiant disorders are among the most common psychopathological disorders in pre-school children. We investigated the symptom rate and perception of the child's disorders in parents of preschool children with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).Methods: The parents of preschool children (mean age 54.35 months, SD ± 11.60) with ODD, GAD, or typical development (TD) filled the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Child Behavior Checklist- 1½−5 (CBCL 1½ 5). Parents and children's diagnoses were determined by clinical assessment.Results: The parents of children with ODD reported a symptoms rate higher than parents of children with GAD or TD on most of the SCL-90-R (Global Severity Index of mental distress, p = 0.010; Somatization, p = 0.002; Paranoid Ideation, p < 0.000; and Phobic Anxiety scales, p = 0.030).Conclusions: On the CBCL scales, the parents of the ODD group overestimated the children's problems, while parents of children with GAD reported mainly children's emotional difficulties. Parents of children with ODD seem to be psychologically more vulnerable than parents of children with GAD. Parenting programs might be tailored considering the child's diagnosis and family functioning.

The Effect of Community-Based Parent Education Program on Parenting Stress According to Adult Attachment Styles.

Objectives:The aim of this study was to measure the effect of a group-based parent education program on parenting stress and attitude and comparing the same according to adult attachment styles.Methods:Twenty-two mothers who enrolled in the parent education program participated in our study. The participants filled in the Korean version of the Experience in Close Relationship Revised (ECR-R), Korean-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (K-PSI-SF), Maternal Behavior Research Instrument (MBRI), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) before and after the program. We compared the pre-and post-scores of the groups and compared the differences in effect according to adult attachment styles.Results:For all study participants, the Parent Distress (p=0.023) and Total Parenting Stress (p=0.018) significantly declined after the parent education program. There were no differences in other variables. Within the secure attachment group, the Total Parenting Stress (p= 0.008), Parent Distress (p=0.015), and Difficult Child (p=0.011) scores in the K-PSI-SF significantly decreased after participating in the program. The Difficult Child scores (p=0.040) significantly dropped in the K-PSI-SF post program within the secure attachment group, compared to the insecure attachment group.Conclusion:The group-based parent education program impacted parenting stress. Depending on the adult attachment styles, the effect of the program varied.

Psychological status of nursing survivors in China and its associated factors: 6 years after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

PurposeNursing survivors are often not only the victims but also the rescuers in a disaster. Severe natural disasters can cause them long-term psychological impact. This study aimed to investigate the psychological status of nursing survivors and its associated factors 6 years after the severe earthquake that occurred in Wenchuan, Sichuan, on May 12, 2008.MethodsThe study used a cross-sectional design. A total of 597 nurses who survived the earthquake and took care of victims were recruited about 6 years after the disaster. They completed a self-report questionnaire assessing information about demographics, earthquake-related characteristics, psychological status, posttraumatic stress disorder, and posttraumatic growth and resilience.ResultsThe mean score on the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) was (123.56±41.26). Of symptoms indicated by the SCL-90-R, obsessive-compulsive dimension had the highest score (1.62±0.62). The psychological status of nursing survivors differed with the title, monthly per capita household income, financial loss, health status, residential satisfaction, and satisfaction with leaders and colleagues. Severe financial loss and poor health status were significant factors of psychological distress. In addition, psychological status was negatively related to posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth, and positively related to resilience.ConclusionNursing survivors had a relatively normal level of psychological status 6 years after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. However, psychological symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive patterns still remained. Interventions focusing on the improvement of financial subsidies and physical health may be particularly useful in reducing psychological problems after the disaster.

Hippocampal Volume as a Putative Marker of Resilience or Compensation to Minor Depressive Symptoms in a Nonclinical Sample.

Case-control studies in major depression have established patterns of regional gray matter loss, including the hippocampus, which might show state-related effects dependent on disease stage. However, there is still limited knowledge on compensation effects that might occur in people resilient to depression showing only subclinical symptoms. We used voxel-based morphometry on a multicenter data set of 409 healthy nonclinical subjects to test the hypothesis that local hippocampal volume would be inversely correlated with subclinical depressive symptoms [Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) depression scores]. Our region-of-interest results show a significant (p = 0.042, FWE cluster-level corrected) positive correlation of SCL-90-R scores for depression and a left hippocampus cluster. Additionally, we provide an exploratory finding of gyrification, a surface-based morphometric marker, correlating with a right postcentral gyrus cluster [p = 0.031, family-wise error (FWE) cluster-level corrected]. Our findings provide first preliminary evidence of an inverse relationship for subjects in the absence of clinical depression and might thus point to processes related to compensation. Similar effects have been observed in remission from major depression and thus deserve further study to evaluate hippocampal volume not only as a state-dependent marker of disease but also of resilience.

Flashback psychopathology in combatants with PTSD

Flashback psychopathology in combatants with PTSD