Symptom Checklist-90-R Research Articles

Increased Amygdala Activity Associated With Cognitive Reappraisal Strategy in Functional Neurologic Disorder.

Cognitive reappraisal is an emotion regulation strategy to reduce the impact of affective stimuli. This regulation could be incomplete in patients with functional neurologic disorder (FND) resulting in an overflowing emotional stimulation perpetuating symptoms in FND patients. Here we employed functional MRI to study cognitive reappraisal in FND. A total of 24 FND patients and 24 healthy controls employed cognitive reappraisal while seeing emotional visual stimuli in the scanner. The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) was used to evaluate concomitant psychopathologies of the patients. During cognitive reappraisal of negative IAPS images FND patients show an increased activation of the right amygdala compared to normal controls. We found no evidence of downregulation in the amygdala during reappraisal neither in the patients nor in the control group. The valence and arousal ratings of the IAPS images were similar across groups. However, a subgroup of patients showed a significant higher account of extreme low ratings for arousal for negative images. These low ratings correlated inversely with the item “anxiety” of the SCL-90-R. The increased activation of the amygdala during cognitive reappraisal suggests altered processing of emotional stimuli in this region in FND patients.

Diversified social cognition in temporal lobe epilepsy.

In an integrated model of social cognition (SC), the theory of mind (ToM), the recognition of behavior in social situations (RBSS), empathy, and sensitivity to moral and conventional rules (SMCR) cooperate in generating mental representations of the interpersonal relationships. The aim of this study was to extend our knowledge of the SC of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients by characterizing its various aspects and predictors. Fifty adult patients with TLE and 50 healthy controls were assessed using ToM, RBSS and SMCR neuropsychological tests, the Empathy Questionnaire, and the psychopathology Symptoms Check List 90R (SCL90-R). Patients and controls were similar in terms of occupation, income level, age, sex, marital status and the number of family members. Multivariate analysis of variance with demographic variables as the covariates showed that they were similar in SMCR and empathy. The patients, conversely, had lower ToM and RBSS scores, and higher scores on the SCL90-R psychoticism, depression, paranoid ideation, obsessive-compulsive, somatization and anxiety scales. Impaired RBSS was predicted by psychopathological symptoms, income level, schooling and the duration of epilepsy; ToM related to TLE laterality, seizure frequency and epilepsy duration. In adult patients with TLE, SC is simultaneously partially impaired and partially preserved, and the fact this is associated with clinical, demographic and psychological variables suggests that SC depends on the integrity of the temporal lobe and the interconnected brain regions, as well as psychosocial stimuli. This approach may contribute to clarify the neurobehavioural phenotype of TLE.

Évaluation d’une Thérapie comportementale dialectique auprès de proches de personnes considérées atteintes du trouble de la personnalité limite

ObjectiveBorderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by an instability in subjects’ self-image, emotions, and relationships, along with impulsivity. Relatives of individuals with this diagnosis are often looked at as victims of this instability. In fact, many studies report a significant impact of BPD on their loved ones in terms of emotional and physical health, as well as on their social lives. Knowing that BPD is diagnosed in up to 2% of the population, the impact of this disorder affects hundreds of thousands of people across the world. Therefore, an intervention tailored for relatives of individuals with BPD is of great importance in order to limit the impact of the disorder on themselves. For this reason, an original model distributed in Quebec, based on the principles of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) has been developed. Our goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of this model and to provide additional preliminary information on the subject. MethodThis study focuses on 56 relatives recruited from support groups in community organizations providing help for relatives of persons with mental disorders. Recruitment was conducted in nine community organizations located in nine different cities in the province of Quebec. These organizations, located in urban or rural areas, all offered support groups to relatives of individuals with BPD. These relatives participated in 10 to 16 sessions of therapy, separated into two modules and that make use of the skills taught in the original DBT. First, weekly group sessions aimed at educating relatives on BPD and relational dynamics, followed by other individual or group sessions aiming to implement change in their relational and life dynamics. We used the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) to assess the psychological distress of the 56 participants pre- and post-intervention. ResultsThe results show a statistically significant reduction of the majority of the nine variables of the SCL-90-R scale (p<0.01), with the highest effect sizes for the variables of depression (0.65) and anxiety (0.58). We also observe a statistically significant reduction (p<0.01) of the global score on SCL-90-R with a result of 44.92 (SD: 30.69) post-intervention instead of 68.81 (SD: 51.14) at baseline. A moderate effect size was obtained for the global score after the intervention (0.57). DiscussionResults support the notion that relatives of individuals with reported BPD present significant distress on different psychopathological sub-scales. Next, our findings suggest that DBT intervention may be highly relevant, and sustainable, in the reduction of the intensity of psychological distress. ConclusionsControlled and comparative studies are needed to confirm our results. Furthermore, it would be interesting to assess what impact the reduction of psychological distress of relatives may have on the subjects with BPD themselves.

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Programme on Perceived Stress, Psychopathological Symptomatology and Burnout in Medical Students.

ObjectivesMedical students display a high prevalence of psychopathological symptomatology, stress and burnout, which may continue in their time as resident and fully qualified doctors. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the effects of a mindfulness-based programme on these variables in an experimental group of medical students who underwent the intervention programme compared to a control group who did not.MethodsA quasi-experimental study of two independent groups (experimental and control) with two repeated measures (pre and post) was performed. Eight sessions of 2-h duration each were held over the course of 16 weeks. A total of 143 students participated in the study, 68 in the intervention group and 75 in the control group. A sociodemographic questionnaire was administered along with the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS).ResultsOur study revealed a clear improvement compared to the control group in perceived stress and psychopathological symptomatology, in the Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Total and the primary symptom dimensions of somatization, obsessive compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity and anxiety of the SCL-90-R. The improvement was significant at both intra- and intergroup level. No impact was found on the level of burnout.ConclusionsThe mindfulness-based programme that was used resulted in an improvement in psychopathological symptomatology and stress, with no effect observed on BO score. This study can contribute to the design of a training programme to promote effective self-care and stress management strategies for both medical students and doctors.

Depression in patients with chronic hepatitis-C treated with direct-acting antivirals: A real-world prospective observational study

BackgroundDirect-acting antiviral (DAAs) therapy showed high safety and efficacy profile in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) particularly those with previous or current psychiatric illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and potential risk factors of depression and psychological distress following DAAs therapy in CHC euthymic Egyptian patients with no previous or current diagnosis of any psychiatric disorders. MethodsThis is a prospective study that included 126 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype-4. Patients were candidate for DAAs therapy and were recruited consecutively (convenient sample) from the viral hepatitis center, Department of Endemic medicine, Kasr Al-Ainy Hospitals, Cairo University. Symptom Checklist 90-R, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID IV) were performed at baseline and at 12 weeks post-treatment with DAAs. ResultsForty-seven patients were included in the final analysis. Depression severity increased after treatment as BDI scores increased significantly than baseline scores (p= < 0.001). About one third of patients (32%) had moderate to severe depression. All Symptom Checklist-90 scores showed significant increase after treatment. LimitationsDropout rate of patients for the 12 weeks post-treatment assessment was 33.8%. ConclusionDepression and psychological distress can occur with DAAs treatments. Close psychosocial assessment and patient monitoring are still needed.

Clinical Associations Between Severity of Impulsivity, Psychiatric Morbidity, Dysfunctional Defences and Personality Disorder: A Comparative Study With Axis-I Disorders.

ObjectivePsychiatric morbidity, impulsive behaviour and use of dysfunctional and maladaptive defences are core features of personality disorder (PD). This study aims to evaluate the significance of the strength of the association between these three core dimensions and PD.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, a sample of co-morbid Axis-I & -II disorders, and a sample of Axis-I disorders with no co-morbid PD were recruited at three general psychiatric mental health resource centres and then compared.PD as dependent variable was analysed both as a categorical and as a dimensional entity using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. The Symptoms Checklist 90-R general severity index (GSI), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) and the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) were used to measure severity of psychiatric morbidity, impulsivity and defensive style, respectively.ResultsBIS was a highly significant predictor of categorical PD (β = .13, SE = .03, p < .001), but not GSI and DSQ. BIS and GSI significantly predicted PD as a dimensional construct (β = 0.32, SE = .08, t = 4.05, p < 0.001; and β = 5.04, SE = 1.54, t = 3.28, p = 0.002, respectively). The diagnostic efficiency statistics found that BIS had greater sensitivity (.82) and specificity (.79), and overall predictive power (.87) of correctly identifying true positive and true negative PD diagnosis compared to the other two measures.ConclusionsBIS may be used in routine clinical practice as a screening measure to identify the presence of PD in complex presentations.

Development and psychometric properties of the ADHD-SCL-90-R screening scale for adult ADHD.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent disorder with serious impairments, but it often remains undetected. The aim of the study was to developan ADHD screening scale from the Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) and describe its psychometric properties. The item selection was based on the ADHD-specific Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS-S:L). In total, 412 subjects of an ADHD Special Consultations Unit were investigated, who completed the SCL-90-R, CAARS-S:L, and ADHD Self-Rating Behavior Questionnaire. The ADHD-SCL-90-R Screening Scale consisted of 16 items with a four-factor structure, including Inattention/Memory Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Lability, and Problems with Self-Concept. It showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbachs α = .90) and good convergent validity (r = .57-.59). Sensitivity was 78%, specificity was 56%, and the discriminatory power was acceptable (area under the curve = 0.74). The newly developed ADHD-SCL-90-R Screening Scale showed good psychometric properties,and it has a versatile application in clinical practice.

Psychopathological profile in COVID-19 patients including healthcare workers: the implications.

The effects of COVID-19 seem to extend beyond the physical pain and is showing psychiatric implications as well. Moreover, psychopathological implications seem to last also after patients' discharge. Our goal is to investigate the psychological impact and psychopathological outcome of patients affected by COVID-19. We have engaged 34 patients with COVID-19 conditions [eight of them were healthcare workers patients (HCW)] hospitalized at "Policlinico Gemelli Foundation" of Rome, Italy. All patients were evaluated through the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R) first, during their hospitalization (baseline), and then, after 4 months from hospital discharge (follow-up), through phone interviews. At baseline, 82% of patients revealed from mild to severe psychological impact of COVID-19, according to the IES-R. At follow-up, the mean IES-R total score was significantly decreased (p<0.001) even if almost half (46.6%) of our cohort still showed it. HCW patients showed a significantly higher score than other patients at IES-R scale, both at baseline (p=0.005) and at follow-up (p<0.001). Moreover, at 4 months from discharge, they showed a significantly higher percentage of moderate and severe distress (p=0.015). In addition to this, at follow-up, our cohort of patients showed an increase of anxiety symptoms, even if not significant compared to baseline (46.7% vs. 35.3% respectively; p=1.000), and HCW patients suffered more sleep disorders (p=0.019) and anxiety symptoms (p=0.019) compared to other patients. We indicate the importance of assessing psychopathology of COVID-19 survivors, monitoring their changes over time, and providing psychological support to improve their psychological well-being.

Heavy Work Investment and Psychopathology: Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders as Antecedents and Outcomes

Workaholism and work engagement are two types of Heavy Work Investment (HWI) that have been widely studied. However, the literature on the role of internalizing and externalizing disorders as antecedents and outcomes of these two types of HWI is scant. This study aims to analyze, through two path models, if workaholism and work engagement predict the main forms of psychopathology as evaluated through the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). Also, it analyzes if psychopathology and sensation seeking predict workaholism and work engagement to shed light on the internalizing and/or externalizing nature of workaholism. Besides the two path models, we also performed MANOVAs and Mann-Whitney tests to analyze differences in psychopathology and sensation seeking between workers with high and low levels of workaholism and work engagement, as well as between disengaged and engaged workaholics. The participants are 690 Italian workers (44.8% males) with a mean age of 38.99±12.45. The results showed that workaholism predicts higher psychopathology, while work engagement predicts lower psychological symptoms. Though, even if depression and boredom susceptibility negatively predict work engagement, it is also positively predicted by somatization. Moreover, workaholism is positively predicted by psychoticism only. Therefore, this study suggests that workaholism might be defined as the declination at work of a personality disorder, and that work engagement might be a coping strategy for workers experiencing somatic symptoms. Finally, preventive interventions should target both workaholism and work engagement, as high work engagement does not seem to protect engaged workaholics from psychological impairment.

The use of the Symptom Checklist 90-R in exploring the factor structure of mental disorders and the neglected fact of comorbidity.

The Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R) is a popular instrument, accessing nine different symptom clusters of psychopathology, although its original factor structure is widely questioned. However, most validation studies seem to ignore the possible effect of comorbidity. We aimed at validating the factor structure of the SCL-90-R and to draw additional information about the role of comorbidity in the factor structure of mental disorders. We thus introduced a comorbidity index within the SCL-90-R and validated the Greek version of the SCL-90-R in a sample of 914 participants, consisting of 688 individuals from the general population and 226 psychiatric outpatients. We showed that the original 9-factor model was superior to the second order factor and the bi-factor model. This may reflect lower comorbidity traits in our sample, rather than the accuracy of the original 9-factor structure of the SCL-90-R, which has to be further assessed by concurrent validity for each individual scale on selected samples. In this regard, we showed that the depression subscale was an excellent screening tool in a subgroup of patients with a confirmed major depressive episode.

Undergraduate students\u2019 norms for the Chinese version of the symptom check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R)

BackgroundDespite widespread application of the Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) for Chinese undergraduate students, there are no appropriate norms for them. The aim of this study is to provide norms for the Chinese version of the tool for undergraduate students using a large and representative sample.MethodsFour thousand eight hundred sixty students completed the scale of SCL-90. The mean scores obtained in the present study were compared with mean scores from previous normative samples.ResultsThe mean scores for nine subscales of the SCL-90-R ranged from (1.36 ± 0.46) ~ (1.77 ± 0.63) and the mean (standard deviation) Global Severity Index (GSI) was 1.50 (0.49). Relative to previous normative studies, the findings suggested that Chinese undergraduate students’ self-reported mental health symptoms decreased in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, and paranoid ideation subscales.ConclusionIt is necessary to revise the norms of the Chinese version of the SCL-90-R for undergraduate students.

Mental health and health related quality of life in mitochondrial POLG disease

We aimed to assess the impact of POLG disease on mental health and quality of life in 15 patients using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (RAND-36). We found increased scores in all nine subscales of SCL-90-R, particularly phobic anxiety, depression and somatization. Further, patients reported considerably lower scores in all RAND-36 domains. This study revealed a global decline in mental health and poor quality of life in patients with POLG disease and highlights the need for increased awareness and systematic assessment in order to improve their quality of life and mental health.

52 KneuroKnits: Evaluating social participation and anxiety response associated with participation in a knitting group for youth with neurological conditions (pilot study)

Abstract Background Knitting as a creative practice has a reputation for being therapeutic. There are many programs that use crafts as a method of creating social community and reducing anxiety for youth; however, there is no existing research that demonstrates these benefits. We designed a novel study to explore the benefits of a social skills knitting group on engagement and anxiety for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. Objectives 1. To evaluate the social engagement experience of youth with neurological conditions participating in the KneuroKnits program. 2. Evaluate the impact of KneuroKnits intervention on anxiety levels of participants. Design/Methods We designed a 4-week knitting group for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders and acquired brain injuries. Each session included a lesson involving a knitting skill and a social skill. To evaluate social engagement, we used the Self-reported Experience of Activity Settings (SEAS) questionnaire at the first and final sessions. The five subcategories of the SEAS (Personal Growth, Psychological Engagement, Social Belonging, Meaningful Interactions and Choice &amp; Control) were analyzed following the first and the last session. Qualitative interviews were conducted with participants, parents, and facilitators in the month following the final session and were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach to outline commonly occurring themes in social engagement. To evaluate anxiety levels, participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at the beginning and end of the first and final sessions, respectively, and the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90) anxiety subscale; qualitative analysis included themes involving levels of anxiety from the interviews. Results There were 14 total participants with a mean age of 17.4 ± 2.2 years. Participants had primary diagnoses of ASD (n=9), acquired brain injury/concussion (n=4), and developmental coordination disorder (n=1). Social engagement results for the SEAS questionnaire showed a general increase in mean scores of all subcategories with a significant increase in the category of “Meaningful Interactions (p=0.02). This quantitatively demonstrated that the group had an impact on creating meaningful social connection. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed three commonly occurring themes: The balance of organic and facilitated social interaction, a sense of community from shared experience and direct benefits of knitting (pride, productivity, relaxation, a choice to be social). For the evaluation of anxiety levels, the STAI demonstrated a significant decrease in anxiety following both Session 1 (p=0.02) and Session 4 (p=0.006). The SCL-90-R Anxiety subsection scores significantly decreased between the first and final session (p=0.01). Participants voiced that the sessions made them feel calmer. Conclusion This knitting group merged a creative skill and social skill, and was novel in its approach to studying social engagement and anxiety within this population. Our study found that participants, their families and facilitators found KneuroKnits to be a valuable and rewarding program. Further study is needed in a larger sample to confirm our findings.

Quality of life and infertility stress in homologous and heterologous medically assisted reproduction: The role of common and specific psychopathological traits.

This study compared the quality of life/stress between individuals undergoing homologous and heterologous medically assisted reproduction (MAR) and explored the role of psychopathological traits. Two hundred and twenty-six participants in homologous (52.2%) and heterologous MAR (47.8%) completed Symptom Checklist 90-R, Fertility Problem Inventory, and Fertility Quality of Life. The homologous group showed higher depressive/anxious and obsessive-compulsive traits, hostility and interpersonal detachment, and worse quality of life/stress than the heterologous one. In the homologous pathway, those with higher interpersonal detachment showed worse quality of life, in the heterologous one those with greater paranoid traits had greater stress. Psychiatric nursing support should focus on interpersonal detachment in homologous and paranoid traits in heterologous MAR.

Cognitive and Psychopathological Profile on Catholic Nuns in Puerto Rico: An exploratory study

Introduction: The vocation of Catholic nun has spread virtually throughout the world for hundreds of years. The purpose of this pioneer nun study in Puerto Rico is to generate a comprehensive cognitive and psychopathological profile in a particular sample that usually shares a similar environment and lifestyle. Even though, nuns have been studied in the United States and other parts of the world, no known study conducted with Puerto Rican nuns has been found in local academic databases explored in the last ten years using the subject keywords (i.e., Puerto Rican Nuns) in data search. Method: The sample consists of 25 female catholic nuns, residents in Puerto Rico, with a median age of 60.96 years old (SD= 17.594; RANGE= 61). A Non-probability sampling method was utilized to retrieve the participants. Instruments: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Hopelessness Inventory (BHS), Symptom Checklist 90-R and Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Findings: Significant findings among BDI-II results (t=2.377, p&lt;.05), BHS results (t=34.671, p&lt;.05) and Mini-mental examination (t=16.613, p&lt;.05). An ANOVA was conducted evaluate significant differences among the subscales of the 90-Symptom Checklist Significant differences were found. Conclusion: Results suggest that symptoms of psychopathology are present predominantly at a minimal level. However, mild to moderate results were also found. Nuns in the sample showed high cognitive functioning and were capable of performing the tasks assigned. Future research may include a bigger sample and comparisons among cloistered and apostolic nuns. A mixed methodology is suggested.

Brain structural correlates of schizotypal signs and subclinical schizophrenia nuclear symptoms in healthy individuals.

Subclinical psychotic-like experiences (PLE), resembling key symptoms of psychotic disorders, are common throughout the general population and possibly associated with psychosis risk. There is evidence that such symptoms are also associated with structural brain changes. In 672 healthy individuals, we assessed PLE and associated distress with the symptom-checklist-90R (SCL-90R) scales 'schizotypal signs' (STS) and 'schizophrenia nuclear symptoms' (SNS) and analysed associations with voxel- and surfaced-based brain structural parameters derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T with CAT12. For SNS, we found a positive correlation with the volume in the left superior parietal lobule and the precuneus, and a negative correlation with the volume in the right inferior temporal gyrus [p < 0.05 cluster-level Family Wise Error (FWE-corrected]. For STS, we found a negative correlation with the volume of the left and right precentral gyrus (p < 0.05 cluster-level FWE-corrected). Surface-based analyses did not detect any significant clusters with the chosen statistical threshold of p < 0.05. However, in exploratory analyses (p < 0.001, uncorrected), we found a positive correlation of SNS with gyrification in the left insula and rostral middle frontal gyrus and of STS with the left precuneus and insula, as well as a negative correlation of STS with gyrification in the left temporal pole. Our results show that brain structures in areas implicated in schizophrenia are also related to PLE and its associated distress in healthy individuals. This pattern supports a dimensional model of the neural correlates of symptoms of the psychotic spectrum.

Pioglitazone Metformin Complex Improves Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Comorbid Psychological Distress via Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation: A Prospective Clinical Study.

Objective This study aimed at investigating the therapeutic effect and mechanism of pioglitazone metformin complex preparation (PM) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) comorbid psychological distress. Methods Seventy-five patients with PCOS comorbid psychological distress were randomly allocated into the PM, metformin, and placebo groups. The primary efficacy measure was the change from baseline to week 12 on the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R) scores. NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and biochemical parameters were determined at baseline and at week 12. The participants were required to meet the criteria for PCOS (Rotterdam, NIH) and psychological distress (any factor scores of SCL − 90 − R > 2). Results The participants had significantly high scores on the SCL-90-R scales of anxiety and depression. PM significantly decreased anxiety and depression symptom severity (from 2.31 ± 0.75 to 1.65 ± 0.38, p < 0.001, and from 2.08 ± 0.74 to 1.61 ± 0.46, p = 0.010, at week 12, respectively). PM significantly decreased the expression of NRPL3 and caspase-1. Patients in the PM group experienced a significant reduction in IL-1β (from 98.42 ± 14.38 to 71.76 ± 13.66, p = 0.02), IL-6 (from 87.51 ± 8.74 to 71.98 ± 15.87, p = 0.02), and TNF-α (from 395.33 ± 88.55 to 281.98 ± 85.69, p = 0.04). PM was superior to metformin in reducing total testosterone (2.24 ± 0.74 versus 3.06 ± 0.83, p = 0.024, at week 12).Conclusions This study is the first to reveal that PM alleviates psychological distress via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and improves several markers, including total testosterone.

Hair Cortisol Concentrations as a Biomarker to Predict a Clinical Pregnancy Outcome after an IVF Cycle: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Our objective was to examine the feasibility of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) as a biomarker to predict clinical pregnancy outcomes and investigate its potential associations with perceived anxiety, resilience, and depressive symptoms. A total of 43 participants were assessed using HCC, the state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), resilience scale (RS), and the depression subscale of the symptom checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R). Participants were approached at their second consultation with the reproductive endocrinologist (T1), before scheduling their IVF cycle, and then 12 weeks after (T2), at their post-transfer visit with the study coordinators, before the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) pregnancy test. The logistic regression model revealed that HCC at T2 predicted 46% of a positive pregnancy test [R2 = 0.46, (ß = 0.11, p < 0.05)]. Pregnant women had higher levels of resilience at T2 (M = 149.29; SD = 17.56) when compared with non-pregnant women at T2 (M = 119.96; SD = 21.71). Significant differences were found between both groups in depression at T2 (t = 3.13, p = 0.01) and resilience at T2 (t = −4.89, p = 0.01). HCC might be a promising biomarker to calculate the probability of pregnancy in women using assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

Study of Defense Mechanisms in Kidney Transplanted Subjects

Defenses mechanisms are defined as the tools an individual uses to manage instincts, drives, and affects. Transplantation is a stressful event that requires the body to mobilize its internal and external defenses and implement coping and adaptation strategies, which can be essential for overcoming the painful and potentially dangerous environmental, existential, and relational situations that may occur after transplantation. The aim of our study was to analyze the defense styles in 50 kidney transplanted subjects and to correlate the latter with any psychopathology and the quality of life subjectively perceived.The Defense Style Questionnaire was administered to evaluate the defense mechanisms. The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) was used for the evaluation of any psychopathology. Quality of life was studied using the Complete Form Health Survey (SF-36). The “somatization” (SOM) and “anxiety” (ANX) dimensions of the SCL-90 R correlated significantly with the “reaction formation” (RF) neurotic defense (RF/SOM r = .893; RF/ANX r = .966; P < .05). A good perception of one's “general health” (GH) correlated significantly with the "humor" (HU) and "sublimation" (SU) mature defenses (HU/GH r = .681; SU/GH r = .524; P < .05).Kidney transplanted subjects are exposed to persistent physical and psychosocial stress and each transplanted subject uses their own defense mechanisms to contain the mental pain and reduce the emotional stress derived from the transplantation experience. Identifying the different kinds of defenses (mature, immature, or neurotic) can be an effective way to search for predictive indices of a good quality of life and adherence to treatments.

Psychiatric symptoms and relationship of disease with stress and traumatic experiences in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

The aim of this study is to evaluate psychiatric symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and investigate the relationship of traumatic life events with the disease. Fifty-four patients and fifty healthy controls were included in this study. Psychiatric symptoms were measured with the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90R), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and sociodemographic information form were used. All scales were applied to both IBS cases and healthy control groups. Somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anger hostility, additional items and total scores of SCL-90-R were higher in the IBS group compared to the control group. Trait anxiety was significantly higher in the IBS group and state anxiety, significantly higher in the control group. In those with a personal history of traumatic events, all subscales and total scores of SCL-90-R were increased significantly. Scores of psychiatric scales, which indicate stressful life events, were significantly higher before the onset of abdominal pain. Environmental factors that cause considerable emotional distress, such as chronic stress, trauma, and abuse, have been linked to IBS and the severity of symptoms. Therefore, it is important to consider the psychiatric symptoms in the management of IBS.