Research carried out for determining the specificities of the psycho-social profile of adolescents with tattoos.

Research carried out on 80 adolescents of the age between 16 and 25 years, both sexes…A questionnaire with demographical data was used for the research, PIE (profile index of emotions Plucik), battery of the tests CON4.

Adolescents with a greater number of tattoos (2 or more) manifest a higher aggression, low frustration tolerance and impulsiveness, social disinhibition and they are emotionally without social fears, unpleasantness and shame. Young people with one tattoo don’t have a different profile, but a need of satisfying fashion trends and solving their developing uncertainties and depressiveness.

Young people with tattoos have a specific psycho-social profile, and a great number of tattoos is a screening for indicating behavioral disorders.

Although evidence of cannibalism in humans dates back millennia, for most civilized societies, it is an unthinkable act of violence and strictly taboo. It is commonly relegated to the domain of horror films and literature, often associated with the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer or Hannibal Lecter. However, for some, this theme encompasses a pathological or sexual realm. Vorarephilia or sexual cannibalism is, at its simplest level, a psychosexual disorder characterized by the erotic desire to be consumed by, or to personally consume, another human being´s flesh.

The authors aim to review human sexual cannibalism as a concept and its eventual relationship to mental illness with recourse to the description of cases of human cannibalism documented in the literature.

A brief non-systematized literature review utilizing various databases including Pubmed and Google Scholar, as well as complimentary literature and case reports when pertinent to the theme was performed.

Although cannibalism is a common phenomenon in the animal kingdom, its expression in humans is assumed to be a minority occurrence and relegated to stories of a more primal past. Pathological cannibalism is an extremely rare occurrence and has been described in association with severe psychotic mental illness and extreme forms of significant paraphilia. Sexual cannibalism appears as a rarity in humans and although the majority with this paraphilia do not partake in actual human consumption, remaining a fantasy-based desire, cases of cannibalism have been reported and tried.

Eating the flesh of one’s own species is probably one of the few remaining taboos in modern human societies. In humans, cannibalism is a rare occurrence and has been associated with mental illness. Due to the rarity of this phenomenon, with few cases documented in the literature, the underlying etiology, as well as potential environmental and individual risk factors are still to be defined, indicating a potential for further study.

None Declared

To obtain the estimates of the national prevalence of ADHD and ODD of Thai children.

The study was used three-stage stratified sampling to represent most population of each level. 7,118 Thai students graded 1-5 in primary school were recruited in the study and were screened by the SNAP-IV Thai version with the sensitivity 82%. The subjects, whose scores were positive for any subtypes of ADHD or ODD, were interviewed by child and adolescent psychiatrists using DSM-IV criteria. The percentage and 95% Confidence Intervals were used to represent the results.

521 subjects and 200 subjects were diagnosed ADHD and ODD, making a national prevalence of Thai students equals 8.1% (95%CI=7.5-8.7). The prevalencein boy 12% (95%CI=10.9-13.0) was substantially higher than girl 4.2% (95%CI=3.6-4.9), the ratio was 3:1. Considering the difference in regions were found southern region was highest at 11.7% (95%CI=10.0-13.4) and northern region was lowest prevalence equals 5.1% (95%CI=4.0-6.2). The prevalence of ADHD with comorbidity of ODD was 2.1% (95%CI=0.8-2.4). Prevalence of ODD was 3.1% (95%CI=2.7-3.5), which was found highest 5.5% (95%CI=3.7-7.2) in Bangkok.

ADHD prevalence in Thailand is higher, thus an early intervention to prevent the mental health problems and loss of quality population is needed. The health services and education system require changes in attitudes and development of resources. All who care for children including families, schools, communities, health care agencies, the government, and children themselves are required to participate and develop the solution and programs in community.

Relapses are common and a higher number of relapses involve a greater cognitive impairment of the patient. Prevention of relapses is therefore the primary objective of treatment.

To establish why a sample of patients with schizophrenia experience relapses and are admitted to acute units as a result.

A multicenter, naturalistic, retrospective study assessing medical intervention in 1346 patients with schizophrenia admitted to acute units in Spain, assessing the following causes of relapses: non-compliance, lack of efficacy, drug abuse, stress and high incidence of side effects.

90.8% of patients were admitted for relapse. Reasons for admission were non-compliance in 67.1% (77.2% due to lack of insight and 30.59% due to drug abuse), lack of therapeutic efficacy in 27.2%, and drug abuse in 24.3%. In addition, stress and a high incidence of side effects in 5.8% of patients were other reasons for relapse.

Non compliance is the main reason for relapses followed by lack of efficacy. The results appear to confirm that drug abuse might influence in a direct (drug abuse itself) or indirect (non compliance because of drug abuse) way in a higher number of relapses.

We have randomly divide patients into control group(N=45) without antidepressants, and experimental groups in accordance with applied antidepressants: clomipramine(N=48), fluoxetine (N=49), sertraline (N=51), escitalopram (N=49), mirtazepine (N=45), and tianeptine (N=52). We have used HAMD for estimation of depression, QOL scale for quality of life, and UPDRS subscales I(behaviour and mood) and II(daily activities) for PD symptoms at pretrial, and after 3 months scores in all groups. Data were processed with SPSS for Windows.

There is no statistical significance in pretrial scores between groups. After 3 months there is: significant increase in control and significant discrease(p=0.000) of HAMD scores in all experimental groups, in favour of antidepressant with higher mediana(escitalopram 9; sertralin 8; tianeptin 6;clompramin 3; mirtazapin 3;fluoxetine 1; control -2); significant increase of QOL scores in favour of antidepressant with higher mediana(escitalopram 1.24; sertraline 1.12; tianeptine 0.65; clomipramine 0.40; mirtazapine 0.27; fluoxetine 0.27), and significant difference in UPDRS II pretrial and after 3 months subscores(p=0.016), in favour of escitalopram.

All tested antidepressant are efficient in reducing HAMD score, but only escitalopram,sertraline,and tianeptine improved HAMD, QOL, UPDRS I, and II scores without side effects.

Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disease requiring treatment that manages a broad spectrum of symptoms. Cariprazine is a dopamine D3 and D2 receptor partial agonist antipsychotic candidate with preferential D3 receptor binding.

Evaluate the pharmacological/behavioral profile of cariprazine in animal models.

To determine the activity and receptor occupancy of cariprazine in rat models at doses that confer antipsychotic-like efficacy.

Cariprazine was evaluated in rat paradigms that model symptoms of schizophrenia, mania, and depression. Occupancy of cariprazine, aripiprazole, and risperidone at D3 and D2 receptors was also compared.

Cariprazine showed antipsychotic-like efficacy on conditioned avoidance response and amphetamine-induced motor activity tests (ED50: 0.8 and 0.1 mg/kg) with potencies similar to risperidone (ED50: 0.9 and 0.2 mg/kg) and greater than aripiprazole (ED50: 18 and 3.9 mg/kg). While all 3 compounds displayed high in vivo occupancy of D2 receptors, only cariprazine displayed potent in vivo occupancy of D3 receptors at antipsychotic-like doses (ED50 [% inhibition]: cariprazine, 0.43 mg/kg [99.3]; aripiprazole, >30 mg/kg [26.4]; risperidone: ~2.3 mg/kg [53.4]). At or below antipsychotic-like doses, cariprazine demonstrated antimanic-like, antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and procognitive effects in rats. As determined using D3 receptor knockout mice, procognitive and antidepressant-like effects of cariprazine were shown to be mediated via the D3 receptor.

At antipsychotic-like effective doses in rats, cariprazine demonstrated balanced and significant occupancy at both dopamine D2 and D3 receptors; other antipsychotics displayed relatively low D3 receptor occupancy. Additionally, at antipsychotic-like doses cariprazine demonstrated efficacy in different rat models of mania, mood, anxiety, and cognition.

Despite important relation between obsessive compulsive disorder and self esteem there is death of local data.

The present study was carried out in Jan-March 2008 on 64 patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder and 30 attendants (control group) attending psychiatric outpatient clinic at civil hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. on inclusion in study, individuals having obsessive compulsive disorder aged 18-70 years were asked to complete two questionnaires to measure self-esteem that measure different aspect of self esteem. a) the Urdu version of Rosenberg self-esteem scale and b) the Janis and Field Social Adequacy scale. Statistical analyses of the scores of the two self-esteem scales were performed.

The results of the present study demonstrate that patient with obsessive compulsive disorder suffer significant degree of lowered self-esteem Mean 51.4(SD 12.0)] than control group [Mean 94.1(SD 11.8)] on Janis and field scale. That means that patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder have low social adequacy as compare to normal people this was more in female who score low (mean 49.48) than man (mean 53.9). Similar results of statistically significant (p< .000) difference in of control (Mean19.33) & OCD patient (Mean 34.08) was revealed by Rosenberg self esteem scale. in this study both scales of self esteem assessment have high correlation (correlation coefficient = -0.55).

The results of this study support the result of other study that there is a vicious cycle between low self-esteem and obsessive compulsive disorders. Low self-esteem makes individuals susceptible to develop obsessive compulsive disorder.

Many autistic children experience difficulties in their communication and language skills development, with consequences for social development into adulthood, often resulting in challenges over the life-course and high economic impacts for individuals, families, and society. The Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) intervention is effective in terms of improved social communication and some secondary outcomes. A previously published within-trial economic analysis found that results at 13 months did not support its cost-effectiveness. We modeled cost-effectiveness over 6 years and across four European countries.

Using simulation modeling, we built on economic analyses in the original trial, exploring longer-term cost-effectiveness at 6 years (in England). We adapted our model to undertake an economic analysis of PACT in Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Data on resource use were taken from the original trial and a more recent Irish observational study.

PACT is cost-saving over time from a societal perspective, even though we confirmed that, at 13 months post-delivery, PACT is more expensive than usual treatment (across all countries) when given to preschool autistic children. After 6 years, we found that PACT has lower costs than usual treatment in terms of unpaid care provided by parents (in all countries). Also, if we consider only out-of-pocket expenses from an Irish study, PACT costs less than usual treatment.

PACT may be recommended as a cost-saving early intervention for families with an autistic child.

Depression is now the fourth most common cause of invalidity. World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2020 it will be the second most common cause (WHO, 2001). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) is highly reliable tool for measuring the intensity of depression.

The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Czech version of BDI II. This was done on a representative sample of working population.

Results from 1027 participants were obtained. The sample was equally distributed among males and females. T-test showed that on average women suffered from higher depressive symptoms than males. Cronbach alpha showed high items consistency of 0,92 and confirmatory factor analysis found, as predicted, 3 factors: cognitive, somatic and affective.

Cronbach alpha and factor analysis showed high internal consistency and reliability of Czech version of BDI II. Czech version of BDI II is thus not only a translation but can be considered a psychometric tool that is comparable with the original version. The results of this study are therefore comparable with other available results.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 5%-10% of school-aged children. Treatment includes medical use of stimulants. However, treatment of non-stimulant drugs should be considered as an alternative. The efficacy of Modafinil, a centrally acting agent that is structurally and pharmacologically different from stimulants in the treatment of ADHD was studied and abrupt discontinuation was not associated with symptoms of withdrawal or with rebound of symptoms of ADHD.

To assess the evidence from randomized controlled trials the effect of Modafinil compared with placebo in the treatment of patients with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .

Meta-analysis of 3 randomized trials identified through Medline/Pubmed and Cochrane Library (as of September 2012). Summary of the outcome variables was computed using difference of two means of the ADHD-R Scale-IV and their corresponding standard error of the means under random effects models. Statistical analysis was done using Revman version 5.

A total number of 932 participants with ADHD were represented. All studies included were randomized and placebo controlled. The main outcome measure is Change in Home and School Version of ADHD-R Scale – IV scores from baseline. Results showed mean difference between Modafinil and placebo using the Home Version is -10.13 (95% CI -14.11, -6.14). The overall effect was statistically significant (z=4.98; p<0.00001) in favor of Modafinil. The mean difference between Modafinil and placebo using the School Version is -9.27 (95% CI -12.62, -5.92). The overall effect was statistically significant (z=5.42; p<0.00001) in favor of Modafinil.

Modafinil is effective in improving symptoms in ADHD.

Compassion can be defined as an intentional sensitivity to the suffering, with a motivation and commitment to try to relieve it, which can have a positive impact on individuals’ emotional and psychological well-being. The relevance of compassion focused therapies is well established and this makes the development of reliable instruments for the assessment of the different facets of compassion targeting different age groups crucial for research and clinical practice. The Compassionate Attributes and Actions Scale (CAAS) aims to assess compassion on three directions: self-compassion, compassion for others or compassion received from others. Each of the scales assesses one's compassionate attributes and compassionate actions separately when dealing with difficult or painful situations.

This study aimed to adapt the CAAS for adolescents and to explore its factor structure and psychometric properties in a sample of Portuguese adolescents.

A total of 336 Portuguese adolescents with ages ranging from 12 to 19 years old participated in the study. Several exploratory factor analyses were conducted.

Exploratory factor analysis showed that, except for the attributes section of the self-compassion scale (that showed to be bi-factorial), all the other scales (and their sections) presented a single-factor structure. The three scales, and its sections, demonstrated a good reliability and excellent test-retest reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity.

Results were in line with the factor structure found in the adults’ version. The scales and its sections have shown good psychometric characteristics and constitute a useful instrument to assess and investigate the three directions of the compassion.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Accumulating evidence suggests beneficial effects of media stories featuring individuals mastering their suicidal crises, but effects have not been assessed for psychiatric patients.

We randomized n = 172 adult psychiatric patients (n = 172, 97.1% inpatients) to read an educative article featuring a person mastering a suicidal crisis (n = 92) or an unrelated article (n = 80) in a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Questionnaire data were collected before (T1) and after exposure (T2) as well as 1 week later (study end-point, T3). The primary outcome was suicidal ideation as assessed with the Reasons for Living Inventory; secondary outcomes were help-seeking intentions, mood, hopelessness, and stigmatization. Differences between patients with affective versus other diagnoses were explored based on interaction tests.

We found that patients with affective disorders (n = 99) experienced a small-sized reduction of suicidal ideation at 1-week follow up (mean difference to control group [MD] at T3 = −0.17 [95% CI −0.33, −0.03], d = −0.15), whereas patients with nonaffective diagnoses (n = 73) experienced a small-sized increase (T2: MD = 0.24 [95% CI 0.06, 0.42], d = 0.19). Intervention group participants further experienced a nonsustained increase of help-seeking intentions (T2: MD = 0.53 [95% CI 0.11, 0.95], d = 0.19) and a nonsustained deterioration of mood (T2: MD = −0.14 [95% CI −0.27, −0.02], d = −0.17).

This study suggests that patients with affective disorders appear to benefit from media materials featuring mastery of suicidal crises. More research is needed to better understand which patient groups are at possible risk of unintended effects.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of pregabalin in relieving the symptoms of GAD in patients ≥65 years of age.

This was a multicenter, randomized, flexible-dose, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group trial of pregabalin in the treatment of GAD. Randomization was 2:1, pregabalin:placebo. Patients underwent an 8-week double-blind, flexible-dosage (150-600 mg/d) treatment phase, including a 1-week dose-escalation period (50 mg/d to 150 mg/d). The primary efficacy assessment was change from baseline to endpoint-LOCF in HAM-A total score. Additionally, change from baseline to week 8 (observed cases) in HAM-A psychic and somatic factors was evaluated.

Mean age at GAD onset was 56 years; 77% of patients were women; mean age at enrollment was 72 years; mean duration of GAD was 17 years. Mean change from baseline in HAM-A total score was –12.84 (n=177) for the pregabalin group and –10.7 (n=96) for the placebo group (P=.0437). At week 8, patients treated with pregabalin had significant improvement in both the HAM-A psychic (–7.8 vs –6.3, P=.0111) and somatic (–6.6 vs –5.4, P=.0248) factors. The most common adverse events (AEs) among pregabalin-treated patients were dizziness (20.3%), somnolence (13.0%), headache (10.2%), and nausea (9.0%). Most AEs were mild-to-moderate and self-limiting. Discontinuation rates due to AEs were 10.7% and 9.4% in the pregabalin and placebo groups, respectively.

Pregabalin was effective in reducing the symptoms of GAD in patients aged 65 years and older, and it was safe and well tolerated in this population.

This study examined the relation between schizotypy and the encoding style in a sub-clinical sample. We evaluated, first, the level of schizotypy with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQB) (Raine and al, 1995). Three factors are evaluated

1. a) cognitive-perceptual factor,

2. b) b) interpersonal factor and disorganisation.

A total of 184 students (113 women and 71 men) participated at this study. The mean age of the sample was 22,58 years (SD = 1,96). They were test using a French version of the ESQ, the brief SPQB, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale.

The results demonstrated that we have a positive correlation between internal encoding style, schizotypy, depression and anxiety. Secondly, a high level of internal encoding style means a high level of congnitivo-perceptual and for interpersonal factors with an impact of depression and anxiety.

An internal encoding style is link with a high score in schizotypy.

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL) is a 17-item self-report measure of the 17 DSM-IV symptoms of PTSD. The PCL has a variety of purposes, including screening individuals for PTSD, diagnosing PTSD, monitoring symptom change during and after treatment. There are three versions of the PCL: PCL-C (civilian), PCL-M (military) and PCL-S (specific). PCL-M asks about symptoms in response to “stressful military experiences” and used for active service members and veterans. The PCL-M can be completed by participants of a research study in approximately 5–10 minutes. Interpretation of the PCL-M should be completed by a clinician. There is no valid PCL-M Latvian language version.

The goal of the study is to assess the evaluative and discriminative properties of the Latvian language version of the PCL-M in PTSD risk group patients (PTSD-RGP).

Totally 30 participants (males, Europeans, of average age 26.2, PTSD-RGP - Latvian Contingent of International Operations) were examined. Standart validation protocol was applied for PCL-M Latvian language version's reliability and validity testing: reliability consequence, construct validity, test-retest, Cronbach alpha criterion.

Cronbach alpha criterion was more than 0,70 (means reliable response sets), the reliability-consequence scale is from 0.6 to 0.9 (means precise definition). Test-retest by Spearman showed r ≥ 0.75 (means reliable stability).

It was concluded that the PLC-M Latvian language version has sufficiently acceptable evaluative and discriminatory properties and is therefore a valid instrument for PTSD measurements in clinical and research studies in Latvian military active service members and veterans.

Low-FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diets are strongly recommended to improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. They are also hypothesized to improve the psychopathological status that often accompanies the syndrome. A study (Ledochowski et al., 2000) suggested that the ingestion of FODMAPs affected negatively the mood and that the elimination of dietary FODMAPs improved depressive symptoms.

We aimed to assess the levels of psychopathology pre- and post-diet in IBS patients free of any severe psychiatric disease (e.g., bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia) or alcohol/substance abuse.

We consecutively recruited 75 IBS outpatients (68% females; age range = 21–68 years) at the Gastrointestinal Outpatient Center of our University Hospital. They filled out the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), a visual analogue scale (VAS) to rate the intensity of abdominal bloating/pain, and a 2-week diary card registering the frequency of bloating/pain. Then, they were blindly assigned to a low-FODMAP diet, a low-FODMAP gluten-free diet and a control diet for 4 weeks. During the last 2 weeks they filled out a 2nd diary card and rerated the intensity of bloating/pain. Patients were reassessed after a 16-month follow-up. Independent t-test, χ2 test, and one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test were used.

Baseline characteristics did not differ between the three groups. Post-diet and at follow-up, the two low-FODMAP diets, vs. the test diet, improved not only the intensity and frequency of bloating/pain, but also the SCL-90-R GSI, anxiety, and phobic anxiety scores (P-values < 0.05).

The low-FODMAP diet may improve psychopathology in IBS patients.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Previous studies showed associations of stress and episodes of active disease [1,2]. We reported survey data on psychosocial problems of IBD patients [3]. This study investigates associations of stress with health impairments and analyses a scale of perceived stress as an indicator for psychosocial impairments (construct/criterion validity) [4].

In a multiregional German survey in 2005, 1083 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis were recruited (gastroenterological practices, university outpatient clinics, patient organization). The questionnaire incorporated WHO's ICF [5] and established items and scales (i.a. HADS [6]). Scale construction followed item response theory analysing psychometric properties.

Of the survey responders (58% CD, 65% female, mean age 42yrs), ⅓ reported severe fatigue. Clinically relevant anxiety was observed in 24%, depression in 29% of men and 21% of women. With three items we constructed a scale with good psychometric properties. Three groups (low, moderate, high perceived stress) were identified, differing substantially in reported anxiety/depression and the GIBDI disease activity score.

IBD patients report multiple psychosocial impairments. The scale of perceived stress may identify IBD patients with high demand for psychosocial attendance, if confirmed in independent samples. For enhanced secondary prevention [7] we propose integration of this psychosocial indicator into the diagnostic process.

Evaluate the efficacy of art therapy during acute psychotic episodes.

Thirty-six inpatients with ICD-diagnoses of schizophrenia (F20.0–F20.9) age between 20–60 were randomised to either 12 twice-weekly sessions of psychodynamic group art therapy plus treatment as usual or to standard treatment alone. Art therapy was administered in 12 sessions of 90 minutes for 6 weeks. At 12 weeks, 55% of patients randomised to art therapy, and 66% of patients receiving treatment as usual were examined. Scales used: 17 – Item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) for depression and Scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS).

The approach was non-directive – patients could choose to create whatever they wanted and use any available material. Interventions by the art therapist aimed at supporting the art process and helping to understand the image. The last 30 minutes of a session were reserved for a shared viewing and reflecting on the images.

With post-treatment and follow-up scores of SANS and HRSD patients who had received AT had a significantly greater mean reduction of positive and negative and also depressive symptoms at 12-week follow-up than patients treated as usual. Social functioning was significantly higher in the AT group. There were no significant interactions between intervention group and gender.

Evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of AT in patients with schizophrenia is far from being conclusive and benefits might be limited to a subgroup of patients. Results of this study suggest AT can be implemented in routine hospital settings for patients experiencing acute psychotic states.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.