bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of schizotypal and borderline symptoms in parasuicide patients: comparison between subjective and objective indices
Authors: Markar H. R. , Williams J. M. G. , Wells J. , Gordon L. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISSeventy-six patients were interviewed within a week of admission following a parasuicide episode. Axis II diagnosis on DSM-III was made for schizotypal, borderline, histrionic, and antisocial personality disorder. In addition patients completed a self-rating questionnaire, the Schizotypy Questionnaire of Claridge & Broks (1984), which assesses schizotypal and borderline personality traits. The objective and subjective indices of schizotypal and borderline symptoms correlated significantly but allocation of patients to a diagnosis missed several patients who nevertheless rated themselves as having a high frequency of these symptoms. There was an asymmetry of symptom pattern reminiscent of Foulds & Bedford's (1975) hierarchy model. The presence of schizotypal symptoms appeared to be higher in the hierarchy: they predicted borderline symptoms, but a high frequency of borderline symptoms did not necessarily predict schizotypy. We suggest that the occurrence of schizotypal symptoms should become a more explicit focus of clinical assessment and treatment of these patients, especially those who repeatedly harm themselves and we suggest ways in which cognitive therapies may be adapted to do this.
Parasuicide and the lunar cycle
Authors: Rogers Tim D. , Masterton George , McGuire Ralph 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISAdmissions to hospital following parasuicide in one city over eighteen years exhibit a cyclical variation apparently synchronized with the lunar quarters. The effect would only account for approximately 0·7 out of the average of 46 parasuicides per 100000 adults per lunar cycle (95% CI 0·6–0·8), and fails to reach statistical significance.
Object chaining and thought disorder in schizophrenic speech
Authors: Manschreck T. C. , Maher B. , Celada M. T. , Schneyer M. , Fernandez R. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThe phenomenon of object chaining was investigated to determine its relationship to thought disorder in schizophrenia. Samples from thought-disordered schizophrenics (N = 12) and controls (10 non-thought-disordered schizophrenics and 10 normals) were analysed. Using the object subject ratio (OSR) to measure object chaining, we found higher OSRs in the speech of thought-disordered subjects than in that of subjects free of thought disorder. Object chaining correlated with low predictability of speech. We conclude that object chaining is associated with reduced speech comprehensibility and probably contributes to the judgement that thought disorder is present.
DSM-III compulsive personality disorder: an epidemiological survey
Authors: Nestadt G. , Romanoski A. J. , Brown C. H. , Chahal R. , Merchant A. , Folstein M. F. , Gruenberg E. M. , McHugh P. R. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISA two-stage probability sample of community subjects was developed with a full psychiatric examination employing DSM-III criteria in conjunction with the Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) survey conducted in Baltimore, MD. This report details the observation on those subjects diagnosed with compulsive personality disorder and compulsive personality traits. The results indicate that this condition has a prevalence of 1·7% in a general population. Male, white, married and employed individuals receive this diagnosis most often. Our data suggest a dimensional rather than categorical character for this disorder. The disorder imparts a vulnerability for the development of anxiety disorders.
General practitioner referral to specialist psychiatric services: a comparison of practices in North- and South-Verona
Authors: Arreghini Ermanno , Agostini Claudio , Wilkinson Greg 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISSpecialist psychiatric services run by the Italian National Health Service are mainly hospital-based in North-Verona and community-based in South-Verona. Ninety-two GPs from both areas participated in a one-day survey of their provision of psychiatric care, and this paper focuses on socio-demographic and clinical variables associated with specialist psychiatric referral. The one-day prevalence figure for GP referral to specialist psychiatric services was 7·3% (17·6/10000): the figures did not differ between the sexes or between the two areas. Whereas in North-Verona 49% of the patients referred were sent to the two local hospital-based public services and 51% to other agencies (mainly to private psychiatrists), in South-Verona 71% of referrals were to the community-based public service.Log-linear analysis showed that past psychiatric history, psychological presenting complaint, social problems and GPs' psychiatric diagnosis exerted positive joint main effects on GP referral to specialist psychiatric services, and that diagnosed organic illness had a negative effect in this regard. In the presence of a psychological complaint, a psychiatric diagnosis proved to be quite unimportant, so that those without a psychiatric diagnosis were just as likely to be referred as those with one. However, in the absence of a psychological complaint a GP diagnosis of depression greatly increased the risk of referral.Though the type of psychiatric service proved not to be an important determinant of GP referral to specialist psychiatric services it influenced the GPs' choice of referral agency.
Some cognitive correlates of schizophrenic illnesses
Authors: Robertson Graham , Taylor Pamela J. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisA battery of tests was developed to assess verbal, non-verbal and mixed cognitive functions. Interest was based on pattern of response rather than absolute scores. The subjects were 167 men held in prison on criminal charges or in a maximum security hospital after conviction. The present paper deals exclusively with two subgroups: the 61 schizophrenic men and the 41 men with no psychiatric disorder. The schizophrenic group as a whole presented a very different cognitive pattern from the ‘normal’ men. First, with the exception of the vocabulary subtest of the WAIS, the schizophrenics were inferior on all tests, whether verbal, non-verbal or mixed function. Secondly, they showed considerably more variation within subtests. The schizophrenic sample was therefore subdivided into four clinical groups. Each showed a distinctive cognitive profile. It is argued that these cognitive differences reflect real differences in the disorder and type of illness being experienced by members of these subgroups.
The factor structure of the Eating Attitudes Test with adolescent schoolgirls
Authors: Wells J. Elisabeth , Coope Patricia A. , Gabb Diane C. , Pears Richard K. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe 40-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40) was administered to teenage schoolgirls. Factor analysis (N = 749) yielded a major dieting factor almost identical to that found by Garner et al. (1982) with anorexics. Although this factor clearly measures pathology in underweight girls, its interpretation is ambiguous for normal and overweight girls. Two other factors found in all analyses were food preoccupation and social pressure to eat.
The development of a short observation method for the study of the activity and contacts of old people in residential settings
Authors: Macdonald A. J. D. , Craig T. K. J. , Warner L. A. R. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisData from a non-participant, ‘event-sampling’, direct observation study of 32 elderly persons in residential care were simplified and re-analysed, with the aim of developing a short, practical method of observation for use in research and training in residential care. A single, nominated hour's observation seemed to fit the data satisfactorily. This method, when applied to data from two newly observed contrasting samples, revealed the same important differences as had been found from a whole day's observation. A practical, short observation method thus emerged for use in research and training.
The List of Threatening Experiences: a subset of 12 life event categories with considerable long-term contextual threat
Authors: Brugha Traolach , Bebbington Paul , Tennant Christopher , Hurry Jane 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisIn a survey of a random sample of the general population recent life events, collected and rated for long-term contextual threat according to the methods of Brown & Harris (1978), were also recorded where possible on an inventory of life event categories (Tennant & Andrews, 1977). Of the 82·5% of all events collected which were covered by the inventory, 12 of the 67 event categories accounted for 77% of life events with an aetiologicaly significant rating of marked or moderate long-term threat. Where practical and economic constraints oblige research workers to choose the inventory method, a brief list of event categories, such as the List of Threatening Experiences, is recommended in preference to much longer lists.
A pilot study of mental disorders in Taiwan
Authors: Cheng Tai-Ann 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisA two-stage case-identification method, using a modified General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS), was applied in a pilot study of mental disorders in an urban city in Taiwan. The validity of the modified GHQ was proved to be greater than that of the original, with a very high sensitivity and specificity. The Chinese version of the CIS was found to be feasible for community study in Taiwan. The total prevalence rate of all mental disorders was 26·0%, with a higher morbidity among females.
Reduced caloric intake following small bowel bypass surgery: a systematic study of possible causes
Authors: Robinson Robert G. , Folstein Marshal F. , McHugh Paul R. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISFood intake, appetite and a variety of feelings were measured pre- and post-operatively in obese patients undergoing jejuno—ileal bypass surgery. Decreased food intake correlated closely with the amount of weight loss at both 4 and 30 months after surgery. Malabsorption correlated with weight loss at 4 months but not 30 months post-operatively. The cause of the decreased food intake is unknown and cannot be completely explained by either depression, nausea, malabsorption, liver disease, an attempt to avert diarrhoea, or decreased appetite.
The prognostic significance of psychological factors in the management of chronic bronchitis
Authors: Rutter Brenda M. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISEighty-three chronic obstructive bronchitic patients were psychologically assessed before being randomly allocated to 1 of 3 management regimes. The following measures were taken: psychiatric disturbance, personality, social-desirability response set, vocabulary, expectations about treatment, attitudes and beliefs about bronchitis, effect of patient's bronchitis on the family, work, self, physical exercise, smoking, and general health. Outcome was assessed after one month and again one year later, and the measures included physiological tests of lung functioning, an exercise tolerance test, reported symptoms, time off work, drop-out, and death.Contrary to expectations, it was found that psychological variables had some prognostic significance for outcome assessed by medical measures of illness severity. More important was the finding that, in bronchitics under retiring age, weeks off work during the year of the study could be predicted by psychological variables but not by physiological measures of illness severity.
Schizo-affective psychosis: definitions and incidence
Authors: Brockington I. F. , Leff J. P. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISEight definitions of schizo-affective psychosis have been compared in a sample of psychotic first admissions. Their mutual concordance is very low (mean 0·19) showing that there is very poor agreement about the meaning of the term ‘schizo-affective’ at present. Ten patients (4·5 % of admissions and 8 % of psychotic admissions within the age group studied) satisfied 3 definitions, a figure which demonstrates the numerical importance of this group of unclassified mental disorders.
Skin conductance responsivity during acute episodes of schizophrenia as a predictor of symptomatic improvement
Authors: Frith C. D. , Stevens Marilyn , Johnstone Eve C. , Crow T. J. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISSkin conductance responses to a series of tones were measured in 41 patients during an acute episode of schizophrenia before they received treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment with either α-flupenthixol, β-fiupenthixol or placebo. Patients who did not habituate to the tones prior to treatment tended to show no symptomatic improvement during the course of treatment. Patients who habituated and also showed an acute onset of their current symptoms (‘Feighner negative’ patients) showed a marked improvement even without active medication. Skin conductance responsivity did not change with improvement in symptoms alone, but decreased in patients on active medication (α-flupenthixol).Non-habituation of skin conductance and insidious onset (i.e. fulfilment of the Feighner criteria) were found to be independent predictors of poor outcome. Taken together, these criteria may define a group of patients with particularly poor prognosis.
Patterns and issues in multiaxial psychiatric diagnosis
Authors: Mezzich Juan E. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThe multiaxial diagnostic model, consisting in the systematic formulation of a patient's condition according to separate clinical variables or aspects, is receiving increasing attention in several parts of the world. This innovative model promises to improve diagnostic reliability and validity and involves many methodological challenges. This paper reviews patterns and issues in the conceptualization of axial content, number and organization of axes, dimensional versus categorical scaling, and evaluation and further development of multiaxial systems.
CSF GABA in depressed patients and normal controls
Authors: Roy Alec , Dejong Judith , Ferraro Thomas 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThe inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Therefore, we examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of GABA in depressed patients (N = 25) and normal controls (N = 20). There was no significant difference between the groups. However, among the depressed patients the subgroup of unipolar melancholic patients (N = 13) had significantly lower CSF levels of GABA than the rest of the depressed patients (N = 12). There was no significant difference for CSF levels of GABA between depressed patients who were (N = 14) or were not (N = 11) cortisol non-suppressors. It was of interest that among the controls there was a significant negative correlation between CSF levels of GABA and CSF levels of norepinephrine.
Performance of long-stay schizophrenics on matched verbal and visuospatial recall tasks
Authors: Calev Avraham , Edelist Sanda , Kugelmass Sol , Lerer Bernard 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISA verbal and a visuospatial recall task were compared for discriminating power, using the matched-tasks methodology. These tasks were administered to long-hospitalized schizophrenics. No evidence of a differential deficit, that is, better recall of either the verbal or the visuospatial materials, emerged in the patients. The results replicate a former finding showing no difference between verbal and visuospatial recall in schizophrenics, using memory tasks which were less sensitive as left- and right-hemisphere measures and a non-verbal task less affected by verbal mediation. This replication questions the assumption that the hemispheric differences observed in schizophrenics affect such memory tasks.
Can the neuropsychological case-study approach be applied to schizophrenia?
Authors: Shallice T. , Burgess P. W. , Frith C. D. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISNeuropsychological studies of schizophrenia typically apply a small number of tests to a large group of patients. This approach has at least two drawbacks. First, the heterogeneity of the condition will lead to group means which may not reflect the behaviour of any individual. Secondly, it is difficult to infer the nature of the underlying cognitive impairments from a small number of tests, since good performance on a particular test depends on many different cognitive processes. In these circumstances it is more appropriate to apply the methods of cognitive neuropsychology where a large number of tests are used on a single case. This approach has proved fruitful in the study of neurological patients. We have intensively studied 5 chronic schizophrenic patients. These patients varied greatly in terms of overall ability. However, all patients, whatever their overall ability, performed badly on tests sensitive to frontal lobe lesions. This result suggests impairment of the supervisory attentional system in these patients. In addition, one patient suffered from a visual agnosia.
Eating disorder patient referrals from a population region 1977–1986
Authors: Hall Anne , Hay Phillipa J. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThree hundred and forty-three eating disorder patients (50% anorexia nervosa, 37% bulimia and 13 % atypical eating disorder) were seen by the eating disorder service in the Wellington (New Zealand) region between 1977 and 1986. Ninety-six per cent were female. Annual rate of referral for anorexia nervosa remained stable at 5 per 100000 population (34 per 100000 females aged 15–29 years). Annual referral rate for bulimia increased from 6 to 44 per 100000 females aged 15–29 years.
Anorexia nervosa in Hong Kong: a Chinese perspective
Authors: Lee Sing 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISA prospective study of sixteen Chinese anorexic patients in Hong Kong indicates that they were single young females who came from lower social class, exhibited severe self-induced weight loss, rigid maintenance of low body weight and amenorrhea. Weight reduction was primarily by dietary restriction. The typical bulimic syndrome and major depression were uncommon. There were multiple aetiological factors, but no pre-morbid obesity and little pressure to pursue slimness for beauty. Instead of displaying an intense fear of obesity and a distorted body image, patients more commonly attributed poor food intake to abdominal bloating. As such, they only partially fulfilled current criteria for diagnosis. It is argued that such clinical patterns arise logically from their sociocultural backgrounds, but may gradually change with Westernization.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in the community: an epidemiological study
Authors: Davidson Jonathan R. T. , Hughes Dana , Blazer Dana G. , George Linda K. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was studied in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Among 2985 subjects, the lifetime and six month prevalence figures for PTSD were 1·30 and 0·44 % respectively. In comparison to non-PTSD subjects, those with PTSD had significantly greater job instability, family history of psychiatric illness, parental poverty, child abuse, and separation or divorce of parents prior to age 10. PTSD was associated with greater psychiatric co-morbidity and attempted suicide, increased frequency of bronchial asthma, hypertension, peptic ulcer and with impaired social support. Differences were noted between chronic and acute PTSD on a number of measures, with chronic PTSD being accompanied by more frequent social phobia, reduced social support and greater avoidance symptoms.
The reliability of life event reports in a community survey
Authors: Kessler Ronald C. , Wethington Elaine 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThere is considerable evidence from inter-respondent and test–retest studies that the data obtained in structured life event inventories are not very reliable. Inter-respondent reliability estimates are presented in this paper for the life event reports obtained in a community survey that was designed to facilitate recall of life events. It is documented that respondents were able to recall many sorts of severe negative events with adequate reliability over a twelve-month recall period. Data are also presented to show that respondents could date event occurrence with good consistency. Sensitive events, such as involvement in criminal activities and difficulties in marriage, were not reliably reported. These results suggest that the problems of faulty memory and conceptual confusion about serious events can be overcome with careful question wording and administration procedures, but that the problem of respondent reticence about reporting sensitive events remains unresolved.
The prevalence of depression among Australian nursing home residents: results using draft ICD-10 and DSM-III-R criteria
Authors: Phillips C. J. , Henderson A. S. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISThe aims of this study were, first, to estimate the prevalence of depressive disorders in Australian nursing home residents using international diagnostic criteria, and second, to explore environmental determinants of such disorders. Residents of 24 nursing homes were surveyed using the Canberra Interview for the Elderly (CIE) and a range of environmental measures was also taken. Of 323 residents who were screened for cognitive impairment, 165 (51%) scored 18 or above on the Mini-Mental State Examination (Folstein et al. 1975), and were interviewed with the CIE. According to DSM-III-R criteria and the CIE, the prevalence of major depressive episode was 9·7%. Using ICD-10 criteria, 6·1% of residents suffered from a severe depressive episode, 6·7% from a moderate depressive episode and 6·7% from a mild depressive episode. Some measures of the social environment were significantly related to depressive symptoms.
Assessing the quality of life of the individual: the SEIQoL with a healthy and a gastroenterology unit population
Authors: McGee Hannah M. , O'Boyle Ciaran A. , Hickey Anne , O'Malley Kevin , Joyce C. R. B. 
Published: July 2009

SYNOPSISCurrent methods of measuring quality of life (QoL) impose an external value system on individuals, rather than allowing them to describe their lives in terms of those factors which they consider important. The Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL) was developed to overcome such limitations. The QoL of 42 healthy attenders at an international immunization clinic was assessed using SEIQoL. Judgement reliability was high (r = 0·74) and individuals' judgement policies accounted for a large percentage of the variance in overall QoL (R2 = 0·75) demonstrating the construct validity of judgement analysis in this context.In a second study of QoL of out-patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (N = 20) or peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (N = 20) was assessed using SEIQoL. Judgement reliability was lower (r = 0·54) although statistically highly significant (P < 0·01), and the variance in overall QoL judgements explained was high (R2 = 0·74).SEIQoL is an acceptable, reliable and valid technique for measuring individual QoL that takes greater account of individual perspectives than traditional measurement approaches.
Plasma nortriptyline and clinical response–a study using changing plasma levels
Authors: Burrows Graham D. , Maguire Kay P. , Scoggins Bruce A. , Stevenson James , Davies Brian 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisIn a 5-week study of 22 depressed patients treated with nortriptyline, significant changes in plasma levels, both elevated and reduced, were deliberately produced in the third and fourth weeks of each patient's treatment. Correlation of plasma nortriptyline levels and changes in the severity of depression, as measured by the Hamilton Depression Scale, showed no significant relationships. The implications of the study are discussed.
Brain damage in chronic alcoholism: a neuropathological, neuroradiological and psychological review
Authors: Ron M. A. 
Published: July 2009

SynopsisThe review deals with the possibility of diffuse brain damage, not always clinically obvious, in chronic alcoholics. Some of its implications are discussed with special reference to the role of frontal lobe damage. The main areas of enquiry-neuropathological, neuroradiological and psychological – are considered in detail.