bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A 3‐year follow‐up study of psychosocial functioning and general symptoms in settled refugees
Authors: Lie B. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: Few community studies have addressed the longitudinal course of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in traumatized refugees in early resettlement. This longitudinal study investigated changes from the first (T1) to the second interview (T2), 3 years later. The relationship between traumatic exposures and psychosocial factors/psychological symptom load were examined.Method: Local health professionals performed the interviews, using rating scales and a structured questionnaire. A total of 240 (52%) refugees attended.Results: Unchanged Hopkins Symptom Checklist‐25 and increase in Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and post‐traumatic stress symptoms‐16 between T1 and T2 were found, indicating the severity and chronicity of problems. Mean post‐traumatic stress score was 15% above cut‐off. Severe life‐threatening trauma and present life in exile with unemployment and unresolved family reunion were risk factors.Conclusion: Early diagnostic interview should be followed by targeted approach. Pinpointing those in need of specialist services is essential. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary in this work.
2‐COM: an instrument to facilitate patient–professional communication in routine clinical practice
Authors: Van Os J. , Altamura A. C. , Bobes J. , Owens D. C. , Gerlach J. , Hellewell J. S. E. , Kasper S. , Naber D. , Tarrier N. , Robert P. 
Published: March 2003

Objective:  A simple patient‐completed self‐report instrument may facilitate patient–professional carer communication.Method:  A 19‐item self‐report needs schedule was used in a sample of 243 out‐patients with non‐affective psychosis. Patients and professional carers commented on the usefulness of the instrument. In a subgroup of 95 patient–carer dyads, the professional carer was asked to rate the needs in addition to the patient.Results:  Patients scored their needs reliably and lower than the professionals (OR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.9, 0.97). Concordance between patients and professional carers on individual needs was very low. More than 50% of the professional carers and more than 80% of the patients found 2‐COM useful. The higher the number of needs indicated by the patient, the greater the discrepancy between patients and professional carers with regard to the usefulness of the schedule.Conclusion:  2‐COM is a useful instrument to expose, and subsequently bridge, patient–professional carer discordance on patient needs.
Negative symptoms in first episode non‐affective psychosis
Authors: Malla Ashok K. , Takhar Jatinder J. , Norman Ross M. G. , Manchanda Rahul , Cortese Leonard , Haricharan Raj , Verdi Mary , Ahmed Rashid 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To determine the prevalence of negative symptoms and to examine secondary sources of influence on negative symptoms and the role of specific negative symptoms in delay associated with seeking treatment in first episode non‐affective psychosis. Method: One hundred and ten patients who met Diagnostic Statistical Manual‐IV (DSM‐IV) criteria for a first episode of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses were rated for assessment of negative, positive, depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, the premorbid adjustment scale and assessment of demographic and clinical characteristics including duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). Results: Alogia/flat affect and avolition/anhedonia were strongly influenced by parkinsonian and depressive symptoms, respectively. A substantial proportion (26.8%) of patients showed at a least moderate level of negative symptoms not confounded by depression and Parkinsonism. DUP was related only to avolition/anhedonia while flat affect/alogia was related to male gender, diagnosis of schizophrenia, age of onset and the length of the prodrome. Conclusion: Negative symptoms that are independent of the influence of positive symptoms, depression and extra pyramidal symptoms (EPS) are present in a substantial proportion of first episode psychosis patients and delay in seeking treatment is associated mainly with avolition and anhedonia.
Subjective quality of life: validity issues with depressed patients
Authors: Kuehner Christine 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To compare depressed patients at different stages of illness and healthy controls on objective and subjective quality of life (QOL) measures and to determine the responsiveness of subjective QOL ratings to change in depression. Method: A cohort of 56 depressed in‐patients was followed‐up for up to 16 months after discharge and compared with 56 age‐/sex‐matched community controls. Assessment included the SCAN‐PSE‐10 and the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile. Results: Marked between‐group differences were found on self‐esteem and global and illness‐related QOL ratings. In the patient sample, these measures were also strongly responsive to changes in depression status over time. In contrast, group differences and responsiveness to change for ratings from illness‐farer domains were missing. Conclusion: This study revealed no evidence for a globally biased negative evaluation of subjective QOL by depressed patients. It is suggested that in depressed samples subjective QOL scores should be interpreted on individual rather than on aggregated life domain levels.
Pain in somatoform disorders: is somatoform pain disorder a valid diagnosis?
Authors: Birket‐Smith M. , Mortensen E. L. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: Investigate the validity of DSM‐IIIR somatoform pain disorder (SPD) by comparing subgroups of somatoform disorder patients on several measures of psychopathology. Method: A total of 144 patients with unexplained physical symptoms were referred from non‐psychiatric departments. Among these, 127 patients with somatoform disorders were identified, classified according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID) diagnostic interview, and rated with scales for somatization, anxiety, depression and personality traits. Results: Patients presenting pain did not differ significantly from patients presenting non‐pain symptoms on measures of symptoms and personality traits. Correspondingly, patients with SPD did not differ significantly from patients with conversion disorder (CD), while patients with Somatization disorder (SD) had higher scores on most scales for psychopathology and personality disorder. Conclusion: Significant diagnostic and symptomatic overlap was found between SPD and CD, and although the statistical power of the study was modest, the study questions the validity of the current definition of SPD.
Classification of obsessive‐compulsive disorder in childhood and adolescence
Authors: Steinberger K. , Schuch B. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: In child and adolescent psychiatry the validation of the diagnosis must be seen in the context of development. Comparing different diagnostic formulations DSM‐IV and ICD‐10‐DCR in a clinical sample of children and adolescents suffering from obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) and their validation on external criteria represent such a heuristic approach. Method: We investigated 61 children seen consecutively in a specialized out‐patient clinic for OCD. All of them were assessed by the International Diagnostic Checklists (IDCL). Diagnosis and diagnostic certainty were validated regarding age, age of onset and duration of illness. Results: The agreement between the two diagnostic systems was low. The diagnostic stability of ICD‐10‐DCR was highly dependent on age, whereas that of the criteria DSM‐IV did not depend on age and almost all subjects could be diagnosed definitely. Conclusion: This study suggests that the DSM‐IV criteria are superior to that of ICD‐10‐DCR for diagnosing OCD in children and younger adolescents.
The boundary between mixed and manic episodes in the ICD‐10 classification
Authors: Sato T. , Bottlender R. , Kleindienst N. , Tanabe A. , Möller H.‐J. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To investigate the boundary between ICD‐10 mixed and manic episodes, which has apparently remained understudied. Method: In‐patients with ICD‐10 mixed (n=36) and manic episodes (n=145) were compared in terms of demographic, clinical, therapeutical and outcome variables. Results: Of in‐patients with manic episode, 26 (18%) had several depressive symptoms at admission. These patients (dysphoric manic patients) were very similar to patients with ICD‐10 mixed episode in terms of current symptomatic presentations and several clinical and therapeutic variables, which were significantly different from those in patients with pure mania. Conclusion: The ICD‐10 boundary between mixed and manic episodes is unlikely to be effective although experienced clinicians made the diagnoses. The system may have a high probability of diagnosing dysphoric manic patients as having manic episode, despite their great similarities to patients with mixed episode in terms of current psychopathological presentations as well as clinically important variables.
The Danish PET/depression project: clinical symptoms and cerebral blood flow. A regions‐of‐interest analysis
Authors: Videbech P. , Ravnkilde B. , Pedersen T. H. , Hartvig H. , Egander A. , Clemmensen K. , Rasmussen N. A. , Andersen F. , Gjedde A. , Rosenberg R. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: We wanted to explore associations between clinical symptoms of depression and the blood flow to specific regions of the brain. Furthermore, we wanted to compare the regions‐of‐interest (ROI) method with the functions‐of‐interest (FOI) approach. Method: The resting blood flow to 42 ROI in the brain was obtained with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in 42 representative in‐patients with major depression and 47 matched healthy controls. Results: The patients had increased blood flow to hippocampus, cerebellum, anterior cingulate gyrus, and the basal ganglia. A strong negative correlation was found between the degree of psychomotor retardation of the patients and the blood flow to the dorsolateral and supraorbital prefrontal cortices. The total Hamilton score was correlated with the blood flow to the hippocampus. Conclusion: Our findings support the notion that depressed patients have disturbances in the loops connecting the frontal lobes, limbic system, basal ganglia, and cerebellum.
SSRIs vs. TCAs in the treatment of panic disorder: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Bakker A. , Van Balkom A. J. L. M. , Spinhoven P. 
Published: March 2003

Bakker A, van Balkom AJLM, Spinhoven P. SSRIs vs. TCAs in the treatment of panic disorder: a meta‐analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2002: 106: 163–167. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2002. Objective: To compare the short‐term efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) vs. tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in the treatment of panic disorder (PD) a meta‐analysis was conducted. Method: Included were 43 studies (34 randomized, nine open), pertaining to 53 treatment conditions, 2367 patients at pretest and 1804 at post‐test. Outcome was measured with the proportion of patients becoming panic‐free, and with pre/post Cohen's d effect sizes, calculated for four clinical variables: panic, agoraphobia, depression, and general anxiety. Results: There were no differences between SSRIs and TCAs on any of the effect sizes, indicating that both groups of antidepressants are equally effective in reducing panic symptoms, agoraphobic avoidance, depressive symptomatology and general anxiety. Also the percentage of patients free of panic attacks at post‐test did not differ. The number of drop‐outs, however, was significantly lower in the group of patients treated with SSRIs (18%) vs. TCAs (31%). Conclusion: SSRIs and TCAs are equal in efficacy in the treatment of panic disorder, but SSRIs are tolerated better.
Does guilt proneness predict acute and long‐term distress in relatives of patients with schizophrenia?
Authors: Boye B. , Bentsen H. , Malt U. F. 
Published: March 2003

Objective:  The aim of the study was to improve our understanding of guilt proneness as predictor of acute and long‐term stress responses in relatives of acutely admitted patients.Method:  Forty‐nine relatives in close contact with 36 patients suffering from schizophrenia DSM‐III‐R, completed Hostility Guilt (HG) and Guilt Conscience (GC) scales (Revised Mosher Guilt Inventory), and Levenson's Locus of Control Scale (LOC) at the patient's admission to hospital, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) at the patient's admission and at 9 months after discharge.Results:  Acute distress (GHQ) was positively related to HG, but not when controlling for LOC. GC was positively associated with acute and long‐term distress, GHQ‐depression and coping‐failure, and long‐term GHQ‐anxiety. When controlling for LOC, GC was still positively related to long‐term distress. HG, GC and LOC explained 32% variance of GHQ at 9 months.Conclusion:  GC seems to be an important predictor of long‐term distress in relatives.
Cognitive and affective disorders associated to HIV infection in the HAART era: findings from the NeuroICONA study
Authors: Starace F. , Bartoli L. , Aloisi M. S. , Antinori A. , Narciso P. , Ippolito G. , Ravasio L. , Moioli M. C. , Vangi D. , Gennero L. , Coronado O. V. , Giacometti A. , Nappa S. , Perulli M. L. , Montesarchio V. , La Gala A. , Ricci F. , Cristiano L. , De Marco M. , Izzo C. , Pezzotti P. , D'Arminio Monforte A. ,   for the NeuroICONA study team
Published: March 2003

Objective: To assess the natural story of HIV‐associated affective and cognitive disorders and the relationship with clinical, pharmacological, immunological and behavioural factors. Method: A total of 395 HIV‐positive patients, naive to Highly Active Antirectroviral therapy (HAART), with no severe psychiatric disorders have been enrolled in the Neuro‐ICONA Study. All participants were administered a comprehensive data collection instrument including an addiction behaviour survey, a medical problem list, a psychiatric assessment, a validated neuropsychological test battery. Results: The global prevalence of cognitive impairment and of prominent depressive symptomatology were 17.9 and 15.5%, respectively. A significant difference in the prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology was observed between patients in HAART and those not taking HAART(14.1 vs. 23.8%; P=0.05). Conclusion: Depressive and cognitive disorders affect a substantial proportion of HIV‐seropositive subjects. The prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology appears to significantly vary in relationship to the therapeutic protocol.
Adult antisocial personality traits are associated with experiences of low parental care and maternal overprotection
Authors: Reti I. M. , Samuels J. F. , Eaton W. W. , Bienvenu III O. J. , Costa Jr P. T. , Nestadt G. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To investigate the role of parenting in the development of adult antisocial personality traits. Method: A total of 742 community‐based subjects were assessed for adult DSM‐IV antisocial personality disorder traits and for measures of parental behavior experienced as children, including by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Results: Three fundamental dimensions of parental behavior – care, behavioral restrictiveness and denial of psychological autonomy – were derived by factor analysis from the PBI. These dimensions significantly correlated with measures of parental behavior considered influential in later antisocial behavior. Adult antisocial traits in males were associated with low maternal care and high maternal behavioral restrictiveness, and in females, antisocial traits were associated with low paternal care and high maternal denial of psychological autonomy. These dimensions did not, however, explain all variance parental behavior has on adult antisocial personality traits. Conclusion: Adult antisocial personality traits are associated with experiences of low parental care and maternal overprotection.
Melatonin response to atenolol administration in depression: indication of β‐adrenoceptor dysfunction in a subtype of depression
Authors: Paparrigopoulos T. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To investigate peripheral β‐adrenoceptor sensitivity in depression by assessing urinary melatonin pre‐ and post‐administration of atenolol.Method: Overnight urinary melatonin pre‐ and post‐administration of 100 mg oral atenolol was assessed in 36 depressed subjects and 47 controls.Results: Baseline melatonin was significantly lower in depressed patients than controls (P=0.004). Melatonin following atenolol administration was strongly reduced in both groups (P < 0.0001). This reduction depends on whether the subject is a high or low (cutoff: 0.25 nmol/l) baseline melatonin excretor (P=0.025) and on whether he is depressed being a low excretor (P=0.048). A negative correlation (P=0.007) was found between melatonin decrease after atenolol and the Montgomery‐Asberg Depression Rating Scale score.Conclusion: Atenolol strongly reduces melatonin in depressed and control subjects; this decrease relates inversely to the severity of depressive symptoms. Furthermore, responsiveness to atenolol differs between low melatonin depressed patients and low excretor controls, alluding to β‐adrenoceptor up‐regulation in a subtype of depression.
Living situation, subjective quality of life and social network among individuals with schizophrenia living in community settings
Authors: Hansson L. , Middelboe T. , Sørgaard K. W. , Bengtsson‐Tops A. , Bjarnason O. , Merinder L. , Nilsson L. , Sandlund M. , Korkeila J. , Vinding H. R. 
Published: March 2003

Objective:  To investigate the relationships between characteristics of the living situation in the community and subjective quality of life and social network among community‐based individuals with schizophrenia.Method:  A total of 418 individuals with schizophrenia from 10 sites were interviewed with regard to quality of life, psychopathology, social network and needs for care. Characteristics of the living situation investigated were: living alone or not, living with family or not, and having an independent or a sheltered housing situation.Results:  An independent housing situation was related to a better quality of life concerning living situation and living with the family to a better quality of life concerning family relations. An independent housing situation was associated with a better social network regarding availability and adequacy of emotional relations.Conclusion:  People with schizophrenia with an independent housing situation have a better quality of life associated with more favorable perceptions of independence, influence, and privacy. Their social network is better irrespective of whether they live alone or not, or with family or not.
One‐year outcome in first episode psychosis patients in the Swedish Parachute project
Authors: Cullberg J. , Levander S. , Holmqvist R. , Mattsson M. , Wieselgren I.‐M. 
Published: March 2003

Objective:  Implementing a system designed to treat first episode psychotic (FEP) patients.Method:  Every FEP patient (n=253) from a catchment area of 1.5 million inhabitants were asked to participate in this 5‐year project. One historical (n=71) and one prospective (n=64) FEP group were used for comparisons.Results:  A total of 175 patients (69%) were followed up through the first year of treatment. Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) values were significantly higher than in the historical comparison group but similar to the prospective group. Psychiatric in‐patient care was lower as was prescription of neuroleptic medication. Satisfaction with care was generally high in the Parachute group. Access to a small overnight crisis home was associated with higher GAF.Conclusion:  It is possible to successfully treat FEP patients with fewer in‐patient days and less neuroleptic medication than is usually recommended, when combined with intensive psychosocial treatment and support.
Confirmatory factor analysis of DSM‐IV borderline, schizotypal, avoidant and obsessive‐compulsive personality disorders: findings from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study
Authors: Sanislow Charles A. , Morey Leslie C. , Grilo Carlos M. , Gunderson John G. , Tracie Shea M. , Skodol Andrew E. , Stout Robert L. , Zanarini Mary C. , McGlashan Thomas H. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: To test the diagnostic constructs implied by DSM‐IV Axis‐II personality disorders by examining relationships between different combinations of DSM‐IV criteria.Method: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the borderline, schizotypal, avoidant and obsessive‐compulsive personality disorder constructs in a large treatment‐seeking sample (N=668) from a multisite study. A model based on the three DSM‐IV Axis II clusters was also tested. Both models were tested against a unitary ‘generic’ model constructed from four criteria sets combined.Results: Goodness‐of‐fit for both the three‐cluster and four disorder models was significantly better than the unidimensional model, and the four‐disorder model was significantly better than the three‐cluster model. Results were replicated using data from 2‐year follow‐up obtained by interviewers blind to original Axis II diagnoses at baseline.Conclusion: Support is provided for the DSM‐IV disorder‐level classification for schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive‐compulsive personality disorders in a treatment‐seeking sample.
The impact of depression on the well‐being, disability and use of services in older adults: a longitudinal perspective
Authors: Beekman Aartjan T. F. , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Deeg Dorly J. H. , Beurs Edwin de , Geerlings Sandra W. , Tilburg Willem van 
Published: March 2003

Objective:&ensp;To study the impact of depression on the wellbeing, disability and use of health services of older adults.Method:&ensp;Prospective community‐based study, using a large (n&equals;2200) sample of the elderly (55&ndash;85) in the Netherlands. Using a 3‐year follow‐up, the effect of depressive symptoms (CES‐D) on disability, wellbeing and service utilization was assessed, controlling for competing need‐for‐care (chronic physical illness, functional limitation and cognitive decline), enabling (partner status, size of the social network, social support and locus of control), and predisposing factors (age, sex and level of education).Results:&ensp;Depressive symptoms have considerable impact on the wellbeing and disability of older people and clear economic consequences caused by inappropriate service utilization. Compared with other need‐for‐care variables the impact of depression is weaker (service utilization), similar (disability) or stronger (wellbeing).Conclusion:&ensp;The steeply rising prevalence of competing health risks in later life does not influence the significance of depression.
Elderly suicide rates in Asian and English‐speaking countries
Authors: Pritchard C. , Baldwin D. S. 
Published: March 2003

Objective: Asian culture venerates elderly people. It was hypothesized that elderly suicides would be proportionately lower in Asian societies than in English‐speaking countries (ESC). Method: Elderly (i.e. aged 75 years or more) to general population suicide ratios were compared for six Asian societies and six ESC, based upon the latest 5‐year suicide rates. Results:
Males: The general population suicide rate was highest in rural China (227 per million) and third highest in Japan (217 per million), but other countries with high rates were all ESC (ranging from 224 to 198 per million). Asian countries had the six highest elderly suicide rates, 1327–1373 per million, whilst the highest ESC elderly rate was in the United States (507 per million). Asian societies had the widest range of elderly/general ratios, ranging from 6.62 to 2.6. Females: The overall suicide rates were higher in Asian countries (57–95 per million) than in ESC (40–56 per million). Asian elderly suicide rates differed (932 per million in rural China to 154 per million in Korea) but the highest ESC rate was in Australia (76 per million). The Asian countries elderly/general ratios ranged from 5.82 : 1 to 2.70 : 1, but the widest ESC ratio was 1.71 : 1, in the United Kingdom. Conclusion: There is a need for country‐specific prevention measures in elderly people, and particularly for older women in Asian countries.