Treatment early in the course of psychosis can improve prognostic outcomes, facilitate adaptive functioning, and reduce familial and societal burden. However, little is known about the pathway of first-episode psychosis (FEP) from the perspective of highly adherent adolescents and young adults.

To understand the pathways in youth self-determination and self-management of treatment by investigating youth and parents’ changing perceptions of illness in the early course of psychosis.

Twenty-eight (n=28) interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide on 12 adolescents following their FEP hospitalization and 16 parents. Standardized self-report forms and hospital inpatient records were used to collect demographic and clinical data.

On average, three years had passed from initial hospitalization (age 16.2 years, SD=1.2) to time of interview (age 19.3 years, SD=2.3), thus allowing for a range of experiences across the early period of illness. Highly adherent adolescents experienced identifiable temporal phases of early psychosis, comprised of emergent and specific themes. Parents described a parallel pathways towards supporting their child's selfdetermination and self-management of treatments, with some distinct experiential differences. Five dominant themes that emerged across time were symptom recognition, awareness of change, negative appraisals, positive appraisals, and treatment self-management.

Examining how these themes evolve over the early course of psychosis can help guide interventions that are compatible with the parent and adolescent's perceptions of illness at that point in time, and can therefore work in concert with the family's existing efforts to understand and manage their emerging condition and progress towards recovery.

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics have been used as an alternative to oral antipsychotic formulations.

to evaluate the impact of switching to a LAI second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) in terms of changes in patient's psychopathology, subjective experience of drug and quality of life.

18 adult outpatients diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder (by means of the SCID-I/P) and attending the Psychiatric Unit of the University of Florence were recruited. All patients were under a stabilized therapy with a single oral SGA (either olanzapine or paliperidone) and were switched to its corresponding LAI formulation (olanzapine pamoate or paliperidone palmitate). Patients were assessed by means of the following questionnaires: MADRS, YMRS, PANSS, DAI-10, SWN and SF-36 at enrolment (T0) and after 6 months (T1).

A significant reduction was found between T0 and T1 (p<.05) in PANSS total, negative and general psychopathology mean scores, as well as in mean MADRS and YMRS total scores. No difference was found for positive PANSS mean scores. We observed a significant increase of mean DAI-10 and SWN total scores between T0 and T1 (p<.05). A reduction of side effects like sedation and blunted affect between T0 and T1 (p<.05) was confirmed by significant increases in mean SF-36 subscales scores, such as: general health (p<.01) change in health (p<.01) and social integration (p<.05).

Treatment with LAI SGAs seems to be a valid alternative in patients with Schizoaffective disorder. Our preliminary data suggest an improvement in patient's subjective experience of pharmacological therapy and health-related quality of life, together with a similar efficacy on psychopathology.

Few studies have compared the available antidepressants in terms of effectiveness in long-term treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (Furukawa et al., 2007; Hansen et al., 2008).

Long-term prevention of relapses/recurrence should be the main goal of maintenance MDD treatment.

Purpose of the present study was to compare the different antidepressants in terms of retention in treatment (no discontinuation for relapses, hospitalizations or side effects).

150 outpatients with a MDD diagnosis and treated with antidepressants in mono-therapy have been included. Follow-up period was defined in 24 months and information have been obtained from charts, interviews with patients and their relatives and from the Lombardy regional database. A survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier) was performed, considering recurrences, hospitalizations or discontinuation due to side effects as ’death’ events.

48.7% out of patients presented a recurrence within the first two years after the beginning of antidepressant treatment. With the exception of Fluoxetine (p=0.09), Amitriptiline (p=0.13), Fluvoxamine (p=0.83), Venlafaxine (p=0.5) and Trazodone (p=0.58), Bupropione appears to be less effective in long-term treatment of MDD compared to other antidepressants. Fluvoxamine appears to be less effective compared to Citalopram (p=0.036), Paroxetine (p=0.037), Clomipramine (p=0.05), Sertraline (p=0.011) and Duloxetine (p=0.024).

Bupropione and Fluvoxamine would be less effective in long-term treatment of depression. These data should be confirmed by prospective studies with large samples.

According to literature dropout predicts insufficient results for inpatient treatment for anorexia and poor prognosis for adolescents or adults, with proven increased tendency to subsequent admissions. There are few qualitative studies on dropout, and its high rates for EDs remain a concern for clinicians and researchers alike.

To analyze in greater depth the ’addictive’ dimension of EDs – a category of analysis found by the clinical qualitative study, which has been little explored by literature.

Clinical qualitative method and semi-structured in-depth interviews recorded and fully transcribed. Sample composed according to data saturation, consisting of 8 ≥18 y.o. dropout patients diagnosed with EDs at a specialized outpatient unit in a public university hospital. Theoretical basis relies on scientific literature review on EDs and addiction, and on the psychodynamic description of EDs as ’addictions’.

The in depth analysis of the categories ’enslavement to addiction (compulsively)’ - addictive dimension of anorexia and bulimia, ’I don’t like if things get out of my control’ – dropout as relief, and ’Anorexia and Bulimia is for life’ – attachment to the symptom signals elements for treatment based on the ’addictive/compulsive’ lived experience.

The findings support refinement of treatment approach while understanding EDs in their addictive dimension, with possible impact on compliance. This often neglected facet is revealed by research subjects, adding symbolic elements considered with the discussion of neurobiology and psychoanalytic theory, demonstrating significant association between EDs and addiction and pointing out to new paths for treatment innovation.

The relationship between substance use disorders and aggression is complex and not only limited to direct effect of the drugs. Aggression increases the likelihood of substance abuse and is suggested to be a long term individual characteristic which is probably in association with personality traits preexisting before the substance use.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of personality dimensions with aggression among heroin dependent inpatients and to control the effect of psychiatric symptom severity on this relationship.

Participants were consecutively admitted male heroine (n=78) dependent inpatients. Patients were investigated with the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Symptom Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R).

Character dimensions self-directedness (SD) and cooperativeness (C) were negatively and self-transcendence (ST) and severity of psychiatric symptoms were positively correlated with severity of aggression and its dimensions. Low SD and C, which are indicative of a personality disorder, were predictors of aggression. Other predictors for aggression in heroin dependents were higher persistence (P) and ST. Severity of psychiatric symptoms predicted aggression together with low C, and high P.

Aggression was more closely related with character dimensions rather than temperament dimensions. Nevertheless, low C and high P predicted the severity of aggression even when the severity of psychopathology was controlled. The careful evaluation of patients for the comorbid psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders are needed to handle aggression in heroin dependents which may be related with poor treatment outcome.

Aggression is suggested to be a predictive factor for alcohol use but the casual relationship between aggression and alcohol dependence is complex. Early aggressive acts are a risk factor for early onset alcohol dependence and aggression is suggested to be a long term individual characteristic which is probably in association with personality traits preexisting before the alcohol use.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of personality dimensions with aggression among alcohol dependent inpatients and to control the effect of psychiatric symptom severity on this relationship.

Participants were consecutively admitted male alcohol (n=94) dependent inpatients. Patients were investigated with the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Symptom Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R).

Character dimensions self-directedness (SD) and cooperativeness (C) were negatively and severity of psychiatric symptoms was positively correlated with severity of aggression and its dimensions. Low SD and C, which are indicative of a personality disorder, were predictors of aggression. When severity of psychiatric symptoms was included in analyses as an independent variable, it became the main predictor.

Consistent with the hypothesis that aggression is an expression of poor character development, aggression was found to be more closely related with character compared to temperament dimensions. Nevertheless, our findings also suggest that the relationship between the aggression and character dimensions may be indirect through psychopathology. Therefore, when the aggression is the main problem, it is important to evaluate alcohol dependents for the personality dimensions and severity of psychiatric symptoms.

Pathological gambling is defined as a behavioural addiction, characterized by loss of control and by the fact that the person may continue to gamble in spite of social, economic, interpersonal, or legal problems as a result of the gambling. Some studies have pointed out that automatic cognitive biases may drive psychological mechanisms leading to loss of control during gambling. These automatic processes can be studied in cognitive psychology by using lexical decision task, which requires gambling's related words corpus. However, such a corpus is absent from scientific publications.

the principal aim of our study was to establish a standardized list of gambling-related words with a population of casino gamblers and a non-gambler control group. The second aim of our study was to compare the respective evaluation of the two populations.

247 casino gamblers, recruited at the casino, and 127 control subjects, matched for age, sex and educational level, scored 118 gambling-related words based on 3 criteria: gambling association's level, emotional valence and familiarity. Gambling behaviour was assessed by the South Oaks Gambling Screen.

We identified a subset of 45 words that were the most associated with gambling and analysed scores for the 3 criteria. Concerning emotional valence, gamblers assessed more positively gambling-related words than the control group. Scores between pathological and social gamblers were similar for the 3 criteria.

this gambling related wordlist will allow to design experimental material with defined parameters to study automatic and controlled process that mediate pathological gambling.

Psychotherapy Focused on Psychic Representation (PFPR) is a new time limited dynamic psychotherapy for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. It is a manualized psychodynamic technique based on brief psychoanalytic psychotherapies principles and designed to be applied in the framework of public care services. A randomized and controlled study with a sample of 53 patients was conducted to assess PFPR's efficacy. We are reporting the final results at the end of treatment and at the 6 and 12 months of follow up.

Both groups, the experimental (n=25) and control group (n=28) received treatment as usual. The experimental group received 20 additional PFPR sessions performed by four therapists with homogenous characteristics, specifically trained in this technique. The main outcome variables measures were: Severity global index of SCL-90-R, Barrat Impulsivity Scale scores and Social Adaptation (SASS score). Baseline and conditions at the end of treatment and at the 6 and 12 months of follow up period were compared.

Results showed significantly better outcomes for the experimental group in all main variables and in most of the secondary ones at the end of treatment. At 6 months follow up, the significant differences remain in level of impulsivity and some other secondary variables. At 12 months follow up the experimental group shows better results in all variables but only depressive symptoms measurement remains significant.

Cerebellum was typically associated with human motor functions. However, the past two decades of research have brought an increased number of reports indicating a markedly more extensive function of the cerebellum that also includes cognitive processes. In 1997 Schmahmann and Sherman described the complex neuropsychological problems manifested by the patients with cerebellar damages, which they termed as cerebellar cognitive-affective syndrome’ (CCAS). It consists of: executive dysfunctions, visual-spatial problems, mood disturbances and language impairments. This syndrome was observed mainly in adult patients.

The aim of the study was to describe the specificity of cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome in children with cerebellar damage.

We examined 25 children after posterior fossa tumor surgery, mainly astrocytomas, treated at the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery University Hospital in Cracow, Poland. The children were assessed by neuropsychological age-appropriate tests: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Word fluency, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span WISC-R, Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, Benton Visual Retention Test.

The results of our research reveal the cognitive and emotional problems of children with cerebellar damages. We observed the executive dysfunctions, language and memory impairments, visual-spatial problems and emotional difficulties. The type of the cognitive impairments was significantly connected with the location of the cerebellar lesion.

Cerebellum plays an important role in the cognitive and emotional development of the children.

Recognizing the link between depression and personality traits in adolescents can alleviate identification of individual triggers for developing and diagnosing depression, treatment approach and plan as well as at-risk individuals for suicide ideation. Current studies suggest that depression is linked to several personality traits according to psychobiological model such as: harm avodiance, novelty seeking and self-directedness. Also, personality traits appear to contribute to the onest and course/severity ofdepression. Often, this is more pronounced if there are adverse social factors affectingthe overall family functioning of particular adolescent.

Our study was conducted on the Clinical Department for Children and Adolescents during 6-month period. We included both female and male adolescentes (15 years and older) entering the psychatric treatment and diagnosed as depressive disorder according to criteria of ICD-10. Personality traits (temperament and character)were assesed with, Temperament and Character Inventory-revised’ (TCI, Cloninger) and depressive symptoms with, Beck Depression Inventory’ (BDI). The social factors were identified through the region-specific questionnaire.

Our study has shown that severity of depression correlates with specific temperament and character traits according to psychobiological model but also how adverse social factors have significant impact on presentation of depressive symptoms. It might be possible that such negative social enviroment could impact the development of specific personality traits which predispose individual for development of depression

In general, the large body of research for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicates that autistic children show profound impairment in socio-cognitive functions. So, strategies should be considered in intervention programs in order to decrease the socio-cognitive impairments in individuals with ASD.

Although exercise activities can be presented in conjunction with social activities, there is few works examining a multilayer group exercise targeting a wide range of characteristics of ASD such as social and cognitive deficits as well as behavioral problems.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a 10 week social group exercise program (SGEP) on social abilities, attentional function and clinical character of children with ASD.

In a randomized, controlled trial, 30 high functioning autistic children and adolescents aged 7 to 14 years old were randomly allocated to either an experimental group that received SGEP or to a control group. Participants were evaluated for level of social skill (Autism Social Skill Profile), cognitive and attentional functions (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and clinical features (Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist) before and after the intervention period.

Results indicated that participants in experimental group showed significant improvement in social, attentional skills and clinical character but those in control group remained unchanged.

We concluded that physical exercise particularly those with social content have the potential for improving main problems of children with ASD and can be added as an essential part of their treatments alongside the conventional and behavioral intervention programs.

The present study was designed and conducted with the purpose of scrutinizing the association of life orientation with faith at work.

The method of the study was a descriptive correlational design. Statistical population of the research was all female teachers from Babol city out of which 100 teachers were randomized as the research sample. Faith at Work Scale and Life Orientation Test were used to collect data. The data obtained from respondents were transferred to SPSS spreadsheet for descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson's correlation coefficient) analyses.

Results of the research demonstrated that there was a significant positive relationship between score of life orientation and factors related to the faith at work only when the giving subscale was present. Based on the significance level obtained from the link between life orientation and faith in relationship (P=.255), which was found to be bigger than that of presented in the table (P=0.05) and its correspondent correlation coefficient of .072, it could be concluded with 95% confidence that no significant link existed between life orientation and faith in relationship. Also, significance level between life orientation and meaning variable appeared to be bigger (P=.208) than the one in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient was .072. As a result, we inferred with 95% certainty that life orientation and meaning shared no significant relationship. Given that the significance level of life orientation and community variable (P=.277) was higher than that of shown in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient was .065, no significant association was observed between the two given factors with 95 confidence. Besides, the value of significance level between life orientation and holiness was considered to be higher (P=.247) in comparison with the amount shown in the table (P= 0.05) and its correlation coefficient was confirmed to be -.075. Therefore, with 95% certainty, no meaningful link existed between life orientation and holiness. Eventually, a lower significance level of P=.008 between life orientation and giving as compared with the one in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient of .263 indicated that life orientation linked significantly to the giving variable with 95% confidence.

results of regression analyses have indicated that, among all mentioned factors involving in faith at work (Faith in Relationship, Meaning, Community, Holiness and Giving), life orientation variable can only be predicted by giving variable with β=.263. This variable alone can explain 26% of variance of life orientation.

A.A.is 29 year old man, single, childless, secondary school education, unemployed, in an emotional relationship with a girl whose father holds a high position in the police. Comes to the department, accompanied by his uncle for acute exacerbation of his mental state in terms of suicidal thought for which purpose he consumed cocaine a day before. The mental state deterioration started ten days ago he mentioned several criminal charges, debts, having no sense of life, fear of hurting himself and/or others. The patient was treated at another hospital for addiction to alcohol and cocaine a few years ago. He underwent EEG and brain MSCT which resulted in normal findings. Symptomatic pharmacotherapy (Seroquel a’ 200 mg 0,0,1 tablets) was prescribed and the psychotherapeutic support led to partial improvement in mental state in terms of the reduction of tension and better functioning. We followed up the patient for 6 months period, during this time interval he had not violated the law.

Long-term supportive psychotherapy as a drug of choice has a beneficial effect in the treatment of this disorder. Identifying high-risk groups, such as neglected and abused children and early intervention can be helpful.

Whether burnout is a form of depression or a distinct nosological entity is unclear. In addition, the cognitive style associated with burnout remains poorly characterized.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether depressive cognition (ruminative responses, dysfunctional attitudes, and depressive attributions) discriminates burnout from depression.

A total of 277 Northern American teachers were included in this study. Burnout was assessed with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (α = .95) and depression with the 9-item depression-dedicated module of the Patient Health Questionnaire (α = .85). With regard to depressive cognition measurement, each participant completed the Ruminative Responses Scale, the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, and the Depressive Attributions Questionnaire. Data processing was carried out by using IBM® SPSS® Amos (version 22.0.0).

Ruminative responses, dysfunctional attitudes, and depressive attributions were positively and similarly correlated to burnout and depression. Depressive attributions appeared as the strongest predictor of both burnout and depression. Ruminative responses, dysfunctional attitudes, and depressive attributions accounted for about 27% of the variance in burnout and 28% of the variance in depression.

The present study suggests that depressive cognition does not discriminate burnout from depression. Our findings confirm that isolating substantial differences between burnout and depression is difficult, in support of the hypothesis that burnout is essentially a form of depression.

Burnout is usually viewed as a combination of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The link between burnout and anxiety is not well understood.

We examined the extent to which history of anxiety disorders (HAD) and current anxiety symptoms (CAS) predict burnout.

The present study included 5575 French teachers (mean age: 41; mean job tenure: 15 years). The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to assess emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Participants indicated whether they had ever been diagnosed for an anxiety disorder by a health expert and self-reported their CAS by using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. A multiple regression analysis was carried out with HAD, CAS, age, and job tenure as predictors.

CAS predicted both emotional exhaustion (β = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.65-0.69), depersonalization (β = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.33-0.39), and reduced personal accomplishment (β = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.23-0.28), all ps < .0001. HAD only predicted emotional exhaustion (β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.05), p < .01, and reduced personal accomplishment (β = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.00-0.06), p < .05. Age and job tenure did not predict burnout. The tested model accounted for about 46% of the variance in emotional exhaustion, 13% of the variance in depersonalization, and 7% of the variance in reduced personal accomplishment.

CAS predicted all dimensions of burnout, particularly the emotional exhaustion dimension. Although HAD may be a risk factor for burnout, its importance seems much more limited.

Evaluate the psychopathological changes in a group of women who suffer schizophrenia, before and after beginning treatment with paliperidone long acting injection. We focus on affective and negative symptons.

We recruit the women from Vallecas Villa Mental Health Centre who initiate paliperidone long acting injection, from 1st of January of 2013. We use for the assessment: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scales (HDRS), Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia (CG-ISCH), Global Assessment Scale (GAF), Subjective Wellbeing under Neuroleptics (SWN-K) before beginning the treatment and 2 months later.

Our sample was formed by 20 women, only one left the treatment for secondary effects. In baseline all women were severely ill to moderate ill in Clinical Global Impression Scale. The results in baseline and two months after treatment can be read in table 1. The patients improve in all the scales: in GAF scale the functionality of the patients change from 48 to 62. This recovery seems related with the improvement in affective and negative symptoms, but not with positive symptoms (in fact in baseline mild-moderate).

Schizophrenia is more than positive symptoms, sometimes the lack of functionality is related with other group of symptoms that initially are considered secondary: affective and negative.

The purpose of the present research was to study the relationship between faith at work and general health among female teachers in the city of Babol.

The present study enjoyed a descriptive correlational design. Statistical population of the research involved all female teachers from Babol city out of which 100 teachers were randomly selected as the research sample. Faith at Work Scale (FWS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were applied to collect data. The data obtained from participants were transferred to SPSS spreadsheet for descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson's correlation coefficient) analyses.

results from correlational matrix showed the maximum correlation between general health and faith in relationship. Based on the significance level obtained from the link between general health and faith in relationship (P=0.000), which seemed to be bigger than that of presented in the table (P=0.05) and its correspondent correlation coefficient of −.367, it could be concluded with 95 % confidence that a significant but negative link existed between general health and faith in relationship. Also, significance level between general health and meaning variable appeared to be higher (P=.073) than the one in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient was -.159. Consequently, we inferred with 95% certainty that general health and meaning showed no significant relationship. Given that the significance level of general health and community variable (P=.008) was lower than that of shown in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient was −.259, a significant negative relationship was observed between the two related factors with 95 confidence. Besides, the value of significance level between general health and holiness was considered to be smaller (P=.047) in comparison with the amount shown in the table (P= 0.05) and its correlation coefficient was confirmed to be −.183. Therefore, with 95% certainty, a meaningful negative link existed between general health and holiness. Eventually, a lower significance level of P=.010 between general health and giving as compared with the one in the table (P=0.05) and its correlation coefficient of -.252 revealed that general health related significantly and negatively to the giving variable with 95% confidence.

results have shown that the link between the score of general health and faith at work (religiosity perspectives) factors seems to be significant and negative.

Child psychiatric disorders are common and treatable, but often go undetected and therefore remain untreated (Goodman R., & al. 2000). The mean worldwide prevalence of ADHD is between 5.29% and 7.1% in children and adolescents (<18 years) (Polanczyk G, & al. 2007; Willcutt Eg. 2012). There are a lot of factors that complicate the estimation of the prevalence of ADHD, such as methodological and cultural differences, variability in identification and medical classification systems used for diagnosis. In Albania there are missing data on ADHD.

The aim of this study is to provide epidemiological data on ADHD for elementary school children. The abstract presents few data from a larger study on ADHD that isis going on in Tirana-Albania.

DSM-IV ADHD symptom list and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used as screen in phase one of the study conducted in an elementary school sample of 6- to 12-year-olds.

The DSM-IV ADHD symptom list showed moderate agreement with SDQ. There was a significant statistical correlation between different socio demographic factors and symptoms identified at children at high risk for ADHD or having ADHD.

This is the first study investigating ADHD in Tirana – Albania and may serve as a good start in generating evidence based on child/adolescent mental health service. Programs of community screening based on multi-informant could potentially increase the detection of ADHD, thereby improving access to effective treatments.