Eating disorders (ED) are serious mental and physical illnesses that involve complex and damaging relationships with eating, exercise, and body image. They emerge due to a multifaceted interplay of factors, including familial predispositions, personality traits, and cultural influences. While societal beauty standards are recognized as significant risk factors, it is hypothesized that the roles and responsibilities associated with adult womanhood may also contribute to their development. In particular, the unique challenges faced by women, especially in developing countries like Turkey, may lead to discontent with traditional gender roles.

This study aims to explore the connection between eating disorders, female identity perceptions, body attitudes, expectations regarding women’s roles within families, and their potential association with body dysphoria. We investigate whether eating disorders are linked to a form of sexual dysphoria and body dysmorphia related to femininity rather than solely driven by societal beauty ideals.

Data from 228 female college students, both undergraduate and graduate, were collected via online surveys. The survey instruments included a sociodemographic form, the Eating Attitude Test, the Gender Roles Attitude Scale, and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire.

The average age of the participants was 24.41 (18-33) years. Regression analysis revealed that age (β=-0.155, p=0.015), the belief that physical appearance would be less important if they were male (β=0.292, p<0.001), and maternal criticism about weight (β=0.239, p<0.001) were influential factors in shaping eating attitudes. Surprisingly, no significant relationship was found between eating attitudes and traditional gender roles (β=0.072, p=0.246). However, we did establish a connection between aspiring to meet ideal thinness standards and perceiving women as disadvantaged in the workplace due to their traditional gender roles (t(226)=2.32, p=0.021), as well as with maternal criticism (t(225)=3.55, p<0.001).

Our findings suggest that the absence of a direct link between eating attitudes and traditional gender roles may be attributed to an individual’s perception of their environment rather than their self-assessment of masculinity within an egalitarian context. Notably, maternal influences specifically their criticism regarding their daughters’ weight and the roles assigned to mothers significantly shape these perceptions and, consequently, eating behaviors, aligning with existing literature (Ferreira et al. Archives of Clinical Psychiatry 2021;48,168–177).This underscores the need to consider eating disorders within a broader biopsychosocial framework, encompassing attitudes toward the world and one’s role within it.

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Domestic violence is a major public health problem. The situation is alarming in Arab countries: the prevalence of domestic violence is 39.3% in Saudi Arabia, 55% in Morocco and 62.2% in Egypt.

In Tunisia, a national survey carried out by the national family planning office in 2010, published in July 2011, drew attention for the first time to the frequency of this phenomenon in Tunisia and the recurrent nature of this form of violence. Unfortunately, few studies have focused on domestic violence during pregnancy and its impact on the mental health of expectant mothers.

To study the prevalence of domestic violence during pregnancy among Tunisian women consulting in the context of medical expertise and its association with anxiety.

Our study was descriptive and analytical cross-sectional, carried out with women examined in the context of medical expertise following domestic violence at ‘Hedi Chaker hospital’,Sfax , from May 2021 until January 2022.

An anonymous survey was asked to these ladies, it included a section for collecting socio-demographic data.

The HADS questionnaire was used to screen for anxiety.

122 responses was collected. The average age of victims was 35.66 ± 9.94 years.

All the women in our population study were married, and each one was a victim of at least one form of violence. The majority (86.1%) had children. Most of them had secondary (44.3%) or university (31.1%) level education.

More than half of the women (63.9%) had no occupation.

Sixty-five women (53.3%) were assaulted during pregnancy, 43% of whom suffered from complications of varying severity.

Different consequences on pregnancy were reported with decreasing prevalence: 16.9% hospitalization in a gynecological ward, 13.8% abortion, 6.2% fetal death in utero and premature delivery in 4.6% of cases.

According to the HADS, seventy-six of women surveyed (62.3%) had anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety was significantly associated with exposure to violence during pregnancy (p=0.03).

Our results showed a significant incidence of domestic violence during pregnancy and a significant association with anxiety.

Different actions must be taken towards these anxious women such as: Identify a “referent” in maternity wards to screen for domestic violence and directing women to structures and shelters that can help and, above all, protect them.

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Miyake and Friedman’s model (2012) presents three core executive functions: inhibition, updating and shifting. Updating refers to working memory (WM) because it involves passive storage but also active manipulation of information. According to a review by Hampson (2018), the literature is consistent on the fact that 17b-estradiol (the most prevalent type of estrogen in women of reproductive age) is associated with improved WM. Levels of estradiol are at their highest in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. The use of OC is linked with a noticeable decrease in levels of estradiol and progesterone (Hampson, 2020). Nevertheless, combined OC contain synthetic steroids, usually ethinylestradiol and progestins which can be androgenic or anti-androgenic. Androgenic progestins are derived from testosterone while anti-androgenic progestins block androgen receptors (Raudrant & Rabe, 2003). The review by Beltz (2022) concluded that the use of androgenic OC is linked to an enhanced performance in spatial WM whereas anti-androgenic OC are linked with an impaired performance. When it comes to verbal WM, OC use is related to an enhancement in performance, irrespective of androgenicity.

To measure the differences in WM capacity between NC women and OC users at two times points in one menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal phases for NC women).

78 women (18-45; M= 28.93, SD=6.81), including one group of NC women (N=40) and one group taking OC (N=38), were tested twice over the course of one menstrual cycle. The NC women were tested during their follicular and luteal phases while the OC users were tested during the active phase of their OC. They completed an automated version of the Operation Span task (OSPAN; Unsworth et al., 2005). The OSPAN task involves completing simple math problems while simultaneously trying to remember a series of randomly generated letters.

There was no difference in WM capacity between NC women and OC users. However, we found a significant difference in the number of math errors (speed or accuracy) made by NC women. The number of math errors was higher (M=5.12) during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase (M=2.68). Moreover, we also found a significant difference in the number of math errors made by OC users (M=4.00) and NC women (M=2.68) in their follicular phase. The difference disappeared when the OC users were compared to NC women in their luteal phase.

We found no difference in WM capacity between NC women and OC users. However, we found that NC women made more math errors during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase and that OC users made more errors than NC women in their follicular phase. The follicular phase has an increased level of estradiol whereas OC users experience a decrease in their levels of estradiol. Estradiol levels could be linked with math performance.

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Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a mood disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of mania, hypomania, and depression. While it often manifests in early adulthood, it can persist or emerge in later life, posing unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the elderly population. This abstract explores the clinical aspects, diagnostic intricacies, and therapeutic considerations of BD in older adults.

This study aims to shed light on the epidemiology and clinical presentation of BD in the elderly, discuss the diagnostic challenges, and address the complexities of treatment and management in this age group.

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, encompassing epidemiological studies, clinical trials, case reports, and expert guidelines from the past decade. The search was performed using medical databases such as PubMed and Medline.

BD in the elderly presents with a range of clinical complexities that differentiate it from presentations in younger adults. These complexities include atypical features as elderly individuals may exhibit less overt manic or hypomanic symptoms, resembling irritability rather than euphoria; depressive episodes can be more prevalent and prolonged, leading to potential misdiagnosis as unipolar depression; medical comorbidities: older adults with BD often have more medical conditions, complicating treatment; cognitive impairment: cognitive decline, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, is common and distinguishing it from neurodegenerative conditions requires specialized assessment; mixed episodes, in older adults may experience mixed episodes, requiring intensive treatment; diagnostic challenges: overlapping symptoms with other disorders make accurate diagnosis challenging. Treatment includes mood stabilizers like lithium, valproate, or lamotrigine, and atypical antipsychotics like quetiapine or aripiprazole. Treatment response varies, requiring consideration of age-related pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and drug interactions. Non-pharmacological interventions, including psychoeducation, tailored cognitive-behavioural therapies, and psychosocial support, are essential.

In summary, BD in the elderly demands a customized, multidisciplinary approach to navigate diagnostic complexities and optimize treatment, considering comorbidities and cognitive factors. Enhanced clinical awareness and holistic care are essential for effective management in this population.

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Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) factsheet, currently more than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, with over 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. Every year, there are nearly 10 million new cases of dementia. WHO Global Status Report 2021 estimated growth of 139 million people with dementia by 2050. The estimated total global cost of dementia is likely to surpass US$ 2.8 trillion by 2030. As one grows older, the risk of developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s Disease, progressively increases. The Lancet Commission Reports 2017 and 2020 on dementia prevention, intervention, and care identified 12 modifiable risk factors, including physical inactivity, obesity, midlife hypertension, and diabetes. Addressing these lifestyle factors may significantly reduce the risk of dementia and its progression. While no curative or disease-modifying treatment is available for dementia at his stage, addressing modifiable risk factors may have a preventive role in reducing the risk of dementia.

The objective of the literature review is to explore current evidence on Physical Activity (PA) in reducing the risk of developing dementia and its progression. The focus is also to see the association of different forms and intensities of PA and their intensities, including aerobic, strength-based, and leisure, with the risk and progression of dementia.

Narrative review

Results from the reviewed studies showed that PA was found to be associated with a reduced risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s Disease. Studies comparing different intensities of PA indicate though all levels of PA decrease the risk of dementia, there is a linear relationship between the higher intensity PA and the increased beneficial effect in terms of reduced risk of dementia. Leisure-time PA also has a protective role against dementia in longitudinal studies. There is more consistent evidence in favour of aerobic PA; however, it has a ceiling effect. The combination of aerobic and strength-based experience provides optimum beneficial effects. The elderly population who started physical activity in their 80s experienced the beneficial effects of PA in reducing the risk of dementia. There is mixed evidence of the protective effect of PA on the population who have already developed cognitive impairment or have genetic vulnerabilities. The author will also include the results of any relevant study published by 31 March 2024.

The details of the literature results and conclusions will be discussed at the conference.

I. Singh Consultant of: The author declare that the review was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., R. Chandra: None Declared

As the life expectancy at birth improved, the increase in the elderly population, one of the most vulnerable groups in society, brings about some problems. Frailty is a condition that increases the risk of progressive deterioration in physiological functioning, hypersensitivity to stress and adverse health outcomes. Frailty is quite common in older people. In frail older people, recovery from illnesses is delayed and the likelihood of sequelae is increased. If frailty is recognized early, the likelihood of disease sequelae and mortality can be reduced.

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between psychological resilience and quality of life on frailty in individuals aged 65 years and older admitted to hospital.

The study group of this cross-sectional study consisted of 504 people who applied to an outpatient clinic at a university hospital. The Tilburg Frailty Scale, the Connor Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale Short Form and the EQ-5D-3L General Quality of Life Scale were used. The Kolmogorov-Simirnov test, the chi-square test, the Spearman correlation analysis and the multivariate logistic regression were used to analyse the data.

292 of the participants in the study group were men. Their ages ranged from 65 to 90 years, and the mean was 70.5±4.9 years. Scores on the Tilburg Frail Scale ranged from 0 to 14, and the mean was 6.3±2.7 points. In the study, 71.1% of participants were classified as frail. It was determined that there was a moderate negative correlation between the results of the Tilburg Frailty Scale and the results of the Connor Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale (r= -0.436) and the EQ-5D-3L VAS Scale (r=-0.608) and a strong positive correlation between the results of the EQ-5D-3L Index Scale (r=0.729)(for each p<0.001). According to multivariate logistic regression, people who did not exercise regularly were 2,33 times more frail than those who did, and people who had a health problem that required bed rest were 2,18 times more frail than those who did not.

It was found that the frailty of people aged 65 and over is at a moderate level. An improvement in psychological resilience and general quality of life as well as an improvement in general health reduces frailty. It is recommended that people aged 65 and over to be physically active and to protect from situations that may require prolonged bed rest.

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The complex antidepressant therapy in combination with neuroprotectors increases the overall effectiveness of the treatment of depression in the elderly due to the group of the most difficult patients for therapy with ≥2 predictors of a low therapeutic response (LTRP), as well as in patients with complex (anxious, senesto-hypochondriacal, delusional) and prolonged (≥6 months) depressions.

Development of a differentiated approach to the choice of types of neuroprotective drugs in the course of complex antidepressant therapy in depressive elderly patients.

We studied groups of hospitalized patients aged ≥60 years with mild, moderate and severe depression (according to ICD-10) who received antidepressant monotherapy (comparison group) for 28 days (43 people) or complex antidepressant therapy in combination with carnicetin (20), cerebrolysin (20), citicoline (20), ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate (EMHPS) (25) and actovegin (25). Complaints about memory impairment, lonely living, and the presence of leukoaraiosis on brain CT were considered as LTRP. Efficacy of therapy (change in total HAMD-17 scores in %) was compared in subgroups with neuroprotectors and in the comparison group in patients with ≥2 LTRPs, as well as in patients with complex and prolonged depressions. Statistical analysis was performed.

By the 28th day of treatment, all patients with ≥2 LTRPs in the subgroups with the addition of any neuroprotectors were responders (≥50% change) with a significantly higher efficacy of therapy than in the monotherapy group (36.0%, p<0.05). The efficacy of therapy was significantly higher in the subgroup with the addition of actovegin than in the subgroups with cerebrolysin and citicoline (73.7% versus 55.6% and 52.0%, respectively, p<0.05). In complex depression, the effectiveness of therapy in the subgroup with cerebrolysin did not statistically differ from the comparison group. In prolonged depression, no statistically significant difference in efficacy was found between the citicoline-supplemented subgroup and the monotherapy group. The highest efficacy in the treatment of complex and prolonged depression was observed in subgroups with the addition of actovegin and EMHPS (p<0.01).

If there are indications for prescribing complex antidepressant therapy (≥2 LTRPs) in depressive patients of late age, all studied neuroprotective drugs demonstrated high efficiency compared to monotherapy. In complex depressions, the combination of antidepressants with cerebrolysin turned out to be less effective, in protracted depressions - with citicoline. Neuroprotectors actovegin and EMHPS can be considered universal drugs of choice for complex therapy of the most difficult categories of elderly depressive patients in a hospital setting.

None Declared

Sexual unwellness (SU) has been linked to a lack of sexual satisfaction and to an incapacity to maintain sexual relations.

The objective of this cross-cultural study is to shed light on older adults’ perspectives on SU across cultures.

Eighty-three older participants (65 to 98 years of age) took part in this qualitative study. Participants lived in the community and were of two different nationalities (Portuguese and Mexican). Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and content analysis was then carried out.

SU emerged in the findings of the content analysis through six themes: Dissatisfying Sexual Experiences; Feelings of Isolation; Spirituality; Medication; Unattractiveness and Pain. The most common theme among older Portuguese participants was ‘Dissatisfying Sexual Experiences’ (25.5%). ‘Feelings of Isolation’ was most common among older Mexican participants (13.7%).

A diversity of experiences of older adults in relation to SU was highlighted in this study. Moreover, cross-cultural research on the construct of SU is essential for understanding the cultural differences in the conceptualization of the construct and how these themes may influence the quality of sexual life in old age.

None Declared

Numerous studies have explored the symptoms and course of depression and anxiety in breast cancer patients and identified various clinical, sociodemographic, and genetic factors associated with their evolution. Nevertheless, these studies have been limited in duration and have focused on specific time points during chemotherapy or post-treatment follow-up. Furthermore, these studies included patients receiving different treatment regimens and used different tools to assess symptoms.

To assess the prospective evolution of depression in breast cancer patients over eight consecutive chemotherapy cycles, taking into account sociodemographic, clinical, biological, and genetic factors.

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on 69 breast cancer patients treated with intravenous chemotherapy at the oncology outpatient unit of the Hôtel-Dieu de France hospital (2017-2019; Ethics: CEHDF1016). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate anxiety and depression in patients. Genotyping was performed for several genes (ABCB1, COMT, DRD2, OPRM1, CLOCK, CRY2, PER2) using the Lightcycler® 2.0 (Roche).

Univariate repeated measures analysis showed differences in the evolution of depression and anxiety over time. For depression, a polynomial linear contrast for HADS-D scores was noted from cycle 1 to cycle 8, with a significant increase in depression at cycles 7 and 8 compared with cycle 1 (p-valuecycle7=0.004 and p-valuecycle8=0.009; Figures 1 & 2). Repeated measures analysis for anxiety showed a decrease in anxiety scores between cycles 1 and 6 of chemotherapy, followed by an increase starting cycle 6 (a polynomial trend for contrasts) (p-valuecycle6 versus 1=0.038; Figures 1 & 2). Multivariable analysis showed that higher anxiety and depression scores at baseline were both associated with higher depression and anxiety scores over time. Other clinical and genetic factors, including polymorphisms in the OPRM1, PER2, and COMT genes, were also significantly associated with higher depression and anxiety scores.

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Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the trajectories of depression and anxiety over time in women with breast cancer and identifying the triggering factors. Such personalized approaches would improve patient quality of life.

None Declared

Patients with mental illness experience a substantial inequity when facing cancer treatment compared to patients without mental illness. They have a higher cancer mortality and are less likely to be referred for treatment following clinical guidelines. The cancer treatment can exacerbate mental symptoms, which may lead to discontinuation of the treatment. Other relevant specialities such as psychiatry and general practice are rarely involved.

In this qualitative case study, the needs, barriers and facilitators of providing high quality, patient-centered care to patients with cancer and pre-existing mental illness were explored. Emphasis was on patients’ experiences of being in the field between oncology, psychiatry, general practice and the municipality.

The study was anchored at the Department of Oncology, Lillebaelt Hospital, Vejle and data collection took place from January to June 2023. Through purposeful sampling five patients with cancer from adult psychiatric setting were included. Field studies were carried out inspired by the framework of Spradley, and involved following the patients during visits to the department of oncology and in the psychiatric setting. Formal interviews were performed using semi-structured interview guides inspired by Kvale and Brinkmann. Patient files were examined focusing on the awareness of the psychiatric diagnosis and treatment and communication between the departments and sectors.

Our analysis showed one major theme: “Complexity on many levels”, and five subthemes: “The impact of the cancer trajectory on mental illness”, “The structure follows the disease, not the patient”, “Fragmentation of the health care system”, “Patient vulnerability” and “Importance of the patient-professional-relationship”. Barriers included lack of a systematic approach to the patient group in the health care system and sparse collaboration between departments and sectors. The cancer trajectory often led to severe worsening of the psychiatric illness, resulting in psychiatric hospitalisation. Facilitators were specialized coordinators at the hospital or municipality, relatives, patients’ resources and health professionals approaching the patient as a person rather than a disease. Final results will be ready for presentation at the conference.

Despite intentions of reducing inequality, the Danish health care system is still not equipped to sufficiently help patients with cancer and pre-existing mental illness through their cancer treatment. This study will highlight relevant target points, paving the way for a new, feasible care model that improves continuity and patient-centered care for patients with cancer and mental illness.

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Various mechanisms have been identified to explain the relationship between gender-based violence, screening, and cancer. Biological mechanisms, primarily related to chronic stress and allostatic load, have been associated with high rates of chronic diseases among victims of violence, impairing the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems. Victims of abuse simultaneously show less initiative for screening exams, such as mammograms, as they perceive them as invasive and retraumatizing. They also demonstrate a greater tendency toward maladaptive coping behaviors and unhealthy lifestyles, such as abusive substance use. A significant number of these patients develop psychosocial dysfunction and body image disturbance during breast cancer treatments.

This work aims to provide a descriptive and narrative analysis of body image and psychosocial changes in women breast cancer survivors with prolonged experiences of violence, supported by a non-systematic literature review on the central aspects under study.

For the introductory literature review, a search was conducted on search engines such as Google Scholar and PubMed, with no date limitations, using the following terms (or combinations): “intimate partner violence,” “violence AND cancer,” “body image AND psychossexual adjustment AND breast cancer.” Additionally, a narrative analysis of body image and psychosocial changes in women breast cancer survivors with prolonged experiences of violence was conducted. For this purpose, participants were asked to complete two validated scales in the Portuguese language, and first-person testimonials were collected.

The analysis of scale results and participant testimonials highlights a consensus on the significant impairment of psychosocial functioning and the experience of sexuality. There is evidence of avoidance behaviors in terms of affectionate and sexual contact due to feelings of fear, shame, and discomfort. The breast is valued as a sensual, erotic, and essential sexual element, and impactful changes in body image persist. However, in some cases, these changes are experienced as transformative and liberating, fostering a more generous view of the body, identity, and femininity.

Women with breast cancer should be screened for the possibility of being victims of violence, as this context predicts a higher likelihood of emotional difficulties during surgical treatments, including psychological distress, post-traumatic stress, body shame, and self-blame. A significant number of women, including those in this study, consider the approach to self-image and sexuality in oncology consultations deficient. Psychological programs and interventions should be developed to empower patients to adjust to the sexual changes arising from treatments and disease progression and to promote positive intimate relationships and effective communication.

None Declared

Cognitive rehabilitation interventions (CRIs) for cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) have shown promising results. However, the acceptability of CRIs in the context of CRCI treatment has not yet been assessed among cancer survivors. Due to the absence of suitable instruments designed to assess the acceptability of CRIs in this population, we developed the Acceptability regarding Cognitive Rehabilitation Interventions Survey for Cancer Survivors (ACRIS-CS).

This study aimed to develop and test the psychometric properties of the newly created instrument, ACRIS-CS.

The study was conducted in two stages: (1) the creation of scale items derived from a comprehensive literature review, considering the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA); and (2) the assessment of the scale’s psychometric properties with cancer survivors. At the end of stage 1, the questionnaire was revised by four clinicians and researchers with expertise in the field of CRCI, and the final item selection was determined by the authors, considering redundancy, item relevance, and face validity. The final scale comprised 11 items, answered on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”). Higher scores indicated more positive perceptions related to the acceptability of CRIs. Data were collected online and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 28.0). Construct validity (exploratory factor analysis, EFA) and reliability (internal consistency) analyses were performed.

In this study, 154 cancer survivors were included. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of 0.847 confirmed the adequacy of sampling (KMO>0.5), and Bartlett’s test of sphericity yielded statistical significance (Χ² (55) = 864.431, p < 0.001), validating the structure of the correlation matrix. The EFA results indicated the presence of three factors, each with eigenvalues exceeding the Kaiser criterion of 1. The scree plot confirmed the existence of three factors beyond the inflection point. All items demonstrated factor loadings higher than 0.40, indicating their relevance to the identified factors. This factor structure was conceptually justifiable. These factors were labeled as follows: 1) Affective attitude and effectiveness (6 items); 2) Perceived benefits and self-efficacy (3 items); and 3) Perceived burden (2 items). Collectively, these factors accounted for 68.7% of the total variance. The ACRIS-CS total scale and subscales demonstrated good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.727 to 0.848.

The results of the EFA and internal consistency analysis were satisfactory. The ACRIS-CS appears to be a valid and reliable scale for assessing the acceptability of CRIs among cancer survivors.

None Declared

In the context of developmental disorders, it is frequently observed that atypical processes may yield seemingly unimpaired behavioural outcomes. Research has shown that children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have intact statistical learning performance. Recent studies have indicated that learning can happen not only during practice but during ultrashort rests between practice blocks (that is, ultrafast offline learning) but no study to date examined these dynamics in ASD.

This research aimed to unravel the effect of ASD on learning during and between blocks, also known as online and offline improvement.

We conducted a series of research with three different samples: 1) ASD children (N = 27), 2) ASD adults (N = 42), and 3) neurotypical adults with distinct positions on the autism spectrum, i.e., the severity of autistic traits (N = 174). Participants performed the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task, allowing us to measure statistical learning (the extraction of statistical knowledge) and general skill learning (speed-up regardless of probabilities) separately.

Individual differences in online and offline improvements were observed. Results of individual studies further confirmed by meta-analysis performed on the three above-mentioned datasets show that neither ASD nor the severity of autistic traits influences the dynamics of learning.

Our findings suggest that, not only learning but also the dynamics of acquisition of statistical knowledge are intact in autism.

None Declared

Limb amputation is often an unavoidable process in many diseases and accidents, leading to several limitations in social, professional, and recreational activities.

To explore the perceptions of persons with lower limb amputation (PLLA) wearing a prosthesis regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and to examine the relationships between HRQoL, body image disturbance, and self-esteem.

The research sample consisted of 91 PLLA who were using a prosthesis. The data were collected through a questionnaire comprised of demographic information and the following scales: The Short Form Health Survey-12 (SF-12), the Amputee Body Image Scale (ABIS-R), and the Rosenberg scale (RSES), in order to assess HRQoL, body image disturbance, and self-esteem respectively. The SPSS statistical software (v.26) was used for the statistical analysis of the data.

The mean SF-12 score of the participants was 70.31 (SD=16.74). The HRQoL was affected by the following sociodemographic factors: age, educational level, profession, income, marital status, and parenthood. It was also influenced by disability-related factors, such as amputation cause and years of prosthesis use. In particular, young participants reported a better level of HRQoL than the older participants (p<0.001). Participants with a higher education level presented better HRQoL than those with lower education level (p<0.001). Unemployed participants and students presented better HRQoL scores compared to all other professional categories (p=0.001). However, participants with lower incomes <10,000 € reported a lower level of HRQoL (p=0.028). Singles had the highest HRQoL score, while widowers had the lowest (p=0.001). Childfree participants experienced the highest level of HRQoL (p=0.001). Participants whose amputation resulted from an accident reported a better HRQoL compared to those who had an amputation due to Type 2 diabetes (p<0.001). As the years of prosthesis use increase, HRQoL decreases (p=0.001). Regarding the associations between HRQoL, body image disturbance, and self-esteem statistically significant relationships were recorded. More specifically, there is a significant positive relationship between RSES and SF-12 (p<0.001); as participants’ self-esteem increases, so does their HRQoL. Conversely, a statistically significant negative correlation emerged between SF-12 and ABIS-R (p<0.001); as HRQoL increases, body image disturbance decreases.

The aforementioned factors should be considered in the design and implementation of psychosocial interventions aimed at recovery. Qualitative studies are recommended to explore the lived experiences of PLLA in-depth.

None Declared

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has sparked interest in its applicability in the mental health domain, offering potential improvements in the efficiency and personalization of psychiatric services.

To characterize the methodological and technical approaches in studies utilizing machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) within mental health, to evaluate their potential and impact in psychiatric clinical practice, and to address the associated ethical concerns.

A systematic review, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, was conducted across four primary medical databases. Emphasis was placed on studies that applied machine learning and NLP techniques to psychiatric contexts, extracting data from sources such as medical records and social media.

From 327 identified articles, 58 were considered relevant. Major themes included symptom extraction, illness severity classification, therapy effectiveness comparison, and psychopathological insight derivation. Notably, most studies focused on specific populations like social media users, emergency room attendees, or those within medical databases. Methodological findings showcased a preference for efficient classifiers and Python as the primary platform.

Machine learning and NLP offer a promising new avenue for psychiatric research and clinical practice, enabling the extraction of previously inaccessible patient information and supporting the decision-making process. However, the field must address inherent limitations, ethical considerations, and ensure that the tools augment, rather than replace, clinical judgment.

None Declared

It is well known that healthcare professionals, in a somewhat generalized manner, work in stressful contexts that embrace emotional overload, highly hierarchical environments, and not always sensitive to the vulnerabilities that arise. Chronic professional stress in institutions, associated with the perception of low control and emotional exhaustion, acts as a trigger for eminently deleterious consequences, significantly affecting the most dedicated and perfectionist professionals.

This work aims, through a non-systematic literature review, to analyze the psychosocial risks associated with the practice of healthcare professionals, as well as the mitigation strategies whose practical implementation may depend on and maintenance of a positive and protective occupational environment.

For the purpose of literature review, a search was conducted on search engines such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, and PubMed, with no date limitations, using the following terms (or combinations): “occupational psychiatry”; “psychosocial risks AND healthcare professionals”; “mitigation strategies”; “occupational risk management.”

Healthcare sector professionals are the ones reporting exposure to higher levels of workload intensity, including parameters related to work speed (under time pressure), combined with prominent emotional demands and psychological suffering. In addition to the most commonly analyzed occupational stressors (workload, job fatigue, particularly draining emotional interactions, marked cognitive demands, complex decision-making, conflicts of a deontological nature), other relevant contextual factors emerge. Among these, predisposing personality traits (such as neuroticism), a sense of personal sacrifice with neglect of self-care, vicarious trauma, which is intimately related to compassion fatigue in the face of frequent and prolonged exposure to traumatic experiences (of various kinds) of the patients they accompany, and occupational violence, which can manifest as verbal or behavioral threats, mobbing, physical harm, and/or sexual abuse based on a tendentially gender-based and deeply hierarchical structure.

Undeniable consequences such as job dissatisfaction, psychological distress, the development of anxiety, depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress disorder translate into a loss of capacity to perform occupational functions, with a higher risk of medical/clinical errors, conferring risks that should never be neglected to the safety of the users of healthcare institutions. On the darker side of this panorama, and in the face of chronic depletion, occupational suicide emerges. It is therefore urgent to requalify the work environment, aiming at creating and maintaining a positive occupational environment, or alternatively, a preventive approach to the risk of mental health problems originating or exacerbated in the workplace.

None Declared

Experience of chronic stress among professionals is a risk factor for poor mental and physical well-being. There is limited knowledge regarding the kinds of interventions, and outcomes achieved using different modalities to address stress and burnout among teachers.

To undertake a scoping review of recent literature to determine psychological interventions and reported outcomes related to stress and burnout among teachers.

The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed. Relevant search terms were used to determine different interventions adopted to reduce teachers’ stress and burnout. Articles published between 2018 and 2022 were identified using five bibliographic databases. Relevant articles were extracted, reviewed, collated, and thematically analyzed, and findings s were summarized.

Forty studies conducted in Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen kinds of burnout and stress-reduction interventions were identified. The most popularly studied intervention were Mindfulness-Based Interventions alone or in combination with yoga or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), followed by Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Mindfulness-Based Interventions led to decreased overall Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and emotional exhaustion subscale scores. REBT, primarily used with special education teachers, especially in Africa, has also shown positive results. Other interventions reporting positive outcomes include Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (SMART), Cyclic Meditation, Group Sandplay, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Sport-Based Physical Activity, Emotional Intelligence Ability Models and Christian Prayer and Prayer-Reflection

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Stress and burnout can have a negative impact on teachers and, very often, on the students they teach. Implementing suitable school-based interventions are necessary to improve teachers’ stress-coping ability, reduce the likelihood of burnout and improve general well-being. Policymakers, governments, school boards and administrators should prioritize the implementation of school-based awareness and intervention programs to mitigate teacher stress and burnout.

None Declared

Hematological diseases represent a diverse disease group ranging from benign to life-threatening conditions, with hematological malignancies being a major cause of mortality in the population worldwide. Although most hematological diseases require ongoing medical care making these conditions even more difficult for patients to endure. Since these diseases can pose many challenges by causing symptoms and limitations in various aspects of daily life, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a crucial aspect of their healthcare. Different dimensions of health-related quality of life are influenced by several psychological factors, including illness perception, stigmatization, and optimism: a more positive illness perception, along with optimism and reduced stigmatization, can contribute to a better HRQoL among hematology patients.

Since hematological diseases often cause serious life changes, the current study aimed to explore the direct and indirect effects of illness perception on health-related quality of life among hematology patients in Hungary, including stigmatization and optimism as possible contributors.

In this cross-sectional study, 96 hematology patients (mean age = 56.45 years; SD = 15.55 years; 43.8% female) completed a self-administered survey including the following instruments: EORTC Quality of Life Scale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness, Revised Life Orientation Test.

By creating two pathway models, illness perception had significant indirect effects on physical functioning (β = -.205, p < .05) through role and cognitive functioning while emotional functioning had significant indirect effects on social functioning (β = .369, p < .01) through illness perception and stigmatization, both effects moderated by optimism. After controlling for other factors, both illness perception and emotional functioning directly influenced physical and social functioning, respectively.

Our study supports previous research on the direct and indirect effects of illness perception on HRQoL. Based on our data, more optimistic illness perceptions and greater emotional functioning improve hematology patients’ health-related quality of life by facilitating an unbiased understanding of the disease. Optimism serves as a potential moderating mechanism by positively altering indirect effects. Healthcare professionals need to optimize patients’ illness perception to improve physical and social functioning.

H. Kiss Grant / Research support from: This work was supported by the New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, #ÚNKP-22-4-SZTE-301., V. Müller: None Declared, K. Dani: None Declared, B. Pikó: None Declared

Cerebral palsy refers to a heterogeneous group of non-progressive neurodevelopmental disorders manifesting in infancy or childhood and varying in severity. It characterized by impaired motor function, sensation, and depressed intellectual abilities. Functional limitations in patients with cerebral palsy may result in chronic dependency, thereby compromising caregivers’ mental health and interfering with the integrity of the family structure.

This study aimed to determine the different factors affecting the mental health of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and to raise awareness among healthcare providers.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in National Guard Health Affairs-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, a validated questionnaire assessing: depression, anxiety, and stress. This questionnaire was used to assess the mental health of the caregivers. In addition, factors reflecting child’s health condition, such as visual impairment, number of emergency department visits, and number of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions were reported to investigate the impact on the caregiver’s mental health.

The sample included 40 caregivers, of which 72.5% were mothers. According to the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 score, 12.5% (n = 5) of the caregivers had moderate depression scores, 10% (n = 4) revealed extremely severe depression, and 10% (n = 4) showed moderate anxiety. Furthermore, 12.5% (n = 5), 15% (n = 6), and 7.5% (n = 3) of the caregivers have scored as moderate, severe, and extremely severe stress levels, respectively. Caregivers’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) associated with the impact of vision of their dependent children, frequent hospital admissions, and frequent emergency department visits. Increased Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions in the past year were also significantly associated with higher caregiver anxiety scores.

To the best of our knowledge, the dimension of caregivers’ stress and anxiety and their association with the children’s dependency level is not well documented in our region. Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy reported having mental health challenges associated with the children’s vision, frequent need for acute medical care, and hospital admissions.

Healthcare workers should provide early and proactive planning of medical and social support for children and their families using a family-centered approach.

None Declared

The literature indicates that parental reflective functioning (PRF) is crucial to a good parent-child relationship. Furthermore, genuine parental mentalizing also promotes adaptive emotion regulation in attachment relationships. However, no prior study assessed the relationship between parental mentalizing, emotion regulation and object relation in the early years.

We examined the relationship between PRF, cognitive emotion regulation and perception of the infant among parents of children up to five years old.

In our cross-sectional, non-clinical study, 136 parents completed the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Mother’s Object Relationship Scale - short form. In our 12 moderator models, we chose the subscales of the parental perception of the infant (invasiveness and warmth) as dependent variables, the subscales of adaptive and non-adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation as independent variables, and the three subscales of PRF (pre-mentalization, interest and curiosity, certainty about mental states) as moderators.

Warmth had a positive, weak correlation with adaptive strategies (r(134) = 0.27, p < 0.007), with certainty in mental states (r(134) = 0.24, p < 0.007) and interest and curiosity (r(134) = 0.23, p < 0.007); the correlation between interest and curiosity and non-adaptive strategies was moderate and positive (r(134) = 0.32, p < 0.007). None of the subscales of PRF moderated the relationship between the subscales of emotion regulation and the perception of the infant. The use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies was more likely to affect the perception of warmth (B = 0.05 (t = 2.0584, p = 0.0415), B = 0.04 (t = 1.7887, p = 0.0760)), and the use of non-adaptive strategies was more likely to affect the perception of invasiveness (B = 0.08 (t = 2.1333, p = 0.0348), B = 0.09 (t = 2.3164, p = 0,0221).

Our results suggest that cognitive emotion regulation plays a role in object relation; therefore, we recommend promoting adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies among mothers in the early years.

None Declared