Patients with schizophrenia have increased somatic morbidity and increased mortality. Knowledge of how to integrate prevention and care of somatic illnesses into the treatment of psychiatric patients is required.

Forty-seven patients diagnosed with schizophrenia participated in the programme (mean age: 33.3 years, SD: 11.9).

To investigate whether a 2.5-year interventional programme to improve physical health is effective.

The intervention consisted of health promotion activities focusing on the patients’ health, not their diseases. The patients’ physical health parameters were intensely monitored and each patient received individual guidance on healthy food and on how to live a physically active life.

Extensive problems with obesity, especially among the women, were observed, and low level of physical activity among the patients was demonstrated. The included patients were in a high risk of developing cardio vascular diseases and diabetes type 2. The main outcomes were reduction in waist circumferences and in consumption of soft drinks and an increase in coffee drinking. Furthermore, an increase in time spent on moderate and light physical activities was observed. The patients showed great interest in the programme, and it was unproblematic getting the patients to participate in the entire programme. Moreover, they willingly followed the health guidance and achieved a healthier life.

The intervention seems relevant and manageable in an outpatient setting. The results are promising in the ongoing process of improving physical health among patients with schizophrenia. We recommend implementation of the programme in daily practice.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Ablify Maintena (AM) is a long acting injection of aripiprazole that received marketing authorisation in the UK in January 2014. It is costly compared to first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) LAIs and there are no robust trials comparing AM with FGAs. We examined the effectiveness and use of AM in a mental health trust.

We identified all patients prescribed AM in North Staffordshire (population: 470,000) since launch and examined records for demography, diagnosis, bed and medication use. We examined the effectiveness of AM using a mirror image design.

Thirty patients received AM in a time frame allowing a 1-year follow-up. Sixty-nine percent were male and the mean age was 39 years. Over half were detained under the 1983 Mental Health Act and 30% were inpatients on a psychiatric intensive care unit when AM was started. Twenty-eight patients had a psychotic diagnosis. There was a significant reduction in bed occupancy (63 v 6 days, P = 0.0001) and admissions (1.6 v 0.5, P = 0.0001). The median dose was 400 mg. Lack of effectiveness/poor adherence with prior treatments were the main reason for starting AM in 84%. Eighty-six percent of patients clinically improved on AM. Blood parameters were in the normal range.

Within the limitations of the methodology, our results show a reduction in psychiatric bed use in the year following AM initiation on an intention to treat basis. The reduction in bed use equates to a minimum annual saving of £14,250 per patient. AM at the median study dose costs £2645 per year.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The modern psychiatric view of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and their treatment has led to an increasing focus on coping strategies and quality of life of these patients.

Understanding the relationship between quality of life and coping strategies can help in finding those coping strategies that enhance the quality of life. It is important to study the inner experience and striving of patients because of connection with well-being and treatment adherence.

In the present study, the authors examined the relationship between demographic data, the severity of symptoms, coping strategies, and quality of life in psychotic outpatients.

Psychiatric outpatients who met ICD-10 criteria for a psychotic disorder (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or delusional disorder) were recruited in the study. Questionnaires measuring the coping strategies (SVF-78), the quality of life (Q-LES-Q), and symptoms severity (objective and subjective clinical global impression–objCGI; subjCGI) were assessed. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.

One hundred and nine psychotic outpatients were included in the study. The QoL was significantly related to the Positive and Negative coping strategies. The severity of disorder highly negatively correlated with the QoL score. Stepwise regression analysis showed that symptoms severity (subjCGI), Positive coping strategies (especially Positive Self-instruction), Difference between the objCGI and subjCGI and Negative coping strategies explain totally 53.8% of variance of the QoL (Tables 1–3).

Table 1Description of the sample, demographic and clinical data.

Table 2Description of using coping strategies and quality of life in schizophrenic outpatients.

Table 3Correlations between quality of life and coping strategies.

Our study suggests the importance of utilizing the Positive coping strategies in improving the quality of life in patients with psychotic disorders.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Self-stigma is a maladaptive psychosocial phenomenon that can disturb self-image and quality of life in psychiatric outpatients and may lead to dysphoria, social isolation and reduced adherence to treatment.

Self-stigma and QoL could be reflected as important factors for patients, who suffer from schizophrenia spectrum disorders, their caregivers and mental health specialists. Focus on reducing the self-stigma in supportive and educational therapy could be an important factor in promoting a higher QoL.

Current research moved attention to the relationship between demographic data, the severity of symptoms, self-stigma and quality of life in schizophrenic outpatients compared to the QoL in healthy controls.

Patients who met ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum disorder were recruited in the study. The Quality of Life Satisfaction and Enjoyment questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) and severity of the disorder measured by objective and subjective Clinical Global Impression severity scales (CGI) were assessed.

One hundred and nine psychotic patients and 91 healthy controls participated in the study. Compared to the control group, there was a lower QoL and a higher score of self-stigma in psychotic patients. We found the correlation between the self-stigma, duration of disorder and QoL. The level of self-stigma correlated positively with total symptom severity score and negatively with the QoL. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the objective severity and self-stigma score were significantly associated with the quality of life (Figure 2 and 3, Fig. 1).

Our study suggests a negative impact of self-stigma level on the quality of life in patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cognitive impairments are well established findings in schizophrenia and are associated with significant impairment of social functioning. Episodic memory, working memory and executive function test scores are typically 1 standard deviation below healthy controls. There are reports suggesting the presence of neurocognitive deficits prior to illness onset, opening the possibility of using cognitive profiles as disease markers. Interest in exploring cognitive functioning in early stages schizophrenia has continued to grow, as earlier treatments could possibly lead to improved outcomes.

This is a cross-sectional assessment of cognitive profiles in patients with early psychosis. A total of 51 patients suffering from psychosis in the age group of 18–65 years were recruited and matched with 51 healthy controls. A wide range of neurocognitive domains were assessed using standardised neuropsychological tests.

There was evidence of statistically significant impairments in cognitive functioning across a broad range of cognitive domains in early-psychosis patients, as compared to healthy controls. More pronounced deficits were seen in executive function tests.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to report cognitive deficits across a range of domains in patients with first episode psychosis from a low-income country. This study found deficits across multiple domains, including language, memory, attention, executive function, and visuospatial function in patients with early psychosis. Evidence of neuropsychological deficits in the early course of the disease may highlight crucial therapeutic windows for both pharmacological treatments and cognitive rehabilitation. This may improve functional outcomes in this patient group in the longer term.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Non-compliance is a significant problem in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP), representing a challenge for mental health professionals due to the heterogeneous course and functional outcomes.

The aim was to describe the short-term compliance in FEP and analyze the demographics, clinical features, and management issues potentially associated with non-compliance.

This observational and retrospective study included all consecutive FEP admitted to our psychiatry unit from January to June 2015, belonging to our catchment area. To be categorized as compliant, patients had to attend month-1 and month-3 follow-up visits. Characteristics of compliant and non-compliant were compared using a bivariate analysis.

We included 18 patients whose characteristics are shown in the table. Overall, 8 (44.4%) were non-compliant. Patients who were non-compliant had a significantly shorter length of stay (10.3 [6.3] vs. 18.5 [8.9] days). Most patients (66.7%) had cannabis abuse, being slightly more frequent among non-compliant (75% vs. 60%, P = NS); in addition, the diagnosis of substance-induced psychotic disorder was also more common among non-compliant (50% vs 20%, P = NS). There were 2 patients who were readmitted, both in the non-compliant group (Table 1).

Short-term non-compliance is high among patients with FEP. Despite the limitations of our study, our results suggest that, beside other factors (e.g. substance abuse), non-compliance could be associated with management-related factors.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The association between schizophrenia and quality of care for medical comorbidities in universal health care systems remains unclear.

To elucidate whether equal access also implies equivalent and sufficient care.

To compare the quality of care for heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among patients with and without schizophrenia in Denmark.

In a nationwide population-based cohort study, we used Danish national registries to estimate the risk of receiving guideline recommended disease-specific processes of care between 2004 and 2013.

Compared to patients without schizophrenia, patients with schizophrenia had lower chance of receiving high overall quality of care (≥ 80% of recommended processes of care) for heart failure (Relative risk [RR] 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48-0.92), diabetes (RR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.79-0.89) and COPD (RR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72-0.93) as well as lower chance of receiving individual disease-specific processes of care including treatment with beta-blockers (RR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79-0.96) in heart failure care and measurement for albuminuria (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99), eye examination at least every second year (RR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99) and feet examination (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99) in diabetes care. Diabetic patients with schizophrenia also had lower chance of receiving antihypertensive (RR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.96) and ACE/ATII inhibitors (RR 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.94). In COPD care, patients with schizophrenia had lower chance of receiving LAMA/LABA medication (RR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.98), however, higher chance of treatment with non-invasive inhalation (RR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.61-2.12).

Quality of care for three medical comorbidities was suboptimal for patients with schizophrenia.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Switching antipsychotics is a therapeutic alternative for managing side-effects, or efficacy and compliance issues.

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of switching to LAI-aripiprazole in patients who had insufficient response or were intolerant to the previous antipsychotic, or required a more convenient treatment regimen.

This was a prospective, observational, 6-months study carried out in 45 outpatients with schizophrenia who were clinically stabilized but a switching to another antipsychotic was clinically indicated. Patients who required hospitalization, treatment discontinuation or adding another antipsychotic (including supplementation with oral-aripiprazole) were considered treatment failures. Switching was considered successful if the side-effect/symptom/adherence/convenience improved or, if applicable, disappeared.

Patients aged 38 years, 51% women, and previous antipsychotics comprised: LAI-paliperidone (42%), oral-aripiprazole (22%), oral-olanzapine (11%), oral-risperidone (7%), LAI-risperidone (4%) and others (14%). The efficacy results of the switching are presented in the table. Of the 45 patients, 7 (15%) were considered treatment failures: 3 patients were hospitalized due to recurrence of psychotic symptoms, 2 discontinued LAI-aripiprazole, and 2 required supplementation with oral-aripiprazole (Fig 1).

Our results suggest that switching to LAI-aripiprazole is an efficacious strategy for managing some antipsychotic-induced side-effects, persistence of negative symptoms and/or lack of treatment adherence.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Hormones deregulation is a common feature in schizophrenia. Among the hormones that gained increased interest are sex hormones, thyroid hormones and prolactin. However, the question whether there is an impact of the hormonal disturbances on cognitive functioning of schizophrenia patients is rarely addressed.

To assess the relationship between serum levels of hormones and cognitive abilities in male schizophrenic patients.

In the index group, there were 15 schizophrenia male patients, mean age 36. The control group was formed by 15 healthy volunteers, mean age 36. In the two groups, serum hormones levels were measured and neuropsychological tests were performed. Analysed hormones included thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, testosterone, progesterone and prolactin. Cognitive abilities were measured with the following tests: Trail Making Test (TMT) Part A and B, Semantic Category Fluency (SCF), Initial Letter Fluency (ILF) and Stroop Task Part 1 and 2.

The levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were lower in the index group than in the control group (3.01 mIU/mL vs 5.90 mIU/mL; 3.83 mIU/mL vs 5.28 mIU/mL; 2.76 ng/mL vs 4.69 ng/mL; accordingly) while the level of prolactin was higher in the index group (620 uIU/mL vs 118 uIU/mL). Patients performed worse that controls in all neuropsychological tests. The differences in scores of TMT Part B, ILF and Stroop Task Part 2 were found to be statistically significant.

There was no significant relationship between serum level of analysed hormones and performance on cognitive tasks.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Some studies have related processing speed with functionality. A more discriminative analysis of different components of this neuropsychological construct is needed.

To measure the performance of a group of patients with schizophrenia in reaction time, processing velocity and sustained attention. To compare the impact on functioning of these three measures.

Ninety-eight outpatients between 18 and 65 years diagnosed with schizophrenia, based on the DSM-V, with a 3-month period of clinical stability, were recruited. Sociodemografic and clinical data were collected: PANSS scale, Akathisia Simpson-Angus Brief Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Global Functioning Scale (GAF). The following variables were measured: reaction time (SUPERLAB PRO), processing speed (TMT-A, subtest of symbol coding BACS, verbal fluency) and sustained attention (Continuous Performance Test).

Functionality of patients was correlated to Elective Reaction Time (the subject must react to different types of stimuli and to choose between several possible answers) [P = −0.205; P = 0.047], but NOT with Simple Reaction Time [P = 0.109; P = 0.293)]. Functionality was significantly correlated to Symbols Coding (P = 0.328; P = 0.001), and a trend was observed regarding semantic fluency (P = 0.190; P = 0.06) and the TMT-A (P = −0.179; P = 0.08). In CPT, Correct Detection was correlated with GAF score (P = 0.380; P = 0.000) but not omission errors. The model of lineal regression shows a differential impact of every measure in global functioning.

Reaction time, processing speed and sustained attention are different variables and each of them have impact on functioning in schizophrenia.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To examine the effect of cariprazine, a dopamine D3/D2 receptor partial agonist with preferential binding to D3 receptors, on predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Subjects with schizophrenia and PANSS factor score for negative symptoms (PANSS-FSNS) ≥ 24 and no pseudospecific factors (e.g. extrapyramidal symptoms, depression) were randomized to cariprazine 4.5 mg/d (dose range: 3-6 mg/d) or risperidone 4 mg/d (dose range: 3-6 mg/d) for 6 months.

Four hundred and sixty-one patients were randomized 1:1 to double-blind risperidone (n = 231) or cariprazine (n = 230) treatment. Change from Baseline (CfB) at week 26 in the primary parameter, PANSS-FSNS, was larger in the cariprazine group than in the risperidone group (LSMD = −1.47; 95% CI: [−2.39, −0.53]; P = 0.002) significant from week 14 onwards. CfB at week 26 in the functional parameter, Personal and Social Performance (PSP) total score, showed similarly greater improvement with cariprazine than risperidone (LSMD = 4.63; 95% CI: [2.71, 6.56]; P < 0.001) significant from week 10 onward. Statistically significant differences in favor of cariprazine at week 26 were shown in the PSP areas of self-care, socially useful activities and personal and social relationships. Most patients tolerated the study treatment well, as reflected by low discontinuation rates due to adverse events (AEs). Adverse event profiles of cariprazine and risperidone were similar. The most common AEs during study treatment were insomnia (10.0%), and headache (10.4%), both in the risperidone group.

26-week cariprazine treatment, given as antipsychotic monotherapy, was significantly more effective on negative symptoms and on functioning than risperidone in patients with predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

People with schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous group. Identifying subtypes of people with schizophrenia before discharge may help develop targeted discharge plans.

To explore possible subtypes among people with schizophrenia before discharge by their self-management ability, self-efficacy and cognitive function status.

To identify possible subtypes among people with schizophrenia before discharge.

Totally, 150 Chinese people with schizophrenia before discharged from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Beijing were assessed by Self-management Instrument for People with Schizophrenia and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Cluster analysis using SPSS 20.0 package was performed to categorize subjects based on their scores.

Four different types of subjects were revealed. Type I low cognition with no participation (n = 25), patients’ self-management ability, self-efficacy and cognitive function were very poor; type II medium cognition with blind confidence (n = 42), patients’ self-efficacy was good, while self-management ability was poor and cognitive function is medium; type III high cognition with high level skill (n = 46), patients’ cognitive function, self-management ability and self-efficacy were good; type IV low cognition with medium level skill (n = 37), patients’ cognition was very poor, while self-management ability and self-efficacy were medium. These four types of subjects had significant differences in long-term use of antipsychotics and primary caregivers’ education level (P < 0.05).

The finding of different subtypes of people with schizophrenia presenting in this sample may help health professionals give effective screening and targeted discharge measures which can further promote patients’ recovery and reduce readmission rates.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Perceived and anticipated stigma are relevant issues in patients with schizophrenia. Stigma has negative consequences both in quality of life and in the course of illness.

To analyze differences in perceived and anticipated discrimination in two groups of patients with schizophrenia: one with a recent diagnosis of illness and another with a long course of disease.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 100 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 18 or more years old, clinically stabilized, without axis I DSM-IV comorbidity. Patients received treatment in the outpatient services of a catchment area in Madrid. Perceived and anticipated discrimination was evaluated trough the DISC-12 (Discrimination and Stigma scale). Other study variables were: socio-demographic status, length of disease, symptoms of depression (Calgary Scale) and functionality degree measured by Global Assessment of Function (GAF). Two sub-groups of patients were compared: one with a length of illness below 5 years and a second one with a length of illness over 5 years.

Patients with a length of illness longer than 5 years showed elevated degree of perceived and anticipated discrimination compared with patients with less than 5 years of illness course. In the same way, patients with a recent diagnosis of illness showed increased scores in the measure of face the stigma.

Preventive strategies to avoid the stigma in schizophrenia should consider some differences in patients in relationship with the length of evolution of illness in order to be more accurate. Early intervention programs about stigma are necessary.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Perceived and anticipated stigma is relevant issues in patients with schizophrenia. Stigma has negative consequences both in quality of life and in the course of illness.

To analyze the degree of perceived and anticipated stigma and discrimination in patients with schizophrenia and their relationship with clinical and socio-demographic variables.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 100 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 18 or more years old, clinically stabilized, without axis I DSM-IV comorbidity. Patients received treatment in the outpatient services of a catchment area in Madrid. Perceived and anticipated discrimination was evaluated trough the DISC-12 (Discrimination and Stigma scale). Other study variables were: socio-demographic characteristics, symptoms of depression (Calgary Scale) and functionality degree measured by Global Assessment of Function (GAF).

The presence of symptoms of depression evaluated by the Calgary Scale and low degree of functionality measured by GAF are associated with greater feelings of discrimination and stigma, especially in the sub-scales of experienced and anticipated discrimination of the DISC 12. Anticipated stigma is higher in men than in women while the rest sub scales of the DISC-12 do not correlate with gender or other sociodemographic variables.

Preventive strategies to avoid the stigma in schizophrenia should consider some characteristics associated with disease, especially the degree of functionality and presence of depressive symptoms.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) is a variable condition, characterized by the emergence of new psychotic features for a period of at least 1 week. The majority of existing studies about FEP only address schizophrenia spectrum psychosis (SSP), which may limit the capacity to fully characterize this entity.

Report the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with FEP in real-world setting, and compare the differences among SSP and affective FEP.

Retrospective analysis of clinical files of patients admitted to our hospital unit with FEP diagnosis from January/2012 to April/2015. Clinician-rated dimensions of psychosis symptom severity scales (DSM-5) were applied.

Annual incidence of FEP was 11,3/100,000. From a total of 755 patients, 57 (7,5%) corresponded to FEP; 38 (66,7%) were diagnosed with SSP, 11 (19,3%) affective psychosis, 3 (5,2%) toxic psychosis and 5 (8,8%) organic psychosis. Most were female (61,4%), with a mean age of 49 years. The majority were unemployed (66,7%), lived with family (57,9%), and presented with moderate-severe delusions (80,1%), but without hallucinations (57,8%), disorganized speech (59,6%) or negative symptoms (85,9%). Affective FEP patients were older (61 vs 45 years), presented with less severe psychotic symptoms (7,2 vs 8,3 points), but with higher hospital admission (26,1 vs 21,1 days).

Regardless the growing interest concerning FEP, its conceptualization and characterization remains controversial. Our results differ from pre-existing literature data, especially concerning gender and age. By including all the possible etiologies of FEP, we aimed to obtain a more realistic characterization of this entity in a real-world setting.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Pro/antiinflammatory imbalance has been found in first-episode psychotic (FEP) patients, even 12 months later. Current research is every time more focused in the need to find biomarkers to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of this severe illness.

To assess peripherical levels of neurotrophins and their receptors and their correlation with inflammation, clinical symptomatology and response to antipsychotic treatment, over the time.

Ninety-four FEP patients and 80 matched healthy controls were included. Blood samples were taken at baseline to measure BDNF and NGF and their receptor levels (TrkB-full, TrkB-truncated and TrkA) and pro/antiinflammatory parameters (NFkB, COX-2, iNOS, PPARgamma, 15d-PG12). Patients were followed-up during 12 months.

BDNF TrkB-full receptor and NFG TrkA receptor levels increased during the follow-up whereas BDNF TrkB-truncated form receptor decreased. After adjusting for confounding variables, baseline levels of proinflamatory variables were significantly related to TrkB-full/TrkB-truncated ratio (FL/T), suggesting that a higher proinflammatory status is related to a higher FL/T ratio expression. Furthermore, baseline FL/T ratio could have a predictor role of patient's functionality 1 year after the illness onset, depending on whether patient is treated or not with antipsychotic drugs.

Inflammatory processes, neurotrophic pathways and functional status of FEP patients seem to be related which is of great traslational relevance. Specific, the expression of the 2 isoforms of BDNF receptor should be taken into account before starting an antipsychotic drug treatment.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Although being highly consensual that antipsychotic adherence is an important outcome predictor in psychosis, existing reviews have found mean rates of adherence around 40–60%. Several aspects, such as patient-related, medication-related, environmental-related variables have been described as important predictors.

This study aim is to develop, administer and present preliminary psychometric properties of a new scale for antipsychotic medication adherence that includes different types of predictors (clinical, psychosocial, and practical among others).

The “AMAS” was developed by a multidisciplinary team and was based on recent research on factors influencing antipsychotic adherence. The scale evolved from multiple drafts and experts were contacted in order to improve the final version. Over 50 patients with a diagnosis of a psychotic-spectrum disorder taking antipsychotic medication will be assessed with the “AMAS” and the Medication Adherence Rating Scale. Additionally, each patient's psychiatrist will fill in a form with demographic and clinical variables (such as type of symptoms, previous adherence problems, current adherence, insight and other relevant variables).

This is an ongoing study and the sample is still being collected (scheduled finish date: February/2016). Our statistical analysis’ plan includes: reliability analysis (Chronbach's alpha, alpha if item deleted, inter item correlations and covariances and item-total correlations); validity (convergent validity); factorial analysis.

It is hypothesized that the “AMAS” will be a practical, reliable and valid unidimentional instrument with clinical utility assessing adherence to antipsychotics. The “AMAS” can be also useful in assessing intervention targets (e.g. psychoterapeutical, psychoeducational) to enhance adherence.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Three second order scales were constructed: illness-related quality of life, social life, and global subjective well-being. CFA of the new theoretical model resulted in a CFI of 0.67 and absolute fit indices of CMIN/df = 2.55, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR = 0.09. We selected 13 items that showed good statistical properties and good fit of content to subscale. Fit of the underlying theoretical model with the 13 items was satisfactory (CFI = 0.95, CMIN/df = 2.23, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). Composite reliability scores for the three subscales were above 0.70.

The QLiS-SF showed adequate model fit and reliability. It offers a novel, well-founded opportunity to assess quality of life in persons with schizophrenia in situations in which the application of the long version is not considered possible.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

A history of childhood trauma is reportedly more prevalent in people suffering from psychosis than in the general population. Previous studies linked childhood trauma (CT) to neurocognitive impairments in schizophrenia (SCZ), but rarely to theory of mind (TOM) deficits.

To investigate the relationship between TOM deficits and CT in SCZ.

Fifty-eight outpatients with stable SCZ completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire retrospectively assessing five types of childhood trauma (emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and emotional and physical neglect). They also completed an intention-inferencing task, in which the ability to infer a character's intentions from information in a short story is assessed.

Our results suggest a relationship between specific kinds of CT and TOM deficits. A history of childhood physical neglect was significantly correlated to a worse performance in the intention-inferencing task (P = 0,001). Patients with higher scores of CT denial also had less correct answers (P = 0,035) and more false answers (P = 0,013).

Our results need replication but underline the necessity of investigating psychosocial mechanisms underlying the development of social cognition deficits, including deficits in TOM.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Auditory hallucination is one of the most common symptoms in schizophrenia. The frequency of the auditory hallucinations and ensuing distress make the individual believe that these voices are not able to be controlled and to be coped with.

Testing the effectiveness of brief cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) for auditory hallucinations, using it in modifying the beliefs about the voices and improving symptom severity and overall functioning.

Forty participants with schizophrenia were randomized into intervention and control groups. Intervention group were 20 patients who received 8 individual sessions of CBTp plus Treatment As Usual (TAU) over 8 weeks and the control group were the other 20 patients who received TAU only. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Arabic version of Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and the General Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study.

Intervention group showed a statistically significant increase in GAF (P = 0.012), a statistically significant reduction regarding the Positive (P < 0.001), Negative (P = 0.008), General (P < 00.001) and total (P ≤ 00.001) sub-scales of PANSS. Regarding BAVQ, Intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction in Malevolence (P = 0.008), Engagement (P = 0.001); and showed a statistically significant increase in Resistance (P = 0.049) compared to control.

Brief cognitive behavioral therapy for auditory hallucinations can improve severity of schizophrenia, increase the level of functioning and improve the beliefs about the voices.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.