Continuity between Stressful Experiences and Delusion Content in Adolescents with Psychotic Disorders – A Pilot Study

Background: Delusions are usually considered core symptoms of schizophrenia, but they are in fact associated with a wide range of psychiatric disorders. The content of a delusion is often related to stressful life experiences that preceded the delusion. Objective: The aim of this study is to detect whether there is a link—specifically, a thematic link—between past experiences and delusion content that connects the two events via thematic analogy. Method: The sample population evaluated for this study consisted of 16 consecutive patients with delusions between the ages of 9.9 and 16.5 years. All patients were experiencing their first psychotic episodes and were not taking any medications. Data were obtained from transcribed clinical sessions. Results: The data suggested the presence of a thematic link between previous experiences and the contents of delusions for 15 patients (93%). Humiliating events, including bullying, are more likely to be linked to persecutory delusions (p = .004). Conclusions: If a thematic link between past experiences and delusion content does exist, this may provide a means of greater psychotherapeutic understanding

Psychotic-like experiences in help-seeking adolescents:Dimensional exploration and association with different forms of bullying victimization – A developmental social psychiatry perspective

Background: Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are common in the general population and increase the risk of psychotic disorders. Adolescents are a high-risk group of this condition. Stressful events, such as bullying, have a role in the onset of PLEs. This study has several aims: (1) to assess PLEs in adolescents seeking help from a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, (2) to assess the association of PLEs with specific bullying victimization and (3) to assess difference in PLEs and victimizations by sex and age. Methods: Participants were help-seeking (HS) adolescents initially screened for PLEs. They completed an assessment including characteristics of PLEs and bullying victimization. We paid particular attention to different kinds of PLEs and victimization. Results: In total, 50 PLE-positive adolescents screened from 324 HS adolescents (15.4%) constituted the sample. Paranoia and verbal bullying were the PLEs and form of victimization most represented, respectively. Verbal bullying was strongly associated with paranoia (odds ratio (OR): 4.40, confidence interval (CI): 2.8â\u88\u925.9, p <.001). Results remained significant after controlling for confounder (socio-demographic, anxiety, depression and for the latter analysis also other forms of victimization). Furthermore, social manipulation showed a strong association of paranoia and physical bullying with grandiosity. Verbal bullying was also associated with psychotic negative symptoms, but controlling for emotional symptoms and other victimization led to a reduction in the effect. Men were more involved in physical victimization and experienced grandiosity; on the contrary, late adolescents were most involved in social victimization and negative psychotic symptoms Conclusion: PLEs are relevant in HS adolescents. Bullying victimization interacts with the onset of these phenomena. In particular, verbal bullying predicted paranoia onset significantly

Psychosocial interventions in feeding and eating disorders: the experience of arts on prescription and museum visits

This review summarizes the principal aspects of psychosocial interventions in mental health problems and in detail in Feeding and Eating Disorders. Feeding and Eating Disorders represent a major public health problem and therefore it is necessary to maximize therapeutic and preventive efforts. Social prescribing, a mechanism for linking patients in primary care with non-medical sources of support within the community social factors, may represent a good strategy to cope with social factors involved in the onset and the maintenance of the disorder in order to ensure long-term effectiveness. Arts on prescribing and Museum on prescribing defined as the use of artistic activities or museum visits for therapeutic purposes seem particularly suitable interventions in patients with Feeding and Eating Disorders.L’articolo qui presentato intende fare una rassegna dei principali aspetti connessi agli interventi psicosociali nell’ambito della salute mentale, nello specifico in merito ai Disturbi Alimentari. Questi ultimi sono diventati un problema di salute pubblica e dunque si prospetta la necessità di massimizzare gli interventi preventivi e terapeutici a riguardo. La prescrizione sociale, meccanismo che permette di collegare i pazienti delle cure primarie con fonti di supporto non mediche, quali interventi in ambito sociale e comunitario, può rappresentare una buona strategia per far fronte ai fattori sociali coinvolti nell'insorgenza e nel mantenimento del disturbo al fine di garantire una lunga durata dell’efficacia dell’intervento. In particolare vengono qui descritti interventi e prescrizioni quali fruizione di attività artistiche o visite museali a fini terapeutici. Questi sembrano essere interventi particolarmente indicati nei pazienti con Disturbi dell'Alimentazione

COVID-19 pandemic: a note for psychiatrists and psychologists.

The negative psychological effects of epidemic and quarantine are well documented at short and medium term. It is to assume that in the post COVID-19 quarantine mental health professional will face a significant increase of requests for assistance. This paper aims to provide a handy tool for psychiatrists and psychologists to have a note of the consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic on people mental health.Gli effetti psicologici negativi delle epidemie e della quarantena sono ben documentati in letteratura. Si ipotizza che nel post quarantena del COVID-19 psicologi e psichiatri dovranno affrontare un aumento significativo delle richieste di assistenza. Questo documento mira a fornire una sintesi utile delle conseguenze dell'epidemia di COVID-19 sulla salute mentale delle persone

Psychiatric and neuropsychological issues in Marfan syndrome: A critical review of the literature

The cooccurrence of Marfan syndrome and psychiatric disorders has been reported for many years. Furthermore, neuropsychological deficits have been shown to be associated with Marfan syndrome. The aim of the present article is to summarize findings from the sparse studies and case reports available. The results hold clinical and therapeutic implications and suggest that psychological and neuropsychological domains in Marfan syndrome patients should be carefully assessed. In particular, some patients may require specific rehabilitation programs. On this basis, a multidisciplinary approach to Marfan syndrome treatment seems mandatory

Sharing memories in children: The importance of close and significative relationship

In this paper we discuss several aspects of the development of the memory function in children. We examine research contributions on the ability of children to collect and tell memories, we discuss the differences between traumatic and non-traumatic memories and how early experiences influence the memory processes. Several studies suggest that memory abilities develop within a relational context in which early experiences, relational experiences, especially with parents, and cognitive processes interact with each other in order to expand and increase the memory processes. A relational framework is also essential in order to formulate and process traumatic memories.   Finally we discuss implications in child psychotherapy

The perception of maternal and paternal rejection in anorexic patients

Aims. To study the relationship between: a) AN and perceived maternal and paternal feelings of rejection;b) AN clinical features and the perception of the sense of rejection. Methods.The study has cross-sectional design,the sample was selected among 92 consecutives in and out-patients, aged from 14-35 years referred to twoEating Disorder Services, 23 patients (25%, ME 20 ±5.7)completed the full assessment for AN and were enrolled for the study. The diagnosis of AN was assigned according to the DSM 5 criteria after an accurate psychiatric clinical evaluation, integrated with tools for EDs. Results. The 95% of the SS with AN reported a sense of maternal and paternal rejection. SS with normal or better BMI expresses more maternal/paternal sense of rejection; older SS reported more perceived sense of maternal refusal. Data suggest that: a) better organic conditions and age could allow a greater mentalization of the relational difficulties of AN SS with parental figures and the expansion of the themes of the psychological distress expressed; b) SS in better weight conditions are able to free themselves from the monothematic discomfort relating to body image; c) he sense of maternal rejection requires a greater age to be perceived than the sense of paternal rejection.Aims. To study the relationship between: a) AN and perceived maternal and paternal feelings of rejection;b) AN clinical features and the perception of the sense of rejection. Methods.The study has cross-sectional design,the sample was selected among 92 consecutives in and out-patients, aged from 14-35 years referred to twoEating Disorder Services, 23 patients (25%, ME 20 ±5.7)completed the full assessment for AN and were enrolled for the study. The diagnosis of AN was assigned according to the DSM 5 criteria after an accurate psychiatric clinical evaluation, integrated with tools for EDs. Results. The 95% of the SS with AN reported a sense of maternal and paternal rejection. SS with normal or better BMI expresses more maternal/paternal sense of rejection; older SS reported more perceived sense of maternal refusal. Data suggest that: a) better organic conditions and age could allow a greater mentalization of the relational difficulties of AN SS with parental figures and the expansion of the themes of the psychological distress expressed; b) SS in better weight conditions are able to free themselves from the monothematic discomfort relating to body image; c) he sense of maternal rejection requires a greater age to be perceived than the sense of paternal rejection.Aims. To study the relationship between: a) AN and perceived maternal and paternal feelings of rejection;b) AN clinical features and the perception of the sense of rejection. Methods.The study has cross-sectional design,the sample was selected among 92 consecutives in and out-patients, aged from 14-35 years referred to twoEating Disorder Services, 23 patients (25%, ME 20 ±5.7)completed the full assessment for AN and were enrolled for the study. The diagnosis of AN was assigned according to the DSM 5 criteria after an accurate psychiatric clinical evaluation, integrated with tools for EDs. Results. The 95% of the SS with AN reported a sense of maternal and paternal rejection. SS with normal or better BMI expresses more maternal/paternal sense of rejection; older SS reported more perceived sense of maternal refusal. Data suggest that: a) better organic conditions and age could allow a greater mentalization of the relational difficulties of AN SS with parental figures and the expansion of the themes of the psychological distress expressed; b) SS in better weight conditions are able to free themselves from the monothematic discomfort relating to body image; c) he sense of maternal rejection requires a greater age to be perceived than the sense of paternal rejection

Health-related quality of life in pediatric liver transplanted patients compared with a chronic liver disease group

BACKGROUND: Achieving a good health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is currently one of the main aims in long term survival of liver transplanted children (PLT). Purpose of our study is to compare HRQoL of PLT patients (N = 33, mean age 12.8 y) vs. sex and age matched patients with compensated and clinically stable chronic liver disease (CLD) (N = 25, mean age 11.9 y). METHODS: HRQoL was measured from both patient and parental perspectives using the CHQ-CF87 and CHQ-PF50 questionnaires, respectively. RESULTS: General Health Perception scores of PLT subjects resulted significantly lower than those of CLD both at self- and parental report (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). No other significant differences in other HRQoL domains were found between groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the two populations are quite similar regarding HRQoL, but both parents and children of PLT group perceive a worse general health. Further studies are needed to confirm these results