ANHEDONIA IN THE PSYCHOSIS RISK SYNDROME: STATE AND TRAIT CHARACTERISTICS

Background: Previous studies reported deficits in pleasure experience in schizophrenia, but little is known about anhedonia in psychosis risk syndrome. Aim of this study was: (1) to assess anhedonia in distinct help-seeking subgroups of young people identified through the Ultra-High Risk (UHR) criteria, (2) to explore its association with functioning and psychopathology in the UHR group, and (3) to monitor longitudinally its stability in UHR individuals along 1-year follow-up period. Subjects and methods: All participants (78 UHR, 137 with a First Episode Psychosis (FEP), and 95 non-UHR/FEP), aged 13-35 years, completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief version (SPQ-B), the Brief O-LIFE questionnaire (BOL), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF). We adopted two different indexes of anhedonia: i.e. CAARMS “Anhedonia” item 4.3 and BOL “Introvertive Anhedonia” subscale scores. Results: In comparison with non-UHR/FEP, UHR individuals showed higher baseline CAARMS item 4.3 and BOL “Introvertive Anhedonia” subscale scores. No difference in anhedonia scores between UHR and FEP patients was found. After 1-year follow up period, UHR subjects had a significant decrease in severity exclusively on CAARMS item 4.3 subscore. Conclusions: In the UHR group, CAARMS anhedonia showed significant correlations with functioning deterioration, negative symptoms, and comorbid depression (including suicide ideation), while BOL anhedonia with a poorer self-perceived quality of life and specific schizotypal personality traits (i.e. interpersonal deficits and disorganization). Anhedonia is prominent in the psychosis risk syndrome and its severity is indistinguishable from that of FEP patients

Anhedonia and suicidal ideation in young people with early psychosis: Further findings from the 2-year follow-up of the ReARMS program.

Hedonic deficits have been extensively studied in schizophrenia, but little is known about their association with suicidal ideation in early psychosis. The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between anhedonia and suicidal thoughts across a 2-year follow-up period in people with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and at Ultra High Risk (UHR) of psychosis. Ninty-six UHR and 146 FEP, aged 13–35 years, completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The BDI-II “Anhedonia” subscale score to assess anhedonia and the CAARMS “Depression” item 7.2 subscore to measure depression were used across the 2 years of follow-up. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed. No difference in anhedonia scores between FEP and UHR individuals was found. In the FEP group, a significant enduring association between anhedonia and suicidal ideation was found at baseline and across the follow-up, independent of clinical depression. In the UHR subgroup, the enduring relationship between anhedonia and suicidal thoughts were not completely independent from depression severity. Anhedonia is relevant in predicting suicidal ideation in early psychosis. Specific pharmacological and/or psychosocial interventions on anhedonia within specialized EIP program could reduce suicide risk overtime

Obsessive-compulsive inventory-revised (OCI-R): presentazione e indicazioni di utilizzo nel contesto Italiano

This paper presents the Italian version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), a self-report designed to measure the principal dimensions which characterize obsessive-compulsive disorder. The properties of the OCI-R are described after briefly illustrating the main points of strength and the limits of the current Italian tools. Guidelines are then provided to interpret the various scores which are obtained when using the questionnaire. With this contribution we hope to make available to professionals and researchers a useful tool to investigate and assess obsessive-compulsive phenomena

Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R): Presentazione e indicazioni di utilizzo nel contesto Italiano

Viene presentata la versione italiana dell\u2019Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), un self-report finalizzato a quantificare le principali dimensioni che caratterizzano il disturbo ossessivo-compulsivo. Dopo aver brevemente illustrato i principali punti di forza e limiti degli strumenti esistenti in lingua Italiana, vengono descritte le propriet\ue0 dell\u2019OCI-R. Successivamente, vengono fornite le indicazioni per l\u2019interpretazione dei vari punteggi che si ottengono tramite il questionario. Con questo lavoro ci auguriamo di mettere a disposizione dei professionisti e ricercatori uno strumento utile per l\u2019indagine ed approfondimento dei fenomeni ossessivo-compulsivi

Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS): Traduzione e adattamento italiano

Il Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) \ue8 uno dei test pi\uf9 usati per la valutazione delle difficolt\ue0 nella regolazione emotiva per la popolazione adulta. La versione italiana \ue8 stata somministrata a 190 persone e un sottogruppo (n=81) ha compilato inoltre una batteria di test paralleli. I risultati di un\u2019Analisi Fattoriale Confermativa non hanno confermato la struttura originale, mentre un\u2019Analisi Fattoriale Esplorativa ha indicato sei diverse dimensioni. Lo strumento presenta buone propriet\ue0 psicometriche. Il punteggio totale correla positivamente con l\u2019affettivit\ue0 negativa e negativamente con quella positiva. L\u2019ansia di tratto \ue8 risultata associata al punteggio totale del DERS e alla scala Difficolt\ue0 nella Distrazione, mentre la depressione correla con il totale e con le scale relative alla difficolt\ue0 di controllo degli impulsi e di accesso alle strategie di regolazione emotiva. In conclusione il DERS pu\uf2 essere considerato uno strumento utile per misurare le strategie di regolazione emotiva anche nel contesto italiano

Difficulties in emotion regulation scale (DERS): the italian translation and adaptation

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is one of the tests used most frequently to assess the difficulties in emotion regulation in the adult population. The Italian version of the DERS was applied to 190 adults, and in addition, a subgroup (81 adults) compiled a series of parallel tests. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the original structure, while an exploratory factor analysis indicated six different dimensions of emotion regulation. The tool has good psychometric properties. The total score correlates positively with negative emotion and negatively with positive emotion. Trait anxiety was found to be associated with the DERS total score and with the scale of Distraction difficulties, while depression correlates with the total and with the scales relating to the difficulty in controlling impulses and accessing the emotion regulation strategies. In conclusion, the DERS can be considered a useful tool to measure the emotion regulation strategies also in the Italian context