Depression, PTSD and alexithymia in victims of intimate partner violence: a case-control study

Abstract Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) regards millions of women worldwide and can lead to serious psychopathological consequences. Objective We aimed to evaluate differences between a group of abused women and controls, and potential predictors of depression and PTSD in the IPV group. Methods We recruited 57 women who experienced IPV and 57 age-matched controls from the general population. After collecting socio-demographic characteristics, we administered the following scales: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2). Results Our results showed differences between women who experienced IPV and controls in the socio-economic status, employment and educational levels, childhood abuse and early terminations of pregnancy. Notably, the rates of depression, PTSD, and alexithymia were significantly different between the two groups. Linear regression models revealed that sexual coercion was an independent positive predictor of depressive symptoms, while alexithymia played a role in the development of PTSD in the group of abused women. Discussion Given the prevalence of depression and PTSD in victims of IPV, it is important to always investigate for IPV in women seeking for help in mental health services. Alexithymia in victims of IPV deserves to be further investigated by researchers

Do patients prefer optimistic or cautious psychiatrists? An experimental study with new and long-term patients

Abstract Background Patients seeking treatment may be assumed to prefer a psychiatrist who suggests a new treatment with confidence and optimism. Yet, this might not apply uniformly to all patients. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that new patients prefer psychiatrists who present treatments optimistically, whilst patients with longer-term experience of mental health care may rather prefer more cautious psychiatrists. Methods In an experimental study, we produced video-clips of four psychiatrists, each suggesting a pharmacological and a psychological treatment once with optimism and once with caution. 100 \u2018new\u2019 patients with less than 3\ua0months experience of mental health care and 100 \u2018long-term\u2019 patients with more than one year of experience were shown a random selection of one video-clip from each psychiatrist, always including an optimistic and a cautious suggestion of each treatment. Patients rated their preferences for psychiatrists on Likert type scales. Differences in subgroups with different age (18\u201340 vs. 41\u201365 years), gender, school leaving age (\u226416 vs. >16\ua0years), and diagnosis (ICD 10\ua0F2 vs. others) were explored. Results New patients preferred more optimistic treatment suggestions, whilst there was no preference among long-term patients. The interaction effect between preference for treatment presentations and experience of patients was significant (interaction p -value\u2009=\u20090.003). Findings in subgroups were similar. Conclusion In line with the hypothesis, psychiatrists should suggest treatments with optimism to patients with little experience of mental health care. However, this rule does not apply to longer-term patients, who may have experienced treatment failures in the past

The Gray Needle: Large Grains in the HD 15115 Debris Disk from LBT/PISCES/Ks and LBTI/LMIRcam/L' Adaptive Optics Imaging

We present diffraction-limited \ks band and \lprime adaptive optics images of the edge-on debris disk around the nearby F2 star HD 15115, obtained with a single 8.4 m primary mirror at the Large Binocular Telescope. At \ks band the disk is detected at signal-to-noise per resolution element (SNRE) \about 3-8 from \about 1-2\fasec 5 (45-113 AU) on the western side, and from \about 1.2-2\fasec 1 (63-90 AU) on the east. At \lprime the disk is detected at SNRE \about 2.5 from \about 1-1\fasec 45 (45-90 AU) on both sides, implying more symmetric disk structure at 3.8 \microns . At both wavelengths the disk has a bow-like shape and is offset from the star to the north by a few AU. A surface brightness asymmetry exists between the two sides of the disk at \ks band, but not at \lprime . The surface brightness at \ks band declines inside 1\asec (\about 45 AU), which may be indicative of a gap in the disk near 1\asec. The \ks - \lprime disk color, after removal of the stellar color, is mostly grey for both sides of the disk. This suggests that scattered light is coming from large dust grains, with 3-10 \microns -sized grains on the east side and 1-10 \microns dust grains on the west. This may suggest that the west side is composed of smaller dust grains than the east side, which would support the interpretation that the disk is being dynamically affected by interactions with the local interstellar medium.Comment: Apj-accepted March 27 2012; minor correction

L'ASSISTENTE SOCIALE COME LIBERO PROFESSIONISTA, NUOVA FRONTIERA DEL LAVORO SOCIALE

Nel mio elaborato ho voluto affrontare il tema della libera professione dell’Assistente sociale, vista come una nuova frontiera del lavoro sociale, dato lo sviluppo degli ultimi anni Questo settore negli anni precedenti oltre a essere sottosviluppato era anche poco conosciuto, e al giorno d’oggi, inizia e continua ad espandersi in contrapposizione alla crisi e al blocco di assunzioni degli ultimi anni. Un punto principale di questo cambiamento è innanzitutto come vedere questa “nuova professione”, cioè come vedere e sentire l’Assistente sociale sia da parte dell’utente che delle istituzioni, che collaborano nella rete. Nella tesi ho fatto riferimento alla storia del servizio sociale e al ruolo nello specifico dell’Assistente sociale, collegandomi ai modelli teorici che sono utilizzati nel lavoro condotto dal professionista nella libera professione. In seguito ho sottolineato il cambiamento di questa libera professione, facendo riferimento alla nascita e al cambiamento che ha riscontrato nei confronti del Welfare. In ambito giuridico ho fatto riferimento al Codice civile, in quanto questa attività viene denominata come professione intellettuale, cioè un lavoro svolto da committenti attraverso una propria organizzazione di mezzi. In seguito ho sottolineato i campi di intervento, come il modello sistemico relazionale, modello di rete e il colloquio sistemico, in quanto ho ritenuto necessario sottolineare i mezzi e gli strumenti della professione dell’Assistente sociale. Inoltre ho approfondito i servizi che un Assistente sociale può offrire non esercitando un lavoro dipendente e gli utenti interessati da tali prestazioni. Successivamente ho ritenuto opportuno parlare di un tema tecnico, ma molto importante per il libero professionista, cioè quello del progetto di autoimprenditoria, facendo anche riferimento a livello pragmatico, deontologico e teorico-critico. Verso la fine del mio elaborato ho affrontato delle attività di uno studio professionale di un servizio sociale, come la progettazione, mediazione familiare e della formazione e docenza in quest’area di sviluppo della nuova professione. Per concludere la mia tesi ho fatto delle considerazioni personali in base a ciò che ho esposto e analizzato

Trans-disciplinary approach to maritime-urban regeneration in the Italian case study "Friends of Molo San Vincenzo", port of Naples

Urban regeneration in coastal urban areas requires taking into account some specific features, due to the concentration of inhabitants, functions, and activities of the area. In addition to this, we need to consider the maritime identity, which derives from geographic position and community history. This paper addresses the issue of what kind of innovative strategies of urban regeneration are needed in coastal urban areas. Our analysis brings to the fore the need for a wide and across-the-board collaboration among all those people who, despite being heterogeneous, consider the sea as a substantial element in their culture, a common good, and hence a resource. Collaborative strategies of lateral participation represent an innovation, which also promotes, through technological innovation, more effective strategies aimed at bringing out those potentialities concealed in urban spaces. This can be attained through the use of new functions, which meet the needs of the civil society. This paper offers a contribution to the issues raised at the Conference by presenting a regenerating project under way at San Vincenzo Dock, which is the main external defense of Naples’ harbor. Despite its historical, cultural, scenic, and architectonical value, this place lies in a state of neglect and inaccessibility. Our goal is to regenerate a seaside public space in collaboration with Institutions, the local urban community, and pro-sumers. CNR IRISS interdisciplinary research group, together with Community Psychology Lab of the University of Naples Federico II, is a main actor in this process. San Vincenzo Dock represents a chance to develop and test the planning of collaborative methodologies for the regeneration of maritime cities

Trans-disciplinary approach to maritime-urban regeneration in the case stud” “Friends of Molo San Vincenzo

Urban regeneration in coastal urban areas requires taking into account some specific features, due to the concentration of inhabitants, functions, and activities of the area. In addition to this, we need to consider the maritime identity, which derives from geographic position and community history. This paper addresses the issue of what kind of innovative strategies of urban regeneration are needed in coastal urban areas. Our analysis brings to the fore the need for a wide and across-the-board collaboration among all those people who, despite being heterogeneous, consider the sea as a substantial element in their culture, a common good, and hence a resource. Collaborative strategies of lateral participation represent an innovation, which also promotes, through technological innovation, more effective strategies aimed at bringing out those potentialities concealed in urban spaces.This paper offers a contribution to the issues raised at the Conference by presenting a regenerating project under way at San Vincenzo Dock, which is the main external defense of Naples’ harbor. Despite its historical, cultural, scenic, and architectonical value, this place lies in a state of neglect and inaccessibility. Our goal is to regenerate a seaside public space in collaboration with Institutions, the local urban community, and pro-sumers. CNR IRISS interdisciplinary research group, together with Community Psychology Lab of the University of Naples Federico II, is a main actor in this process. San Vincenzo Dock represents a chance to develop and test the planning of collaborative methodologies for the regeneration of maritime cities

Additional file 1: of Do patients prefer optimistic or cautious psychiatrists? An experimental study with new and long-term patients

Data set video clips BMC Psychiatry spreadsheet. (XLS 168 kb

The impact of body mass index on the pregnancy outcomes and risk of perinatal depression: Findings from a multicenter Italian study

BackgroundBody Mass Index (BMI) is an informative factor on body fatness which has been associated to higher levels of Perinatal Depression (PD) and complications during pregnancy. We aimed to explore the impact of pre-pregnancy and postnatal BMI on the risk of Perinatal Depression and pregnancy outcomes among women recruited at their third trimester of pregnancy. MethodsWe report on findings from a large multi-centre study conducted in the South of Italy and involving 1611 women accessing three urban gynaecological departments from July to November 2020. Pregnant women were assessed at their third trimester of pregnancy (T0) and after the childbirth (T1) ;The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been employed for the screening of PD over time (T0 and T1) as well as other standardized measures for neuroticism, resilience, and quality of life at baseline. BMI (T0 and T1) and other socio-demographic and clinical characteristics have been collected. ResultsOver-weight and obesity (higher levels of BMI) were associated with higher risk of PD (higher scores of EPDS), higher neuroticism and poorer subjective psychological well-being among enrolled women. Also, obesity and over-weight were associated with lower education, higher number of physical comorbidities, medical treatments and complications during pregnancy. ConclusionsOver-weight and obesity may impact on mental health and pregnancy outcome of women enrolled. Psycho-educational interventions aimed to improve the management of physical and emotional issues may reduce the risk of PD and complications during pregnancy

Lung Ultrasound Patterns and Clinical-Laboratory Correlates during COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Study from North East Italy

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a convenient imaging modality in the setting of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) because it is easily available, can be performed bedside and repeated over time. We herein examined LUS patterns in relation to disease severity and disease stage among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.METHODS: We performed a retrospective case series analysis of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were admitted to the hospital because of pneumonia. We recorded history, clinical parameters and medications. LUS was performed and scored in a standardized fashion by experienced operators, with evaluation of up to 12 lung fields, reporting especially on B-lines and consolidations.RESULTS: We included 96 patients, 58.3% men, with a mean age of 65.9 years. Patients with a high-risk quick COVID-19 severity index (qCSI) were older and had worse outcomes, especially for the need for high-flow oxygen. B-lines and consolidations were located mainly in the lower posterior lung fields. LUS patterns for B-lines and consolidations were significantly worse in all lung fields among patients with high versus low qCSI. B-lines and consolidations were worse in the intermediate disease stage, from day 7 to 13 after onset of symptoms. While consolidations correlated more with inflammatory biomarkers, B-lines correlated more with end-organ damage, including extrapulmonary involvement.CONCLUSIONS: LUS patterns provide a comprehensive evaluation of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia that correlated with severity and dynamically reflect disease stage. LUS patterns may reflect different pathophysiological processes related to inflammation or tissue damage; consolidations may represent a more specific sign of localized disease, whereas B-lines seem to be also dependent upon generalized illness due to SARS-CoV-2 infection