Evaluation of childhood Sluggish Cognitive Tempo among patients with substance use disorder, substance-induced psychosis and childhood ADHD

Objective: Substance use disorders (SUDs) include a pathological pattern of behaviors related with the effects of the drug used and are associated with substance-induced psychosis (SIP). Individuals with lower levels of self-control are particularly predisposed to develop SUDs and SIP. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether childhood sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), which is a problem distinct from but related with ADHD, is associated with SUDs and SIP. Method: Fifty-seven SUD patients who had childhood ADHD symptoms and at least one SIP attack were enrolled the study. Patients were evaluated by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Wender-Utah Rating Scale (WURS), and SCT Scale. Results: The rate of childhood SCT comorbidity was 63.8%. The total BPRS and conceptual disorganization, motor retardation, unusual thought content, blunted affect, excitement, and disorientation scores were higher in the childhood SCT group. SCT and WURS scores were positively correlated with BPRS scores but WURS scores were correlated with more psychotic symptoms and the correlations were stronger in WURS than SCT except “conceptual disorganization,” “motor retardation.” and “blunted affect.” Using linear regression analysis, we found that both childhood SCT and WURS scores significantly predicted the BPRS total, motor retardation, unusual thought content, blunted affect and excitement scores. Finally, the results of multivariate stepwise regression analyses indicated that tension and guilt significantly predicted WURS while blunted affect and conceptual disorganization predicted SCT scores. Conclusion: Approximately, 7 in 10 patients in this group seem to have had childhood SCT. SCT patients showed more proneness to psychotic symptoms when compared with others. In addition, there was a relationship between blunted affect, conceptual disorganization, and SCT

How women with intimate partner violence (IPV) reason about other's intentions: effect of IPV on counterfactual inferences among healthy high socioeconomic level women from Turkey

Background: Counterfactual thinking (CFT) is a specific type of human thought involving mental representations of alternatives to past situations by perceiving the immediate environment from an imagined perspective. CFT problems and deficits in counterfactual inference ability are related to psychopathologies. Objective: We aimed to assess the CFT in a sample of high sociocultural-healthy women with and without intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure to determine whether exposure to different types of IPV has effects on CFT. Methods: Three hundred thirty-six women recruited the study. Data was collected by Violence Exposure Questionnaire and Counterfactual Inference Test. Results: Compared with non-victims, physical IPV victims significantly generate fewer counterfactual thoughts when faced with a simulated scenario. In addition, the reaction of rumination (judgemental) in response to a temporal nearly happened event was significantly lower among both physical and emotional IPV victims. Among victims, deficits in the CIT is positively correlated with the number of physical, emotional and economic abuses but the degree of correlations were weak. Discussion: We demonstrated that IPV exposure is severe in healthy women at the high socioeconomic level and is associated with the decrease in CFT ability

Intimate partner violence (IPV) types are common among Turkish women from high socioeconomic status and have differing effects on child abuse and contentment with life

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is an important public health problem. In this study, we aimed to investigate the exposure of IPV types, child abuse and decrease in life contentment of married women from high socioeconomic status in Turkey. Methods: Data were collected using an online/written questionnaire and Contentment with Life Scale. The questionnaire included definitions of physical, emotional, economic and sexual IPV and asked how many times they experienced these types of abuse. Results: We found that physical, emotional, economic and sexual IPV exposure were 19%, 45.2%, 12.5%, and 6%, respectively, which suggest that IPV types were common in this group, too. Physical child abuse was higher among physical and emotional IPV victims (p=0004, p=0.02, respectively), while emotional child abuse was higher only among physical IPV victims (p=0.01). On the other hand, exposure to economic and sexual IPV was not related to any type of child abuse in this sample (p>0.05). Physical and economic IPV victims were statistically older (p=0.004, p<0.001, respectively), married for longer time (p<0.001 for both) and had relatively lower education level (p<0.001 for both), while sexual IPV victims had lower education level than non-victims (p=0.03). We demonstrated that physical-emotional and sexual intramarital IPV significantly reduce the women's contentment with life scores when compared with non-victims (p=0.02, p<0.001 and p=0.03, respectively). Conclusion: IPV exposure is also severe among married women with high socioeconomic levels and is associated with child abuse in the family and a decrease in life contentment. Lengthened education period among women with similar socioeconomic levels may be an additional protective factor for IPV by delaying the age of marriage and increasing the individual income

Methylphenidate and central precocious puberty: a probable side effect among seven children with the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Methylphenidate (MPH) is the most preferred drug for treatment of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, we aimed to discuss the possible effects and mechanisms of MPH on precocious puberty (PP) via a case series with seven children who had normal body mass index. In this case series we evaluated seven children with ADHD, who had received MPH for at least 6 months (0.5 mg/kg/dose three times a day, maximum 60 mg) and admitted to Department of Pediatric Endocrinology with PP symptoms. The mean age was 8.16 years. Basal hormonal levels (luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone, and estrogen/testosterone) were within normal range. Results of LH-releasing hormone stimulation tests demonstrated central pubertal responses. Glutamine, dopamine and noradrenaline are most important excitatory neurotransmitters that have a role at the beginning of puberty. The effect of MPH, cumulating dopamine and noradrenaline in the synaptic gap could be associated with the acceleration of puberty with the excitatory effect of dopamine’s gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release, excitatory effect of noradrenaline’s GnRH release and the disappearance of GnRH receptor expression suppressor effect on prolactin disinhibitory effect

Voices of adolescent incest victims: a qualitative study on feelings about trauma and expectations of recovery

Background: Incest, is a serious social problem facing society and children/adolescents themselves. The purpose of this study is to explore the ways adolescents talk about and give meaning to their experiences of incest concerning cultural, ethnic factors relevant to southeastern of Turkey. Method: We focused on in-depth interviews of five incest victims (14-16 years girls, from low socioeconomic status in southeastern of Turkey). Results: Four key themes were constructed from the qualitative analysis: 1. Unable to understand/Delayed meaning-making: Adolescents provided definitive information about the first abuse memory but they were also unable to understand what they had experienced so they delayed meaning making. 2. Dysfunctional coping style with the incest: Adolescents told that they threatened the perpetrators in various phases of incest. 3. Avoidance of eye contact by the perpetrator: We recognized that perpetrators avoided social contact with the victim. This theme evokes dehumanizing of women during incest. 4. The urge to destroy happy memories: This theme presents data on the adolescents' expectations about recovery. Conclusion: According to the themes, two fundamental therapeutic precepts could guide the treatment process for adolescent girl incest survivors: 1. Exploration of the delayed meaning making: Therapist could address dysfunctional family functioning and explain that it is normal for a child to be delayed in meaning making. 2. Recovery of the adolescent's lost self after semantic dehumanization in abuses: Therapist should help her to dispute irrational beliefs about worthlessness and to gain control of her body

Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Yaban Hayatı Kurtarma Rehabilitasyon Eğitim Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezindeki (AKUREM) yabani öksüz yavrular üzerine bir retrospektif araştırma

This research is the first study on wild orphan animals in Turkey. The aim of this study is to evaluate the reasons of the orphans’ arrival, their health status and fate in the Afyon Kocatepe University Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation, Training, Practice and Research Center. Data on 118 orphans accepted the center in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were evaluated. A total of 16 different species, including 12 birds and 4 mammals, were recorded. Most of the orphans (89%) were birds and few mammals (11%). Most of the orphans (45.8%) were accepted to the center during the breeding seasons, especially in July. Most of the orphan birds were from the urban areas (94.3%) while most of the orphan mammals were from the rural areas (84.6%). The majority of orphans (81.4%) admitted to the rehabilitation center were uninjured and healthy. The mortality rate in the rehabilitation center (47.5%) was higher than those who were successfully released into wildlife (40.7%), those in captivity (5.9%) and euthanasia (5.9%). Despite the high rate of healthy offspring, the high mortality rate indicates that the rehabilitation process is difficult and requires expertise. As a result, not all wild offspring found by humans are orphans. Leaving healthy offspring in their habitat in a controlled manner can increase their chances of survival. It has been concluded that increasing education and awareness-raising activities both in rehabilitation centers and in the community will reduce the problem of orphans in wildlife.Bu araştırma Türkiye'deki öksüz yaban hayvanları üzerine yapılan ilk çalışmadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Yaban Hayatı Kurtarma Rehabilitasyon Eğitim Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi’ne getirilen yaban hayatı öksüz yavrularının geliş nedenlerini, sağlık durumlarını ve akibetlerini değerlendirmektir. Merkeze, 2017, 2018 ve 2019 yıllarında getirilen 118 öksüz yavruya ait veriler değerlendirilmiştir. Onikisi kuş ve dördü memeli olmak üzere toplamda onaltı farklı tür kayıt altına alınmıştır. Öksüz yavruların çoğunluğu kuşlardan (%89), azınlığı ise memelilerden (%11) oluşmuştur. Öksüz yavrular üreme sezonunda, yoğun olarak da Temmuz ayında (%45.8) merkeze kabul edilmiştir. Öksüz kuşların büyük kısmı (%94.3) kentsel alanlardan, öksüz memeliler ise daha çok (%84.6) kırsal alanlardan getirilmiştir. Rehabilitasyon merkezine kabul edilen öksüz yavruların çoğunluğu (%81.4) zarar görmemiş ve sağlıklıydı. Rehabilitasyon merkezindeki ölüm oranı (%47.5), yaban hayatına başarıyla salınanlardan (%40.7), esaret altında tutulanlardan (%5.9) ve ötenazi yapılanlardan (%5.9) daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Sağlıklı yavru oranı yüksek olmasına rağmen ölüm oranının yüksek olması rehabilitasyon sürecinin güçlüğünü ve uzmanlık gerektirdiğini göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, insanlar tarafından bulunan her yabani yavru öksüz değildir. Sağlıklı yavruların yaşam alanlarında kontrollü bir şekilde bırakılması hayatta kalma şanslarını artırabilir. Bu konuda, hem rehabilitasyon merkezlerinde hem de toplumda eğitim ve bilinçlendirme faaliyetlerinin artırılmasının yaban hayatındaki öksüz yavru sorununu azaltacağı kanaatine varılmıştır

Problematic whatsApp use among adolescents: linking fear of missing out and psychiatric symptoms

Objective: WhatsApp (WA) is the most popular instant message application all over the world. Although communication has become easier and enjoyable with the help of this application, the overuse, and addiction of WA has become an important problem among adolescents. WhatsApp addiction is a part of problematic smartphone use (PSU). When we examined previous studies, we found that the samples were generally composed of young adults, but studies on adolescents who are at high risk for problematic Whatsapp use (PWU) were insufficient, and almost no studies were conducted in the clinical adolescent sample. In this study, we aimed to increase our knowledge about problematic PWU and possible risk factors including fear of missing out (FoMO), PSU, and psychiatric symptoms among adolescents who applied to outpatient psychiatry clinics.Methods: 197 adolescents (136 boys, 61 girls, age: 12-18 years) recruited the study. Problematic Mobile Phone Usage Scale (PMPUS), Bergen Whatsapp Addiction Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) Scale were used.Results: We grouped the sample as PWU (Problematic WhatsApp use) and Normal Use group due to Bergen WA Addiction Scale. PWU group’s adolescents were significantly older than others (p=0.03), and had higher scores in all subscales of Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), FoMO and PMPUS (for all scale scores p<0.001). Regression analysis demonstrated that FoMO is a predictor of PWU. Also, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, phobic anxiety, and somatization had a positive effect (ß=1.80, 0.98, 1.26, 0.52; respectively) while obsession compulsion and depression had a negative effect on PWU (ß=-0.76, – 1.22, respectively).Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that problematic Whatsapp use is an important internet-related behavioral problem and have specific risk factors among adolescents. Adolescents use Whatsapp generally with their real friends/relatives. Adolescents who have depression, obsession-compulsion mostly have social withdrawal, and would not be interested in communicating their real social environment. On the other hand, adolescents who have phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticism and somatization symptoms would follow the changes and events more closely. The associations between different psychiatric symptoms and PWU could guide the practitioners in the psychiatric care of adolescents

The relationship between problematic smartphone use and psychiatric symptoms among adolescents who applied to psychiatry clinics

Problematic mobile phone use is an important problem which has increasing prevalence among adolescents. We should address risk factors to create intervention frameworks related to this problem. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of problematic smartphone use among adolescents who were referred to clinics, its relationship to sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric symptoms and emotion regulation problems. We included 150 adolescents aged 12–18 years who own smartphones. All participants filled out the Sociodemographic Information Form, Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Scale (PMPUS). Problematic smart phone use was detected in 50.6% of the sample. Adolescents with problematic use were found to be older than the others, with lower levels of maternal education and self-achievement. Regression analysis revealed that the factors predicting the risk of problematic smartphone use are somatization, interpersonal sensitivity and hostility symptoms. According to our results, we suggest psychiatrists consider the high prevalence of problematic smartphone use, address the relationship between hostility, somatic symptoms and interpersonal sensitivity (susceptibility) and the effects of this current problem on social-academic functioning while evaluating and treating adolescents