DEPRESSIVE PHENOMENOLOGY IN REGARD TO DEPERSONALIZATION LEVEL

Background: It has been found that in patients suffering from unipolar depression, associated depersonalization symptomatology is more intense compared to healthy controls, and also that there is a positive correlation between depression and depersonalization. According to data that may be found in the literature, there is a relatively high prevalence of depersonalization symptomatology in unipolar depressions. Our study was aimed at finding whether the presence of depersonalization was related to a specific phenomenological expression of depressive symptomatology in unipolar depression. Subjects and methods: The study included 84 subjects suffering from unipolar depression without psychotic features. Based on the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) score, the subjects were divided into two groups – a group with associated depersonalization (CDS≥70) (40 subjects) and a group with subsyndromal depersonalization (CDS<70) (44 subjects), the later one being treated as a control group. The groups were compared in regard to the intensity of depressive symptomatology, depressive symptoms frequency and the depressive symptoms duration. The General Socio-Demographic Questionnaire, the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale and The Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 were used. Results: The depressive patients with depersonalization had predominantly severe episodes, almost all patients had feelings of sadness, insomnia, and decrease of energetic potentials. The biggest difference between the groups, in terms of greater number of manifest symptoms in the patients with depersonalization, was for psychomotor disturbances (agitation or retardation), insomnia, decrease of energetic potentials and concentration. At the same time, 75% of the subjects with associated depersonalization had anhedonia, sadness/dysphoria, insomnia and decrease of energetic potentials continuously present. Unlike this group, the control group subjects experienced sadness, appetite problems, concentration and motor behavior changes almost half as frequently. Particularly significant were the differences regarding suicidal thoughts. It was shown that in the group with depersonalization there was a higher percentage of patients with suicidal thoughts, mostly continuously present, which represent a significant suicidal risk factor. Conclusion: Unipolar depression, associated with depersonalization is more severe in its intensity .It has a bigger number of manifest symptoms which have a tendency to continuous duration. A special focus is on the negative impact on the occurrence and lasting presence of suicidal thoughts

DEPRESSIVE PHENOMENOLOGY IN REGARD TO DEPERSONALIZATION LEVEL

Background: It has been found that in patients suffering from unipolar depression, associated depersonalization symptomatology is more intense compared to healthy controls, and also that there is a positive correlation between depression and depersonalization. According to data that may be found in the literature, there is a relatively high prevalence of depersonalization symptomatology in unipolar depressions. Our study was aimed at finding whether the presence of depersonalization was related to a specific phenomenological expression of depressive symptomatology in unipolar depression. Subjects and methods: The study included 84 subjects suffering from unipolar depression without psychotic features. Based on the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) score, the subjects were divided into two groups – a group with associated depersonalization (CDS≥70) (40 subjects) and a group with subsyndromal depersonalization (CDS<70) (44 subjects), the later one being treated as a control group. The groups were compared in regard to the intensity of depressive symptomatology, depressive symptoms frequency and the depressive symptoms duration. The General Socio-Demographic Questionnaire, the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale and The Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 were used. Results: The depressive patients with depersonalization had predominantly severe episodes, almost all patients had feelings of sadness, insomnia, and decrease of energetic potentials. The biggest difference between the groups, in terms of greater number of manifest symptoms in the patients with depersonalization, was for psychomotor disturbances (agitation or retardation), insomnia, decrease of energetic potentials and concentration. At the same time, 75% of the subjects with associated depersonalization had anhedonia, sadness/dysphoria, insomnia and decrease of energetic potentials continuously present. Unlike this group, the control group subjects experienced sadness, appetite problems, concentration and motor behavior changes almost half as frequently. Particularly significant were the differences regarding suicidal thoughts. It was shown that in the group with depersonalization there was a higher percentage of patients with suicidal thoughts, mostly continuously present, which represent a significant suicidal risk factor. Conclusion: Unipolar depression, associated with depersonalization is more severe in its intensity .It has a bigger number of manifest symptoms which have a tendency to continuous duration. A special focus is on the negative impact on the occurrence and lasting presence of suicidal thoughts

Psychosocial and psychopathological factors of potential to repeat child abuse in the next generation.

Uvod: Zlostavljanje u detinjstvu predstavlja globalan fenomen sa nepovoljnim posledicama po pojedinca i društvo, među kojima je i mogućnost prenošenja kroz generacije. Mehanizam transgeneracijskog zlostavljanja još uvek nije dovoljno poznat. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispitaju prediktivne vrednosti različitih psihosocijalnih i psihopatoloških faktora na sklonost ka zlostavljanju. Među ispitivanim faktorima su sociodemografske varijable, tip zlostavljanja u detinjstvu, dimenzije ličnosti, atačment, disocijativna iskustva, psihopatološki simptomi, i telesne bolesti. Pored toga, istraživanje je za cilj imalo da identifikuje razlike u prediktivnim modelima sklonosti ka zlostavljanju u grupama sa i bez istorije zlostavljanja u detinjstvu, kao i medijatorske i moderatorske efekte navedenih varijabli u vezi između zlostavljanja u detinjstvu i sklonosti ka zlostavljanju u odraslom dobu. Metod: Istraživanje je uključilo 372 roditelja iz nekliničke populacije (135 muškaraca i 237 žena, prosečne starosti 41,43 ± 8,12 godina), a korišćeni su sledeći instrumenti: opšti upitnik, Upitnik o traumatskim iskustvima u detinjstvu (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – CTQ), Upitnik o sklonosti ka zlostavljanju dece (Child Abuse Potential Inventory – CAPI), Upitnik o temperamentu i karakteru, revidirana verzija (Temperament and Character Inventory Revised - TCI-R), Upitnik o iskustvima u bliskim odnosima, revidirana verzija (Experiences in Close Relationships Revised - ECR-R), Skala disocijativnih iskustava (Dissociative Experiences Scale – DES) i Revidirana lista simptoma (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised - SCL-90-R). Rezultati: Roditelji sa istorijom zlostavljanja imali su veću sklonost ka zlostavljanju u odnosu na one bez istorije zlostavljanja. U grupi roditelja sa istorijom zlostavljanja, značajni prediktori sklonosti ka zlostavljanju bili su sledeći faktori: veća starost najmlađeg deteta, veće emocionalno zlostavljanje, manja potraga za novim, veća istrajnost, manja samousmerenost i samotranscendentnost, veća anksioznost vezana za atačment, i veći indeks pozitivnih simptoma distresa (PSDI). Disocijacija i PSDI bili su delimični medijatori veze između emocionalnog zlostavljanja i sklonosti ka zlostavljanju...Background: Child maltreatment is a global phenomenon with adverse outcomes for both individual and society, including the potential for transgenerational repetition. The mechanisms of this repetition are still obscure. The aim of this study was to investigate predictive effects of several psychosocial and psychopathological factors on child abuse potential. These factors refer to socio-demographics, maltreatment type, personality dimensions, attachment-dimensions, dissociative experiences, psychopathological symptoms and somatic disease. In addition, the study was aimed at exploring the differences in predictive models of child abuse potential between groups of parents with and without child abuse history, as well as identifying the mediating and moderating roles of the aforementioned factors in relationship between child abuse history and child abuse potential. Method: The study enrolled 372 non-clinical parents (135 males and 237 females, mean age 41.43 ± 8.12 years), and used the following instruments: General questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – CTQ, Child Abuse Potential Inventory – CAPI, Temperament and Character Inventory Revised - TCI-R, Experiences in Close Relationships Revised - ECR-R, Dissociative Experiences Scale – DES, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised - SCL-90-R. Results: Parents with child abuse history had higher child abuse potential than those without such history. Among parents with child abuse memories, significant predictors of child abuse potential were the following factors: older age of the youngest child, more intensive emotional abuse, lower novelty seeking, higher persistence, lower self-directedness and self-transcendence, higher attachment anxiety, and higher positive symptom distress index (PSDI). Dissociation and PSDI were partial mediators of the relationship between emotional abuse history and child abuse potential. Among parents without child abuse history, significant predictors of child abuse potential were the following factors: lower income, higher harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence, higher attachment-anxiety and PSDI..

The adolescent brain: Changes and challenges of development

Adolescence is a period between childhood and adulthood, characterized by specific physical and psychological development. It is a transitional developmental period, rather than a single snapshot in time. Traditional neurobiological and cognitive explanations of adolescent development of behavior have failed to account for the changes in behavior observed during adolescence. Magnetic resonance imaging studies have discovered that myelinogenesis continues from childhood to adulthood in the brain's region-specific neurocircuitry, which remains structurally and functionally vulnerable to impulsive habits. The maturation of the adolescent brain is influenced by heredity, environment, and sex, and they play a crucial role in myelination. Furthermore, one of the measures extracted out of MRI studies is also the thickness of cerebral cortex, a part that harbors synapses. It is the complexity of these synapses that allows humans to generate and understand complex thoughts and feelings in the real world, including the ability to solve analogies. And it is the complexity of those connections, remaining under construction during adolescence, that may be responsible for immature and impulsive behavior and neurobehavioral excitement during the adolescent life

Depressive symptoms, exposure to aggression and delinquency proneness in adolescence: Impact of two decades of war and political violence on adolescent mental health

Traumatic experiences in Serbia in the last two decades have caused significant psychological consequences in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms, exposure to aggression and delinquency proneness among high school and elementary school students in Belgrade, Serbia. The participants were 899 students (51.8% were female) with no prior treatment for psychological problems, with a mean age of 16.70±1.95. All used instruments were taken from the modified Social and Health Assessment (SAHA). Our findings show that delinquent behavior or exposure to delinquency was significantly related to depressive symptoms. The strongest predictors of depression were variables concerning legal consequences, affiliation with delinquent peers, victimization by community violence and peer victimization. This study confirmed a strong correlation between depression and exposure to violence. Identifying adolescents with depressive symptoms is important for prevention of serious mental health consequences

Psychopathology and resilience in relation to abuse in childhood among youth first referred to the psychiatrist

Uvod/Cilj. Zlostavljanje u detinjstvu može biti uzrok različitih psiholoških problema kod odraslih osoba. Malo se, međutim, zna o specifičnim kliničkim i porodičnim profilima, kao i karakteristikama rezilijentnosti adolescenata koji su doživeli zlostavljanje u detinjstvu. Cilj našeg rada bio je ispitivanje simptoma, porodičnog funkcionisanja i rezilijentnosti adolescenata sa iskustvom zlostavljanja u detinjstvu upućenih na psihijatrijski pregled. Metode. Uzorak se sastojao od 84 konsekutivno regrutovana mlada ispitanika (prosečne starosti 14,90 ± 3,10, u rasponu od 11 do 18 godina) upućena na prvi pregled u Kliniku za decu i omladinu Instituta za mentalno zdravlje u Beogradu, koji su na osnovu Matrice rizika za zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje dece bili podeljeni u dve grupe. Prvu grupu činili su adolescenti sa iskustvom zlostavljanja u detinjstvu (n = 38, 13 dečaka, 25 devojčica), a drugu, kontrolnu grupu, adolescenti bez iskustva zlostavljanja u detinjstvu (n = 47, 20 dečaka, 27 devojčica). U istraživanju su korišćeni sledeći upitnici: Upitnik za samoprocenu adolescenata (Youth Self-Report - YSR), Skala adolescentnih rezilijentnih stavova (Adolescent Resilience Attitudes Scale - ARAS) i Upitnik za porodicu, (Self-Report Family Inventory - SFI). Rezultati. Značajne razlike pronađene su kod adolescentkinja. Na upitniku YSR, zlostavljane adolescentkinje imale su značajno više skorove delinkventnog ponašanja i marginalno veće skorove anksioznosti/depresivnosti i socijalnih problema. Analize upitnika SFI pokazale su značajno lošije funkcionisanje kod zlostavljanih adolescentkinja u svim podskalama osim na podskali direktivnog vođstva. Na upitniku ARAS, zlostavljane adolescentkinje imale su značajno niže skorove na podskali uvida i marginalno niže skorove na podskali za inicijativu. Zaključak. Navedeni rezultati mogli bi imati praktičnu primenu pri planiranju specifičnih preventivnih strategija i tretmana koji se posebno fokusiraju na delinkventne tendencije kao i na jačanje rezilijentnosti obezbeđivanjem pozitivnog okruženja u okviru porodice, škole i zajednice.Background/Aim. Child abuse may be related to adverse psychological outcomes in adult life. However, little is known about specific clinical, family and resilience profiles of adolescents that have experienced child abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical symptoms, family functioning and resilience characteristics of adolescents with the experience of abuse, first referred to psychiatrists. Methods. The study included 84 young participants (mean age 14.90 ± 3.10, ranging from 11 to 18 years) as consecutive first referrals to the Clinic for Children and Youth of the Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia. The sample consisted of two groups, based on the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The first group included adolescents with the experience of abuse in childhood (n = 38, 13 males, 25 females), whereas the second, control group, comprised of non-abused adolescents (n = 47, 20 males, 27 females). The presence of abuse was evaluated by the Child Abuse Matrices of Risks. The study used the following questionnaires: Youth Self-Report (YSR), Adolescent Resilience Attitudes Scale (ARAS), and Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI). Results. Significant differences were found only among females. According to YSR, the abused girls had significantly higher scores on the Delinquent Behavior scale and marginally higher scores on Anxious/ Depressed and Social Problems scales. Analyses of the SFI showed significantly lower family functioning among the girls with the child abuse history for all scales except for the Directive Leadership. The abused girls also showed significantly lower scores on the Insight scale, and marginally lower Initiative scores at the ARAS. Conclusions. These findings may have practical application in the creation of specific preventive and treatment strategies, particularly focused on delinquent tendencies, as well as on enhancing resilience through providing positive environments within families, schools and communities

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in Serbia: Nationally representative sample study

Although NSSI has been drawing the attention of researchers intensely for the last 30 years, to date there is no published study about rates of NSSI behaviors in countries of south-eastern Europe. The study aimed to explore NSSI in the Republic of Serbia. Data were collected using multistage random sampling. The final sample consisted of 2792 participants (57.4% female) while the NSSI subsample consisted of 405 participants (54.3% males). Results showed the NSSI rate in Serbia is 4.3% based on a percentage of people who answered affirmatively to lifetime NSSI engagement. However, when the percentage of people who reported at least one positive answer through the NSSI behaviors checklist, the rate rises to 14.5%. The most frequent NSSI behavior is wound picking. NSSI rate drops to 8.8% when wound picking is excluded. Those engaged in NSSI were more likely to report suicide attempts and seek professional help than those who did not report NSSI. Gender differences in NSSI frequency are found only in cases of headbanging and burning oneself. This study showed the scope of NSSI-related problems is similar in Serbia compared to other countries. It also raised questions about the lack of preventive programs and treatment strategies for dealing with NSSI in Serbia.[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772598722000320]Corresponding author. Institute for Educational Research, Dobrinjska 11/3, 11 000, Belgrade, Serbia. E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (A. Radanović)

Psychosocial and psychopathological factors of potential to repeat child abuse in the next generation.

Uvod: Zlostavljanje u detinjstvu predstavlja globalan fenomen sa nepovoljnim posledicama po pojedinca i društvo, među kojima je i mogućnost prenošenja kroz generacije. Mehanizam transgeneracijskog zlostavljanja još uvek nije dovoljno poznat. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispitaju prediktivne vrednosti različitih psihosocijalnih i psihopatoloških faktora na sklonost ka zlostavljanju. Među ispitivanim faktorima su sociodemografske varijable, tip zlostavljanja u detinjstvu, dimenzije ličnosti, atačment, disocijativna iskustva, psihopatološki simptomi, i telesne bolesti. Pored toga, istraživanje je za cilj imalo da identifikuje razlike u prediktivnim modelima sklonosti ka zlostavljanju u grupama sa i bez istorije zlostavljanja u detinjstvu, kao i medijatorske i moderatorske efekte navedenih varijabli u vezi između zlostavljanja u detinjstvu i sklonosti ka zlostavljanju u odraslom dobu. Metod: Istraživanje je uključilo 372 roditelja iz nekliničke populacije (135 muškaraca i 237 žena, prosečne starosti 41,43 ± 8,12 godina), a korišćeni su sledeći instrumenti: opšti upitnik, Upitnik o traumatskim iskustvima u detinjstvu (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – CTQ), Upitnik o sklonosti ka zlostavljanju dece (Child Abuse Potential Inventory – CAPI), Upitnik o temperamentu i karakteru, revidirana verzija (Temperament and Character Inventory Revised - TCI-R), Upitnik o iskustvima u bliskim odnosima, revidirana verzija (Experiences in Close Relationships Revised - ECR-R), Skala disocijativnih iskustava (Dissociative Experiences Scale – DES) i Revidirana lista simptoma (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised - SCL-90-R). Rezultati: Roditelji sa istorijom zlostavljanja imali su veću sklonost ka zlostavljanju u odnosu na one bez istorije zlostavljanja. U grupi roditelja sa istorijom zlostavljanja, značajni prediktori sklonosti ka zlostavljanju bili su sledeći faktori: veća starost najmlađeg deteta, veće emocionalno zlostavljanje, manja potraga za novim, veća istrajnost, manja samousmerenost i samotranscendentnost, veća anksioznost vezana za atačment, i veći indeks pozitivnih simptoma distresa (PSDI). Disocijacija i PSDI bili su delimični medijatori veze između emocionalnog zlostavljanja i sklonosti ka zlostavljanju...Background: Child maltreatment is a global phenomenon with adverse outcomes for both individual and society, including the potential for transgenerational repetition. The mechanisms of this repetition are still obscure. The aim of this study was to investigate predictive effects of several psychosocial and psychopathological factors on child abuse potential. These factors refer to socio-demographics, maltreatment type, personality dimensions, attachment-dimensions, dissociative experiences, psychopathological symptoms and somatic disease. In addition, the study was aimed at exploring the differences in predictive models of child abuse potential between groups of parents with and without child abuse history, as well as identifying the mediating and moderating roles of the aforementioned factors in relationship between child abuse history and child abuse potential. Method: The study enrolled 372 non-clinical parents (135 males and 237 females, mean age 41.43 ± 8.12 years), and used the following instruments: General questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – CTQ, Child Abuse Potential Inventory – CAPI, Temperament and Character Inventory Revised - TCI-R, Experiences in Close Relationships Revised - ECR-R, Dissociative Experiences Scale – DES, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised - SCL-90-R. Results: Parents with child abuse history had higher child abuse potential than those without such history. Among parents with child abuse memories, significant predictors of child abuse potential were the following factors: older age of the youngest child, more intensive emotional abuse, lower novelty seeking, higher persistence, lower self-directedness and self-transcendence, higher attachment anxiety, and higher positive symptom distress index (PSDI). Dissociation and PSDI were partial mediators of the relationship between emotional abuse history and child abuse potential. Among parents without child abuse history, significant predictors of child abuse potential were the following factors: lower income, higher harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence, higher attachment-anxiety and PSDI..

ANALIZA USLOVA ZA POSTAVLJANJE FOTONAPONSKIH SISTEMA U CILJU POSTIZANJA UNAPREĐENIH PERFORMANSI: STUDIJA SLUČAJA GRADA NIŠA

The use of renewable energies is imperative nowadays. One of the ways to use clean technologies is installation of photovoltaic systems which convert solar energy into electricity, through solar plants. The country’s potential for usage of solar energy is determined by the analysis of climatic conditions. The research is conducted on the example of a small-scale solar plant – a pilot project installed in the city of Niš, concerning the analysis of the mounted system and giving the recommendations for their design with the aim of improving efficient energy use. Limitations in the installation of solar plants can occur in the case of an unfavorable position of the building where the installation is planned, and more often, the limitations are related to the investment costs and length of the repayment period of these kinds of technologies. This paper represents a promotion of sustainable electricity supply for our country and it is in correlation with the legal directives of using renewable energies.Korišćenje obnovljivih izvora energije je imperativ u današnje vreme. Jedan od načina primene čistih tehnologija je instalacija fotonaponskih sistema koji konvertuju sunčevu energiju u električnu, preko solarnih elektrana. Analizom klimatskih uslova je utvrđen potencijal zemlje za upotrebu solarne energije. Na primeru solarne elektrane malog kapaciteta - pilot projekta izvedenog u gradu Nišu, sprovedeno je istraživanje koje se odnosi na analizu postavljenog sistema uz davanje preporuka za njihovo projektovanje u cilju povećanja energetske efikasnosti. Ograničenja koja se javljaju u vezi sa instalacijom fotonaponskih sistema su nepovoljan položaj objekta na kome je planirana izgradnja, a mnogo češće se odnose na investicione troškove i period otplate ovakvih vrsta tehnologija. Rad predstavlja promociju održivog snabdevanja električnom energijom za našu zemlju, što je u korelaciji sa zakonskim direktivama korišćenja obnovljivih izvora energije

Adjustment disorders in hospital treated adolescents: A follow-up study

Introduction. Adjustment disorders represent a frequent diagnostic entity especially among adolescents. They involve a wide spectrum of various emotional and behaviour problems. Objective. The aim was to investigate characteristics of diagnostic category known as adjustment disorders among hospital treated adolescents for the first time at the Clinical Department for Children and Adolescents of the Institute of Mental Health in Belgrade, during five consecutive years, as well as to investigate the outcome of the disorder in follow-up period. Methods. We conducted a retrospective investigation of the first time hospital treated adolescents from Belgrade with discharge diagnosis of adjustment disorders during 2000-2004. The follow up was conducted 5-10 years after a first discharge from the hospital. Results. During the investigated period 75 adolescents from Belgrade were hospitalized for the first time with diagnosis adjustment disorder. From the studied patients the main sample was formed that included 24 (32%) males and 51 (68%) females. After 5-10 years a follow-up of 52 patients was conducted (sample at follow-up) which included 16 (30.77%) males and 36 (69.23%) females. Of the main sample, 70% of the patients were under follow-up. After the first hospitalization 58% of adolescents continued with further psychiatric treatment, either as rehospitalized or out-of-hospital patients. Conclusion. Our findings showed that 38% of adolescents under follow-up for 5-10 years after the first discharge from hospital with the diagnosis adjustment disorders had multiple hospitalizations. The outcome of the disorder among these patients was the worst, because three-quarters of the patients were rediagnosed in the follow-up period with a new psychiatric disorder, often from psychotic spectrum