The Self-Assessment Scale of Cognitive Complaints in Schizophrenia: A validation study in Tunisian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite a huge well-documented literature on cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, little is known about the own perception of patients regarding their cognitive functioning. The purpose of our study was to create a scale to collect subjective cognitive complaints of patients suffering from schizophrenia with Tunisian Arabic dialect as mother tongue and to proceed to a validation study of this scale.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The authors constructed the Self-Assessment Scale of Cognitive Complaints in Schizophrenia (SASCCS) based on a questionnaire covering five cognitive domains which are the most frequently reported in the literature to be impaired in schizophrenia. The scale consisted of 21 likert-type questions dealing with memory, attention, executive functions, language and praxia. In a second time, the authors proceeded to the study of psychometric qualities of the scale among 105 patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders (based on DSM- IV criteria). Patients were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Global Assessment Functioning Scale (GAF scale) and the Calgary Depression Scale (CDS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The scale's reliability was proven to be good through Cronbach alpha coefficient equal to 0.85 and showing its good internal consistency. The intra-class correlation coefficient at 11 weeks was equal to 0.77 suggesting a good stability over time. Principal component analysis with Oblimin rotation was performed and yielded to six factors accounting for 58.28% of the total variance of the scale.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Given the good psychometric properties that have been revealed in this study, the SASCCS seems to be reliable to measure schizophrenic patients' perception of their own cognitive impairment. This kind of evaluation can't substitute for objective measures of cognitive performances in schizophrenia. The purpose of such an evaluation is to permit to the patient to express his own well-being and satisfaction of quality of life.</p

Evolution du paysage urbain de Thaenae (Thyna) à la fin de l'Antiquité : nouvelles données sur le rempart

Within the framework of the Thaenae archaeological field-school, excavations were carried out from 2017 to 2022 by a Tunisian-French team in the vicinity of the Tacape Gate in order to contribute to the study of the urban evolution of the city, marked, in Late Antiquity, by the construction of a wall whose area is larger than that of the Early Imperial city. On the basis of cross-referenced field and laboratory data (coins, ceramics and radiocarbon), it has been shown that this wall was built in the first half of the 4th century (perhaps as early as the first quarter of the century) by including the funerary spaces and craft workshops, which were then moved outside the new wall. The monumental character of this wall and the care taken in its construction argue in favour of a prestigious operation testifying to the economic and political vitality of the city of Thaenae in the years preceding or following the advent of the Constantinian dynasty.Dans le cadre du chantier-école archéologique à Thaenae, des travaux ont été menées de 2017 à 2022 par une équipe tuniso-française aux abords de la porte de Tacape en vue de contribuer à l’étude de l’évolution urbaine de la cité, marquée, dans l’Antiquité tardive par la construction d’un rempart dont l’emprise est plus vaste que celle de la ville du Haut-Empire. Sur la base d’un croisement des données de terrain et de laboratoire (monnaies, céramiques et radiocarbone) il est démontré que ce mur d’enceinte est édifié dans la première moitié du IVe s. (peut-être dès le premier quart du siècle) aux dépens des espaces funéraires et des ateliers artisanaux qui se trouvent dès lors déplacés à l’extérieur du nouveau mur. Le caractère monumental de ce rempart et le soin apporté à sa construction plaident en faveur d’une opération de prestige témoignant de la vitalité économique et politique de la cité de Thaenae dans les années qui précèdent ou suivent l’avènement de la dynastie constantinienne