Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form

Background and Aim: Measuring child abuse and adverse experiences is a critical task with regard to its long-term impact on the health of individuals and communities. The purpose of this study was to validate the Persian version of the International Adverse Childhood Experiences Abuse Short Form (ACE-ASF) in Iranian society. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kerman, southeast of Iran, in 2019, on 494 students from Kerman University of Medical Sciences, selected by convenience sampling method. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined after the forward and backward translation processes. The factor structure of the questionnaire was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The concurrent validity of the questionnaire was assessed using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). Cronbach's alpha and corrected item-total correlation were used to measure reliability. Results: The mean age of participants was 24.3 ± 5.3 years. Based on EFA, two physical-emotional abuse and sexual abuse factors were obtained. The CFA fit indices well supported two extracted factors. The CFA showed acceptable factor loadings. The internal consistency coefficient of Cronbach's alpha was 0.75 for the physical-emotional abuse factor and 0.77 for the sexual abuse factor. The correlation coefficient of ACE-ASF and CTQ was r = 0.56. The reliability index of intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 (95 confidence interval: 0.60-0.84). Conclusion: The Persian version of the ACE-ASF questionnaire has acceptable psychometric properties. © 2020 Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Research paper: Comparing copper serum level and cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

Introduction: The altered serum profiles of several trace elements have been reported in Schizophrenia (SCZ). This study was designed to elucidate whether the serum levels of Copper (Cu) and Magnesium (Mg), the two essential trace elements which contribute to neurotransmitter transmission, are altered in patients with SCZ. We also investigated whether there is an interrelation between cognitive functioning and the serum levels of Cu and Mg. Methods: Sixty patients with SCZ and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. The patient group was divided into the following: I) early patients (n=35, �5 years of illness initiation), and ii) chronic patients (n=25, �5 years of illness duration). The serum levels of Cu and Mg were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion-selective electrode potentiometry, respectively. To assess cognitive abilities, a Persian adaptation of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) was administered. Results: The present research results revealed significantly higher Cu serum levels in both patient groups early patients (M=94.6), chronic patients (M=97.5), compared to the controls (M=71.0) (P<0.001); however, no significant difference was observed among the study groups for Mg patients with the recent onset (M=2.0), chronic patients (M=2.0), and controls (M=1.9) P=0.1. While the serum Cu profile of healthy individuals revealed a negative correlation with working memory (r=-0.42, P=0.02), and executive functioning (r=-0.40, P=0.03), no significant correlation was observed between Cu serum levels of patients and BACS cognitive domains. Conclusion: Findings suggested that the high Cu serum concentration might impact the cognitive decline in healthy individuals; however, no significant correlation was observed in the Patients; i.e. most likely because cognition is severely impaired in SCZ. Additional studies examining trace elements in drug-naïve patients with SCZ are required. © 2020 Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Relationship between digital screen time and behavioral disorders in preschool children

Background and purpose: The risks of exposure to digital media in children are increasing in Iran and worldwide. This study aimed at evaluating the screen time of digital media and its association with behavioral problems in preschoolers. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was performed in 274 preschoolers selected via randomized cluster sampling in two centers covered by the Ministry of Education and two centers supervised by Welfare Directorate in Kerman, Iran during the academic year 2018-2019. Demographic information was obtained and Rutter Children's Behavior Questionnaire-Parent version was administered. Results: In this study, 76.4 of the children used digital media more than two hours per day and the usage rate of the 23.6 was less than two hours per day. Child's gender and mother's employment and educational level were significantly associated with children screen time (P0.05). Conclusion: According to this study, restricting the time spent on any form of digital media can be effective in reduction of behavioral disorders in children. © 2020, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

The efficacy of probiotics for treatment of bipolar disorder-type 1: A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial

Objective: Bipolar disorders are among the most common chronic mental disorders. Despite the recent improvement in controlling psychiatric disorders, treatment of bipolar disorders remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of consuming probiotics in patients with bipolar disorder-type 1 compared to the placebo group. Method: This was a permuted blocked randomized clinical trial conducted in Shahid Beheshti mental hospital in Kerman, Iran, from October 2017 to October 2018. Two psychiatrists diagnosed and hospitalized all 38 patients with type 1 bipolar disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Using blind randomized blocking method size 4, patients were divided into 2 groups of placebo and probiotic. Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Hamilton's Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were completed at the beginning, week 4, and week 8 of the study by a psychiatry resident. Independent t test, Mann-Whitney and repeated measures ANOVA tests were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in age, sex, and severity of mania and depression. Consumption of probiotics reduced the scores of YMRS and HDRS over time in the probiotic group more than the placebo group, but it was not significant. Conclusion: Consumption of probiotics had non-significant effects on improvement and treatment of bipolar type 1 patients. It is suggested that future studies be conducted with different probiotic microbial strains and longer period of treatment. © 2020 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Lifetime prevalence, sociodemographic predictors, and comorbidities of oppositional defiant disorder: The national epidemiology of iranian child and adolescent psychiatric disorders (IRCAP)

Objective: This was the first national epidemiological study on oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in Iran, which provided new information about the prevalence, comorbidities, and sociodemographic predictors of ODD. Methods: Data from a face-to-face household survey of 30,532 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years were collected from across all 31 provinces of Iran using a multistage cluster sampling design. The Persian version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children � Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) was used in this study. Results: The lifetime prevalence of ODD was found to be 3.9. ODD was significantly more common in boys than girls and appeared in late adolescence more frequently than in childhood. A lower prevalence of ODD was found among participants who lived in rural areas. ODD is highly likely to co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive disorders. Conclusions: The findings of this national population-based study confirm and extend previous findings on the prevalence, comorbidities, and sociodemographic predictors of ODD. © 2020, Associacao Brasileira de Psiquiatria. All rights reserved

Prevalence, comorbidity and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents

Childhood anxiety may lead to serious health consequences in later life. The present study provides the prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. This was a cross-sectional national project that was implemented on 28,698 children and adolescents in Iran. Participants entered the study by multistage cluster sampling with an equal number of each gender and three age groups (6-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) within each cluster. The tools used in this research were the demographic questionnaire and K-SADS-PL. To analyze the data logistic regression and chi-square tests were used in SPSS (ver. 16). The prevalence of anxiety disorder in children and adolescents was 13.2 in boys and 15.1 in girls. Furthermore, gender, age, place of residence and history of psychiatric hospitalization of parents could predict anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders had comorbidity with behavioral disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, substance abuse disorders, and elimination disorders. According to our findings in this study, anxiety disorders affect the performance, health and life of children and adolescents, identifying the childhood anxiety, as well as finding diseases that are associated with anxiety disorders, can help in the prevention of the disorder. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Prevalence and correlates of psychiatric disorders in a national survey of Iranian children and adolescents

Objective: Considering the impact of rapid sociocultural, political, and economical changes on societies and families, population-based surveys of mental disorders in different communities are needed to describe the magnitude of mental health problems and their disabling effects at the individual, familial, and societal levels. Method: A population-based cross sectional survey (IRCAP project) of 30 532 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years was conducted in all provinces of Iran using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by 250 clinical psychologists trained to use the validated Persian version of the semi-structured diagnostic interview Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-PL (K-SADS-PL). Results: In this national epidemiological survey, 6209 out of 30 532 (22.31) were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. The anxiety disorders (14.13) and behavioral disorders (8.3) had the highest prevalence, while eating disorders (0.13) and psychotic symptoms (0.26) had the lowest. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly lower in girls (OR = 0.85; 95 CI: 0.80-0.90), in those living in the rural area (OR = 0.80; 95 CI: 0.73-0.87), in those aged 15-18 years (OR = 0.92; 95 CI: 0.86-0.99), as well as that was significantly higher in those who had a parent suffering from mental disorders (OR = 1.96; 95 CI: 1.63-2.36 for mother and OR = 1.33; 95 CI: 1.07-1.66 for father) or physical illness (OR = 1.26; 95 CI: 1.17-1.35 for mother and OR = 1.19; 95 CI: 1.10-1.28 for father). Conclusion: About one fifth of Iranian children and adolescents suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder. Therefore, we should give a greater priority to promoting mental health and public health, provide more accessible services and trainings, and reduce barriers to accessing existing services. © 2019 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved