Bipolar I disorder: a qualitative study of the viewpoints of the family members of patients on the nature of the disorder and pharmacological treatment non-adherence

Background: Bipolar disorder is a common psychiatric disorder with a massive psychological and social burden. Research indicates that treatment adherence is not good in these patients. The families� knowledge about the disorder is fundamental for managing their patients� disorder. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the knowledge of the family members of a sample of Iranian patients with bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and to explore the potential reasons for treatment non-adherence. Methods: This study was conducted by qualitative content analysis. In-depth interviews were held and open-coding inductive analysis was performed. A thematic content analysis was used for the qualitative data analysis. Results: The viewpoints of the family members of the patients were categorized in five themes, including knowledge about the disorder, information about the medications, information about the treatment and the respective role of the family, reasons for pharmacological treatment non-adherence, and strategies applied by families to enhance treatment adherence in the patients. The research findings showed that the family members did not have enough information about the nature of BD-I, which they attributed to their lack of training on the disorder. The families did not know what caused the recurrence of the disorder and did not have sufficient knowledge about its prescribed medications and treatments. Also, most families did not know about the etiology of the disorder. Conclusion: The lack of knowledge among the family members of patients with BD-I can have a significant impact on relapse and treatment non-adherence. These issues need to be further emphasized in the training of patients� families. The present findings can be used to re-design the guidelines and protocols in a way to improve treatment adherence and avoid the relapse of BD-I symptoms. © 2021, The Author(s)

Screened realities: a Grounded Theory exploration of gaming disorder dynamics among Iranian male adolescents

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of gaming Disorder (GD) among adolescents has become a global concern. Despite the rising number of studies investigating GD, the cultural and socio-economic factors influencing GD with a qualitative approach are scarce. This study aims to explore the underlying factors, processes, and consequences of GD among Iranian male adolescents and contextual factors related to GD within Iran's unique socio-cultural and psychological tapestry. Methods: The study used a qualitative design based on the Grounded Theory Method (GTM). The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 male adolescents aged 15-18 who Dignasoed according to DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the GTM approach, which involves open, axial, and selective coding. Results: The study revealed nine main themes and a core category: (1) interaction seeking, (2) encounter and familiarize with games, (3) games attraction, (4) Socialization, (5) game careerism, (6) dexterity, (7) lack and compensation, (8) physical harm, territorial-cultural barrier, (9) second life, and ''life crafting'' as the core category. Discussion: The study's findings provide valuable insights into the cultural and socio-economic factors influencing GD among Iranian male adolescents. For example, Iran's economic conditions make adolescents choose gaming as their job and try to earn money in this way, which makes them more dependent on gaming. On the other hand, communities related to games play an essential role in the identity development of adolescents with GD