Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 130
Psychiatric first aid in psychosis: a handbook for nurses, carers and people distressed by psychotic experiences
- Editors:
- SMITH Mike, COLEMAN Ron, GOOD John, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- P and P
- Publication year:
- 2003
- Pagination:
- 58p.
- Place of publication:
- Wormit
The role of theory in the assessment of sex offenders
- Author:
- QUACKENBUSH Ray E.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 12(3/4), 2003, pp.77-101.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
No generally accepted theory of sex offender behaviour exists at this point. As clinical experience and research findings interact within an evolving theoretical framework, the picture of what is important, as well as what is possible to know about a sex offender, is rapidly changing. It is vital that mental health professionals, the legal system, social service agencies, and other consumers and providers of sex offender assessments be aware of both what is possible to learn about an offender as well as the limitations on that knowledge and its application. Prominent theories that influence the assessment of offenders in North America and Europe are presented and examined. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580)
Prescribing practices of community child and adolescent psychiatrists
- Authors:
- DOERRY Ursula, KENT Lindsey
- Journal article citation:
- Psychiatric Bulletin, 27(10), November 2003, pp.407-410.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
A questionnaire was sent to all 55 community child and adolescent psychiatrists working in the West Midlands to examine the prescribing practices of community child psychiatrists, because most previous studies have included prescribing data from specialist (tier 4) services. The survey had a good response rate (87%). The vast majority of child psychiatrists were prescribing stimulants and antidepressants, and over half were prescribing antipsychotics and melatonin. At least half of the consultants would consider prescribing an antipsychotic for the treatment of aggressive behaviour. One-third of consultants cited pressure on services as a reason for prescribing medication. Community child psychiatrists were prescribing more medication than expected, which may have a considerable impact on referral rates to adult services in the future. It is concerning that the increased use of medication may be a reflection of pressure on services.
Functional health status, chronic medical conditions and disorders of mood
- Authors:
- SURTEES Paul G., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 183(10), October 2003, pp.299-303.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Understanding of the impact of depressive and anxiety disorders on functional health status in the context of chronic medical illness has been gained almost exclusively from the study of patient populations. The aim of this paper is to compare the impact of major depressive and generalised anxiety disorder with that of chronic medical conditions on functional health in a UK resident population. The functional health of 20 921 study participants was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 questionnaire. Depressive and anxiety disorder episode histories and chronic medical conditions were assessed using independent self-completed questionnaires. The degree of physical functional impairment associated with mood disorders was of equivalent magnitude to that associated with the presence of chronic medical conditions or with being some 12 years older. Depressive and anxiety disorders have a profound impact on functional health that is independent of chronic medical illness. Chronic anxiety is associated with physical health limitations in excess of those associated with chronic depression or any of the physical health conditions considered, except for stroke.
Understanding the suicidal brain
- Authors:
- VAN HEERINGEN C., MARUSIC A.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 183(10), October 2003, pp.282-284.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
It has been suggested that the key to preventing suicide is not in the study of the brain, but in the direct study of the human emotions. However, recent advances in neuroscience are providing support for a theory of human emotions that implicates increasingly well-defined brain regions.
Standardised Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS): preliminary validation of a brief screen for personality disorder
- Authors:
- MORAN Paul, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 18(9), September 2003, pp.228-232.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
There is a need for a brief and simple screen for personality disorders that can be used in routine psychiatric assessments. The aim was to test the concurrent validity and test–retest reliability of a brief screen for personality disorder. Sixty psychiatric patients were administered a brief screening interview for personality disorder. On the same day, they were interviewed with an established assessment for DSM–IV personality disorder. Three weeks later, the brief screening interview was repeated in order to examine test–retest reliability. A score of 3 on the screening interview correctly identified the presence of DSM–IV personality disorder in 90% of participants. The sensitivity and specificity were were 0.94 and and 0.85 respectively. The study provides preliminary evidence of the usefulness of the screen in routine clinical settings
Forty lives in the bebop business: mental health in a group of eminent jazz musicians
- Author:
- WILLS Geoffrey I.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 18(9), September 2003, pp.255-259.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Above-average levels of psychopathology have been demonstrated convincingly in groups of outstanding individuals working in the arts. Currently, jazz musicians have not been studied in this regard. The aim of this article was to investigate any evidence of psychopathology in a group of eminent jazz musicians. Biographical material relating to 40 eminent American modern jazz musicians was reviewed and an attempt was made to formulate diagnoses using DSM–IV. Evidence was provided of levels of psychopathology in the sample of jazz musicians similar to those found in other previously investigated creative groups, with the exception of substance related problems. An interesting connection between creativity and sensation-seeking was highlighted. The link between psychopathology and creativity in the arts was given further weight. Future studies of jazz musicians using larger samples and making comparison with groups from different eras of music would give greater clarification to this area
‘Kind of Blue’: creativity, mental disorder and jazz
- Author:
- POOLE Rob
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 18(9), September 2003, pp.193-194.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
The small, flawed and inconclusive literature on the relationship between creativity and mental disorder, represents a respectable attempt to use empirical methods to explore one such intriguing question. The fact that these matters are unlikely ever to be resolved does not discredit the effort. If there is an association between mental disorder and creativity, then it is necessary to demonstrate that the rate of mental disorder among creative people is higher than among a valid comparison group. Comparison with rates of mental disorder experienced by the general population is not valid. Researchers should consider a null hypothesis; that there is no association between mental disorder and creativity, neither positive nor negative.
Screening for late life depression: cut-off scores for the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia among Japanese subjects
- Authors:
- SCHREINER Andrea S., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(6), June 2003, pp.498-505.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Proper screening of depression among older adults depends on accurate cut-off scores. Recent articles have recommended the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) for this screening. However, there has been no investigation of the sensitivity and specificity of either scale using Japanese subjects. The purpose of the present study was to identify appropriate GDS and CSDD cut-offs for Japanese older adults. The GDS and the CSDD were interview-administered to nondepressed Japanese older adults (n = 74) and to Japanese older adults with a SCID-IV diagnosis of major or minor depression (n = 37). Depressed subjects were also administered the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Data were also collected on demographic variables, mental status, health status, and medication use. ROC curve analysis identified a cut-off score of 6 for the GDS which had a sensitivity of 0.973, a specificity of 0.959, a False Positive Rate (FPR) of 0.894, and a False Negative Rate (FNR) of 0. A cutoff score of 5 for the CSDD yielded a sensitivity of 1, a specificity of 0.919, a FPR of 0.942, and a FNR of 0. Comparisons indicate current HDRS cut-offs may overlook subthreshold depression. The GDS cut-off score identified among Japanese subjects was the same as that reported for Western subjects. Due to the substantial prevalence of psychiatric disorders found in false-negative subjects, the above cut-off scores were chosen to optimize the potential for true positives. These scores are recommended for alerting physicians and other caregivers as to when more intensive depression evaluation is needed.
Delusions of Japanese patients with Alzheimer's disease
- Authors:
- IKEDA Manabu, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(6), June 2003, pp.527-532.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Delusions constitute one of the most prominent psychiatric complications in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is little consensus of the prevalence and associated factors for delusions in AD. 112 consecutive patients with AD were recruited over a one year period and administered the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Delusions were present in 53 patients (47.3%). Delusions of theft were the most common type of delusion (75.5% of patients with delusions), followed by misidentification delusions and delusions of suspicion. More hallucination, agitation, and female gender were found in the delusions group. The authors found a high frequency of delusions, particularly of delusions of theft and suggested that gender was associated with the expression of delusions in Japanese patients with AD.