Browsing by Subject "Psychopathology"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Attachment and parental bond: impact on psychopathology, mental health and quality of life of hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study
    (BMC, 2023-07-15) De Pasquale, Concetta; Pistorio, Maria Luisa; Veroux, Massimiliano; Sapienza, Gabriella; Florio, Alberto; Hichy, Zira; Ekser, Burcin; Giaquinta, Alessia; Veroux, Pierfrancesco; Surgery, School of Medicine
    Background: Attachment theory represents a reference model for understanding better how pre-existing personality factors can influence the coping with some chronic conditions. The onset of a chronic disease can represent a "threat" to the relationships between the subject and parental figures according to the type of bond that already exists. The aim of our study was to explore attachment styles in a sample of hemodialysis patients, hypothesizing that a secure attachment bond can constitute a protective factor for the quality of life and mental health in this type of patients. Design: We used a cross-sectional design. Methods: Fifty hemodialysis patients were given the following tests: Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) to assess attachment styles, Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) to assess parental bonding, Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) for perceived quality of life and Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) to detect key psychological symptoms and relevant traits. Results: The results showed that secure attachment style correlated with good general health (r = 0.339; p < 0.05), good mental health (r = 0.547; p < 0.001) and mental component scale (r = 0.373; p < 0.05) of SF-36. Secure attachment was also significantly associated with mental health (B = 1.104; p = .002) of the SF-36. Conclusions: The results confirmed the positive role of a secure attachment style for adequate psychological health. Early identification of patients with dysfunctional attachment styles will make it possible to offer them targeted interventions to improve their ability to accept, adapt and manage the disease and to maintain adequate psychological well-being.
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    Mental health, COVID-19 burden and quality of life of kidney transplant recipients two years after the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Frontiers Media, 2024-05-01) De Pasquale, Concetta; Pistorio, Maria Luisa; Veroux, Massimiliano; Barbagallo, Noemi; Cottone, Provvidenza Marisa; Ekser, Burcin; Lorenzano, Giuseppina; Giaquinta, Alessia; Veroux, Pierfrancesco; Surgery, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Few studies have evaluated the psychological distress of COVID-19 in kidney transplantation and the psychological impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on kidney transplant recipients is not yet well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the change in symptom burden and health-related quality of life in the two years after initial assessment, by outlining the change over time of symptoms at 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Methods: This is a follow-up study. We performed a study published in 2021 (phase 1 of COVID-19); of the 89 kidney transplant recipients evaluated in this study, 60 completed the 12 months follow-up (March 2021 June 2021, phase 2 of COVID-19) and 57 completed the 24 months follow-up (March 2022 June 2022, post COVID-19). The same tools as in previous study were administered: the ad hoc questionnaire on emotional state and psychophysical well-being during COVID-19, the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) to provide a simple and rapid quantification of the psychological and somatic symptoms and the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) was used to assess health-related quality of life. Results: Compared to the first and second phase of COVID-19, the mean score of quality of life variables were higher in the post COVID-19 phase; thus the recipients physical health, mental health and their perception of their general health improved. Regarding the psychopathology variables the levels of Anxiety, Depression and Phobia in the Post COVID-19 phase decreased, while the Somatization score was higher. Lastly, burden of COVID-19 scores in the third phase, significantly decreased. Discussion: Our study highlights a significant association between mental health and the burden of COVID-19 pandemic in kidney transplant recipients. This study showed, a significant worsening, over time, of some specific symptoms, such as somatization and phobias. However, the results showed that depressive symptoms improved during the study period. Long-term monitoring of kidney transplant recipients therefore remains fundamental. These results confirmed the need to provide integrated multidisciplinary services to adequately address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the most vulnerable subjects.
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    Progress in conscience-sensitive psychiatry: assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning
    (IU Conscience Project, 2006) Stilwell, Barbara M.; Galvin, Matthew R.; Gaffney, Margaret M.
    Study of the relationship between episodic or continuous moral malfunctioning and psychopathology is an undeveloped field in child and adolescent psychiatry. An empirically derived theory of conscience provides a normative base from which to launch such studies. This work reviews five normative stages of functioning within five domains of conscience: conceptualization, moralization of attachment, moral-emotional responsiveness, moral valuation, and moral volition. Current professional guidelines for the doctor-patient relationship, psychiatric assessment, diagnostic categorization, and treatment planning address conscience functioning sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, and sometimes not at all. A case report is provided to illustrate progress already made in conscience sensitive clinical psychiatry. Further advances may begin with consideration of proposed hypothetical models, comporting with recent research, which describe progressive impairment involving both delay and deviancy in conscience functioning.
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    Psychological assessment of mothers and their daughters at the time of diagnosis of precocious puberty
    (BioMed Central, 2015-03-16) Schoelwer, Melissa J.; Donahue, Kelly L.; Bryk, Kristina; Didrick, Paula; Berenbaum, Sheri A.; Eugster, Erica A.; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: Concerns about psychological distress are often used to justify treatment of girls with precocious puberty, but there is little evidence to support these concerns. The extent to which psychological problems are associated with central precocious puberty (CPP) compared with other forms of early puberty in girls has likewise not been established. METHODS: Girls presenting with untreated CPP, premature adrenarche (PA) or early normal puberty (ENP) were recruited from our pediatric endocrine clinic along with their mothers. Child psychological adjustment was assessed by child self-report and parent report. Parent self-reported personality, anxiety, and depression were also assessed. Differences between groups were explored using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's T3 test. RESULTS: Sixty-two subjects (aged 7.5 ± 1.4 years, range 4.8-10.5) were enrolled, of whom 19 had CPP, 22 had PA, and 21 had ENP. Girls with ENP were significantly older (8.9 ± .9 years) than girls with CPP (6.9 ± 1.1 years, p < .001) and PA (6.6 ± 1.0 years, p < .001). Girls with PA had significantly higher BMI z-scores (1.7 ± .8) than girls with CPP (1.1 ± .6, p = .01) and ENP (1.2 ± .6, p = .04). More girls with PA and ENP were from racial minorities (47% and 50% respectively) than girls with CPP (32%). No group differences were found for any child measure of psychological adjustment. However, mothers of girls with PA scored significantly higher than mothers of girls with ENP on one measure of depression (p = .04) and stress (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: While mothers of girls with PA report increased psychological distress on some measures, no differences in psychological adjustment were found at baseline amongst the girls themselves. Whether these results will change as puberty progresses in the PA and ENP groups or with treatment of CPP is unknown. Long-term prospective studies are needed in order to further investigate psychological correlates of early puberty in girls.