Current Psychiatry Research and Reviews - Volume 17, Issue 4, 2021

Abstract: As stated by Jaspers, a delusion is a deviant assessment of reality that is irredeemably believed. Therefore, while the delusions are apprehended with the uncommon verdict and are not open to rationality, their irrationality or wrongness is obvious to other persons. While Norman Cameron’s pseudo-community, a supposed community of conspirators, was a historical description of conditions that promote the development of delusional disorders, modern technology and advancement of new communicative tools, like smartphone, hidden camera, satellite, internet, and stealthy or scheming tricks or setups, like double-crossing and masquerading scenarios, stressful circumstances, furtive or hectic arrangements, creating a scene to deceive, hack, or tampering, have brought about the possibility of a conspiracy by prejudiced or inimical people, which may amplify the conceivable diagnostic faults by the perplexity of circumstances. On the other hand, it is the duty of forensic and clinical psychiatrists to guess or discover any kind of deceptive entrapment or simulation. In the present article, the said eccentricities, which may have been accelerated by modern technology, have been discussed briefly, especially with respect to paranoia and paranoid ideation. Moreover, some clarifications for better demarcation of the discussed problem and modification of operational definitions in the realm of psychopathology have been suggested. Certainly, ample watchfulness by a clinical or forensic psychiatrist for neutralizing a thinkable intrigue is an apposite performance for improving civil rights and preventing preventable slips.

Background: Ageing is a complex phenomenon, which can vastly influence different dimensions of life. One of the main concerns in gerontology is to understand how older adults experience ageing and its associated conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the role of phenomenology as a qualitative method in gerontology research. Methods: In this review study, we summarized the key concepts in gerontology, reviewed the philosophy and methodology of phenomenology, presented both descriptive and interpretive phenomenological methods, and highlighted the areas which can be explored in ageing by phenomenology. We also presented some examples for studying the lived experiences of older adults using phenomenological methods. Results: People experience noticeable changes in their body, emotions and social relations as they grow old. The biopsychosocial aspects of ageing are discussed in gerontology as a growing interdisciplinary science. Phenomenology allows the researchers to obtain a deep understanding of older adults lived experiences and it can connect the investigators of this discipline to the inner world of ageing adults. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that ageing is an important experience in life, and phenomenological reflection on the lived experiences of older adults can play a crucial role in increasing our knowledge about ageing.

Abstract: Care for schizophrenia patients over the past few decades has shifted from inpatient treatment in mental institutions towards outpatient treatment options. While this has the potential to allow patients a more regular life with the ability to work and socialize, it has increased the burden on family caregivers. This state-of-the-art narrative review summarizes the most important factors, besides the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia, that impact the quality of life of caregivers negatively. These factors include the impact of the disease on household income and socioeconomic status, anxiety, stigma, negative changes in family dynamics as well as an overall reduction of social and family contacts.

Objective: The present study aims to examine childbirth self-efficacy levels with potential moderating variables. Methods: The systematic searches were conducted in nine databases in July 2019. The PRISMA checklist was used. The quality of studies was evaluated by two researchers. The random-effect model was used in the present meta-analysis. The heterogeneity tests and moderator analyses were performed. There were 18 eligible articles. Results: Results indicated that childbirth self-efficacy levels do not change based on parity (Q = 0.784, p = 0.376 for efficacy expectancy, Q = 0.190, p = 0.663 for outcome expectancy). The between-study variance was not significant for subdimensions of CBSEI (Qb = 1.531, p = .216), which means no significant difference between OE and EE levels was found. The between-study variance was not significant for OE levels (Qb = 0.333, p = .847), which means no significant difference was found between Outcome-AL, Outcome-SS, and OE-16. The moderator analysis, including Efficacy-AL, Efficacy-SS, and EE-16 presented a higher pooled mean score for EE-16 (111.56; 95% CI = 98.66 to 124.46). However, the between-study variance was not significant for EE levels (Qb = 4.240, p = .120). Despite the moderator analysis, the finding of high heterogeneity suggests the need for further studies which examine the concept of childbirth self-efficacy with additional variables. Conclusion: The study presents that childbirth self-efficacy levels do not change based on parity, stages of labor and subdimensions of CBSEI. Researchers need to examine the concept of childbirth self-efficacy with new variables for further clarify of concept.

Aims: This study focused on describing profiles of children placed in out-of-home care. Background: Research has shown that children placed in out-of-home care have numerous problems related to trauma associated with child maltreatment and behavioral health. However, they often do not receive adequate care. Prior research suggested that to improve outcomes for these children it is essential to address co-occurring problems and tailor services to their individual needs. This, however, can be a serious challenge to service providers due to the lack of information about behavioral health profiles and maltreatment histories as well as patterns of service use. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify subgroups of children with similar mental health profiles and examine service use patterns amongst these groups. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to describe the profile of children with similar behavioral health characteristics and service patterns. Results: Two distinct groups were identified: Children with Multiple Needs and Children in Families with Complex Needs. Children with Multiple Needs had a much higher rate of mental health diagnoses, caregiver loss, a higher number of emergency room visits for behavioral health reasons, and spending substantially more days in inpatient psychiatric care. Children in Families with Complex Needs had a much higher probability of experiencing neglect, having parents with substance abuse problems, and having a history of domestic violence. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Children with Multiple Needs represent the most vulnerable population and specific strategies should be developed to address co-occurring needs of these children by utilizing community-based services and the least restrictive settings. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Background: Depressive disorder (DD) is a state of multiple neuro- psychological deficits, and cognitive testing has proven to be beneficial in guiding the treatment of depression. Since these neuro-cognitive testings require a great deal of time and skill, measuring Reaction time (RT) can prove an alternative method of measuring cognition. RT is a sensitive tool to measure attention and execution. In our study, whole-body choice reaction time (WBCRT) is divided into 2 chronoscopic readings, WBCRT-C1 and WBCRT-C2. WBCRT-C1 measures the time required for central processing in the central nervous system, which includes cognition, and WBCRT-C2 measures total RT, which includes central processing and peripheral processing. Objective: The objective of the study was to measure and compare WBCRT-C1 in DD and controls and assess the correlation between WBCRT-C1 with MMSE and HAM-A scores. Methods: Hospital-based case-control study was conducted on a total of 68 young subjects, including 34 subjects of DD aged between 18-45 yrs, and their reaction times were compared with a similar number of age- and sex-matched controls. Results: WBCRT-C1 was more delayed in patients of DD (807±245 ms) than in controls (579±99ms). A significant correlation was found between WBCRT-C1 and MMSE (r=-0.7371, p=0.0001), and HAM-A scores (r=0.3395 p=0.0046). Conclusion: WBCRT-C1 could be a quantitative tool to assess cognitive dysfunction in DD.

Background: Psychological problems, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), are among the most important complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in people. Studying the social determinants of health (SDH) and its impact on the populations during the crisis will help governments deal better with health emergencies so that every person can have an equal opportunity to stay healthy. Objective: To determine what factors affect PTSS, we conducted a study to investigate the association between structural determinants of health and PTSS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 370 people referred to a selected laboratory between June and July 2020 in Karaj province, Iran. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 8-item inventory was used to evaluate the PTSS and its subscales, including intrusion, avoidance, and hypervigilance in the participants. Results: Overall, 51.2% of participants were male, and 17.3% were positive for the IgM or IgG COVID-19 test. The most common symptoms in these patients were weakness, myalgia, cough, anosmia, and fever. The prevalence of total PTSS, intrusion, avoidance, and hypervigilance symptoms were 7.1%, 25.7%, 41.6%, and 16.2%, respectively. In univariable regression analysis, female gender (p-value=0.01, 95%CI (2.25-0.31)), un-employment (p-value=0.011, 95%CI (0.37-2.81)), having symptoms of COVID-19 disease (p-value=0.000, 95%CI (.82-2.75)), underlying chronic disease, were directly associated with PTSS. Conclusion: Results showed that sex and occupation as structural determinants of health could affect PTSS in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the multivariable model, having symptoms of the COVID-19 disease and underlying disease affected PTSS.