Iranian Journal of Psychiatry
Volume:4 Issue: 1, Winter 2009

The aim of the present study is to perform a systematic review of studies that investigated the prevalence of any kind of mental disorders in high school students in Iran. A broad search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, ISI web of Science, PsychINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, and three Iranian databases, including IranPsych, IranMedex, and Scientific Information Database (SID). To cover studies not published, we did a hand searching of all theses, reports and congresses'' abstract booklets which were available in IranPsych. Then, we included the original studies which reported the prevalence of any kind of mental disorders in high school students; data extraction was performed with two researchers for each document. Sixteen studies were finally included, representing 19 estimates of mental disorders in high school students, using diagnostic or screening instruments. The prevalence rate of any mental disorder reported by two studies using diagnostic instruments was equal to 16.6% and 4.34%. The median of prevalence rates of mental disorders reported in studies using screening instruments was 34.4%. There was a significant heterogeneity between the studies. Prevalence rates of mental disorders were reported in a wide range in high school students of Iran. More studies with improved quality are needed in this field.

To study the prevalence and demographic characteristics of Neurological Soft Signs (NSS) among the patients with Bipolar Mood Disorder-I (BID). In a cross- sectional descriptive-analytic study we studied 20 patients with BID with BID with 20 healthy individuals. We used DSM-IV and Young Mania Rating Scale (MRS) for diagnosing and rating the patients with BID, Neurological Evaluation Scale along for assessment of NSS. Control subjects who were matched on age and sex were selected; other confounding factors such as age at the onset, severity and duration of the disease were also considered and analyzed to find any possible correlation with NSS. Total NSS scores were significantly higher in the patients'' group (PV<0.0001). The most significant difference in NSS subscales was detected in the Sequencing of Complex Motor Acts (PV<0.0001). No significant correlation was found between NSS scores and age at the onset of the disease, severity and duration of the disease and medication. This study may emphasize the role of NSS as a sign of organic brain disorder which may be present independent of medication effects in the patients with BID; however, further studies may be able to extend our findings to explore the etiology and pathogenesis of BID.

The current study was conducted to compare the efficacy and side effects of bifrontal electrode placement with standard bitemporal electrode placement in the treatment of patients with major depression. Eighty nine patients with major depression were treated with a course of bifrontal or bitemporal ECT. All patients received 8 sessions of ECT treatment; and the Hamilton Rating scale for Depression and the standardized Mini-Mental state were administered 24 hours prior to the first session and 24 hours after the last session. This study was a Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial. 68 of the 89 patients completed the study in the two groups of bifrontal (31 patients) and bitemporal (37 patients). The mean decrease in the Hamilton Rating scale for Depression score after ECT was the same in the both groups and was about 20 (SD± 3/2),showing a significant difference between the 2 groups. Nevertheless, the mean decrease in Mini-Mental state Examination score was different in the 2 groups and was 0/67 for the bifrontal ECT group (SD± 0/65) and 2/35 for the bitemporal ECT group (SD±0/94),, indicating a statistically significant difference(P<0/001). The result of this study demonstrates that cognitive side effects of bifrontal ECT were significantly lower than bitemperal ECT; however, the two methods are the same with regards to efficacy

Considering the effects of the level of social support and self-esteem as risk factors in the onset and continuation of depression, the purpose of the current study (in addition to studying the demographic items of depression) was to investigate the correlation between depression and level of social support and self-esteem in Iranian university students studying non medical majors. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic research carried out on the students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2006. Self administered questionnaires on socio-demographic information (age, gender, marital status, and educational level), Eysenk self-esteem scale, Beck Depression Inventory and Cassidy social support scale were randomly given out to students who were selected by multi stage randomized sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 14 using the χ2-test. 1200 students responded to the anonymous questionnaires. A total of 57.2% of the participants had depression (36.3% mild, 14.4% moderate and 6.5% severe). Depression was significantly higher in males, singles and in 25-29-year-old students. Results showed that 9.4%, 18.3% and 72.3% of the participants reported low, moderate and high levels of social support respectively. 1.8% and 6.3% of the participants reported low and moderate levels of self-esteem respectively; while 91.9% reported high levels of self-esteem. Depression has a higher rate in non-medical university students of Iran than general population. Levels of social support and self-esteem were negatively associated with frequency of depression.

The purpose of this study is to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of preschool, first and second grade versions of Berkeley Parenting self-efficacy scale. The subjects were 317 mothers: (102 mothers of preschool children, 111 mothers of first grade children and 104 mothers of second grade children) who were randomly selected from schools in Tehran. They completed Berkeley parenting self-efficacy and Rotter `s locus of control scales. Factor analysis using the principle component method was used to identify the factor structure of parenting self-efficacy scale. Cronbach`s alpha coefficient was used to identify the reliability of parenting self efficacy scale. Results of this study indicated that the cronbach`s alpha coefficient was 0.84, 0.87, 0.64 for preschool, first grade and second grade versions respectively. Based on the scree test, ,factor analysis produced two factors of maternal strategy and child outcome, and it also produced the highest level of total variance explained by these 2 factors. The Parenting self-efficacy scale was negatively associated with measure of locus of control(r=-0.54 for the preschool version, -0.64 for the first grade version and -0.54 for the second grade version). Due to relatively high reliability and validity of preschool, first and second grade versions of Berkeley Parenting Self-Efficacy scale, this scale could be used as a reliable and valid scale in other research areas

The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to assess the efficacy of stimdate compared to ritalin in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sixty four subjects (45 boys and 15 girls) aged 5-13 who were diagnosed with ADHD based on (DSM-IV-TR) criteria were selected for this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: one group with 30 subjects received stimdate and the other group of 30 subjects received ritalin for 6 weeks. Treatment outcomes were assessed using the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Rating Scale administered at baseline and on weeks 2, 4 and 6 following the treatment. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (time- treatment interaction) was used. There were no significant differences between sex, age, weight, and ethnicity of the participants in the 2 groups. Both groups showed a significant improvement during the 6 weeks of the treatment period, and this improvement was due to the parents'' ADHD Rating Scale during the treatment. Based on the results of this study, no significant difference was observed between the two medications, and it seems both drugs behave[M1] in a similar way. In addition, stimdate appears to be effective and well tolerated for ADHD in children and adolescents in Iran.

Wars'' stress and violence can have tremendous effects on children''s and adolescents'' health and general well being; it may result in patterns of bio-psychosocial problems. The goal of this study was to compare emotional and behavioral problems in Afghan refugees and war-zone adolescents. One hundred and eighty high school students (90 students in the refugee group and 90 in the war-zone group) in Harat were included in this research. All participants completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR). War zone and refugee adolescents were compared based on their scores on different scales of behavioral and emotional problems. War-zone adolescents scored significantly higher on Anxious/Depression, Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, Attention Problems, and Internalizing Problems scales than refugee adolescents. In this study, no significant difference was found between the two groups on Social Problems, Thought Problems, Delinquent Behavior, Aggressive Behavior, and Externalizing scales. Findings revealed that although asylum is not an ideal condition for children''s and adolescents'' psychological development and prosperity, it can have a protective role in comparison with war zone''s circumstances. Further investigation is needed, however, to elucidate the lack of significant differences in externalizing scales among war zone and refugee adolescents

The objective of this study was to determine the ability of non-psychiatric (medical and surgical residents) residents on inpatient units to recognize patients with clinically significant depression and anxiety among a cohort admitted to the Dr. Shariati Hospital in Tehran. Patients within 72 hours of admission underwent screening with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Simultanously the residents caring for the patients was assessed whether they believed that patients had significant depression or anxiety. They should also rate the degree of depression and anxiety of their patients in a 5 point Likert scale. Assessments were completed for 401 patients. According to HADS score 136(34.25%) patients had probable depressive disorders and 157(39.75%) patients had probable anxiety disorders. The residents only asked from 26(6.4%) and 32(8.2%) patients about depression and anxiety respectively. They identified only 10.2% of patients with probable depressive disorder (HADS-D score>7) and10.8% of patients with probable anxiety disorder(HADS-A score>7). There was no significant correlation of residents'' assessment of severity of depression and anxiety with HADS scores. Residents varied in their sensitivity to their patients'' depression and anxiety. There was no correlation between residents characteristic (gender and medical or surgical disciplines) and accuracy of probable diagnosis. Medical and surgical residents routinely under-recognize depression and anxiety among inpatients in medical and surgical wards