Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Volume:4 Issue: 1, Jun 2010

Through recent decades, several attempts have been made to counteract selective report of clinical trial results by investigators of many countries. They decided to register these trials to permit every trial''s existence be part of the public record, and the many stakeholders be able to explore the full range of clinical evidence. Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education proposed comprehensive trials registration in accordance with international standards, and established the policy of prospective clinical trial registration on December 22nd 2009. This policy was supported and adopted by members of the Iranian Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). To welcome the new act, Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (IJPBS) elaborates the timelines for initiation of this new policy.

Presently, the issue of attempted suicide now poses one of the major challenges facing the health-care providers in Iran and other countries. Although in previous years, the number of people entering to hospital emergency departments after deliberately taking overdoses or injuring themselves has been steadily increased in Iran, however, there is less attention to the issue of suicide prevention. The main aim of this study is to understand the experiences of those who re-attempted suicide, along with regarding suicide prevention. A qualitative phenomenological approach was applied. Purposeful samples of 12 patients who had a history of attempted suicide and were able to attend and respond to questions were recruited. Data was gathered by means of an in-depth semi-structured interview with each subject separately. The analysis of the data was conducted using the phenomenological analytic method defined by Colaizzi. Over all, 667 descriptive codes were extracted, which were later reduced to 36 interpretative codes and then to 8 explanatory codes. Finally, four fundamental constructs of structural factors, personal factors, caring institutions and social networks were identified. The experiences of the participants showed that although individual factors are important and could influence suicide prevention, the structural and socio-cultural contexts which are out of individuals control are significant as well.

Finding a suitable laboratory test that can diagnose schizophrenia in its early stages could be very important. According to the hypothesis of lack of noradrenalin balance in the brain, it is illustrated that the disorder severity has a negative correlation with the amount of urine noradrenalin metabolite [3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenyl glycol (MHPG) sulfate]. In this research, instead of measuring 24-hour urine MHPG sulfate level by standard expensive HPLC method, 24-hour urine organic sulfate mixtures were measured and compared between schizophrenic patients and control group by colorimetry. Forty schizophrenic patients (20 males and 20 females) diagnosed by two psychiatrists according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and 40 controls (20 females and 20 males) with nearly the same diet and physical activity levels were included. After primary laboratory tests and ruling out general medical conditions in both groups, all medications in schizophrenic patients were tapered. For all subjects, 24-hour urine samples were collected and organic sulfate was measured by colorimetry method. Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case and control groups were 0.465 ± 0.03 and 0.475 ± 0.04, respectively (p= 0.219). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case females was 0.46 ± 0.028 g/dl. In control females, this amount was 0.47 ± 0.044 g/dl (p= 0.393). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case males was 0.47 ± 0.031 g/dl. In control group, it was 0.48 ± 0.039 g/dl (p= 0.382). Measuring organic sulfate by colorimetry method cannot help to distinguish schizophrenic patients from normal individuals.

It is well known that tobacco smoking is a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Use of smokeless tobacco such as Paan, Nass, Gutka, and Tumbaku is common in South and Southeast Asia but not in Iran, where it is not considered as a normal cultural habit. A cross-sectional study was carried out in five colleges of Sistan Baloochestan, the Southeastern province of Iran. Three hundred fifty four students, who were selected by convenient sampling, completed a peer reviewed, pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire. The Chi square test and logistic regression analyses were applied. Thirty nine (11 %) students were lifetime users of smokeless tobacco among which nineteen (5.4%) were occasional users, seven (2 %) were current users and thirteen (3.6%) fulfilled the criterion for established users. Paan was the most commonly used form of smokeless tobacco followed by Nass. On univariate analysis, lifetime use of smokeless tobacco showed significant associations with the use of cigarettes, student gender (Male > Female), individual condition (native > guest) and kind of the college (engineering > psychology). The use of smokeless tobacco among students should not be ignored. The governments should add preventive measures against smokeless tobacco use to the existing law against cigarette smoking.

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence of validity of the Relational and Overt Aggression Questionnaire (ROAQ) among Iranian elementary students. Three hundred and forty nine 4th and 5th grade students (ages 9 and 10) participated in this study. Participants completed the ROAQ. The scale consisted of 33 items designed to measure self-report aggressive behaviors for elementary school students attending fourth and fifth grade. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in three factors that included dimensions such as physical aggression, verbal aggression and relational aggression. Correlation among the three factors ranged from 0.25 to 0.43. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the multidimensional measurement model (the three-factor solution). Initial exploratory factor analyses revealed three factors that explained a substantial amount (42.32%) of the variance (20.24% by factor 1). The goodness-of-fit measures also revealed an adequate fit. These results provide initial support for the construct validity of self-report version of the ROAQ in relation to the elementary students.

Early maladaptive schemas are deep feelings or patterns that are formed in childhood and recur later in their lifetime. Young has classified these schemas. The purpose of the present study was to validate the Young Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire (YEMSQ) for early maladaptive schemas in a group of university students. Five hundred and seventy nine students were randomly selected from the freshman students of 2009 semesters. The participants completed the YEMSQ and Criterion questionnaires. Then data was analyzed by Factor analysis of Varimax Rotation sort. Factor analysis by principle components analysis (Varimax Rotation) revealed eighteen factors (that account for a high level of the variance). Data were indicative of high level of Coranbach, Alpha and Split-half (86% and 91%) reliability coefficients of the YEMSQ and the extracted factors. The convergent and discriminate validity of the questionnaire was examined by some measurement tools for psychological distress, positive and negative affect, self- confidence, cognitive vulnerability for depression and personality disorder. The correlation results for the six criteria are sequentially as follow: 37%, 34%, 40%, 39%, 35%, and 36% which were significant at p<0001. There were no significant differences between male and female (except for the factors 7, 12, and 14) and age groups with respect to early maladaptive schema degree. The results of factor analysis are consistent with previous findings showing that YEMSQ can be used in research and clinical settings and in screening the normal among early maladaptive schema population in Iran.

Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter drug in Iran. Intentional and accidental poisoning with this drug is one of the most frequent causes of admission to our center. We studied the outcome of poisoning with this drug in our hospital. Over a two-year period from January 2005 to January 2007, 85 patients who were admitted to Sina Hospital for acute acetaminophen poisoning, were followed up. Identification and outcome of patients were according to a physical examination, medical history, lab data and duration of hospital stay. Acute acetaminophen poisoning occurred in both genders and all age groups. Approximately 64 percent of patients were female. Children had minimal involvement and were usually accidental poisoning type (98%). In adults, admissions were more likely to be due to suicide attempts rather than accidental poisoning. The majority of cases were in hepatotoxic dose, but clinical courses were mild. Patients, who had acutely ingested more than 150 mg/kg or predicted to be hepatotoxic due to impaired liver function testes, had a longer hospital stay but in spite of this, we did not have any mortality. Overdose with acetaminophen in adults was often indications of suicidal behavior, and in children was usually of accidental type. The outcome was generally good in spite of common acetaminophen poisoning.

Hysteria is one of the conversion disorders that can be presented similar to neurological and organic disorders. Conversion symptoms are usually associated with emotional conflicts of the patient. Belching is often reported in patients with gastroesophageal reflux and is a rare manifestation of hysteria. The authors would describe a young female patient with serial belching that, after several gastrointestinal tract examinations which were unremarkable, was diagnosed as having hysteria. The patient’s belches were finished after few psychotherapy sessions.