فهرست مطالب

Iranian Journal of Psychiatry
Volume:6 Issue: 4, Autumn 2011

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1390/08/08
  • تعداد عناوین: 7
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  • Jafar Bakhshaie, Vandad Sharifi, Javad Amini Page 128
    Objective
    Inconsistent results have been reported regarding the symptom dimensions relevant to psychosis in symptoms check list revised (SCL90-R), i.e., "psychoticism" and "paranoid ideation". Therefore, some studies have suggested different factor structures for questions of these two dimensions, and proposed two newly defined dimensions of "schizotypal signs" and "schizophrenia nuclear symptoms". We conducted an exploratory factor analysis on the items of these two dimensions in a general population sample in Iran.
    Method
    A total of 2158 subjects residing in Southern Tehran (capital of Iran) were interviewed using the psychoticism and paranoid ideation questions in SCL90-R to assess severity of these symptom dimensions. Factor analysis was done through SAS 9.1.3 PROC FACTOR using Promax rotation (power=3) on the matrix of "polychoric correlations among variables" as the input data.
    Results
    Two factors were retained by the proportion criterion. Considering loadings >= 0.5 as minimum criteria for factor loadings, 7 out of 10 questions from psychoticism, and 3 out of 6 questions from paranoid ideation were retained, and others were eliminated. The factor labels proposed by the questionnaire suited the extracted factors and were retained. Internal consistency for each of the dimensions was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha 0.7 and 0.74 for paranoid ideation and psychoticism respectively). Composite scores showed a half-normal distribution for both dimensions which is predictable for instruments that detect psychotic symptoms.
    Conclusion
    Results were in contrast with similar studies, and questioned them by suggesting a different factor structure obtained from a statistically large population. The population in a developing nation (Iran) in this study and the socio-cultural differences in developed settings are the potential sources for discrepancies between this analysis and previous reports.
  • Somsubhra Chattopadhyay, Mona Srivastava, Adya Shanker Srivastava, Arvind Srivastava Page 133
    Objective
    This study was conducted to determine the changes in the insular cortex in alcohol dependent subjects, and to compare the same with controls, the associated clinical findings.
    Methods
    The study group consisted of 30 subjects with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) selected randomly from the out patient services of the department of psychiatry of a tertiary care hospital. The control group consisted of 30 matched subjects selected randomly from the out patient department and from patients screened for uncomplicated headache. Both groups were examined by a computerized scan (CT), and Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE).
    Results
    Chi square, and ‘t' test were done after calculating the Evan's ratio. The two groups were compared to assess the cortical atrophy and ventricular enlargement. Cognitive functions were tested by MMSE, and the scores were compared. Atrophy was significantly higher in the experimental group; however, it was not significant. Cognitive functioning was found to be significantly impaired in the experimental group.
    Discussion
    The study showed that alcohol dependence leads to cortical atrophy which is age independent. The statistically significant disturbance in the MMSE scores along with the frontal and parietal cortical atrophy is also indicative of the insular cortex involvement in the experimental group.
    Conclusion
    Alcohol dependence leads to cerebral atrophy along with the involvement of the insular cortex.
  • Sajjad Basharpoor, Mohammad Narimani, Hossien Gamari-Give, Abas Abolgasemi, Parviz Molavi Pages 138-144
    Objective
    This research was conducted to examine the effect of cognitive processing therapy and holographic reprocessing on the reduction of posttraumatic cognitions in students exposed to trauma.
    Method
    This was an experimental study with spread pretest-posttest randomized groups design. Statistical society of this research consisted of male freshman, junior and senior high school students of Uremia (N=10286). Utilizing Traumatic Events Screening Inventory, and SCL-90 R on 1000 randomly selected high school students, 129 students were recognized as having experienced traumatic events. Of the subjects, 60 were selected randomly. Then, clinical interview was conducted, and the selected sample was randomly assigned in to three groups of cognitive processing therapy, holographic reprocessing and control. These groups responded to Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory in pretest and post test. Differences of pre-post test scores were analyzed using one way ANOVA and Scheffe test.
    Results
    The results demonstrated significant differences between the three groups in total score of the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory. Difference was also observed in negative cognitions on self and self-blame dimensions. Furthermore, these two therapeutic methods were equally effective in the reduction of posttraumatic cognitions.
    Conclusion
    It appears that cognitive processing therapy and holographic reprocessing which had been originally developed and tested for sexually assaulted females, can also be applied for the victims of other traumatic events, particularly adolescents.
  • Jawad Seidmahmoodi, Changiz Rahimi, Norolah Mohamadi Page 145
    Objective
    This study investigated the relationship between resilience and religious orientation (internal and external) with posttraumatic growth (PTG). This study also examined the impact of marriage and sex variables on growth.
    Method
    Participants were selected based on prescreening of a larger group of students enrolled in the University of Shiraz. Participants were recruited in two stages. Three hundred fifty students were randomly selected in the first stage, and those students who experienced a minimum of one traumatic event within the last five years were selected in the second stage. They completed the Traumatic Life Event Questionnaire (TLEQ), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory - Iranian version (PTGI-I), and the Religious Orientation Scale (ROS).
    Results
    According to stepwise regression analysis, two subscales of resiliency, novelty seeking and positive future orientation, and a subscale of religious orientation, intrinsic orientation, were related to PTG. In addition, compared to singles, the married subjects experienced greater degree of growth. Personal extrinsic orientation and emotional regulation factor of resilience had a positive and meaningful relationship with PTG, although they were omitted from the regression analysis model. Sex and Socio-Extrinsic religious orientation were not related to PTG.
    Conclusion
    Some subscales of resiliency and religious orientation could predict posttraumatic growth in Iranian subjects, but there were no gender differences. The intrinsic orientation had the greatest significance in predicting posttraumatic growth. The personal extrinsic orientation had a significant positive correlation with post-traumatic growth, no significant correlation was observed between social extrinsic orientation and post-traumatic growth. The openness to experience was an important feature for proper growth of people facing a trauma. Optimistic subjects showed more flexibility in their coping strategies, and therefore had a tendency to adapt themselves to problematic situations.
  • Abbas Khorshidi, S. Mahmoud Mirzamani, Hamideh Darb Esfahani Page 151
    Objective
    This study examines the effective factors in enhancing school manager's job motivation from viewpoint of school mangers, teachers, education department managerial and staff experts in teaching, and also identifies and prioritizes each of these factors and indicators.
    Method
    For selecting a representative sample and increasing measurement precision, 587 people were selected using classified random sampling. The measurement tool was a 79-questionnaire made by the researcher. The questionnaire was collected using motivation theories and observing the findings of previous researches. Then, according to the three-stage Delphi technique, the questionnaire was sent to experts in education. The reliability of instruments was measured by calculating Cronbach's Alpha coefficient, and total reliability of the test was 0.99; the validity of the instrument was assessed by factor analysis (Construct Validity) and its load factor was 0.4 which was high.
    Results
    The results from factor analysis shows that the effective factors in enhancing manager's job motivation are as follows: self- actualization (51%) including 28 indices; social factor (7/9%) including 22 indices; self-esteem (3.2%) including 17 indices; job desirable features (2.2%) including 4 indices; physiologic (1.8%) including 4 indices; and job richness (1.6%) including 4 indices.
    Conclusions
    The results show that the six mentioned factors determine 68% of the total variance of manager's motivation.
  • Faezeh Tatari, Vahid Farnia, Fariborz Kazemi Page 158
    Objective
    Neurocognitive deficits are now recognized as part of the fundamental disturbances and are a major determinant of functional outcome in psychosis. A cross-sectional association between cognitive deficits and poor social and occupational outcomes has been demonstrated; and treatment of cognitive impairment at the time of the first episode may have the potential to change functional outcomes of the illness. We conducted this study to evaluate cognitive function in first episode of psychosis by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).
    Method
    Sixty two patients with first episode of psychosis were selected and underwent psychiatric interview and took MMSE test. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS-18 software.
    Results
    According to MMSE scale, 47 patients (75.8%) showed definite cognitive impairment, 8(12.9%) showed possible impairment, and 7(11.3%) showed no cognitive impairment. According to MMSE subscale, registration (69.4%) and recall (77.3%) were the most impaired cognitive areas.
    Conclusions
    The results of the current study indicate significant cognitive impairment in patients with first episode of psychosis. We recommend future studies with larger sample size and control group for further evaluation of cognitive function as early treatment of cognitive impairments may have important implications in the course of illness.
  • Nazir Hashemi Abad, Shala Doulatabad Najafi, Ali Mohammadi, Hamid Reza Ghafarian Srazi Page 161
    Schizophrenia and various neurological disorders have some signs and symptoms. Visual hallucinations are one of such disorders. The related studies in some diseases for example Parkinson Disease and Lewy Body Dementia indicate that Acetylcholine (Ach) plays a significant role in neuropsychiatric manifestation and its association with visual hallucination; therefore, visual hallucinations occur due to the depletion of Ach. Drug therapies such as Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) for increasing Ach level may be beneficial in treating visual hallucination. AchEI's have been used in the treatment of visual hallucinations in Dementia and Parkinson's Disease. We thought that a similar Ach depletion may cause visual hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia and may provide a target for drug treatment. We had a patient with schizophrenia whose psychotic symptoms responded to the treatment plan, but her visual hallucination did not. However, the patient's visual hallucination successfully responded to Rivastigmine (AchEI).This case illustrates the use of an AchEI in the treatment of refractory visual hallucinations in a patient with schizophrenia.