The Role of Personal Identity in Psychotic Symptoms: a Study With the Repertory Grid Technique
SchizophreniaPsychotic Disorders1 morePersonal identity is being recently recognized as a core element for mental health disorders, with relevant clinical implications. However, scarcity of data exists on its role in schizophrenia and related disorders. The repertory grid (RGT), a technique derived from personal construct theory, has been used in different clinical and non-clinical contexts for the study of the construction perception of self and others, to appreciate aspects of interpersonal construing such as polarization and differentiation (unidimensional thinking) or self-construction.and Our study aims to explore the potential influence of the structure of personal identity and of other relevant cognitive factors (social cognition, metacognition, neurocognition) in positive and negative symptoms in people suffering schizophrenia and related disorders.
Mental Health Care Provision for Adults With Intellectual Disability and a Mental Disorder
Mental DisorderIntellectual DisabilityQuality of mental health services provision for adults with intellectual disability and comorbid mental disorder is considered inadequate and therefore in need of further improvement. However, empirical findings on this topic are rather scarce. The MEMENTA-study therefore aims to compare mild and moderate intellectual disabled adults with a comorbid mental disorder to mild and moderate intellectual disabled adults who do not have a comorbid mental disorder with respect to clinical parameters. The MEMENTA-study is an observational, epidemiological, cross-sectional study. A representative sample of the target population is realised by the assessment of approximately n=600 intellectual disabled adults working at specialized facilities (sheltered workshops). A cluster sampling with probability proportional to institution and size (n of overall employed persons) will be followed by a simple random sampling of persons of these clustered facilities. A number of parameters such as severity of mental health impairment, needs for care, quality of life (QoL), caregiver burden, health services utilization, and costs for care will be assessed by using a set of well-established standardised instruments. Quality of mental health care will be assessed and examined by open questions to intellectual disabled adults with a comorbid mental disorder as well as informal caregivers and staff of caring institutions.
Prediction of Relapse in Schizophrenia/Schizoaffective Disorder With Smartphones and On-body Sensors...
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective DisorderThis study is dedicated to achieving a better understanding of how to identify patterns that indicate someone might be at high risk for relapse in schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The investigators are utilizing smartphone technology along with on body sensors to achieve this goal. The study will observe participants behavior in their natural environment for a period of 16 weeks or until a signal of relapse is obtained. Participants will also complete scales in a clinical research environment biweekly.
First Episode Psychosis and Pathway to Care in Nordland
First Episode PsychosisFirst episode psychosis patients often experiences treatment delay. This reduces their prospects for recovery and makes unnecessary burdens for them and their carers. A better understanding of help seeking intentions is required, and has not been explored in a county like Nordland, Norway, with long distances and challenging access to health services. The purpose of this study is to explore the process of help seeking, including how patients and their careers discover and understand the psychotic symptoms. Research exploring the impact on families mainly focuses on parents' experiences, and there are less studies focusing on experiences and needs of siblings. This study will therefore explore siblings' experiences separate from their parents. Methods will be qualitative interviews with patients, their carers and siblings. Analysis will be influenced by Grounded theory.
Brain Circuits in Schizophrenia and Smoking
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreThe principle aim of the project is to identify the key brain circuits associated with smoking and especially smoking in high risk population. The investigators hope that the study will provide concrete biomarkers for new therapeutic development and ultimately reducing the smoking related health burden.
Adolescent Mental Health: Canadian Psychiatric Risk and Outcome Study
Psychotic DisordersDepressive Disorder2 moreThe primary study aims are to determine the clinical, behavioural and social predictors of SMI development in youth, and to investigate whether neuroimaging can distinguish youth who will develop SMI from those who will not. The study's secondary aims are to examine the proportions of the cohort that make transitions between the different clinical stages of risk, and to determine the proportions that have poor outcomes, defined as ongoing or increased symptoms, secondary substance misuse, poor social or role functioning, i.e., non-participation in education, or employment, and new self-harm. Investigators will study a cohort of 240 youth (aged 14-25, male and female) that includes youth with early mood symptoms or sub-threshold psychotic symptoms (symptomatic group; n=160), youth at risk due to a family history of a SMI (family high risk (FHR); n=40), and healthy controls (HC; n=40). From this cohort, clinical, social and cognitive data, as well as imaging data will be gathered to create a multi-layered "snapshot" of these individuals and provide full-level characterization. Investigators will use the full range of clinical and imaging data generated from this cohort to develop novel prediction algorithms incorporating key variables that predict the development of SMI.
Observational Study to Evaluate Bipolar Disorder Symptoms in Patients Presented With Schizophrenia...
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreThis study is aimed to evaluate the bipolar disorder symptoms in patients presented with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or recurrent depression. Bipolar disorder is a group of mood disorders characterised by elevated or irritable mood episodes in patient's lifetime history accompanied by some additional symptoms. In this study modern bipolar disorders screening/assessment instruments will be used to explore the prevalence of bipolarity symptoms in patients who never been diagnosed with bipolar disorders. The results of this study could be useful for more accurate assessment of bipolar disorders prevalence in psychiatric patient population, could help to improve the diagnostics of bipolar disorders and management of bipolar patients.
Validity of the Spanish Version of Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics Scale (SWN-K) in Patients...
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreObservational, short-term prospective, multicenter study to assess psychometric properties of the Spanish version of SWN-K scale in patients with schizophrenia.
Changes in Heart Rhythms Associated With Antipsychotic Drug Treatment
SchizophreniaSchizoaffective Disorder1 moreThis study is being done to look at the electrical activity of the heart. This study will help decide whether taking recordings for a 24-hour period gives more useful information than recording it for a few seconds in a doctor's office. The study will compare 24 hour electrocardiogram (ECG) results of patients taking thioridazine (Mellaril) to those of other patients taking different medications that took part in another study.
The Immune System and Psychiatric Disorders
Stress DisordersTraumatic5 moreThe study is based on a hypothesis that there is interaction between the activity in the immune system and in the mind. To study this, the investigators register different measures for activity in the immune system on patients unselectedly admitted to an acute psychiatric ward. The psychiatric statuses and diagnoses of these patients are carefully defined as well.