Burden of caregivers of people suffering from schizophrenia versus symptom severity, social functioning and treatment satisfaction of patients treated by a CMHT. / Obciazenie opiekunów osób chorujacych na schizofrenie a nasilenie objawów, funkcjonowanie spoleczne i satysfakcja z leczenia pacjentów leczonych w ZLS.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the caregivers' burden in schizophrenia amongst patients treated by Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) and its relation to patients' demographic, clinical and social characteristics, with emphasis on their satisfaction with care, and to evaluate the correlation of selected characteristics of caregivers with the level of their burden. METHODS: A total of 65 patient-caregiver dyads remaining in home treatment were included. Caregivers were assessed with demographic questionnaires, and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). The patients were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS-54), the Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0), the Social Network Index (SNI) and with the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Increased caregiver burden was associated with: greater symptom severity in patients, lower satisfaction with staff professionalism, and a high level of emotional expressiveness in relationships. The regression model explaining 57% of the variance in the caregivers' emotional burden consisted of four factors: the patient's positive syndrome intensity, patient's remaining in an emotional relationship, gender i.e. higher burden amongst female caregivers of male patients, and smaller social network. CONCLUSIONS: The caregivers' burden severity is related to patients' sociodemographic, clinical and social characteristics and their satisfaction with treatment. The emotional burden of caregivers is impacted by: greater symptom severity, especially the positive syndrome, lower patient satisfaction with staff professionalism, and a high expression of emotions in family relationships. The patient's and caregiver's gender and education level, the patient's degree of disability, them being in a relationship and social support network size are also significant.

Application of 360° virtual reality videos in the assessment of paranoia in schizophrenia patients: a pilot study. / Zastosowanie wirtualnej rzeczywistosci w formie filmów 360° do oceny nasilenia paranoi u pacjentów ze schizofrenia: badanie pilotazowe.

OBJECTIVES: Virtual Reality (VR) has been widely used in psychiatry, including psychotic disorders. The main advantage of VR is its high ecological validity and controllability of the virtual environment. Our main goal was to test whether, similarly to computer-generated VR, 360-degree videos are able to elicit a state of social paranoia in prone individuals. METHODS: Sixteen schizophrenia patients and twenty-three healthy individuals were assessed using Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale and additionally, in the patient group, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-6) and Peters Delusional Inventory (PDI) were used. The participants viewed four 360-degree videos with and without social content on a VR headset. Meanwhile, subjects' heart rate was measured continuously. After the exposure, both groups were assessed with Social State Paranoia Scale (SSPS) and asked about momentary anxiety and sense of presence. RESULTS: The schizophrenia patients reported higher momentary anxiety, although the results of SSPS did not differ significantly between groups. In the control group the heart rate decreased between first non-social and social video, whereas in the patient group it did not differ significantly. There was a significant correlation of paranoid ideation experienced on daily basis (PDI) and elicited in VR (SSPS) in the patient group. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, paranoid responses can be triggered in patients with schizophrenia by 360-degree videos.

The effects of mindfulness-based training in virtual reality on psychotic symptoms, mood and cognitive functioning - a pilot study. / Wplyw treningu uwaznosci w wirtualnej rzeczywistosci na objawy psychotyczne, nastrój i funkcjonowanie poznawcze ­ badanie pilotazowe.

OBJECTIVES: Virtual reality (VR) is growing in popularity in treating various psychiatric disorders, including psychotic ones. However, no studies have been published on mindfulness interventions aided by virtual reality in psychotic patients to date. METHODS: 25 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed at three time points with 4-week intervals using the six-item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-6), Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III). Additionally, the intensity of seven emotions was rated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after each training session. RESULTS: The subjects achieved a significant reduction in symptom severity after completing mindfulness training. This was reflected by the PANSS-6 total score, as well as by the subscales for negative and positive symptoms. A significant increase in cognitive functioning (ACE-III scores) was also found. No significant changes in these measures were observed when only the standard intervention was used. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates good feasibility of the developed mindfulness intervention in VR in schizophrenic patients. The results indicate potential benefits in terms of lessening of the symptoms and improvement in cognition.