The Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Autism Family Experience Questionnaire (AFEQ).

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the AFEQ for Turkish parents of children with ASD. The Turkish-translated version of the AFEQ was administered to 241 parents of children aged 2-12 years with ASD to examine the construct validity and internal consistencies. Parents completed the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire Parent version, along with the AFEQ. The mean age of the children of 241 individuals in the study group was 7.63 ± 3.02 and 88.4% (n = 213) were male. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.921 of the total variance. Cronbach alpha coefficients are 0.813 for the "Experience of being a parent" subscale, 0.768 for the "Family Life" subscale, 0.810 for the "Child Development, Understanding and Social Relationships" subscale, and 0.804 for the "Child Symptoms (Feelings and Behaviour)" subscale. In conclusion, the translated and culturally adapted AFEQ shows good reliability and validity to measure the priorities of autistic children and their families in Turkey. It can also be useful in monitoring the effectiveness of intervention programs and changes in the child.

Understanding Psychiatrists' Knowledge and Attitudes to Suicidality in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Several studies have demonstrated that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at a significantly higher risk of suicide, with over 7.5 times increased likelihood of dying by suicide and higher rates of suicidal ideation. The present study aimed to examine the perspectives and awareness of psychiatrists regarding suicidal behavior in individuals with ASD. Methods: To achieve this, an online survey was developed to assess clinicians' practices in evaluating suicidal thoughts and behaviors in individuals with ASD. Results: A total of 143 psychiatrists, including 55 general adult psychiatrists and 88 child and adolescent psychiatrists, completed the cross-sectional survey. The results of the study revealed that clinicians reported lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior in individuals with ASD compared to those without ASD (P < .05). Furthermore, it was found that the usage of screening tools for assessing suicidal behavior was significantly lower in the ASD group (P < .05). Conclusion: The study aimed to investigate psychiatrists' knowledge and screening practices regarding ASD and emphasize the importance of increasing knowledge and implementing effective screening and intervention practices to address the risk of suicidality in individuals with ASD.

Traditional school bullying and cyberbullying: Prevalence, the effect on mental health problems and self-harm behavior.

Bullying is widely recognized as a major psychosocial problem with substantial negative consequences. The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of traditional school bullying and cyberbullying and reciprocal associations between bullying involvement and mental health problems. The sample of the study consisted of 6202 middle and high school students (age 11-18, M= 14.4 ±1.9 years, 54% boy). Bullying involvement, self-harm behavior, anxiety, depression, and psychosocial difficulties were assessed by self-report questionnaire. The prevalence of traditional school bullying and cyberbullying victimization was 33% (95% CI 32.1-34.5%) and 17% (95% CI 16.3-18.2%), respectively. The prevalence of traditional school bullying and cyberbullying perpetration was 22.4% (95% CI 21.3-23.4%) and 10.4% (95% CI 9.7-11.3%), respectively. Bullying involvement -as a victim, perpetrator, or both- was associated with anxiety, depression, psychosocial difficulties, and self-harm behavior. Girls were more likely to be affected than boys in mental health outcomes. A significant association between bullying victimization and negative mental health outcomes were also observed. These findings provide evidence to intervention strategies need to target both traditional and cyberbullying involvement. Understanding the risk profile will help create useful and appropriate interventions, which will reduce the early effect of bullying on mental health and modify the clinical course.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and psychosocial difficulties among children living in a conflict area of the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic events and armed conflicts can lead to many mental disorders, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in children. We investigated the PTSD symptoms, psychosocial difficulties, general health levels of the parents, and direct and indirect effects of trauma on psychological outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 482 children were included in the study. Two hundred and eight of those children were from Derik district, where street fights, curfews, and conflict have been experienced, and 274 of those children were from Yesilli district, where no conflicts have been observed despite being in the same province. All children filled out the child posttraumatic stress disorder reaction index, the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and parents filled out the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ). RESULTS: All children showed moderate PTSD symptoms; however, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. In the exposed group, children, who had to leave their homes for a while due to conflicts, had worse PTSD symptoms, higher SDQ difficulty scores, and parents' GHQ scores. It was determined that being a female having high maternal GHQ scores and leaving home due to the conflicts significantly increase the risk of occurrence of trauma symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that children are susceptible to the direct and indirect effects of trauma. It is crucial for intervention programs to be developed for the detection, prevention, and treatment of PTSD symptoms to be applied to all children, regardless of exposure type, in areas affected by conflict.

Evaluation of Adolescents Diagnosed with Acne Vulgaris for Quality of Life and Psychosocial Challenges.

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition which affects most adolescents. It has a major impact on quality of life and psychosocial well-being. AIMS: The aims of the study were to examine the psychosocial effects of acne on adolescents and changes in quality of life, and to reveal any difference in the possible effect between genders. In addition, an investigation of the association between acne severity and quality of life as well as psychosocial stress was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included 164 adolescents with a mean age of 12-18 years and was diagnosed with acne vulgaris without any previous treatment. The control group consisted of 188 healthy volunteers. Acne severity was evaluated by the global acne grading system. All patients filled in a Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PedsQL), and a Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). RESULTS: The scores of SDQ and PedsQL were significantly lower in the case group. There was no significant correlation found between the genders in the control group for acne severity and scale scores. No significant correlation was found between acne severity and psychosocial challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study show that acne has a significant effect on quality of life for adolescents, and this has an impact on their psychosocial life. Another important finding of the present study is that worsening in quality of life is not affected by some factors such as duration, severity of acne and age.