The Effect of Education on Homophobia and Attitudes Toward Gay Men and Lesbian Women among Medical Faculty Students: A Turkish Sample.

Problem: Gay men (GMs) and lesbian women (LWs) can be exposed to misunderstanding, pressure, condemnation, obstructed access to public services, social isolation, and discrimination in many countries. They may also encounter various difficulties in accessing health services. Being GM and LW is generally unacceptable in Turkey, and both are perceived as abnormal. Medical students may require education on the subject of sexual orientation to improve their knowledge of and attitudes toward LGBT individuals, to help them remain neutral and avoid prejudice in providing health services for such individuals, and to ensure that such care is unbiased. Intervention: This one-group pretest-post-test design study was performed with third-year students at the Ondokuz Mayis University Medical Faculty (Samsun-Turkey) on 01-31 September, 2021. Three hundred twenty-five students took part. We evaluated students' attitudes toward homophobia and being GM and LW following a two-week multidisciplinary education program. The program included such topics as "Marginalization," "Interaction between cultures," "Sexual orientation," "Faith-based marginalization," "Sub-cultures," "Health protection," "Gender," and "Marginalized groups." For objective acquisition, we organized small group work, experience-sharing sessions (such as different orientation groups, different ethnic groups, and different behavioral templates), presentations, and panel activities. Context: Some circles in Türkiye regard LGBT individuals as representing an attack on national and spiritual values, and they are used as part of the political discourse. Studies are being performed in some medial faculties in Türkiye concerning the inclusion of subjects related to LGBT individuals in the educational curriculum. However, these studies have not yet assumed the form of a curriculum design including content, method, and testing. It is important for subjects concerning LGBT individuals to be considered more extensively in medical education in Türkiye, and for awareness of the rights of these individuals in the community and of combating discrimination to be improved. Outcome: We observed a significant decrease in students' homophobia after education. Significant decreases were observed in agreement with statements to the effect that being a GM or LW is a disease, that it can be treated, that people can be identified as GMs and LWs based on their behavior, and that they pose a major threat to society. Lessons Learned: It is unclear whether education aimed at all marginalized groups will produce different results to those of programs aimed specifically at GMs and LWs, but we think that applying programs directed toward discrimination and prejudice together will yield more effective results.

Early maladaptive schemas in patients with bipolar and unipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to determine the difference between the bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder and control groups in terms of maladaptive schemes and childhood trauma. METHODS: Two groups of patients under monitoring with a diagnosis of bipolar or unipolar disorder and one group of healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Each group consisted of 60 subjects. The Young Mania Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory were used to confirm that patients were in remission. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 were used to identify childhood traumas and early maladaptive schemas. RESULTS: In bipolar disorder, a positive, low power correlation was observed between the vulnerability to threats schema and emotional, physical and sexual abuse. In the unipolar disorder group, there was a positive, low power correlation between the emotional inhibition, failure, approval seeking, dependence, abandonment and defectiveness schemas and social isolation, and a positive, moderate correlation between social isolation and emotional abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with bipolar disorder suffered greater childhood trauma compared to subjects with unipolar disorder and healthy individuals. Greater maladaptive schema activation were present in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to those with unipolar disorder and healthy individuals.

A comparison of the neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte and monocyte-lymphocyte ratios in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients - a retrospective file review.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) have recently been used as indicators of inflammation. Higher MLR and PLR values have been determined in the euthymic and manic periods in patients with bipolar disorder compared to a control group. High NLR values were determined in the only study investigating this ratio in schizophrenia patients. The purpose of this study was to compare NLR, PLR and MLR values and complete blood count elements in patients receiving treatment and hospitalized due to schizophrenic psychotic episode and bipolar disorder manic episode. All patients meeting the inclusion criteria among subjects receiving treatment and hospitalized due to schizophrenia-psychotic episode and bipolar affective disorder-manic episode at the Ondokuz Mayis University Medical Faculty Psychiatry Department, Turkey, in 2012-2016 were included in our study. A total of 157 healthy donors were included as a control group. White blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet and monocyte numbers were noted retrospectively from complete blood counts at time of admission, and NLR, PLR and MLR were calculated from these. NLR, PLR and MLR values and platelet numbers in this study were higher and lymphocyte numbers were lower in bipolar disorder patients compared to the controls. Elevation in NLR, MLR and PLR values and neutrophil numbers and lower lymphocyte numbers were determined in schizophrenia patients compared to the controls. Higher NLR and MLR values were found in schizophrenia patients compared to bipolar disorder. Findings of our study supported the inflammation hypothesis for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Associations with violent and homicidal behaviour among men with schizophrenia.

Objective We aimed to assess the risk factors associated with homicidal behaviour in male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methods In a period of 1 year, male schizophrenia cases between 18-65 years of age (n = 210) were included. The clinical evaluation included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Overt Aggression Scale (OAS). The patients were divided into three groups in terms of violent behaviour history: (1) homicide group (n = 30), (2) a violent act resulting in serious injury (n = 71), (3) control group (patients without a history of a violent act) (n = 109). Results Lower level of education, rural residence, being unemployed and living alone were found to be significantly more common in patients who had committed a violent act compared to the schizophrenia patients in the control group. In order to explore the predictive value of several factors associated with violent behaviour, a logistic regression model was used, and variables (shorter duration of education, living alone, and lack of insight) significantly predicted the presence of violent behaviour (murder and/or injury) (χ(2)=31.78, df = 12, p = 0.001). Conclusions In order to be able to determine causality of homicidal acts in schizophrenia patients, our significant findings between homicidal violence, non-homicidal violence and the control group would merit further attention and exploration in further studies.

Factor structure of the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment Scale-short form in schizophrenic outpatients: five factors or only one?

UNLABELLED: BACKROUND AND AIM: The Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptics Scale, short form (SWNS), is a self-report measure that evaluates the states of well-being of schizophrenia patients using antipsychotic drugs independently from psychopathology of disease. This study examined the factor structure of the Turkish version of the scale using high-level statistical analyses. METHODS: The SWNS was translated into Turkish and applied to 103 schizophrenic patients. A type of multi-trait-multi-method (MTMM) confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the Turkish version of the scale. RESULTS: The results of factor analysis of the SWNS were incompatible with the factor structure of the original scale. A set of MTMM analyses showed distinct method effects for both positive and negative item wording in the scale. In light of these findings, the factor structure of the SWNS was determined as having a one-dimensional structure, with bias due to item wording. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present investigation indicated that the sub-factors of the SWNS failed to emerge from the data. This study is the first to show that there is an urgent need for further examination of the factor structure of the SWNS with regard to method effects. This issue has important implications for the use of sub-factors by both researchers and practitioners.

Internalized stigma and intimate relations in bipolar and schizophrenic patients: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine characteristics of internalized stigma and intimate relations in bipolar and schizophrenia patients and to compare characteristics of intimate relations in bipolar and schizophrenia patients with or without internalized stigma. METHOD: A total of 228 volunteers were included, 119 patients with bipolar disorder and 109 with schizophrenia. Schizophrenic and bipolar disorder patients were compared in terms of internalized stigma and intimate relations characteristics. Bipolar and schizophrenia patients with and without internalized stigma were compared in terms of characteristics of intimate relations. RESULTS: Internalized stigma was determined in one in three schizophrenia and one in five bipolar patients. Stigma resistance and relational esteem in intimate relations scores were higher in bipolar patients. Relational anxiety/fear of relationship, relational monitoring and external relational control scores were higher in schizophrenia patients with internalized stigma compared to those without, while their relational satisfaction, relational esteem and relational assertiveness scores were lower. Relational anxiety/fear of relationship and relational monitoring scores were higher in bipolar patients with internalized stigma compared to those without, while their relational satisfaction scores were lower. CONCLUSION: Internalized stigma in schizophrenia patients is a well-known subject that has been investigated previously. The results of our study are significant in terms of showing that internalized stigma is also frequent in bipolar disorder patients, and not solely in schizophrenia patients. Stigma resistance is higher in bipolar disorder patients. Internalized stigma is correlated with intimate relations in both bipolar and schizophrenia patients.

"Just Because I Don't Conform to Societal Norms": A Qualitative Study of Transgender People's Experiences of Domestic Violence and Coping Methods.

Background Transgender people experience violence in various forms, primarily domestic violence. The aim of this study was to examine transgender people's experiences of domestic violence and their coping methods. Materials and methods This study was conducted using the phenomenological method, one of the five basic qualitative research methods, with 20 transgender participants who applied to Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey, to start the gender-affirming treatment process. The participants comprised 19 transgender men and 1 transgender woman. A semi-structured interview form was used for data collection. The average interview duration was 75.7 minutes. Audio recordings were used in the interviews, which were then transcribed. The obtained data set was subjected to content analysis. Results As a result of the content analysis, three themes emerged: being a transgender individual and the family, experiences of domestic violence, and methods of coping. According to the study results, the participants had experienced domestic violence of different dimensions, primarily psychological violence. Defined gender roles and societal expectations were determined to trigger violent behaviors. The most frequently used coping methods were giving a direct reaction, seeking instrumental-social support, and ignoring the incidents. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that transgender people experience domestic violence at a high rate and that transphobic behaviors are triggered by societal norms. Our results are particularly noteworthy for clinicians regarding the importance of family support and accurate information for transgender people and the coping methods they use most.

Neuropsychological weaknesses in adult ADHD; cognitive functions as core deficit and roles of them in persistence to adulthood.

Prior investigations have shown that individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired neuropsychological functions. This study had two aims, first to investigate weakened cognitive functions in adult ADHD (aADHD), and second, to investigate difference between persisters (those having persistently ongoing ADHD diagnosis in adulthood), and remitters (those having ADHD diagnosis only in childhood and not in adulthood), in terms of cognitive deficits. We evaluated performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery in three groups including 34 persisters, 35 remitters, and 35 healthy control group (absence of childhood and adulthood ADHD diagnosis). Our findings showed that adults with ADHD have inefficient attention, interference control and set-shifting functions, which may be revealed on neuropsychological tests that require greater cognitive demand. Given the finding that interference control deficit exists across the lifespan in people with ADHD, we suggest that interference control-associated functional weakness may be a core deficit for ADHD. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1-8).

Temperament and character traits in patients with bipolar disorder and associations with attempted suicide.

OBJECTIVE: This study was intended to investigate temperament and character traits in bipolar disorder patients with or without a history of attempted suicide. METHODS: One hundred nineteen patients diagnosed with euthymic bipolar disorder based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, and with no accompanying Axis I and II comorbidity, and 103 healthy controls were included. Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Axis I and II disorders were used to exclude Axis I and II comorbidity. Temperament and character traits of bipolar patients with a history attempted suicide (25.2%, n = 30) or without (74.8%, n = 89) and of the healthy volunteers were determined using the Temperament and Character Inventory. The association between current suicide ideation and temperament and character traits was also examined. RESULTS: Bipolar patients with or without a history of attempted suicide had higher harm avoidance (HA) scores compared with the healthy controls. Persistence scores of bipolar patients with no history of attempted suicide were lower than those of the healthy controls. Self-directedness (SD) scores of the bipolar patients with a history of attempted suicide were lower than those of patients with no such history. Self-transcendence scores of bipolar patients with no history of attempted suicide were lower than those of both the healthy controls and of those patients with a history of attempted suicide. A positive correlation was determined between current suicidal ideation scale scores and HA, and a negative correlation between SD and cooperativeness was determined. CONCLUSIONS: High harm avoidance may be a temperament trait specific to bipolar disorder patients. However, it may not be correlated with attempted suicide in such patients. These may have low persistence, high SD and low self-transcendence temperament and character traits that protect against attempted suicide. Harm avoidance, SD, and cooperativeness may be correlated with current suicidal ideation.

The Relationship Between Suicide Attempts and Ideation with Depression, Insight, and Internalized Stigmatization in Schizophrenia.

Background: Suicidal behavior is quite common in schizophrenia and various risk factors for suicide have been reported. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between suicide attempts and ideation with depression, insight, and internalized stigmatization in patients with schizophrenia. Method: Thirty-six patients with a history of suicide attempts and 52 patients without suicide attempts who were diagnosed as schizophrenia according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were included in this study. According to the score which they obtained from the eighth item of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, patients were divided into two groups: not suicidal ideations (zero points) and suicidal ideations (one, two, or three points). Sociodemographic information form, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Calgary Schizophrenia Depression Scale, Schedule for Assessing the Three-Component of Insight, The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, and The Suicide Ideation Scale were applied to all of the patients who participated in the study. Results: Patients with suicide attempts were more likely to be single and had higher the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale scores compared to patients without suicide attempts. Patients with suicidal ideation had higher Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores, higher Calgary Schizophrenia Depression Scale scores, and higher the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale scores than those without suicidal ideation. There was a strong, positive correlation between the Suicide Ideation Scale and Calgary Schizophrenia Depression Scale, as well as there was a moderate, positive correlation between Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, and the Suicide Ideation Scale in the suicidal ideation group. In regression analysis, depression was found to be a predictor of suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Depression and internalized stigma were risk factors for suicide in schizophrenia. Risk factors need to be carefully assessed to prevent suicide in schizophrenia.

Evaluation of the relationship between death anxiety and clinical features of the disease and functionality in patients with schizophrenia.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between death anxiety in schizophrenia patients and the clinical characteristics of the disease and its functionality. Method: The study included 52 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and 52 healthy volunteers. Death anxiety scores were compared between the two groups using the Abdel-Khalek Death Anxiety Scale (ADAS). The functionality of the schizophrenia patients was evaluated with the Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia (FROGS) scale. Results: The mean ADAS total scores were statistically significantly higher in the schizophrenia patient group than in the control group. A low-level negative correlation was determined between the ADAS total points and the FROGS total points, the FROGS subscales of daily life skills and health. Conclusion: The results of this study showed higher death anxiety in schizophrenia patients than in the healthy control group. Patients with a higher level of functionality were determined to have a lower level of death anxiety. These results support our idea that interventions and therapeutic approaches to increase functionality in patients with schizophrenia can reduce their death anxiety. In order to reach more evident conclusions on this subject, prospective studies that deal with the causal relationship between death anxiety and functionality are needed.

Perception of patient aggression among nurses working in a university hospital in Turkey.

The way patient aggression is perceived influences nurses' attitudes and behaviour towards patients. The aim of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to investigate how nurses working in a university hospital perceive aggression and whether certain variables (sociodemographic and professional characteristics, exposure to aggressive behaviour) affect that perception. Two hundred and eighteen nurses (response rate 68.1%) from different departments were administered the Perception of Aggression Scale, a self-reported scale measuring perception of patient aggression towards nurses. The nurses in this study generally perceived patient aggression as dysfunctional. Nurses exposed to patient aggression in their professional lives regarded patient aggression more as dysfunctional. In addition, the oldest nurses, the most professionally experienced and those with the longest tenure in their departments had less perception of aggression as functional than others. Professional fatigue and burn-out might play a role in this.

[Demographic and clinical characteristics in schizophrenia: a multi center cross-sectional case record study]. / Sizofrenide Nüfus ve Klinik Ozellikler: Cok Merkezli Kesitsel Bir Olgu Kayit Calismasi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to assess the relationship between demographic characteristics and suicide attempts, physically aggressive behavior, substance abuse, repeated hospitalizations, and continuous illness course . METHOD: The medical records of patients from three different treatment centers were assessed. The relationship between demographics and clinical characteristics were assessed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predicting factors for suicide attempts, physically aggressive behavior, heavy smoking, repeated hospitalizations, and continuous illness course. RESULTS: The medical records of a total of 720 patients with schizophrenia were assessed. Of these patients, 68% were never married, 56% were unemployed, and 69% were living with their parents. 35% of the patients had a relative diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The mean age for the onset of the illness was found to be 23.5, with no difference between females and males. 50% of the patients had had repeated hospitalizations. The duration of untreated psychosis was 10.8 months and 28% of the patients had been through a continuous course of the illness. 57% of the patients were found to be regular smokers; 55% of the patients had physically aggressive behavior; 52% had experienced a suicidal ideation and attempt; 28% had made at least one suicide attempt. The percentage of patients having had a legal issue related to their illness was 11%. Heavy smoking was predicted with the continuous illness and male gender. Physically aggressive behavior was predicted with suicide ideation and attempts, being single, having insufficient family support, and having undergone frequent hospitalization. Repeated hospitalizations were predicted with suicide attempts and having a legal problems; continuous course of illness was predicted with being unemployed and lack of family support; suicide attempt was predicted with duration of the illness. CONCLUSION: When both sexes were compared, the lack of difference at the onset of disease between the two suggests that there might be other factors playing a role in this phenomenon. The relationship between suicidal ideation and behavior and physical aggressive behavior, indicates that these two might share common underlying mechanisms. Possible significant relationships between demographic and clinical characteristics should be kept in mind for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation approaches in dealing with schizophrenia.

Multiple antipsychotics use in patients with schizophrenia: Why do we use it, what are the results from patient follow-ups?

In this study, the rates of antipsychotic polypharmacy, factors affecting combined drug use, the relationship between antipsychotic polypharmacy as it relates to duration of hospitalization and re-hospitalization, and treatment compliance were evaluated in schizophrenia patients. The study data was obtained between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 by examining the files of all patients who were hospitalized in Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara Gulhane Training and Research Hospital psychiatric services. The inpatients' drug prescriptions at discharge and after one-year outpatient follow-up, as well as treatment compliance and re-hospitalization, were examined. The mean duration of illness was 109.3 ± 109.7 months, and the mean duration of hospitalization was 24.6 ± 19.1 days. For a total of 599 patients, multiple antipsychotic medication was used in 21.2% of hospitalizations. 11.2% of patients using single antipsychotic and 14.2% of patients using multiple antipsychotics were re-hospitalized within one year (X 2 :0.830, p:0.362). Disease duration (Z:-3.654, p < 0.001) and duration of hospitalization (Z:-3.333, p < 0.001) were found to be longer in multiple antipsychotic users. 37.8% of the patients used a depot antipsychotic. There was no significant difference between depot antipsychotic use and oral antipsychotic use as it related re-hospitalization rates. As a conclusion, multiple antipsychotic use has reduced in Turkey. Contrary to popular belief, the use of multiple antipsychotics does not shorten, but rather may prolongs hospitalization, and it has no effect in reducing re-hospitalization. Drug combinations are generally used together with a depot treatment, clozapine treatment is preferred less frequently in combinations, clinicians have proven effectiveness of the drug combination they prefer, and they should give priority to the treatments recommended in treatment guidelines.

Neutrophil/lymphocyte, platelet/lymphocyte and monocyte/lymphocyte ratios in different stages of schizophrenia.

The inflammation hypothesis is frequently mentioned in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to compare inflammation markers during relapse and remission periods in patients with schizophrenia. Complete blood count (CBC) of 105 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were hospitalized due to psychotic relapse at Ondokuz Mayis University Medical Faculty Psychiatry Service between 2012 and 2016 and 105 healthy control subjects were retrospectively analyzed. Relapse CBC was also compared with remission CBC of the same patients and with the control group. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) of the patients during relapse period were found to be significantly higher when compared with the control group. MLR and PLR were found to be significantly higher in the remission period when compared with the control group. NLR, PLR and MLR values were significantly increased in the relapse period when compared with the remission period of the same patients. The findings of our study support the inflammation hypothesis of schizophrenia. As a result of our study, we believe MLR and PLR are important markers. There is a decrease in inflammatory response in schizophrenia following treatment.

Panic disorder with nocturnal panic attacks: symptoms and comorbidities.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nocturnal panic attacks and comorbidities, clinical variables and panic attack symptoms. One hundred and six consecutive patients with DSM-IV panic disorder were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence of nocturnal panic attacks. Comorbidities were diagnosed with the help of SCID-I and SCID-II. The groups were compared using the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Symptom Checklist. Nocturnal panic attacks were not related to comorbidities or age at the onset of the disease. The scores from the Beck Depression Inventory, general scores from the Symptom Checklist, somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity and anger-hostility sub-scale scores were higher in the nocturnal panic attack group. Patients with nocturnal panic attacks experience more frequent respiratory symptoms, suggesting that nocturnal panic attacks may be related to respiratory symptoms. Our findings demonstrate that patients with nocturnal panic attacks have more respiratory symptoms of panic, depressive and other psychiatric symptoms than the no nocturnal panic group.

Association of serotonin 2A receptor and lack of association of CYP1A2 gene polymorphism with tardive dyskinesia in a Turkish population.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association of serotonin 2A receptor gene (HTR2A) -1438 G/A polymorphism and CYP1A2 gene 163C/A polymorphism with tardive dyskinesia (TD) in a Turkish population. A total of 47 patients with persistent TD, 80 patients who were consistently without TD, and 100 healthy controls were included in this study. The polymorphic regions of -1438 G/A polymorphism of HTR2A receptor gene (rs6311) and 163C/A of CYP1A2 (rs762551) gene were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by digestion with restriction enzymes MspI and Bsp1201. Genotype and allele frequencies were calculated by the chi(2)-test. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were estimated, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The genotype and allele frequencies of HTR2A and CYP1A2 gene were similar in schizophrenia with TD, schizophrenia without TD, and healthy controls. The logistic regression analysis showed that cumulative exposure to antipsychotic drugs for every year (p = 0.003; OR = 1.15; CI = 1.07-1.23), and AA genotype of HTR2A gene (p = 0.0258; OR = 4.34; CI = 1.19-15.81) are risk factors for TD. The same logistic regression model showed no association between CYP1A2 polymorphism and TD. The results of the present study seem to indicate that HTR2A gene polymorphism influences the tendency to express TD following prolonged antipsychotic drug exposure in Turkish schizophrenia patients.

The attitude of medical students to psychiatric patients and their disorders and the influence of psychiatric study placements in bringing about changes in attitude.

The aim of this study was to determine the general attitude of final year medical students towards psychiatric patients and psychiatric disorders and to reveal the influence of psychiatric study experience in changing the behavior and perception of students. The study comprised 172 final year medical students undergoing a period of placement at the Ondokuz Mayis University Medical School Department of Psychiatry who agreed to participate. They were asked to fill in the Opinions about Mental Illness Ideology Scale (OMI) the day before they commenced, on the last day of their placement and three months after completing it. The students reported the highest and lowest scores from the benevolence and social restrictiveness sub-dimensions of the OMI, respectively. The mean authoritarianism score was significantly higher in males than in females. The means of the OMI scores obtained over the three different periods were not statistically different. Medical school psychiatry departments need to develop new curricula to convey scientific information to students and play a pivotal role in developing, implementing and evaluating suitable programs leading to appropriate attitude development.

Can renaming schizophrenia reduce negative attitudes toward patients in Turkey?

AIM: To determine the perception of the term schizophrenia among university students. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in April 2015 with students from Canik Basari University (Samsun/Turkey). A patient history was first established. We then investigated to what extent students agreed with 10 statements based on that patient history. Three separate questionnaire forms (versions A, B and C), differing only in terms of the diagnosis in the patient in the history, were prepared. The three diagnoses were 'Schizophrenia' (version A), 'A psychiatric disease by the name of Bleuler's syndrome' (version B) and 'Brain tumor' (version C). The questionnaires were administered in a class environment. In all, 771 students participated. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the forms were determined in only two statements ('A.'s disease will represent a problem in A.'s future career' and 'A. will in all probability have problems with the law in the future'). While no difference was determined between versions A and B at two-way comparisons, a statistically significant difference was observed between versions A and B and version C. CONCLUSION: No difference was determined between students' attitudes toward a diagnosis of 'schizophrenia' and one of 'a psychiatric disease known as Bleuler's syndrome'. The focus in preventing stigmatization of schizophrenia should not concentrate on a name change alone. Changing the name schizophrenia may be of no use unless public ignorance and fear of psychiatric diseases can also be overcome.

Social Cognition in Schizophrenia Patients and Their First-Degree Relatives.

INTRODUCTION: Social cognition is a person's ability to configure the designs of relationships between themselves and others and to use these designs to guide social behaviors in a flexible manner. The models that are the most studied and describe social cognition are the theory of mind (ToM) and emotion recognition. This study was aimed to detect ToM and emotion recognition disorders in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives. METHODS: Thirty schizophrenia patients in remission, the first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (n=30), and 30 healthy volunteers who were paired with the patients in terms of age and duration of education were included in the study. The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Dokuz-Eylül Theory of Mind Scale (DEToMS), Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, Facial Emotion Identification Test (FEIT), and Facial Emotion Discrimination Test (FEDT) were performed by the patients participating in this study. RESULTS: ToM and emotion recognition were found to be defective in the schizophrenia patients and their relatives. The performances of ToM and emotion recognition were ranked as the schizophrenia group, family group, and control group, from the worst to the best. The schizophrenia group showed poor performance in all sub-components except irony. In the family group, the empathy subcomponent showed similar performance with the control group, whereas the subcomponents of the second-order false belief, metaphor, and faux pas tests showed similar performance with the patient group. There were differences among the three groups in the first-order false belief subscale as well as the total DEToMS. The patient and family groups showed the poorest performances, whereas the control group showed the best performance. CONCLUSION: The detection of ToM and emotion recognition disorders in the remission period, regardless of the attack period and asymptomatic first-degree relatives, may support the view that the period of schizophrenia is an independent continuous variable.