Assessment of mental disorders in preschoolers: the multiaxial profiles of diagnostic classification 0-3.

A group of 291 preschoolers consecutively enrolled at the Early Childhood Mental Health Service of IRCSS Stella Maris (Italy) were assessed using the Diagnostic Classification Zero to Three (DC:0-3; ZERO TO THREE, 1994). All active variables were extracted from its five axes, and a multiple correspondence analysis was performed. This analysis evidenced four multiaxial clinical profiles: (a) Multisystem developmental disorders (Axis I) were correlated with the underinvolved quality of relationship (Axis II), medical conditions (Axis III), and a low level of emotional functioning (Axis V); (b) regulatory disorders (Axis I) were correlated with maladaptive or angry/hostile relationship (Axis II), medical conditions (Axis III), and an immature level of emotional functioning (Axis V); (c) affective disorders (Axis I) were correlated with anxious/tense relationship (Axis II), stress factors (Axis IV), and emotional functioning vulnerable to stress (Axis V); and (d) adjustment, feeding, and sleeping disorders (Axis I) were correlated with mild relationship disorders (Axis II) and important impact of stress factors (Axis IV). These findings support DC:0-3 as a valid tool to detect multiaxial profiles that could be useful to plan comprehensive treatments of the disorders.

Suicide among Italian police officers from 1995 to 2017.

Objective: Suicide rate in police officers is higher than in the general population worldwide. This paper assesses and analyzes the trends in suicide rates of Italian police officers from 1995 to 2017, comparing these with the trends of Italian general population. METHODS: We reviewed all cases of active Italian police officers who died by suicide from 1995 through 2017 (N=271). We calculated age- and gender- specific suicide rates among police officers and the Italian general population. We carried out descriptive chi-squared analyses for categorical variables, and one-way ANOVA for continuous variables, performing a joinpoint regression to analize suicide trends. RESULTS: The mean police suicide rate was 11.78 per 100,000 individuals per year (95% CI=11.18-12.06). Joinpoint regression analyses of the period 1995-2017 showed that suicide rates of Italian police officers significantly decreased from 1995 to 2007 (annual percent change [APC]: -5.75%), followed by a period of a non-significant increase (APC: 3.9%). The period as a whole showed a non-significant decrease (APC: -1.7%). During 1995-2014, suicide rates were significantly higher among police officers vs. the age-adjusted general population (p<0.001), in male police vs. Italian male residents younger than 65 (p<0.001), and in female police vs. the female age-adjusted general population (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Suicide rates among Italian police officers were significantly higher than those of the national resident population younger than 65 years. Annual suicide rate trends among Police showed a significant reduction in the period 1995-2007 followed by a stable trend until 2017. The entire period 1995-2017 showed a non-significant decreasing trend.

How do recruits and superintendents perceive the problem of suicide in the Italian State Police?

BACKGROUND: Suicide in international police is 2-3-fold that of the general population. Risk factors include suicidal ideation, diagnosis of mood or post-traumatic stress disorders, family/psychological problems, suffered abuse, alcohol use, service suspension, and stigma. A false stigma-related myth is to believe that suicide does not cause concern within military settings. METHODS: We administered post-training to 6103 Italian Police workers a 30-item questionnaire to assess the perception of suicidal phenomena. We conducted descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and analyses of variance of data. RESULTS: We identified seven factors, i.e., health and environmental risk factors; need for new preventive interventions; emotional reaction to suicide; negation, indifference and minimization; utility of current preventive interventions; risk related to personal factors; intervention difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire showed content validity and consistency in investigating perceptions about suicide in the State Police. Data synthesis showed a mature approach and appropriate perception of the suicide problem on behalf of Italian State Police workers.