Prevalence of Childhood Mental Disorders Among School Children of Kashmir Valley.

Prevalence of mental disorders among children is affected by armed conflict and same is true in protracted conflict of Kashmir, where the ongoing conflict has affected mental health of children badly. In order to understand mental health condition of school going children, the present study was designed to study the nature and prevalence of mental disorders among school children in Kashmir valley. The present study employed multi-stage sampling and multi-informant reporting of mental health problems in children. A sample of 1000 school children was taken from 12 schools of Shopian district through systematic random sampling method. Data was collected at different levels of screening by using Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (Teacher form) and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory (MINI-Kid). Socio-demographic data sheet was included to gather relevant information. The prevalence rates of mental disorders among school children were presented at different levels of screening. It was found to be 27.1% based on SDQ and 22.2% when assessed by MINI-Kid at second level of screening. The most commonly found mental disorders were of anxiety (8.5%), followed by mood disorders (6.3%) and then behavioural disorders (4.3%). Percentage of schoolgoing children with mental disorders in Kashmir is much more than in other states of India. The political conflict in the state and lack of mental health facilities give rise to high prevalence rates of mental disorders and warrant our urgent attention.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Neuropsychological Correlates of Subcortical Vascular Dementia.

Common understanding of dementia is mostly based on the Alzheimer's disease model. However, in subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD), several other cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions predominate over what is commonly noticed in Alzheimer's disease. There are inconsistencies in literature regarding the profile of cognitive impairments in vascular dementia. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, different cognitive functions pertaining to different lobes of the brain along with neuropsychiatric symptoms we explored in a holistic manner. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 12 patients diagnosed with SVaD without any comorbidity were recruited for the study. All the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and different standardized neuropsychological tests were administered. RESULTS: Patients reported various neuropsychiatric symptoms with varied severity, mostly falling in moderate range, reflecting organic personality change. Most of the cognitive functions pertaining to different lobes of the brain were impaired with parietal lobe being intact mostly. Comparison of MRI findings and neuropsychological findings revealed that there is involvement of cortical functions with the impairment in subcortical structure. CONCLUSION: These findings emphasis need to look beyond clinical diagnosis and MRI findings for better rehabilitation of the patients by including cognitive dysfunction as well as emotional disturbances prominent in SVaD which might me quite distressing for caretakers.

PTSD and depression in adult survivors of flood fury in Kashmir: The payoffs of social support.

Exposure to disasters such as floods predisposes individuals for psychological distress such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Researchers exploring the association between flood-exposure and psychopathology attempt to understand the conditions and mechanisms through which potential benefits may occur. One such potential factor that may contribute to resilience in the face of disaster is social support system. However, there is scarcity of researches concerning the protective effects of social support following floods, in adult samples. Thus, the present study examined the moderating and indirect effects of perceived social support from family and friends in the association between flood-exposure and symptoms of PTSD and depression. The study was a cross sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from 87 adult survivors of flood fury in Kashmir valley, aged 30-40. High level of family and friends' support reduced the association between flood-exposure and symptoms of PTSD and depression whereas a low level of such support enhanced this association. Results also suggested that family support carried a significant proportion of variance in predicting depression. Given the potential for negative mental health outcomes following natural disasters, efforts to enhance adults' social support may be especially important.