The effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing on fibromyalgia: A multiple-baseline experimental case study across ten participants.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and stiffness in muscles and joints. Traumatic life experiences and post-traumatic stress symptoms play a role in its development and persistence. Although previous research suggests that pain and FM symptoms decrease after eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, its effectiveness has not been investigated in a controlled manner. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a six-session, 90-minute EMDR therapy using a multiple baseline single-case experimental design (SCED) across ten adult females with FM. The SCED involved a baseline, intervention, one- and three-month follow-up phase. The primary outcome was pain. Secondary outcomes included post-traumatic stress symptoms, other FM symptoms (fatigue, stiffness in muscles and joints), and the impact of FM on daily activities and sleep. Data were statistically analyzed by primarily testing means across phases on an individual and group level. Post-traumatic stress symptoms improved significantly in seven participants. Pain severity decreased significantly in six participants, with three of them maintaining significant improvement three months later. One participant showed clinically relevant change one month later. Furthermore, improvements were observed in secondary outcome measures. The findings support the efficacy of EMDR in reducing FM symptoms.

Relationships Between Traumatic Life Events, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies, and Somatic Complaints.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between traumatic life events, specific cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and present somatic complaints. The sample consisted of 465 adults from the general population. The participants filled in online self-report questionnaires with regard to somatic complaints (SCL-90), cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERQ) and traumatic life events. Multiple regression analysis was performed to study the relationships. The results showed that present somatic complaints were significantly related to the reporting of past negative events (such as loss and maltreatment) that still produce strong and negative feelings in the present. Somatic complaints were also significantly related to a more frequent use of maladaptive cognitive coping strategies, such as blaming oneself, ruminating, and catastrophizing about negative life events. Inquiring about unresolved traumatic memories and coping strategies can help guide a clinicians' approach to managing patients with somatic complaints that have no clear medical explanation.

Body dysmorphic disorder in patients with an eating disorder: prevalence and characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), an abnormal preoccupation with perceived defects in one or more body parts, and eating disorders (ED) share several essential clinical features, making it sometimes difficult to differentiate between the two disorders. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of BDD in patients with ED and to compare characteristics of ED patients with and without BDD. METHOD: We measured dysmorphic appearance concerns and behaviors, ED symptoms, general psychopathology, and quality of life in 158 patients seeking treatment for ED. RESULTS: Forty-five percent screened positive for BDD. Patients with both disorders (ED + BDD) had significantly more dysmorphic appearance concerns, had more psychopathology, and were dissatisfied with a larger number of body parts than patients with ED only. The differences remained significant even after correcting for severity of eating disorder psychopathology. DISCUSSION: This finding suggests that BDD is a distinct comorbid disorder in almost half of the patients with ED. It is thus important to recognize and treat the manifestation of BDD in patients with both disorders. Given that the treatment of BDD is different from that of ED, it is important to recognize BDD.

Predicting the outcome of a cognitive-behavioral group training for patients with unexplained physical symptoms: a one-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Although Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective for Unexplained Physical Symptoms (UPS), some therapists in clinical practice seem to believe that CBT outcome will diminish if psychiatric comorbidity is present. The result is that patients with a psychiatric comorbidity are redirected from treatment for UPS into treatment for mental health problems. To explore whether this selection and allocation are appropriate, we explored whether CBT outcomes in UPS could be predicted by variables assessed at baseline and used in routine-practice assessments. METHODS: Patients (n=162) with UPS classified as undifferentiated somatoform disorder or chronic pain disorder were followed up until one year after they had attended a CBT group training. The time-points of the follow-up were at the end of CBT (immediate outcome), three months after CBT (short-term outcome), and one year after CBT (long-term outcome).CBT outcome was measured using the Physical Component Summary of the SF-36, which was the primary outcome measure in the randomized controlled trial that studied effectiveness of the CBT group training. Predictors were: 1.) psychological symptoms (global severity score of SCL-90), 2.) personality-disorder characteristics (sum of DSM-IV axis II criteria confirmed), 3.) psychiatric history (past presence of DSM-IV axis I disorders), and 4.) health-related quality of life in the mental domain (mental component summary of SF-36). The effect of this predictor set was explored using hierarchical multiple regression analyses into which these predictors had been entered simultaneously, after control for: a.) pretreatment primary outcome scores, b.) age, c.) gender, d.) marital status, and e.) employment. RESULTS: The predictor set was significant only for short-term CBT outcome, where it explained 15% of the variance. A better outcome was predicted by more psychological symptoms, fewer personality-disorder characteristics, the presence of a psychiatric history, and a better quality of life in the mental domain. CONCLUSIONS: As the predictors do not seem to predict CBT outcome consistently over time, the need for selection and allocation of patients for CBT is doubtful. It seems that this would unnecessarily deprive patients of effective treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Nederlands Trial Register, NTR1609.

Prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder among psychiatric outpatients with mood, anxiety or somatoform disorders.

AIMS: To describe the prevalence, demographic and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) compared with other psychiatric outpatients with a mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder. METHOD: Outpatients referred for treatment of a mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder were routinely assessed at intake. A structured interview (MINI-Plus), observer-based and self-rating instruments were administered by an independent assessor. RESULTS: Among our sample of 3798 referred patients, 2947 patients were diagnosed with at least one DSM-IV mood, anxiety or somatoform disorder. Of these patients 1.8% (n = 54) met the diagnostic criteria for BDD. In comparison with other outpatients, patients with BDD were on average younger, less often married and were more often living alone. Highly prevalent comorbid diagnoses were major depression (in 46.3% of cases), social anxiety disorder (in 35.2% of cases) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (in 16.7% of cases). Furthermore, patients with BDD had higher scores on the Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S) as well as lower scores on the Short Form 36 social role functioning. CONCLUSION: BDD is frequently associated with depression, social phobia and OCD. Patients with BDD have more distress and more impaired interpersonal functioning.

Factors associated with Self Rated Health in persons with tinnitus from the general population.

OBJECTIVES: Tinnitus, the perception of a sound without a corresponding external source, may be associated with decreased Self-Rated Health (SRH). Most research on tinnitus has been done in clinical populations. We aimed to study factors associated with SRH in individuals reporting tinnitus from the general population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we used data of participants of the Lifelines population-based cohort who answered the question: "Do you hear soughing or whistling in your ear or ears?" (N=124,490). SRH was assessed using the RAND-36 item on SRH. Linear regression was used to study associations between SRH and impairment of hearing, physical and mental health, lifestyle, personality, and demographic features, in the group reporting always tinnitus (N=8,011). Models were also run in the entire study cohort, to test whether tinnitus was associated with SRH after adjustment for these variables. RESULTS: Of all participants, 6.4% reported always hearing tinnitus, with 83.7% of these reporting good to excellent SRH. The strongest positive associations with SRH in the group reporting always tinnitus were found for younger age, higher education levels, good sleep quality, more social contacts, absence of irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia, high competence, and low impulsivity. In the total population, tinnitus was negatively associated with SRH, while adjusting for demographic features, physical and mental health history, lifestyle, and personality. CONCLUSION: Our findings contribute to increased understanding of resilience towards the negative consequences of tinnitus. In their early encounters with tinnitus patients, clinicians could focus on self-help regarding sleep hygiene and stimulate social activities.

The obsessive-compulsive spectrum: A network analysis.

Several studies have shown that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders (ED), autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) share obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and often co-occur, which could be seen as indicative of a common etiological basis. In addition, they also appear to have similarities in executive functioning. The present study investigated disorder-specific symptoms and executive functioning as a possible joint factor in individuals with OCD (n=53), BDD (n=95), ED (n=171) and ASD (n=73), and in healthy controls (n=110). The participants completed online questionnaires measuring OCD, ED, ASD and BDD related symptoms as well as executive functioning. The clinical groups were first compared to the healthy controls. Subsequently, a network analysis was performed only with the OC-groups. This network approach assumes that psychopathological disorders are the result of causal symptom interactions. As expected, the healthy controls reported less severe symptoms compared to the OC patient groups. The network analysis suggested that the executive functioning skill set shifting/attention switching and the ASD symptoms, social and communication skills were the most central nodes in the model. Difficulty with cognitive flexibility and social factors are central in OC-spectrum disorders and may be perpetuating factors and thus a relevant focus of treatment.

A randomised controlled trial on hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: design and methodological challenges (the IMAGINE study).

BACKGROUND: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastro-intestinal disorder in primary and secondary care, characterised by abdominal pain, discomfort, altered bowel habits and/or symptoms of bloating and distension. In general the efficacy of drug therapies is poor. Hypnotherapy as well as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and short Psychodynamic Therapy appear to be useful options for patients with refractory IBS in secondary care and are cost-effective, but the evidence is still limited. The IMAGINE-study is therefore designed to assess the overall benefit of hypnotherapy in IBS as well as comparing the efficacy of individual versus group hypnotherapy in treating this condition. METHODS/DESIGN: The design is a randomised placebo-controlled trial. The study group consists of 354 primary care and secondary care patients (aged 18-65) with IBS (Rome-III criteria). Patients will be randomly allocated to either 6 sessions of individual hypnotherapy, 6 sessions of group hypnotherapy or 6 sessions of educational supportive therapy in a group (placebo), with a follow up of 9 months post treatment for all patients. Ten hospitals and four primary care psychological practices in different parts of The Netherlands will collaborate in this study. The primary efficacy parameter is the responder rate for adequate relief of IBS symptoms. Secondary efficacy parameters are changes in the IBS symptom severity, quality of life, cognitions, psychological complaints, self-efficacy as well as direct and indirect costs of the condition. Hypnotherapy is expected to be more effective than the control therapy, and group hypnotherapy is expected not to be inferior to individual hypnotherapy. DISCUSSION: If hypnotherapy is effective and if there is no difference in efficacy between individual and group hypnotherapy, this group form of treatment could be offered to more IBS patients, at lower costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN: ISRCTN22888906.

Dysfunctional cognitions, anxiety and depression in irritable bowel syndrome.

GOALS AND BACKGROUND: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have significantly impaired quality of life (QoL). We investigated the presence of dysfunctional cognitions, anxiety, and depression symptoms and their impact on daily symptoms and QoL in a large IBS cohort. STUDY: A total of 268 IBS patients (Rome II criteria, age 18 to 65 y) were included. Patients completed a 2-week daily symptom diary. The Short Form-36 was used to score QoL. The 31-items Cognitive Scale for Functional Bowel Disorders (CSFBD) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to analyze the psychological factors. RESULTS: Possible anxiety and depression disorders were present in 30% and 22% of IBS patients, respectively. Patients with anxiety and depression had significantly higher mean symptom scores, impaired QoL, and higher CSFBD scores (P<0.01). Physical and mental QoL were both affected by depression (HADS-D) and dysfunctional cognitions (P<0.01). Only physical QoL, not mental QoL, was affected by referral type (hospital setting vs. community based; P<0.01). Only mental QoL was affected by anxiety (HADS-A) (P<0.01). Dysfunctional cognitions independently of anxiety and depression influenced QoL and IBS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this IBS cohort, dysfunctional cognitions independently influence physical and mental QoL and symptom severity. Presence of possible anxiety and depression disorders resulted in higher symptoms, lower QoL, and higher CSFBD scores. The results point toward an important role of psychological factors, especially dysfunctional cognitions on QoL and symptom scores in IBS patients.

Efficacy of individual and group hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome (IMAGINE): a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been used primarily in patients with refractory symptoms in specialised departments and delivered on an individual basis. We aimed to test the hypothesis that hypnotherapy would be more effective than educational supportive therapy, and that group hypnotherapy would be non-inferior to individual hypnotherapy for patients with IBS referred from primary and secondary care. METHODS: We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial (IMAGINE) in 11 hospitals in the Netherlands. Patients with IBS, aged 18-65 years, who were referred from primary or secondary care were randomly allocated (3:3:1) in blocks of six using a computer-based random number table procedure by staff not involved in the treatment to receive six sessions of individual or group hypnotherapy or group educational supportive therapy (control group). The primary outcome was adequate relief of IBS symptoms, with responders defined as patients who reported adequate relief when asked once weekly on three or four occasions in 4 consecutive weeks. We compared hypnotherapy (both groups) with control in the intention-to-treat population (excluding individuals subsequently found to be ineligible for enrolment), and assessed non-inferiority of group hypnotherapy versus individual hypnotherapy in the per-protocol population (with a non-inferiority margin of 15%) at 3 months and 12 months. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN22888906, and is completed. FINDINGS: Between May 31, 2011, and April 6, 2016, 494 patients referred for psychological treatment for IBS were assessed for eligibility, of whom 354 were randomly allocated to the three groups: 150 to individual hypnotherapy, 150 to group hypnotherapy, and 54 to educational supportive therapy. After exclusion of individuals subsequently found to be ineligible for enrolment, 142 patients in the individual hypnotherapy group, 146 in the group hypnotherapy group, and 54 in the control group were included in the intention-to-treat population. Of these, 22 (15%) patients in the individual hypnotherapy group, 22 (15%) in the group hypnotherapy group, and 11 (20%) in the control group dropped out before or during therapy. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the adequate response rate was 40·8% (95% CI 31·7-50·5) in the individual hypnotherapy group, 33·2% (24·3-43·5) in the group hypnotherapy group, and 16·7% (7·6-32·6) in the control group at 3 months. At 12 months, 40·8% (31·3-51·1) of patients in the individual hypnotherapy group, 49·5% (38·8-60·0) of patients in the group hypnotherapy group, and 22.6% (11·5-39·5) of patients in the control group reported adequate relief. Hypnotherapy was more effective than control at 3 months (odds ratio 2·9, 95% CI 1·2-7·4, p=0·0240) and 12 months (2·8, 1·2-6·7, p=0·0185). In the per-protocol analysis, 49·9% (39·2-60·6) in the individual hypnotherapy group and 42·7% (32·3-53·8) in the group hypnotherapy group had adequate relief at 3 months, and 55·5% (43·4-67·1) of individual and 51·7% (40·2-63·0) of group hypnotherapy patients reported adequate relief at 12 months. Group hypnotherapy was therefore non-inferior to individual hypnotherapy. Eight unexpected serious adverse reactions (six in the individual hypnotherapy group and two in the group hypnotherapy group) were reported, most of which were cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, and were judged by the medical ethics committee as not being related to the therapy. INTERPRETATION: Hypnotherapy should be considered as a possible treatment for patients with IBS in primary and secondary care. Furthermore, group therapy could allow many more patients to be treated for the same cost. FUNDING: None.

Symptom severity but not psychopathology predicts visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Visceral hypersensitivity is a hallmark of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the relationship with clinical symptoms and psychological factors has not been fully established. We aimed to (1) evaluate these variables in a large cohort of IBS patients, recruited from both hospital and general practice, and in healthy controls and (2) assess which of these factors predicts the occurrence of visceral hypersensitivity in IBS. METHODS: Rectal compliance and perception (intensity, perception thresholds; visual analogue scale, 0-100 mm) were assessed by a rectal barostat study (ramp distention) in 101 IBS patients and 40 healthy volunteers. IBS symptom severity was scored by using a 14-day 5-item diary. Anxiety, depression, somatization, vigilance, pain coping, dysfunctional cognitions, psychoneuroticism, and quality of life were assessed with psychometric questionnaires. RESULTS: Rectal compliance was significantly reduced in IBS patients compared with controls (P < .01), as were thresholds for pain (27 +/- 15 vs 35 +/- 8 mm Hg; P < .01) and urge (P < .05). Levels of anxiety, depression, neuroticism, somatization, and dysfunctional cognitions were significantly increased in IBS patients versus controls, whereas pain coping and quality of life were significantly worse. Hypersensitivity to rectal distention occurred in 33% of patients and was associated with increased symptom severity (P = .016), but not with demographic characteristics or psychological disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: Hypersensitivity to balloon distention occurs in 33% of IBS patients and is predicted by symptom severity but not by psychological or demographic characteristics.

A trauma-focused approach for patients with tinnitus: the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing - a multicentre pilot trial.

Background: While normal tinnitus is a short-term sensation of limited duration, in 10-15% of the general population it develops into a chronic condition. For 3-6% it seriously interferes with many aspects of life. Objective: The aim of this trial was to assess effectiveness of a trauma-focused approach, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), in reducing tinnitus distress. Methods: The sample consisted of 35 adults with high levels of chronic tinnitus distress from five general hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants served as their own controls. After pre-assessment (T1), participants waited for a period of 3 months, after which they were assessed again (T2) before they received six 90 min manualized EMDR treatment sessions in which tinnitus-related traumatic or stressful events were the focus of treatment. Standardized self-report measures, the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Self-Rating Inventory List for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (SRIP), were completed again halfway through treatment (T3), post-treatment (T4) and at 3 months' follow-up (T5). Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant improvement after EMDR treatment on the primary outcome, TFI. Compared to the waiting-list condition, scores significantly decreased in EMDR treatment [t(34) = -4.25, p < .001, Cohen's dz  = .72]. Secondary outcomes, Mini-TQ and SCL-90, also decreased significantly. The treatment effects remained stable at 3 months' follow-up. No adverse events or side effects were noted in this trial. Conclusions: This is the first study to suggest that EMDR is effective in reducing tinnitus distress. Randomized controlled trials are warranted.

Antecedentes: mientras que el tinnitus normal es una sensación a corto plazo de duración limitada, en el 10-15% de los pacientes se transforma en una condición crónica. Para el 3-6% de los pacientes interfiere seriamente con muchos aspectos de la vida. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la efectividad de un enfoque centrado en el trauma, la Desensibilización y Reprocesamiento por Movimientos Oculares (EMDR), para reducir el estrés por tinnitus. Métodos: La muestra consistió en 35 adultos con altos niveles de estrés por tinnitus crónico de cinco hospitales generales en los Países Bajos. Los participantes sirvieron como sus propios controles. Después de la pre-evaluación (T1), los participantes esperaron por un período de 3 meses, después de lo cual fueron evaluados nuevamente (T2) antes de recibir seis sesiones de tratamiento EMDR manualizadas de 90 minutos en las que los eventos traumáticos o estresantes relacionados con el tinnitus fueron el foco del tratamiento. Las medidas de autorreporte estandarizadas, el Índice Funcional de Tinnitus (TFI, por su sigla en inglés), el Mini Cuestionario de Tinnitus (Mini-TQ), la Lista de Chequeo de Síntomas - 90 (SCL-90, por su sigla en inglés) y la Lista de Inventario de Autorreporte para el TEPT (SRIP, por su sigla en inglés) se completaron nuevamente durante el tratamiento (T3), postratamiento (T4) y a los 3 meses de seguimiento (T5). Resultados: el análisis de varianza de medidas repetidas (ANOVA) reveló una mejora significativa después del tratamiento con EMDR en el resultado primario TFI. Comparado con la condición de lista de espera, los puntajes disminuyeron significativamente en el tratamiento con EMDR, como mostraron las pruebas t de muestras relacionadas (t(34) = -4.25, p <0.001, Cohen's dz = 0.72). Los resultados secundarios Mini-TQ y SCL-90 también disminuyeron significativamente. Los efectos del tratamiento se mantuvieron estables a los 3 meses de seguimiento. No se observaron eventos adversos o efectos secundarios en este estudio. Conclusiones: Este es el primer estudio que sugiere que el EMDR es efectivo para reducir el estrés por tinnitus. Se requieren ensayos aleatorios controlados.

Cognitive behavior therapy and paroxetine in the treatment of hypochondriasis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study, to the authors' knowledge, is the first randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), paroxetine, and a placebo (administered in a double blind fashion) in the treatment of hypochondriasis. METHOD: The authors randomly assigned 112 subjects with hypochondriasis according to DSM-IV criteria to 16 weeks of outpatient treatment with CBT, paroxetine, or a placebo. The main outcome measure was the Whiteley Index. The authors made pretest and posttest assessments and analyzed all outcome measures using a General Linear Model 3x2 repeated measures analysis of variance with Helmert contrasts. The authors considered subjects who scored at least one standard deviation below the mean pretest score on the Whiteley Index as responders. All analyses were conducted on intent-to-treat and completer bases. RESULTS: On the Whiteley Index, Helmert contrasts on the intent-to-treat and completer cohorts revealed that pooled CBT and paroxetine were significantly superior to placebo, but did not differ significantly from each other. The responder analysis on the intent-to-treat cohort and completer cohort, respectively, revealed the following percentages of responders per group: CBT group, 45% and 54%; paroxetine group, 30% and 38%; and placebo group, 14% and 12%. In the intent-to-treat analysis, only CBT differed significantly from the placebo. In the completer analysis, both paroxetine and CBT differed significantly from the placebo. CONCLUSIONS: CBT or paroxetine are effective short-term treatment options for subjects with hypochondriasis.

Systematic review: The placebo effect of psychological interventions in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

AIM: To determine the placebo response rate associated with different types of placebo interventions used in psychological intervention studies for irritable bowel syndrome. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials comparing psychological interventions (stress management/relaxation therapy (cognitive) behavioral therapy, short-term psychodynamic therapy, and hypnotherapy) for the treatment of adult patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnosed with the Manning or Rome criteria with an adequate placebo control treatment and reporting data on IBS symptom severity were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases. Full-text articles that were written in English and published between 1966 and February 2016 in peer-reviewed journals were selected for the present review. Placebo interventions were considered to be adequate if the number of sessions and the amount of time spent with the therapist were the same as in the active treatment. The placebo response rate (PRR) was computed for IBS symptom severity (primary outcome measure) as well as for anxiety, depression and quality of life (secondary outcome measures). RESULTS: Six studies, with a total of 555 patients met the inclusion criteria. Four studies used an educational intervention, whereas two studies used a form of supportive therapy as the placebo intervention. The PRR for IBS symptom severity ranged from 25% to 59%, with a pooled mean of 41.4%. The relative PRR for the secondary outcome measures ranged from 0% to 267% for anxiety, 6% to 52% for depression 20% to 125% for quality of life. The PRR associated with pharmacological treatments, treatment with dietary bran and complementary medicine ranged from 37.5% to 47%. Contrary to our expectations, the PRR in studies on psychological interventions was comparable to that in studies on pharmacological, dietary and alternative medical interventions. CONCLUSION: The PRR is probably determined to a larger extent by patient-related factors, such as expectations and desire for the treatment to be effective, than the content of the placebo intervention.

Pediatric seizure-related posttraumatic stress and anxiety symptoms treated with EMDR: a case series.

PURPOSE: To examine the potential effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in children with epilepsy-related posttraumatic stress and/or anxiety symptoms, using a case series design. METHODS: Five children (aged 8-18) with epilepsy identified for seizure-related posttraumatic stress and/or anxiety symptoms were treated with EMDR. To examine potential treatment effects, posttraumatic stress and anxiety symptoms were assessed (CRTI and SCARED) pre- and post-EMDR and at 3-month follow-up. Normative deviation scores were calculated to examine the severity of seizure-related posttraumatic stress and anxiety symptoms over time. The reliable change index was calculated for pre- to posttreatment change of seizure-related posttraumatic stress and/or anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Before EMDR, overall or subscale scores indicated that all children had (sub)clinical seizure-related posttraumatic stress symptoms and/or anxiety symptoms. Directly after EMDR, most children showed significant and/or clinical individual improvement, and these beneficial effects were maintained or reached at follow-up. The mean number of sessions was 2 (range 1-3, 45 min per session). CONCLUSIONS: In case of seizure-related posttraumatic stress and/or anxiety, this study indicates that EMDR is a potentially successful quick and safe psychological treatment for children with epilepsy.

Characteristics of suicidal outpatients with mood, anxiety and somatoform disorders: The role of childhood abuse and neglect.

BACKGROUND: The most prevalent psychiatric disorders are mood, anxiety and somatoform (MAS) disorders which show high mutual comorbidity, childhood trauma and elevated risk of suicidality. So far, no studies have compared suicide risk in a secondary care population with comorbid MAS disorders. This gap was taken as starting point for the study. AIMS: In comparing suicidal and non-suicidal MAS patients, the following was examined: suicide risk in the three disorder groups, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, occurrence of childhood trauma types and contribution of childhood trauma to suicidality. METHODS: This cross-sectional study compared suicidal (n = 316) versus non-suicidal comorbid MAS outpatients (n = 929) by means of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus (MINI-Plus), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Short Form (DAPP-SF) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). RESULTS: Compared to non-suicidal MAS patients, suicidal MAS patients mostly had mood disorders (single/comorbid), multiple diagnoses, worse functioning, more personality pathology (self-harm) and more childhood neglect and abuse. CONCLUSION: Especially (comorbid) depressed patients are at risk for suicide, and routine screening and monitoring of childhood trauma and suicidality in them are recommended, along with the timely deployment of appropriate trauma-focused psychotherapy.

Systematic review: knowledge and educational needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Educational programs have been used as a control condition in trials on psychological therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). An optimal control condition should have all logistic features of the experimental intervention, except the active component, but also have basic therapeutic benefit for the patient. The aim of the present study is to systematically determine patients' educational needs on the basis of the (mis)conceptions that they have of their disease and their reported desire for information to optimize the control intervention in IBS research. A systematic review of studies on the knowledge and educational needs of IBS patients in terms of their condition was performed. Studies published as full text in the English language in peer-reviewed journals and that included adult IBS patients diagnosed according to the Manning or Rome I, II, or III criteria were selected. Eight studies involving 2132 patients were included. When focusing on misconceptions of patients, the most prevalent are that IBS is caused by dietary factors, food allergies and intolerance (37-90%), heredity (52%), or a lack of digestive enzymes (52%); IBS is a form of colitis (43%); and will last a lifetime (31-54%), develop into cancer (15-49%), or worsens with age (48%). Patients are 'unhappy' with their level of knowledge or feel poorly informed (65%). They want information about the diagnostic process, which foods to avoid (63%), causes (62%), coping strategies (59%), new medications (55%), course (52%), and the role of psychological factors (51%). IBS patients do have a large variety of educational needs. Educational programs optimally addressing these needs can be used adequately as a placebo control condition in research on psychological interventions.

A comparative analysis of personality pathology profiles among patients with pure depressive-, pure anxiety-, and pure somatoform disorders.

BACKGROUND: Depressive-, anxiety-, and somatoform disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders. The assessment of comorbid personality pathology or traits in these disorders is relevant, because it can lead to the exacerbation of them or to poorer remission rates. To date, no research findings have been published on the comparison of these three prevalent patient groups with regard to comorbid dimensional personality pathology. METHODS: Data of participants (18-60 years) came from a web-based Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) programme. The present study used baseline data and was designed to compare personality pathology profiles between three separate outpatient groups: pure anxiety disorders (n=1633), pure depressive disorders (n=1794), and pure somatoform disorders (n=479). Personality pathology was measured with the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Short Form (DAPP-SF). RESULTS: The pure depressive disorder group, in comparison to the other two disorder groups, exhibited the worst psychopathological and functional health image and most personality pathology. In the pure anxiety disorder group, the highest mean was found for the personality trait Anxiousness; and in the pure depressive disorder group for the traits Identity problems, Affective lability, Anxiousness, and Restricted expression. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature of the study limits the conclusions that can be drawn. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment of comorbid personality pathology in depressive-, anxiety-, somatoform disorders is clinically relevant, whether a patient has a personality disorder or not. This way, treatment could partly be focused on specific personality traits that may be counterproductive for treatment outcome, especially in depressive disorders.

Reference values for the Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI), the Whitely Index (WI), and the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-20R): The Leiden Routine Outcome Monitoring Study.

BACKGROUND: The Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI), the Whitely Index (WI), and the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-20R) are three questionnaires often incorporated in routine outcome monitoring (ROM). Respectively, they assess symptom severity in patients with body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. We aimed to generate reference values for a healthy population and for a population of patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for at least one of BDD, hypochondriasis, and CFS, treated in specialized mental health care. METHODS: The healthy ROM reference-group (n=648) was recruited through general practitioners. These subjects were matched for age and sex with the ROM patient-group (n=823). To define limits (i.e., cut-off-values) for one-sided reference intervals (5th percentile [P5] for ROM patient-group and 95th percentile [P95] for ROM reference-group) the outermost 5% of observations were used. Discriminative powers were evaluated by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analyses RESULTS: Cut-off-values (P95 ROM reference-group) were 55 for the BICI, 6 for the WI, and 92 for the CIS-20R. These values differed for men and women, being mostly higher for women. The discriminative power of all three somatoform questionnaires was very high. LIMITATIONS: Substantial non-response and limited generalizability. CONCLUSIONS: For the BICI, WI, and CIS-20R a comprehensive set of reference values was obtained. The reference values may support clinical decisions regarding adjusting or terminating therapy, and possible referral.

Effective group training for patients with unexplained physical symptoms: a randomized controlled trial with a non-randomized one-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Although cognitive-behavioral therapy for Unexplained Physical Symptoms (UPS) is effective in secondary care, studies done in primary care produced implementation problems and conflicting results. We evaluated the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group training tailored to primary care patients and provided by a secondary community mental-health service reaching out into primary care. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The effectiveness of this training was explored in a randomized controlled trial. In this trial, 162 patients with UPS classified as undifferentiated somatoform disorder or as chronic pain disorder were randomized either to the training or a waiting list. Both lasted 13 weeks. The preservation of the training's effect was analyzed in non-randomized follow-ups, for which the waiting group started the training after the waiting period. All patients attended the training were followed-up after three months and again after one year. The primary outcomes were the physical and the mental summary scales of the SF-36. Secondary outcomes were the other SF-36-scales and the SCL-90-R. The courses of the training's effects in the randomized controlled trial and the follow-ups were analyzed with linear mixed modeling. In the randomized controlled trial, the training had a significantly positive effect on the quality of life in the physical domain (Cohen's d = 0.38;p = .002), but this overall effect was not found in the mental domain. Regarding the secondary outcomes, the training resulted in reporting an improved physical (Cohen's d = 0.43;p = 0.01), emotional (Cohen's d = 0.44;p = 0.01), and social (Cohen's d = 0.36;p = 0.01) functioning, less pain and better functioning despite pain (Cohen's d = 0.51;p = <0.001), less physical symptoms (Cohen's d = -.23;p = 0.05) and less sleep difficulties (Cohen's d = -0.25;p = 0.04) than time in the waiting group. During the non-randomized follow-ups, there were no relapses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The cognitive-behavioral group training tailored for UPS in primary care and provided by an outreaching secondary mental-health service appears to be effective and to broaden the accessibility of treatment for UPS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: TrialRegister.nl NTR1609