Correlations between childhood maltreatment, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and risk behaviors in adolescent schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVE: Childhood maltreatment is extremely harmful to health, especially in relation to development of the psychiatric disorders throughout life. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and types of maltreatment in a sample of adolescent schoolchildren and to investigate associations between maltreatment types and anxiety and depressive symptoms, sociodemographic variables, and risk behaviors. The study also identified which variables were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 654 school students aged 11 to 17 years. We collected sociodemographic data and administered the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-47) to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to evaluate maltreatment and adverse experiences such as abuse and negligence during childhood and adolescence. Statistical analyses were conducted to estimate correlations between sociodemographic data, anxiety, depression, and types of maltreatment. A regression analysis was also conducted to identify maltreatment types that predict psychological symptoms. RESULTS: Emotional abuse and emotional neglect were the most prevalent types of maltreatment. Statistically, emotional abuse was the maltreatment type most strongly correlated with depression and anxiety and tended to co-occur with other types of maltreatment. Additionally, emotional and sexual abuse were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depression in adolescents. CONCLUSION: The above results reinforce the findings of previous studies in terms of understanding the effects of maltreatment. They identify emotional abuse as the main predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Correlations between childhood maltreatment, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and risk behaviors in adolescent schoolchildren

Abstract Objective Childhood maltreatment is extremely harmful to health, especially in relation to development of the psychiatric disorders throughout life. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and types of maltreatment in a sample of adolescent schoolchildren and to investigate associations between maltreatment types and anxiety and depressive symptoms, sociodemographic variables, and risk behaviors. The study also identified which variables were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with a sample of 654 school students aged 11 to 17 years. We collected sociodemographic data and administered the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-47) to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to evaluate maltreatment and adverse experiences such as abuse and negligence during childhood and adolescence. Statistical analyses were conducted to estimate correlations between sociodemographic data, anxiety, depression, and types of maltreatment. A regression analysis was also conducted to identify maltreatment types that predict psychological symptoms. Results Emotional abuse and emotional neglect were the most prevalent types of maltreatment. Statistically, emotional abuse was the maltreatment type most strongly correlated with depression and anxiety and tended to co-occur with other types of maltreatment. Additionally, emotional and sexual abuse were the greatest predictors of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Conclusion The above results reinforce the findings of previous studies in terms of understanding the effects of maltreatment. They identify emotional abuse as the main predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Randomized trial of the efficacy of trial-based cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: preliminary findings.

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the fourth most prevalent mental disorder and is a disabling condition. OCD is associated with anatomical and functional changes in the brain, in addition to dysfunctional cognitions. The treatments of choice are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and exposure and response prevention (ERP). Trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT) is a recent and empirically validated psychotherapy with a focus on restructuring dysfunctional negative core beliefs (CBs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TBCT relative to ERP for treatment of OCD. METHOD: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted, randomizing 26 patients for individual treatment with TBCT (n = 12) or ERP (n = 14). The groups were evaluated at baseline, at the end of 3 months (12 sessions), and at 3, 6, and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Both approaches reduced the severity of symptoms with large effect sizes. These results were maintained at the 12-month follow-up assessment. CONCLUSION: TBCT may be a valid and promising treatment for this disorder.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) for the Brazilian population.

INTRODUCTION: Few instruments are available in Brazil to evaluate psychomotor activity in psychiatric emergency, clinical, and research settings. This study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) into Brazilian Portuguese and assess the adapted scale's psychometric properties. METHOD: An expert consensus committee conducted a translation and back-translation of the original scale, resulting in the BARS-BR. Four pairs of physicians administered the BARS-BR and the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) to patients in a hospital psychiatry emergency room and patients in the hospital's psychiatric wards. The BARS-BR was compared to the SAS to assess concurrent validity and internal consistency was evaluated with the Bland-Altman technique. RESULTS: In the emergency room, the correlation coefficients between the first and second assessments were rho = 0.997 and rho = 1.0, respectively. In the hospital wards, the correlation coefficient between the pair of evaluators was rho = 0.951. There were strong correlations between the BARS-BR score of the first examiner and the SAS score of the second examiner (rho = 0.903) and between the SAS score of the first examiner and the BARS-BR score of the second examiner (rho = 0.893). CONCLUSION: The BARS-BR showed good psychometric properties, and we recommend its use because it constitutes an easy method for assessment of changes in psychomotor activity. Further studies are suggested to evaluate adoption and comprehension of the BARS-BR scale by all classes of healthcare professionals.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) for the Brazilian population

Abstract Introduction Few instruments are available in Brazil to evaluate psychomotor activity in psychiatric emergency, clinical, and research settings. This study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) into Brazilian Portuguese and assess the adapted scale's psychometric properties. Method An expert consensus committee conducted a translation and back-translation of the original scale, resulting in the BARS-BR. Four pairs of physicians administered the BARS-BR and the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) to patients in a hospital psychiatry emergency room and patients in the hospital's psychiatric wards. The BARS-BR was compared to the SAS to assess concurrent validity and internal consistency was evaluated with the Bland-Altman technique. Results In the emergency room, the correlation coefficients between the first and second assessments were rho = 0.997 and rho = 1.0, respectively. In the hospital wards, the correlation coefficient between the pair of evaluators was rho = 0.951. There were strong correlations between the BARS-BR score of the first examiner and the SAS score of the second examiner (rho = 0.903) and between the SAS score of the first examiner and the BARS-BR score of the second examiner (rho = 0.893). Conclusion The BARS-BR showed good psychometric properties, and we recommend its use because it constitutes an easy method for assessment of changes in psychomotor activity. Further studies are suggested to evaluate adoption and comprehension of the BARS-BR scale by all classes of healthcare professionals.

Randomized trial of the efficacy of trial-based cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: preliminary findings

Abstract Introduction Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the fourth most prevalent mental disorder and is a disabling condition. OCD is associated with anatomical and functional changes in the brain, in addition to dysfunctional cognitions. The treatments of choice are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and exposure and response prevention (ERP). Trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT) is a recent and empirically validated psychotherapy with a focus on restructuring dysfunctional negative core beliefs (CBs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TBCT relative to ERP for treatment of OCD. Methods A randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted, randomizing 26 patients for individual treatment with TBCT (n = 12) or ERP (n = 14). The groups were evaluated at baseline, at the end of 3 months (12 sessions), and at 3, 6, and 12-month follow-ups. Results Both approaches reduced the severity of symptoms with large effect sizes. These results were maintained at the 12-month follow-up assessment. Conclusion TBCT may be a valid and promising treatment for this disorder.

Optimized short-forms of the Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: The Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (CD-Quest) is a self-report questionnaire that assesses common cognitive distortions. Although the CD-Quest has excellent psychometric properties, its length may limit its use. METHODS: We attempted to develop short-forms of the CD-Quest using RiskSLIM - a machine learning method to build short-form scales that can be scored by hand. Each short-form was fit to maximize concordance with the total CD-Quest score for a specified number of items based on an objective function, in this case R2, by selecting an optimal subset of items and an optimal set of small integer weights. The models were trained in a sample of US undergraduate students (N = 906). We then validated each short-form on five independent samples: two samples of undergraduate students in Brazil (Ns = 182, 183); patients with depression in Brazil (N = 62); patients with social anxiety disorder in the US (N = 198); and psychiatric outpatients in Turkey (N = 269). RESULTS: A 9-item short-form with integer scoring was created that reproduced the total 15-item CD-Quest score in all validation samples with excellent accuracy (R2 = 90.4-93.6%). A 5-item ultra-short-form had good accuracy (R2 = 78.2-85.5%). DISCUSSION: A 9-item short-form and a 5-item ultra-short-form of the CD-Quest both reproduced full CD-Quest scores with excellent to good accuracy. These shorter versions of the full CD-Quest could facilitate measurement of cognitive distortions for users with limited time and resources.

A Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Online-Treatment with Trial-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion and Positive Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Protocol.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests the use of different forms of therapy as a way of decreasing dropout rates in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychotherapies to be assessed in this study are trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT), mindfulness-based health promotion (MBHP) and positive psychotherapy (PPT). OBJECTIVES: (1) to assess the online efficacy of TBCT compared to MBHP and PPT to reduce the symptoms of PTSD in the context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; (2) to compare the efficacy of these psychotherapies in improving anxiety, depression, guilt and in promoting well-being; and (3) to describe how professionals perceive online treatment. METHODS: A randomized, multicenter, single-blind clinical trial will be conducted, with three separate arms. An estimated sample of 135 patients will receive either TBCT, MBHP or PPT and will be treated through online, individual, weekly visits, totaling 14 sessions. The primary outcome will be CAPS-5 and secondary outcomes will be HADS and WHO-5. The variables used to mediate these outcomes will be the Trauma-Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI), Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) and the California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale (CALPAS-P). EXPECTED RESULTS: PTSD symptoms are expected to be reduced after TBCT, MBHP and PPT. No statistical difference is expected to be found among the three. DISCUSSION: The present study will evaluate and contribute towards the development of new psychotherapeutic options for patients with PTSD. The results of this study will allow the dissemination of new effective and adaptable interventions for patients with PTSD.

Behavioural activation and trial-based cognitive therapy may be beneficial to reduce suicidal ideation in major depressive disorder: A post hoc study from a clinical trial.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The suicidality spectrum is a clinical challenge because of the difficulty of its management and its association with mortality. Few studies have investigated psychotherapies for reducing the components of suicidality. In this study, we compared the effect of behavioural activation (BA), trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT) - both added to antidepressant (AD) treatment - and treatment as usual (TAU) in mitigating suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: A post hoc study was conducted with data from a randomized clinical trial. Secondary analyses compared the treatments using scores from the items that evaluated suicidal ideation with the HAM-D (HAM-D-3) and BDI (BDI-9). A composite measurement was constructed by summing the scores from the two items (HAM-D-3 plus BDI-9). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Seventy-six patients were analysed (BA + AD = 24; TBCT + AD = 26 and TAU = 26). In HAM-D-3, the BA + AD group showed a statistically greater reduction than the TAU group. In BDI-9, the three groups did not show significant differences. In the HAM-D-3 plus BDI-9, TBCT + AD reduced ideations more than the TAU group. There were no differences among the psychotherapies in any of the measures. Sensitivity analyses showed improvement in suicidal ideation in both psychotherapies compared to TAU. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: This is one of the few studies that evaluated the effect of BA and TBCT in lowering suicidal ideation. Adding these therapies to ADs seems to decrease suicidal ideation. We suggest the possible beneficial effects of BA and TBCT in the management of suicidal ideation in patients with recurrent MDD. Our findings need further studies to confirm these results.

Perfil de pacientes com diagnóstico de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático atendidos em um ambulatório de ansiedade e trauma / Profile of patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder treated at an anxiety and trauma outpatient clinic

Introdução: o transtorno de estresse pós-traumático se caracteriza pela ação de ansiedade extrema a um evento externo, o que coloca a vida da pessoa em risco, sob a forma de ameaça direta ou testemunho do evento traumático. Objetivo: descrever o perfil sociodemográfico e clínico de pacientes com transtorno de estresse pós-traumático, atendidos em um ensaio clínico no Programa de Ansiedade, da Faculdade de Medicina, da Universidade de São Paulo. Metodologia: noventa e cinco pacientes com idade entre 18 e 65 anos, que apresentavam o diagnóstico desse transtorno, foram avaliados individualmente por psiquiatras, no período de janeiro de 2014 a março de 2015. As variáveis estudadas foram: sexo, idade, nível educacional, religião, tempo com o transtorno, uso de medicação, comorbidades psiquiátricas e tipo de evento traumático. Resultados ­ A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 41,7 anos, sendo 80% do sexo feminino, 53,7% solteiros ou divorciados, 43% católicos e 87,4% usavam algum tipo de medicação antes do diagnóstico. Conclusão: destaca-se que o transtorno de estresse pós-traumático é mais comum no sexo feminino e que a presença de comorbidades é frequente, sendo recorrente o transtorno de ansiedade generalizada, o transtorno depressivo maior e a agorafobia, o que piora o prognóstico. Dados relevantes da literatura foram discutidos.

Introduction: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is characterized by the reaction of extreme anxiety to an external event that puts the person's life at risk in the form of a direct threat or testimony to the traumatic event. Objective: describing the socio-demographic and clinical profile of patients with PTSD treated in a clinical trial in the Anxiety Program of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo. Methodology: ninety-five patients aged between 18 and 65 years, who had a diagnosis of PTSD assessed individually by psychiatrists, from January 2014 to March 2015. The variables studied were: sex, age, educational level and religion, time with the disorder, medication use, psychiatric comorbidities and type of traumatic event. Results: mean age was 41.7 years, 80% female, 53.7% were single or divorced, 43% Catholic and 87.4% of patients used some type of medication prior to diagnosis. Conclusion: it is noteworthy that PTSD is more common in females and that the presence of comorbidities is frequent, with generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and agoraphobia being common, which worsens the prognosis. Relevant data from the literature were discussed.

Ocorrência de sintomas de transtorno de ansiedade generalizada (TAG) e transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo (TOC) em estudantes de 11 a 18 anos de uma escola pública de Salvador / Occurrence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in students aged 11 to 18 years from a public school in Salvador

Introdução: o objetivo deste estudo é descrever a ocorrência de sintomas de TAG e TOC em adolescentes, com idade entre 11 e 18 anos, procedentes de escola pública da cidade do Salvador. Metodologia: estudo observacional e transversal, com 674 adolescentes de uma escola pública, que responderam a uma escala para avaliação de sintomas de TAG e TOC, aplicada entre o período de março e dezembro de 2015. Resultados: os escores da RCADS para TAG e TOC foram, em média, superiores aos pontos de corte estabelecidos pela escala, sugerindo aumento da presença desses sintomas na população estudada, com prevalência maior entre as alunas nos ois grupos de sintomas estudados. Conclusão: os dados apontam para a presença de sintomas de ansiedade generalizada e de TOC entre escolares, sugerindo uma maior necessidade de estudos para a compreensão do papel desses sintomas na qualidade de vida dessa população, como também sua importância como fatores de risco para o adoecimento mental. Medidas de prevenção devem direcionar os esforços para estudos metodologicamente mais robustos na área.

Introduction: the aim of this study is to describe the occurrence of symptoms of GAD and OCD in adolescents, aged between 11 to 18 years old, from a public school in the city of Salvador. Methodology: observational and cross-sectional study with 674 adolescents from a public school, who responded to a scale for assessing symptoms of GAD and OCD applied from March to December 2015. Results: the RCADS scores for GAD and OCD were on average higher than the cutoff points established by the scale, suggesting an increased presence of these symptoms in the studied population, with a higher prevalence among girls in the two groups of symptoms studied. Conclusion: data point to the presence of symptoms of generalized anxiety and OCD among schoolchildren, suggesting a greater need for studies to understand the role of these symptoms in the quality of life of this population, as well as their importance as risk factors for mental illness. Prevention measures should direct efforts towards more methodologically robust studies in the area.

Presença de sintomas de fobia social, transtorno do pânico e ansiedade de separação em estudantes de 11 a 17 anos, em uma escola da rede pública de ensino de Salvador / Presence of symptoms of social phobia, panic and separation anxiety in students aged 11 to 17 years from a school of th public system of Salvador

Introdução: crianças e adolescentes, não raro, apresentam sintomas de fobia social, transtorno do pânico e ansiedade de separação, que podem causar comprometimento nas habilidades sociais e dificultar as relações de forma incapacitante. Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo verificar a presença de sintomas fóbicos sociais, transtorno de pânico e ansiedade de separação em adolescentes, com idade entre 11 e 17 anos, de uma escola pública da cidade de Salvador. Metodologia: este é um estudo observacional, transversal, que integra outro mais amplo, realizado em escola pública de Salvador, entre março e dezembro de 2015. A escala Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression foi aplicada em uma amostra de 674 alunos. Resultados: os alunos apresentaram sintomas de fobia social, transtorno do pânico e ansiedade de separação, em escala crescente, de acordo com a idade.

Introduction:children and adolescents often present symptoms of social phobia, panic disorder and separation anxiety disorder, which can cause social impairments and hinder relationships in a disabling way. Objective: this study aims to investigate the presence of social phobia, panic disorder and separation anxiety symptoms in adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years from a public school in the city of Salvador. Methodology: the present study is an observational cross-sectional research, which is part of a broader study conducted in a public school in Salvador, between March and December 2015. The Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) was used in a sample of 674 students. Results: the students presented symptoms of social phobia, panic disorder and separation anxiety on an increasing scale proportional to age.

Life satisfaction mediates the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms: a study in a sample of Brazilian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interrelationships between childhood maltreatment, life satisfaction (LS), and depressive symptoms, and to investigate LS as a mediating factor in the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms. METHODS: The sample consisted of 342 adolescents, aged 11 to 17 years (mean = 13.3, SD = 1.52 years), recruited from a public school in Salvador, Brazil. Participants filled out instruments for the collection of sociodemographic data and evaluation of childhood maltreatment, LS, and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to evaluate the mediating effect of LS. RESULTS: We detected significant negative correlations between childhood maltreatment and LS and between LS and depressive symptoms. We observed a significant positive correlation between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms. LS partially mediated the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms, mitigating the impact of maltreatment. CONCLUSION: LS played an important mediating role in the association between childhood maltreatment and depressive symptoms. Longitudinal studies are recommended to fully elucidate these associations, reinforcing the need for attention and care of this vulnerable population.

Efficacy of trial-based cognitive therapy, behavioral activation and treatment as usual in the treatment of major depressive disorder: preliminary findings from a randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent, debilitating and disabling disorder, and its prevalence is increasing. Antidepressants (AD), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and behavioral activation (BA) are the main treatments for MDD. Trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT) addresses and restructures dysfunctional negative core beliefs (CBs) and is a novel and promising approach. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of TBCT, BA and treatment as usual (TAU) in the treatment of MDD. METHODS: A total of 76 patients with MDD were randomized into 1 of 3 groups and evaluated at baseline, after 6 weeks and at week 12 (final evaluation). The primary outcome was changing in HAM-D scores, and the secondary outcomes included scores on the BDI, CD-Quest, Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) and WHOQOL. RESULTS: Both TBCT and BA (which also included AD) were different from TAU (which included antidepressants alone) in reducing the HAM-D and BDI scores and other measures. TBCT and BA were different from TAU in the reduction of disability in SDS and WHOQOL physical domain scores. Besides limited by a small sample size, the dropout rate in the TAU arm was higher, and only 10 patients completed the 3 evaluations. CONCLUSION: This trial provides evidence that TBCT and BA combined with antidepressants were more efficacious than the TAU (drug alone) in reducing the severity of depressive symptoms and disability, showing that this combination can be useful for clinical practice.