Aripiprazole and its adverse effects in the form of impulsive-compulsive behaviors: A systematic review of case reports.

Aripiprazole is an efficacious treatment for both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and is also commonly used as a mood stabilizer. It is associated with better tolerability compared with other antipsychotics. However, there are reports of patients who experience problem gambling, hypersexuality, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and other impulsive and/or compulsive behaviors as a result of aripiprazole administration and/or dosage increase. We aimed to do a systematic review of case reports published in this regard. After screening more than 6000 titles and abstracts in ten scientific search engines, we found 35 related records comprising 59 cases. The majority of cases (n = 42, 71.18%) were male, the mean age was 33.83 years (± 13.40), and the average daily dose of aripiprazole was 11.63 mg (± 6.94). The results of our review showed that the most frequently published impulsivity adverse effect of aripiprazole is gambling, followed by hypersexuality, obsessive-compulsive symptoms/disorder, problem eating, trichotillomania, problem shopping, and kleptomania. These symptoms were experienced both by patients who had previous problems in these areas and those who did not. In the majority of cases, the symptoms appeared within 30 days after aripiprazole administration started and ceased within 30 days of its discontinuation and/or dose decrease. Clinicians should be aware of impulsivity adverse effects, monitor them, and educate both patients and the family about them.

Problematic smartphone use and sleep disturbance: the roles of metacognitions, desire thinking, and emotion regulation.

Background: The association between problematic Smartphone use (PSU) and sleep disturbance is evidenced in the literature, but more research is required to investigate the potential factors that may influence the effect of PSU on sleep disturbance. Given the considerable prevalence of PSU (9.3 to 36.7%) and sleep disturbance (55.2%) in Iran, the current study sought to examine an interactional model to test whether metacognitions about Smartphone use, desire thinking (verbal perseveration and imaginal prefiguration), and emotion regulation (expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal) could have a moderating effect on the above-mentioned association. Method: This present study is a cross-sectional, observational study that was conducted between June and September 2022 in a convenience sample of Iranians (n = 603, Female = 419, Age = 24.61 ± 8). Results: Despite the significant association between metacognitions about the Smartphone use, PSU, and sleep disturbance, metacognitions failed to predict sleep disturbance above PSU. A slope analysis showed, however, that a high (not low or moderate) levels of imaginal prefiguration strengthen the association between PSU and sleep disturbance, while a high (not low or moderate) level of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression dampen the PSU-sleep disturbance association. We also found that verbal perseveration and expressive suppression were unique predictors of sleep disturbance, while imaginal prefiguration and reappraisal only predicted sleep disturbance if they interacted with PSU. Conclusion: Theoretically, findings suggest that enhancing cognitive reappraisal (by 1 SD) and reducing imaginal prefiguration (by 1 SD), might protect against sleep disturbance by reducing its association with PSU. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

The Role of Social Interest and Empathy on Helping Behaviors during Floods / El papel del interés social y la empatía en los comportamientos de ayuda durante las inundaciones

This study examined the role of social interest and empathy in helping and not helping adults during floods. Participants were split into two groups with helping behaviors (N=90) and without helping behaviors (N = 90) during floods from six cities, Khuzestan province, Iran. A demo-graphic questionnaire, the Social Interest Scale (SIS), and the Question-naire Measure of Empathic Tendency (QMET)) were used in this study. Analysis showed that people in the helping group had higher social interest than those in the control group. Also, individuals with helping behaviors had greater performance in susceptibility to emotional contagion, extreme emotional responsiveness, tendency to be moved by others' positive emo-tional experiences, tendency to be moved by others' negative emotional experiences, sympathetic tendency, willingness to be in contact with others who have problems, and the total score of empathy than persons in the control group.These findings can be combined with the emergency aid programs in natural disasters.(AU)

Este estudio examina el papel del interés social y la empatía en ayudar y no ayudar a los adultos durante las inundaciones. Los participantes se dividieron en dos grupos con comportamientos de ayuda (N = 90) y sin comportamientos de ayuda (N = 90) durante las inundaciones de seis ciudades, provincia de Juzestán, Irán. En este estudio se utilizaron un cuestionario demográfico, la Escala de Interés Social (SIS) y el Cuestionario de Medida de Tendencia Empática (QMET). El análisis mostró que las personas en el grupo de ayuda tenían mayor interés social y empatía que las del grupo de control. Este estudio describe cómo, en resumen, el interés social y la empatía contribuirían a ayudar a las personas afectadas por las inundaciones a salvar sus vidas y sus propiedades. Estos hallazgos se pueden combinar con los programas de ayuda de emergencia en desastres naturales y se convertirán en información pública.(AU)

The Roles of Attachment Style, Self-Efficacy, and Impulsivity on the Prediction of Attitudes toward Substance Use in Male Adolescents.

The aim of this study was to examine the role of attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsivity on the prediction of attitudes toward substance abuse among male adolescents. Participants were 199 male adolescents from Najafabad City, Isfahan province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Attachment Style Measure (ASM), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), and the Attitude toward Substance Use Scale (ASUS) were used in this study. Analysis showed that avoidance and ambivalent attachment patterns and impulsiveness were significantly positively correlated with attitudes toward substance use. On the other hand, secure attachment style and self-efficacy were significantly negatively associated with attitudes toward substance use. Findings showed that attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsiveness account for 58% of the variance in attitudes toward substance use among these adolescents. This study confirmed the predictive role of attachment styles, self-efficacy, and impulsivity in the prediction of the attitudes toward substance use in male adolescents.

Mental Health, Social Support, and Death Anxiety in Patients With Chronic Kidney Failure.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health, perceived social support, and death anxiety, and the predictive roles of mental health and perceived social support in the explanation of death anxiety in a sample of adults with chronic kidney disease. Methods: A demographic questionnaire, the Symptom Check List-25, the Social Support Survey Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) were used in the present study. The sample consisted of 58 adult patients with chronic kidney failure. Results: Findings showed that mental health had significantly positive relationships to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of death, the fear of pain and disease, and the death thoughts subscales of the DAS. Social support had a significant negative relationship to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of pain and disease, the death thoughts, and the transient time and the short life subscales of the DAS. Mental health and combined mental health and social support explained 14% and 21% of death anxiety variation in patients with chronic kidney failure, respectively. Conclusion: Mental health and social support constructs can relatively predict the variations of death anxiety in patients with chronic kidney failure.