Shared Individual Formulation Therapy (SIFT): an open-label trial of a new therapy accommodating patient heterogeneity in functional neurological disorder.

BACKGROUND: Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a complex neuropsychiatric condition with a multifactorial aetiology. The heterogeneity of patients with FND is rarely considered in psychotherapy trials, which may contribute to variable outcomes. Shared Individual Formulation Therapy (SIFT) is a new, brief (four session) psychotherapy that aims to accommodate heterogeneity by providing a personalised, trans-theoretical formulation of the person's difficulties and accompanying management plan. METHODS: An open-label, prospective trial of outpatient SIFT for adults with FND was conducted, using health-related quality of life (SF-12) as the principal outcome measure, with secondary measures of mental health, dissociation, health care use and attitude to the FND diagnosis. Measures were collected at baseline, end of treatment and 6- and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Twenty-nine participants with various FND symptoms enrolled. Twenty-four completed all four sessions and 25 completed follow-up measures at 12 months. SF-12 scores improved significantly at end of treatment and were sustained throughout follow-up with moderate effect sizes (0.39-0.47; all p < 0.001). Most secondary outcomes also improved significantly at all time points. The intervention was highly acceptable and tolerable to patients and perceived as beneficial. CONCLUSION: This trial provides preliminary evidence for initial and sustained benefit from SIFT for adults with FND. Further study is needed to validate these findings.

Clinical practice issues in consultation-liaison psychiatry.

OBJECTIVE: To overview and highlight the issues currently challenging and confronting consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatry and to present them for discussion in a wider forum. METHOD: Following preliminary discussions, the authors (members of the New South Wales C-L Interest Group) undertook to selectively review a number of issues relevant to C-L psychiatry. A preliminary paper was prepared and then presented to the membership of the interest group. Feedback from this meeting was incorporated into the final version of the paper. RESULTS: Issues selected as a nidus for further discussion include economic issues, changing models of C-L practice, service issues as well as ethical, issues. In addition, recognition of C-L psychiatry as a true subspeciality is foreshadowed. CONCLUSION: This paper highlights some of the challenges for C-L psychiatry both now and in the future. Intuitive beliefs in our efficacy will not suffice in this era of economic rationalisation. Disciplined and focused research substantiating our value is imperative. Subspeciality recognition is likely to ensure uniformity of standards as well as providing the structure and direction required to consolidate C-L psychiatry's future.

Memories of Vietnam: post-traumatic stress disorders in Australian veterans.

We compared a random sample of Australian Vietnam veteran inpatients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (N = 13) with veteran inpatients with other neurotic diagnoses. Those with PTSD had experienced substantially higher levels of combat stress, were more likely to have manifested conduct disorder in childhood, and had poorer work adjustment. Only three had been diagnosed as having traumatic or war neuroses by their original treating psychiatrist in the Veterans Affairs Department. Post traumatic stress disorder (or war neurosis) has possibly been under-diagnosed by treating psychiatrists in the Veterans Affairs Department, especially in the pre-DSM-III era.

Genital self-mutilation: attempted foreskin reconstruction.

A non-psychotic adult attempted surgically to reconstruct a foreskin for himself. The patient's membership of an organisation which lobbies against circumcision was contributory.

The adjustment of hospitalised Vietnam veterans.

The psychosocial adjustment of 126 Vietnam veterans admitted to the psychiatric unit of a Veterans' Affairs hospital was compared with age and diagnosis matched non-veteran controls. Violent behaviour and heavy alcohol use were common in Vietnam veterans. In other domains of personal and social adjustment the veterans and controls did not differ.

The psychosocial adjustment of Australian Vietnam veterans.

The authors reviewed the case records of a random sample of 126 Australian Vietnam veteran inpatients, recorded the diagnostic and background data, and made new DSM-III diagnoses. Neurotic disorders accounted for 49% of the primary or secondary diagnoses. Only 10% of the overall sample had a primary diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder but 27% of the veterans who had seen combat had a primary diagnosis of the disorder. Twenty-nine percent of the overall sample were given a primary diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence. The early developmental environment of the overall sample frequently included poor parent-child relationships, high rates of parental separation, and family histories dominated by parental alcohol abuse.