Coexpression of anticipatory and consummatory volitional deficits in schizophrenia and their association with memory impairment.

Avolition in schizophrenia has been attributed to the decoupling between emotion and motivation rather than an inability to perceive or distinguish emotions. Hence, goal-directed behavior incentivized by positive or negative reinforcement becomes impoverished and dull. It is further suggested that goal-directed actions directed at future outcomes (anticipatory or representational response) are preferentially affected, as opposed to actions directed to the current state of affairs (consummatory or evoked response). Attempts to dissociate them behaviorally using the "anticipatory and consummatory pleasure" (ACP) task have demonstrated deficits in both components, yet some have claimed otherwise. In this replication study, we presented further characterization of the pronounced deficits in valence-dependent consummatory as well as anticipatory responding in 40 subjects with schizophrenia in comparison with 42 healthy subjects. In addition, two novel observations were made. First, the correlation between ratings of emotional intensity and arousal levels of pictures used to motivate responding in the ACP task was markedly attenuated in the schizophrenic (SZ) group, suggesting that the decoupling from emotion may be manifested beyond goal-directed behavior in schizophrenia. Second, multiple correlations between ACP performance indices and individual scores in the letter-number span test were uniquely observed in the SZ group, not among healthy controls. The co-emergence of ACP and working memory deficiency in SZ may be linked to common psychopathological processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Nurses', patients', and informal caregivers' attitudes toward aggression in psychiatric hospitals: A comparative survey study.

Attitudes toward aggression is a controversial phenomenon in psychiatry. This study examined and compared attitudes toward patient aggression in psychiatric hospitals from the perspectives of nurses, patients and informal caregivers and identified factors associated to these attitudes. A total of 2,424 participants completed a self-reported instrument regarding attitudes toward aggression (12-items Perception of Aggression Scale; POAS-S). We analysed data from nurses (n = 782), patients (n = 886), and informal caregivers (n = 765). Pearson's r correlations were used to examine associations between variables. Differences between group scores were analysed using ANOVA/MANOVA with post-hoc Sheffe tests. Multivariate logistic regression models and logistic regression analysis were used to examine the effects of respondents' characteristics on their attitudes toward aggression. Nurses had significantly more negative and less tolerant perceptions toward aggression (mean [SD] 47.1 [7.5], p<0.001) than the patients (mean [SD] 44.4 [8.2]) and the informal caregivers (mean [SD] 45.0 [6.9), according to the POAS-S total scores. The same trend was found with the dysfunction and function sub-scores (mean [SD] 25.3 [4.1] and 15.0 [3.6], respectively); the differences between the groups were statistically significant (p <0.001) when nurses' scores were compared to those of both the patients (mean [SD] 23.7 [5.3] and 14.0 [4.1], respectively) and the informal caregivers (mean [SD] 24.4 [4.2] and 13.9 [3.5], respectively). The study offers new understanding of aggressive behavior in different treatment settings where attitudes toward patient behavior raises ethical and practical dilemmas. These results indicate a need for more targeted on-the-job training for nursing staff, aggression management rehabilitation programs for patients, and peer-support programs for informal caregivers focused on patient aggression.

Perceptions of patient aggression in psychiatric hospitals: a qualitative study using focus groups with nurses, patients, and informal caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Aggression in psychiatric hospitals has been of interest to researchers. Information on how different stakeholders perceive patient aggression remains equivocal. Even less is known about possible similarities or differences in stakeholders' perceptions of how aggressive behaviour is understood, managed and prevented in psychiatric hospitals. We aimed to explore multiple viewpoints on patient aggression, its possible causes and outcomes, and development ideas for prevention and management. METHODS: A qualitative design was adopted. The data were collected using focus group interviews. A thematic approach was used for interpretation. The data were collected on 15 adult wards in two inpatient psychiatric settings in Hong Kong. Participants were nurses working on the psychiatric inpatient wards, patients admitted to the wards, and informal caregivers visiting inpatient wards (N = 94). RESULTS: Commonalities between all groups were found on how patient aggression is perceived, and why it occurs. Patients and especially nurses described how patient aggression occurred with no clear reason or forewarning and how patients were physically controlled or restricted after aggressive events. Only nurses and patients expressed experiencing physical burden, while all groups considered psychological burden to be a consequence of aggression. All groups proposed that helpful attitudes among nurses, better communication, structural changes, and better self-management skills would prevent patient aggression. Risk assessment was proposed only by nurses and patients, while safety measures were proposed by nurses and informal caregivers only. The use of restrictive interventions to manage aggressive events was proposed by all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the complex diversity of perspectives in different stakeholder groups regarding patient aggression, the findings highlighted that it is possible to achieve some mutual understanding of aggression in psychiatric hospitals and identify areas to be developed. Staffs' attitudes and skills for engagement and communication with patients and informal caregivers should be improved. There is also still room to develop the therapeutic environment and culture toward meaningful activities during the treatment period.

Physical Restraint Events in Psychiatric Hospitals in Hong Kong: A Cohort Register Study.

The need to better monitor coercion practices in psychiatric hospitals has been recognised. We aim to describe how physical restraint events occur in psychiatric hospitals and identify factors associated with physical-restraint use. A cohort register study was used. We analyzed physical restraint documents among 14 wards in two psychiatric hospitals in Hong Kong (1 July and 31 December 2018). In total, 1798 incidents occurred (the rate of physical restraint event 0.43). Typically, physically restrained patients were in early middle-age, of both genders, diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum and other psychotic disorders, and admitted voluntarily. Alternate methods for physical restraint were reported, such as an explanation of the situation to the patients, time-out or sedation. A longer period of being physically restrained was associated with being male, aged ≥40 years, having involuntary status, and neurodevelopmental-disorder diagnosis. Our findings support a call for greater action to promote the best practices in managing patient aggression and decreasing the use of physical restraint in psychiatric wards. The reasons for the use of physical restraint, especially for those patients who are admitted to a psychiatric hospital on a voluntary basis and are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, needs to be better understood and analysed.

The impact of video gaming on cognitive functioning of people with schizophrenia (GAME-S): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Video gaming is a promising intervention for cognitive and social impairment in patients with schizophrenia. A number of gaming interventions have been evaluated in small-scale studies with various patient groups, but studies on patients with schizophrenia remain scarce and rarely include the evaluation of both clinical and neurocognitive outcomes. In this study, we will test the effectiveness of two interventions with gaming elements to improve cognitive and clinical outcomes among persons with schizophrenia. METHODS: The participants will be recruited from different outpatient units (e.g., outpatient psychiatric units, day hospitals, residential care homes). The controlled clinical trial will follow a three-arm parallel-group design: 1) cognitive training (experimental group, CogniFit), 2) entertainment gaming (active control group, SIMS 4), and 3) treatment as usual. The primary outcomes are working memory function at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. The secondary outcomes are patients' other cognitive and social functioning, the ability to experience pleasure, self-efficacy, and negative symptoms at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. We will also test the effectiveness of gaming interventions on neurocognitive outcomes (EEG and 3 T MRI plus rs-fMRI) at a 3-month follow-up as an additional secondary outcome. Data will be collected in outpatient psychiatric services in Hong Kong. Participants will have a formal diagnosis of schizophrenia and be between 18 and 60 years old. We aim to have a total of 234 participants, randomly allocated to the three arms. A sub-sample of patients (N = 150) will be recruited to undergo an EEG. For neuroimaging assessment, patients will be randomly allocated to a subset of patients (N=126). We will estimate the efficacy of the interventions on the primary and secondary outcomes based on the intention-to-treat principle. Behavioural and EEG data will be analysed separately. DISCUSSION: The study will characterise benefits of gaming on patients' health and well-being, and contribute towards the development of new treatment approaches for patients with schizophrenia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03133143 . Registered on April 28, 2017.

Prevention and management of aggressive behaviour in patients at psychiatric hospitals: a document analysis of clinical practice guidelines in Hong Kong.

Patient aggressive behaviour remains a significant public health concern worldwide. The use of restraint and seclusion remains a last resort but not an uncommon practice in clinical psychiatry in the management of aggressive events. There seems to be a paucity of evidenced-based research examining the policy framework guiding the use of restraint and seclusion in Asia contexts. The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis on the guidelines in psychiatric hospitals in Hong Kong, and to explore the extent to which these guidelines were aligned with the international clinical guidelines for the prevention and management of patient aggression in psychiatry. A descriptive document analysis was used to analyse the guidelines from four psychiatric hospitals in Hong Kong in comparison with the NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence UK) guidelines. Data were collected from December 2017 to June 2018. A total of 91 written documents were retrieved. Preventing violence and aggression has the highest level of agreement (31%,) while the use of restrictive interventions has the lowest level of agreement (12%). The sub-recommendation with most in line with the NICE guidelines were restrictive interventions, de-escalation, and improving service users' experiences. However, for example, staff training, working with police, and reduced use of restrictive interventions seemed to have no agreement with the NICE guidelines. Variation exists between the Asian (Hong Kong) local policy framework/guidelines and the European (UK) national policy framework. There are also large discrepancies in the written guidelines on patient aggressive behaviour when comparing local policy frameworks, cluster-based documents, and departmental practices.