Response of Polish Psychiatric Patients to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022-Predictive Role of Risk Perception and Temperamental Traits.

This study examined the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 on Polish patients with depression and schizophrenia. It has been hypothesized that possible changes in symptoms may be predicted by the subjective risk perception related with the Russo-Ukraine War (RUW) as well as by temperamental traits. The study was conducted with 80 patients with schizophrenia or depression. A questionnaire measuring sociodemographic characteristics, perception of risk, temperamental characteristics, and symptoms of depression and schizophrenia were used as research tools. Symptom intensity was compared with the average symptom intensity calculated on the basis of archival symptom measurements from the three consecutive months preceding the outbreak of the RUW. Predictors of change in symptoms were also analyzed, taking into account sociodemographic variables, the level of risk perception, and temperamental traits. The results indicate the specific patterns of reactions to war danger for patients with different types of psychiatric diagnosis. Depressed patients reacted with an increase in seven symptoms related to unworthiness and/or guilt, lack of interest, and/or pleasure and pessimism. The response of schizophrenic patients was related only with an increase in positive symptoms. This study highlights the need to provide more support to psychiatric patients in acute emergencies.

XXL-TYPE PERSONALITY. Personality traits promoting excess body weight.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to determine whether persons suffering from obesity may be characterised by specific personality traits which promote the development of excess body weight. Additionally, the aim involved finding whether persons suffering from morbid obesity differed from healthy individuals and somatic patients as regards selected personality traits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study enrolled 34 patients with the diagnosis of morbid obesity in the process of qualification for surgical treatment of obesity. The patients' BMI ranged from 35 to 54 kg/m2. Study participants completed NEO-FFI personality inventory (Costa, McCare; 1998) and the authors' questionnaire designed to collect demographic data and anthropometric measurements. R esults: The study showed that patients with morbid obesity significantly differed from healthy individuals and somatic patients as regards the analysed measurements of the Big Five. C onclusions: The traits which were significantly distinctive in morbidly obese patients included lowered conscientiousness and increased neuroticism. The results indicate that the above pattern of personality traits may promote the development of excessive body weight.

Role of Mental Simulations in the Weight Loss Process.

Two experiments were conducted to verify the influence of various mental simulations on the effectiveness and persistence of weight loss processes. In study one, 40 female students (aged 19-27, M = 23) who were eager to lose weight were randomly assigned to one of four groups: positive outcome simulation, process simulations, mixed simulations (process followed by negative outcome), and control (no simulations). Students from the mixed and process simulation groups lost significantly more weight after five weeks than participants from the outcome simulation and control groups. A total of 106 females (aged 19-45, M = 29) participated in study two, in which five types of mental simulations were tested. Besides the images used in study one, process followed by positive outcome simulations and negative outcome simulations were implemented. Results showed that process followed by positive outcome simulations lead to the highest persistence in the weight loss process, while process followed by negative outcome simulations induced the greatest reduction in weight. Both studies revealed self-regulatory benefits from mental simulations in difficult and long-term personal goal attainment.