The Gender-Sensitive Depression Screening GSDS-26 - Polish adaptation and validation of the tool and links to gender stereotypes. / Skala Meskiej Depresji GSDS-26 ­ polska adaptacja i walidacja narzedzia oraz zwiazki ze stereotypami plci.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to create a Polish version of the Gender-Sensitive Depression Screening (GSDS-26) by AM Möller-Leimkühler and to assess its validity and reliability. The tool measures the overall level of depression and the following factors: depressiveness, stress perception, aggressiveness, emotional control, alcohol consumption, and risky behavior. The relationships between depression measured by the GSDS 25 and the subjects' adjustment to stereotypical male roles were also checked. METHODS: The study included 1,087 participants - 746 men and 341 women from a nonclinical group. In addition to the adapted method, the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS) by Rutz and Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI-22) by Mahalik were used. RESULTS: The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the adopted six-factor structure. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were satisfactory and comparable to the original version, i.e., the overall score was α = 0.92, the score for five of the six subscales α was between 0.80 and 0.85, and for the alcohol consumption subscale α = 0.63. The GSDS-26 scores, as in the original, showed weak to moderate associations with the subjects' adjustment to stereotypical male roles. CONCLUSIONS: The GSDS-26 has satisfactory psychometric properties and is suitable for use in studies of levels of depression specific to men.

The conceptual basis of addiction memory, allostasis and dual processes, and the classical therapy of addiction.

Purpose: In recent years, research has yielded new information regarding the impact of intense, long-term alcohol consumption on the development of permanent changes in the central nervous system. The present study examines the mechanisms related to the existence of addiction memory, sensitization and allostasis. A dual-process model was also created, which analyses the role of conscious and automatic mechanisms in the functioning of addicts. The aim of the article is to present these mechanisms and to consider the implications of their existence for the course of therapy. Views: The mechanisms analysed shed new light on some of the negative phenomena occurring during and after therapy, such as frequent abstinence after treatment, switching addictions, and returning to drinking after a long period of abstinence. The existence of these mechanisms should also change the character of addiction therapy, which has so far focused mainly on conscious aspects and ignored the existence of automatic ones. Attempts are already being made to implement the dual-process model in addiction therapy. Conclusions: A better understanding of the mechanisms resulting from the dual-process model can significantly influence perspectives regarding functioning in addiction and the course of therapy. These processes merit further research, as do possible therapeutic interventions based on them.

The Lack of Influence of Homozygous Long Allele of the 5-HTTLPR Gene on the Severity of Alcohol Craving During 6 Weeks of Rehab Hospitalisation in Comparison to Not Homozygous and Homozygous Short Alleles - Preliminary Report.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the severity of alcohol craving according to allelic variants of the 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism during hospitalisation and their association with selected clinical variables in alcohol-dependent patients. Patients and Methods: The study is exploratory. Participants were investigated at the 2nd and 6th week of alcohol-dependence therapy in the addiction treatment unit. Recruitment was conducted among alcohol-dependent patients from several Polish drug treatment centres. The total sample size was 130 persons (12 females and 118 males). Study subjects' mean age was 43.0 years. Patients were investigated twice by using the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and once by using Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD) and taking a swab for genetic testing. The polymorphism of the gene encoding the serotonin transporter 5-HTTLPR (SLC6A4) was determined from isolated DNA and its homozygous variants of short/short or long/long alleles and heterozygous short/long alleles were analysed. Results: At 6th week of the follow-up, there was a decrease in the severity of alcohol craving in half of subjects with the short/short allele (p = 0.033) and in one-fifth of subjects with the long/short allele (p = 0.002) of the 5-HTTLPR gene. In subjects with long/long allele of the 5-HTTLPR gene, there was no change in the severity of alcohol craving between 2nd and 6th weeks of the study (p = 0.242). Conclusion: There was no statistical influence of the homozygous long allele of the 5-HTTLPR gene on severity of alcohol craving during 6 weeks of rehab hospitalisation in comparison to not homozygous and homozygous short alleles. The s-allele was associated with decrease of alcohol craving. It may point on the potential need for differentiated rehabilitation methods depending on the genetic diversity of addicted patients and its role in the severity of alcohol craving.

Mental Health of Students at Polish Universities after Two Years of the Outbreak of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Mental health deterioration in young adults in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is being increasingly studied. It is clear that the psychological consequences of the pandemic will be evident for many years, especially among the younger generation, who did not have time to acquire adaptive coping strategies before the outbreak of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to assess the condition of the mental health of students at Polish universities after two years of the pandemic. The types of coping strategies used by the respondents to deal with stress were also evaluated in order to establish which of them could have a beneficial effect on the psyche of young people. METHODS: This study included 721 participants (age [years]: M = 25.7, SD = 5.3; 269 (37.2%) males) recruited using snowball sampling from students at two universities in Lodz, Poland, and full-time doctoral students from across Poland (phase I of the study was conducted in March 2019 (N = 352); phase II of the study was conducted in April 2022 (N = 369)). The following tools were used in this study: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) by D. Goldberg, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE) by Carver et al. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results detailing the condition of the mental health of the subjects, as measured using GHQ-28, were significantly worse in the group surveyed after two years of the pandemic than the results of the survey conducted in March 2019 (adjusted odds ratio for GHQ-28 ≥ 5: 3.66, 95%CI 2.12-6.30, p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were seen for each of the subscales of the GHQ-28 questionnaire. Most often, the subjects complained of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders, in addition to somatic symptoms. The risk factors for worsening mental health included female (odds ratio 1.70, 95%CI 1.20-2.40, p = 0.003) and professional inactivity (odds ratio 1.55, 95%CI 1.04-2.31, p = 0.031). On the other hand, the ages of the people surveyed, their relationship status, whether they had children, or the type of university they attended all proved to be insignificant. The following coping strategies had a positive impact on the mental health of the respondents: positive reframing (Z = -2.951; p = 0.003) and seeking emotional support (Z = -2.351; p = 0.019). In contrast, strategies such as self-distraction (Z = 2.785; p = 0.005), denial (Z = 2.948; p = 0.003), venting (Z = 2.337; p = 0.019), self-blame (Z = 5.511; p < 0.001) and behavioral disengagement (Z = 4.004; p < 0.001) were associated with poorer mental health among the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Of the students surveyed, 33% reported elevated stress levels after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. The overall mental health of students at Polish universities, as measured by GHQ-28, was significantly worse in the group evaluated after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly in respect of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders. 3. Female gender and professional inactivity appeared to be risk factors for the students' worsening mental health, which may be an indication of the need for further research and planning of psychotherapeutic interventions.

Confusion of Alcohol Craving With Food Hunger in Alcohol-Dependent Individuals Entering In-Patient Drug Treatment.

AIM: To identify the distinguishing characteristics of alcohol dependent patients who confuse alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger. METHODS: Data were collected at interview on sociodemographic status, clinical status and anthropometry in 179 patients (163 men and 16 women) undergoing in-patient treatment for alcohol dependence. RESULTS: A comparison of the patient subgroups studied showed that patients who did not confuse, and those who did confuse, alcohol craving with pre-meal hunger differed significantly in terms of alcohol craving scale scores (9 vs. 4 points). Patients confusing alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger were more likely to recognize that experiencing severe pre-meal hunger can cause relapse (67.9 vs. 22.8%) and that not being able to distinguish between the sensations under study also increases the risk of breaking abstinence (75.0% vs. 50.4%). This was independent of severity of dependence and intensity of recent alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol-dependent persons who confuse alcohol craving with pre-meal hunger differ from those who do not confuse these hunger pangs in terms of feeling stronger alcohol craving and more frequent occurrence of symptoms accompanying the feeling of alcohol craving during pre-meal hunger. At the start of treatment for alcohol withdrawal, alcohol-dependent individuals who report confusing alcohol cravings with pre-meal hunger are less confident of maintaining abstinence. This is relevant to treatment. The role of possible confounders (depressive symptoms, cognitive and educational deficiency) could not be elucidated definitively.

Polish adaptation and validation of the Short Inventory of Problems (SIP-2L). / Polska adaptacja i walidacja Krótkiej skali problemów (SIP-2L).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the research was to present the Polish adaptation and validation of the Short Inventory of Problems (SIP-2L) by Miller et al. (1995). The SIP-2L is a popular selfreport measure used to assess the negative consequences of alcohol use in 5 domains with negative consequences: physical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, social and impulse control. The adapted version of SIP assesses lifetime consequences of using alcohol. METHODS: A total of 256 participants diagnosed with alcohol dependence (71 women and 185 men) completed an assessment battery that included SIP-2L and Polish versions of AUDIT, MAST and KOEP-R, which is a modified Polish adaptation of CEAQ - Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Questionnaire. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the hypothesized 5-factor model produced the best fit. Reliability of the entire method (Cronbach's α = 0.868) and for all factors was satisfactory, as was convergent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The results support that the Polish version of the SIP-2L has good psychometric properties and can successfully assess the consequences of drinking among patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence.

Adaptation and validation of Polish Version of Reasons for Living Inventory (RFL-48) by M.M. Linehan et al. / Polska adaptacja Skali Powodów do Zycia (RFL-48) M.M. Linehan i wspólpracowników.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to develop the Polish version of the Reasons for Living Inventory (RFL-48) of Linehan et al. The questionnaire is a self-descriptive tool designed to measure six factors protecting against committing suicide: "Survival and Coping Beliefs", "Responsibility to Family", "Fear of Suicide", "Moral Objections", "Fear of Social Disapproval", "Child-Related Concerns". The original version of the method was characterized by good psychometric properties. METHODS: A sample of 431 adults (236 women and 195 men), aged 18-65 years (mean age was 33 years, SD = 11.33), was recruited as a non-clinical group from various regions of Poland. The Beck's Depression Inventory, Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised and Positivity Scale were also used to evaluate the construct validity of the RFL-48. RESULTS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported an assumed six-dimensional structure of the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.70 ("Fear of Suicide") to 0.95 ("Survival and Coping Beliefs") and amounted to 0.92 for the total score. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the Polish adaptation of the RFL questionnaire by Linehan et al. has good psychometric characteristics and can be used in both research and clinical practice.

Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Depressive Disorders.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationships of Young's early maladaptive schemas with indicators of specific neural emotional systems conceptualized in Panksepp's theory in a group of people suffering from depressive disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) v. 2.4. and J. Young's Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3-PL) were used. Ninety (90) individuals aged 18-58, including 45 people treated for depression (DD group), were qualified to participate in the experiment. RESULTS: The subjects in the DD group scored statistically significantly lower than the subjects from the control group (CG group) on the three ANPS scale domains, namely SEEKING, PLAY, and ANGER. The subjects with depressive symptoms scored significantly higher in the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire on two domains of early maladaptive schemas, i.e., "Impaired autonomy and performance" and "Other-directedness". Regression analysis results indicate that impairment of the emotional SEEKING system explains most of the variability in the following typical domains of depression: "Disconnection and rejection", "Impaired autonomy and performance", and "Other-directedness". For score variability in the domain area of "Impaired limits", the ANGER system was found to be most significant, and the FEAR system proved the same for "Overvigilance and Inhibition". CONCLUSIONS: 1. Two domains of early maladaptive schemas are significant for the onset of depressive symptoms, namely "Impaired autonomy and performance" and "Other-directedness", linked to difficulties in engaging in behaviors to meet one's own needs. 2. Impairment of the neural emotional SEEKING system most significantly explains the variability in depression-typical areas of early maladaptive schemas.

J. Young's Early Maladaptive Schemas and Symptoms of Male Depression.

Aim: There are more non-specific, hence harder to diagnose, symptoms in the picture of male depression. These symptoms are strongly linked to social norms and roles traditionally assigned to men. The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship of early maladaptive schemas that affect the formation of self-image as a man with indicators of male depression. Materials and methods: The Gender-Sensitive Depression Screening (GSDS-26) by A.M. Möller-Leimkühler and the Early Maladaptive Schema Questionnaire by J. Young (YSQ-S3-PL) were used. A group of 75 men (aged 18 to 50) were qualified to take part in the research. Results: The total score of the GSDS-26 scale and individual indicators of male depression are strongly positively correlated with the severity of all five domains of the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. The highest correlation coefficient value was obtained in the following areas: "Disconnection and rejection" (0.741), "Other-directedness" (0.711), and "Overvigilance and inhibition" (0.711). In case of the GSDS-26 total score and the following indicators-Elevated stress, Aggressiveness, Emotional control, Risky behavior, and Classic symptoms of depression-positive statistically significant associations were confirmed with each of the 18 schemas from the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. Multiple regression results revealed that the following domains were significant for symptoms typical of male depression: "Disconnection and rejection" and "Impaired autonomy and performance". The "Impaired limits" area was found to be statistically significant only for symptoms of classic depression. Conclusions: (1) The GSDS-26 scale scores show positive associations with each domain of the YSQ-S3-PL questionnaire. (2) The following areas seem to be more important for atypical depressive symptoms in men: "Disconnection and rejection" and "Impaired autonomy and performance", while for classic depression: "Impaired limits" was more important. (3) In therapeutic work with male depressive symptoms, it is useful to focus on dominant maladaptive schemas alongside beliefs about stereotypical male roles.

Initial Study on COMT and DRD2 Gene Polymorphisms as Well as the Influence of Temperament and Character Trait on the Severity of Alcohol Craving in Alcohol-Dependent Patients.

The main aim of this work was to determine the impact of COMT and DRD2 gene polymorphisms together with temperament and character traits on alcohol craving severity alcohol-dependent persons. The sample comprised of 89 men and 16 women (aged 38±7). For the sake of psychological assessment various analytic methods have been applied like the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD), Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) or Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) test. The SNP polymorphism of the analyzed genes was determined by Real Time PCR test. The results showed, that the COMT polymorphismmay have an indirected relationship with the intensity and changes in alcohol craving during abstinence. The DRD2 receptor gene polymorphisms are related with the intensity of alcohol craving. It seems that the character traits like "self-targeting", including "self-acceptance", are more closely related to the severity of alcohol craving and polymorphic changes in the DRD2 receptor than temperamental traits. Although this is a pilot study the obtained results appeared to be promising and clearly indicate the link betweengene polymorphisms alcohol craving and its severity.

Factors Related to the Level of Depression and Suicidal Behavior Among Men With Diagnosed Depression, Physically Ill Men, and Healthy Men.

Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in people who die by suicide. Awareness of risk factors for suicide in depression is important for clinicians. The study was aimed at establishing models of factors related to the level of depression and suicidal behavior among men from three different groups-in men with depressive disorder, in comparison to men with physical disorder and healthy men. A total of 598 men were included in the study. The following questionnaires were used in research model: test with sociodemographic variables, AUDIT Test, Fagerström Test, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE), Resilience Evaluation Questionnaire (KOP-26), Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) by Osman, and Gotland Male Depression Scale. In men with depression, the positive factors strongly related to the intensity of depression and suicidal behavior were as follows: vocational education, active coping, turning toward religion, social competence for resilience, and bachelor status. The factors negatively related to the intensity of depression and suicidal behavior in this group were as follows: unemployed status, student status, low satisfaction with the financial situation, having children, history of mental disorders in family, alcohol addiction, and seeking instrumental support. In the group of men with physical disorders, the following protection factors were identified: the medium or small city as a place of living, active coping, venting, and personal competence. The following risk factors were identified in this group: psychiatric treatment in the past. In the group of healthy men, the following protective factors were identified: the medium city as a place of living, positive reappraisal, planning abilities, and personal and social competence for resilience. In this group, the following risk factors were identified: vocational and higher education, student status, satisfaction with the financial situation, having more than one children, the occurrence of mental disorders in the family, the occurrence of alcohol abuse in the family, and use of psychoactive substances as a strategy of dealing with stress. The risk factors identified in this study should be included in the clinical assessment of depression and suicidal behavior risk in male patients. There are some protective factors identified, including productive coping and personal and social competencies, which can be developed and should be especially considered and strengthened in mental health promotion programs aimed at men.

Mental Health during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Polish Studies.

The presented research aimed to identify the impacts of the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on respondents' mental health state and identify variables related to the respondents' symptoms of anxiety and depression; 618 subjects participated in the research. A specially prepared survey and Polish adaptations of the following methods were used: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 10), MINI-COPE Questionnaire (Brief COPE Inventory), Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA), The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Over 24% of the respondents reported having experienced suicidal thoughts since the start of the pandemic. Almost 16% drank alcohol in a risky or harmful way. The average value of perceived stress indicated its high and very high intensity. Over 20% had symptoms of anxiety disorders, and almost 19% had anxiety and depression symptoms. It means that almost 40% of the respondents probably have mental disorders. More women, younger people, and those with disorders prior to the onset of the pandemic were among those who manifested these disorders. They also used passive and avoidance stress coping strategies more frequently. In conclusion, the second wave of the pandemic negatively affected the mental health of the respondents. A high percentage of the respondents manifested anxiety and anxiety-depressive disorders and declared having of suicidal thoughts.

Fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety: Polish adaptations of scales.

Purpose: We aimed to adapt for the Polish language two scales for studies on the psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic - The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) by Ahorsu et al. and the Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA) by Cai et al. Methods: Besides the FCV-19S and SDA, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS (Zigmond and Snaith), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) (Cohen et al.), the General Health Questionnaire GHQ-28 (Goldberg), and the Positive Orientation Scale P (Caprara et al.) were used in the study on 756 people aged 18-68 (M = 31.91, SD = 11.30) - 158 men and 598 women. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the one-dimensional structure of the Polish adaptation of FCV-19S, with satisfac- tory internal consistency and Cronbach's α equal to 0.84. With regard to the Polish adaptation of the SDA, instead of the 4-facto- rial structure (as in the original tool), the analysis uncovered a three-factor structure: intrusions/thoughts, anxiety/emotions, and avoidance. Cronbach's α coefficient for the entire scale was 0.92. Both tools were significantly, positively correlated with anxiety, depression, and stress levels. Conclusions: Polish adaptations of both tools are characterized by satisfactory psychometric properties, which enable their use in research and clinical practice.

Mental Health and the SARS-COV-2 Epidemic-Polish Research Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the mental state of Poles in the first weeks of the SARS-COV-2 epidemic. Methods: In the study, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-18), The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Mini-Cope were used. Results: The study was conducted on a group of 443 individuals, including 348 women (78.6%) and 95 men (21.4%). There were more women (χ2 = 6.42, p = 0.02) in the group of people with high results in the GHQ-28 questionnaire and the differentiating factors between those with sten scores above 7 (significantly deteriorated mental health) and those with average or low results (sten score below 7) turned out to be: treatment for mental disorders before the pandemic (χ2 = 19.57, p < 0.001) and the use of psychotherapy during the pandemic (χ2 = 4.21, p = 0.04) and psychiatric pharmacotherapy (χ2 = 8.31, p = 0.01). The presence of suicidal thoughts since the appearance of the pandemic-related restraints and limitations significantly differentiates the compared groups (χ2 = 38.48, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Every fourth person in the examined group (over 26% of the respondents) recorded results that indicate a high probability of mental functioning disorders. Approximately 10% of the respondents signalled the occurrence of suicidal thoughts since the beginning of the pandemic. The respondents complain mainly about problems in everyday life, lack of satisfaction from one's own activities, tension, trouble sleeping, and feelings of exhaustion. Individuals with significantly reduced mental well-being use non-adaptive coping strategies, such as denying problems, emotional discharge, taking substances, discontinuation of action, and blaming themselves for the situation. The risk factors for the deterioration of the mental state of the respondents during the pandemic include psychiatric treatment before the beginning of the pandemic, the presence of suicidal thoughts during forced isolation, and the use of non-adaptive coping strategies (denial of the existence of problems, emotional discharge, use of psychoactive substances, discontinuation of action, and blaming oneself for the situation).

Alcohol Consumption Reported during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Initial Stage.

Physical health is not the only area affected by the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic. There are also other consequences that have globally affected many millions at other levels, namely: Societal, political, economic, and cultural. This study aims to survey alcohol drinking throughout the pandemic so as to investigate those factors considered most relevant; i.e., sociodemographic and clinical. A longitudinal study was designed. The first (or initial) stage was completed between April 10-20 2020 on 443 subjects during the enforcement of the "Lockdown" in Poland. The second stage will be due in June 2020. As well as an in-house questionnaire, the study used: The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Brief COPE Inventory (Mini COPE). Alcohol was the most commonly used psychoactive substance (73%) identified. More than 30% changed their drinking habits because of the pandemic, with 16% actually drinking less, whilst 14% did so more. The former group was significantly younger than the latter. Amongst the stress-related coping strategies, it was found that current alcohol drinkers were significantly less able to find anything positive about the pandemic situation (positive reframing) and were mentally less able to cope. Those drinking more now were found to have been drinking more intensively before the pandemic started.

The Polish adaptation of the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised by A. Osman et al. / Polska adaptacja Zrewidowanego Kwestionariusza Zachowan Samobójczych A. Osmana i wspólpracowników.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to develop a Polish adaptation of the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) by A. Osman et al. The questionnaire is a self-descriptive measure of suicidal tendencies (suicidal behaviors, including ideation and attempts) composed of four questions. METHODS: A total of 926 university and post-graduate students from Lodz (526 women and 400 men) were included in the adaptation study. In addition, the Beck's Depression Inventory, the Psychological Pain Scale by Holden et al. and the Purpose in Life (PIL) test by Crumbaugh and Maholick were used to evaluate the construct validity of the SBQ-R. RESULTS: The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported an assumed onedimensional structure of the questionnaire, with satisfactory internal consistency, evaluated by Cronbach's alpha, equal to 0.83. The significant positive correlations were observed between the questionnaire scores and level of depression and psychological pain, while a negative correlation between the questionnaire scores and purpose in life. Participants who had previously demonstrated suicidal behavior, those who reported suicidal thoughts and those from a family with a history of suicide attempts or alcohol addiction obtained a significantly higher score in the SBQ-R. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the Polish adaptation of the SBQ-R by Osman et al. has good psychometric characteristics and can be considered in both research and clinical practice.

Polish adaptation of the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form (YSQ-S3-PL). / Polska adaptacja i walidacja krótkiej wersji Kwestionariusza Schematów Younga (YSQ- S3-PL).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to prepare the Polish adaptation of the Young Schema Questionnaire S3-PL. The scale is a self-assessment tool designed to measure 18 early maladaptive schemas. METHODS: The sample consists of 1,529 adults (927 women and 585 men), aged 18-85 years (mean age was 32 years), from non-clinical groups. RESULTS: After language validation the internal consistency was assessed. The Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.62 (Entitlement/grandiosity) to 0.81 (Failure), and it was 0.96 for total score. The best solution obtained in exploratory factor analysis was an eight-factor model, instead of the assumed 18-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analysis also did not fully supported Young's theoretical model. From all the tested models, bi-factor model (i.e., one generic factor and correlated specific factors - schemas) fitted the data best. In accordance with this model schema variance is explained concurrently by generic and specific factors; generic factor explains most of the Defectiveness variance, while only slightly - Self-sacrifice variance. Convergent validity analysis confirmes positive medium correlations with scales measuring psychopathology. Similarly, negative correlations with self-efficacy and optimism indicate good divergent validity. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric characteristics of the Polish adaptation of the YSQ-S3PL is similar to those reported for other language versions. The results allow to recommend the method for scientific research. However, using it in therapeutic practice needs caution - especially in the case of clinical diagnosis. Further analyses are necessary to assess criterion validity and discriminative power in clinical settings.

Maladaptive Schemas Among People Addicted to Alcohol: Heterogeneity but not Specificity?

AIMS: Early maladaptive schemas described by Young theoretically underlie the development of psychopathology, including substance use. The key assumption is that the schemas do not act in isolation but create configurations that are, at least to a certain extent, distinctive for specific disorders. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine whether a schema profile specific to alcohol addiction can be identified when compared to profiles obtained from a non-clinical sample. SHORT SUMMARY: Early maladaptive schemas are cognitive and behavioral patterns related to a wide spectrum of psychopathology, including alcohol addiction. However, the assumption that the configuration of schemas varies across disorders still needs verification. In the sample of alcohol-addicted people, only heterogeneity was noted, without any specific profile that may differentiate them from healthy adults. METHODS: The study included two samples: 108 alcohol-dependent patients beginning stationary treatment and 1529 healthy adults. All participants completed the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3). RESULTS: Multiple-group latent profile analysis was used to compare clinical and non-clinical sample profiles. In both groups, four profiles were identified. These were similar in terms of schema means and variances across groups, differing only in size. Specifically, people addicted to alcohol were over-represented in the highest profile and under-represented in the lowest profile. Also, the only distinguishable difference between profiles was their height, not shape. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a heterogeneity but not specificity of maladaptive schema profiles within the studied sample of people addicted to alcohol.

Validation of the Polish version of the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS). / Walidacja polskiej wersji Skali Glodu Alkoholu Penn (Penn Alcohol Craving Scale ­ PACS).

OBJECTIVES: The conducted studies were aimed at making a Polish adaptation of the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) by B. Flannery and co-workers. The Scale is a self-assessment method, it comprises 5 statements, and is designed to assess alcohol craving experienced by a patient in a week prior to the examination. METHODS: 550 patients with diagnosed alcohol dependence syndrome were examined, and the final analysis included results of 510 persons. The examined group consisted of 396 men and 114 women. The study was made in the 3rd week of their alcohol treatment. There were used: the PENN Craving Scale, the Alcohol Dependence Development Scale (SRUA) (the part in which craving is dealt with), a clinical interview with specially prepared questions about alcohol craving experienced last month and last week, and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Intense Drinking Scale. RESULTS: The Polish version of the Penn Scale is characterised by very good psychometric properties - it is a reliable and valid tool. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have proved the existence of one factor. The internal consistency, assessed on the basis of Cronbach's alpha, equalled 0.89. The method displays statistically significant (majority p < 0.0010) relationships with levels of craving experienced last year, last month, and last week before the examination, and also with total score on the Yale-Brown Scale. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of the conducted adaptation works on the Penn Scale speak for recommending the method for scientific research and use in therapeutic practice.

Suicidal thoughts in persons treated for alcohol dependence: The role of selected demographic and clinical factors.

Greater knowledge is needed of potential predictive factors for suicide in cases of alcohol addiction. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify the socio-demographic variables and clinical factors associated with alcohol dependence which may have an influence on the occurrence of suicidal thoughts in alcohol-dependent patients. A group of 510 patients (396 male and 114 female) diagnosed with alcohol dependence syndrome were interviewed during the third week of therapy according to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD). Socio-demographic data was also collected. The results of a binary logistic regression with suicidal thoughts as a dependent variable show that 63 out of the 510 participants (12% of the sample) reported the presence of suicidal thoughts. Alcohol dependence and alcohol craving appear to increase the likelihood of suicidal thoughts, and participants presenting psychiatric disorders were twice as likely to demonstrate suicidal ideation as those who did not. Alcohol dependence, alcohol craving and psychiatric comorbidity may be regarded as risk factors for suicidal ideation in the studied sample, with the only protective factor being living in a relationship.