The relationship between burnout symptoms and Type D personality among health care professionals in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between burnout and Type D personality in health care professionals. The study randomly included 120 health care professionals (73 nurses, 47 doctors). Sociodemographic data form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Type D Personality Scale were applied to each participant; 38.3% of the health care professionals (n = 46) had the Type D personality. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of health care professionals with Type D personality were higher than of those without Type D personality (p = .006 and p = .005). Stepwise regression analysis indicated that Type D personality was a predictor of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (p = .005 and p = .001, respectively). Our results suggest that Type D personality is associated with higher burnout levels.

The relationship between childhood sexual/physical abuse and sexual dysfunction in patients with social anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Childhood traumatic events are known as developmental factors for various psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of childhood sexual and physical abuse (CSA/CPA), and co-morbid depression on sexual functions in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). METHOD: Data obtained from 113 SAD patients was analysed. Childhood traumatic experiences were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale was used for the evaluation of the sexual functions. The data from interviews performed with SCID-I were used for determination of Axis I diagnosis. The Beck Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Scale and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale were administered to each patient. RESULTS: History of childhood physical abuse (CPA) was present in 45.1% of the SAD patients, and 14.2% had a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Depression co-diagnosis was present in 30.1% of SAD patients and 36.3% had sexual dysfunction. History of CSA and depression co-diagnosis were determined as two strong predictors in SAD patients (odds ratio (OR) for CSA, 7.83; 95% CI, 1.97-31.11; p = 0.003 and OR for depression, 3.66; 95% CI, 1.47-9.13; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: CSA and depression should be considered and questioned as an important factor for SAD patients who suffer from sexual dysfunction.

Psychiatric comorbidity in patients with conversion disorder and prevalence of dissociative symptoms.

The 1st objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and types of dissociative symptoms in patients with conversion disorder (CD). The 2nd objective of the current study was to determine psychiatric comorbidity in patients with and without dissociative symptoms. A total of 54 consecutive consenting patients primarily diagnosed with CD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria who were admitted to the psychiatric emergency outpatient clinic of Sisli Etfal Research and Teaching Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey) were included in the study. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Structured Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders, and Dissociative Experiences Scale were administered. Study groups consisted of 20 patients with a dissociative disorder and 34 patients without a diagnosis of any dissociative disorder. A total of 37% of patients with CD had any dissociative diagnosis. The prevalence of dissociative disorders was as follows: 18.5% dissociative disorder not otherwise specified, 14.8% dissociative amnesia, and 3.7% depersonalization disorder. Significant differences were found between the study groups with respect to comorbidity of bipolar disorder, past hypomania, and current and past posttraumatic stress disorder (ps = .001, .028, .015, and .028, respectively). Overall comorbidity of bipolar disorder was 27.8%. Psychiatric comorbidity was higher and age at onset was earlier among dissociative patients compared to patients without dissociative symptoms. The increased psychiatric comorbidity and early onset of conversion disorder found in patients with dissociative symptoms suggest that these patients may have had a more severe form of conversion disorder.

The quality of life and psychiatric morbidity in patients operated for Arnold-Chiari malformation type I.

BACKGROUND: There are some case reports that highlight the association of Arnold-Chiari malformation (ACM) with psychiatric symptoms. We assessed the association between ACM and psychiatric symptoms and risk factors in terms of psychiatric morbidity and evaluated the quality of life after surgery. METHODS: This study consisted of sixteen patients who underwent decompression operation at the Department of Neurosurgery of Sisli Etfal Hospital. The MINI plus, Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire and WHOQOL-BREF-TR were administered to patients. RESULTS: About 43.8% of the patients had a psychiatric disorder. About 50% of the patients had co-existing syringomyelia of which 50% with syringomyelia had a psychiatric disorder. Patients with syringomyelia without any psychiatric disorder had significantly lower scores on physical domain of WHOQOL-BREF-TR (p = 0.02) than the patients without syringomyelia and psychiatric disorder. Subjects with a psychiatric disorder had lower scores on four domains of WHOQOL-BREF-TR. The patients with psychiatric diagnoses had significantly higher scores on affective pain index (p = 0.021) and total pain index (p = 0.037) than the patients without any psychiatric disorder. CONCLUSION: The presence of a psychiatric condition influences not only the physical aspect but also deteriorates the psychological and social relations and environmental aspect. Moreover the presence of a psychiatric disorder increases the perception of pain and causes more discomfort.