The associations between metacognition problems, childhood trauma and internalizing symptoms in healthcare workers working directly with patients infected with COVID-19.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) providing medical support while facing one of the highest levels of adverse and potentially fatal outcomes due to COVID-19 are put in a vulnerable position leading to the development of mental health problems. The development of any prevention and intervention programs to reduce this risk is possible with better understanding and knowledge of possible vulnerability factors. The aim of the present study is to investigate psychological effect of working directly with patients infected with COVID-19 (WD) and possible individual vulnerability factors for the development of psychological problems in HCWs. The data used in this cross-sectional study were collected using online self-reported questionnaires from 290 HCWs aged 21-61 years old. The mean score of the scales of 145 HCWs-WD and 145 HCWs not WD (HCWs-NWD) were compared by independent sample t test. Associations between childhood traumas, metacognitive dysfunctional beliefs and internalizing symptoms were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The depression, anxiety, stress symptoms levels, somatization and sleep problem levels were found to be higher in HCWs-WD compared to HCWs-NWD. SEM revealed that childhood trauma levels was associated with the increased risk of internalizing problems, and metacognitive dysfunctional beliefs had a partial mediator role between childhood traumas and internalizing symptoms in HCWs-WD. Improving metacognitive abilities may hence need to be considered in prevention programs for the HCWs. The findings can also be used to set up further research on the specific interventions on the HCWs who are at a risk as their profession entails them being in such traumatic situations.

The association between separation individuation process and binge eating disorder in adolescents aged 12-18.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the associations between separation individuation (SI) process and binge eating disorder (BED) in adolescence aged 12-18 years old, as most challenges related to SI process and eating disorders (EDs) tend to arise in this age group. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 30 adolescents diagnosed with BED and 332 healthy adolescents as a control group. All adolescents diagnosed with BED underwent clinical interviews and all adolescents in the study filled in self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Our results highlighted higher levels of need denial (p = 0.014) and rejection expectancy (p = 0.008) of SI difficulties in adolescents with BED as compared to the ones without BED. CONCLUSION: This is the first study of its nature providing good evidence for the association between SI process and BED in adolescents. Although these difficulties in SI process by themselves are not evidence of causative link, these results can contribute to the understanding of the causative factors in BED and underpin further research. The correlation can be used as a consideration in the prevention and treatment of BED. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, case-control analytic study.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Psychoeducation Given to Children with Parental Psychiatric Disorders.

This study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychoeducation program which was developed to improve the coping skills and to increase the psychological resistance of 12-18 years children/adolescents whose parents' have psychiatric disorders. The study was carried out between May 2018 - November 2019 with children of patients who applied to the outpatient clinic and inpatient treatment at Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Total of 40 children (experiment = 20 and control = 20), participated in the study. Data were collected using Personal Information Form, Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale and Kidcope. The mean age of the children/adolescents in the experimental group was 14.05 ± 1.90, 50% was male and the mean age of the control group was 15.35 ± 2.08, and 55% were male. It was determined that the mean duration of psychiatric disorders were 11.50 ± 6.39 years and 40% of the psychiatric diagnosis was schizophrenia in the experimental group, and the mean duration psychiatric disorders were 6.10 ± 5.16 years and 30% of the psychiatric diagnosis was a depression in the control group. After psychoeducation, the total scores of scales in the experimental group showed an increase compared to the control group and a significant difference in a statistical context. It was found that children/adolescents participating in the psychoeducation program had increased psychological resilience levels and improved coping skills. This result shows that the psychoeducation program for children/adolescents with psychiatric disorders in their parents is effective.