Effects of COVID-19 Outbreak on Children's Mental Health: A Comparative Study with Children Diagnosed and Isolated from Their Parents.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 outbreak has negatively affected children in many ways. This study aimed to compare the psychological responses of children exposed to different levels of stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS: The anxiety levels, negative thoughts, and quality of life of COVID-19-positive children with COVID-19-positive parents (Child+ group, n=17), COVID-19-negative children who are separated from COVID-19-positive parents (Parent+ group, n=59), and a control group (n=64) were compared. The participants completed the Screen for Child Anxiety and Related Disorders (SCARED), Children's Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). RESULTS: The statistical analysis revealed that the Parent+ group recorded higher SCARED and CNCEQ scores and lower PedsQL scores in comparison with the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the scores of the Child+ and control groups. Furthermore, high CNCEQ scores and low PedsQL scores in the Parent+ group predicted an increase in their SCARED scores. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that separating children from their parents during the COVID-19 outbreak negatively influences their mental health and increases their anxiety levels.

The Relationship between the Theory of Mind Skills and Disorder Severity among Adolescents with ADHD.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the sub-dimensions of the theory of mind (ToM) and to investigate the relationship between ToM skills and disorder severity by comparing adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) with healthy individuals. Methods: The study included 42 adolescents with ADHD and education- and age-matched 41 healthy volunteers. The Smarties test, ice cream truck test, faux pas recognition test, and eyes test were applied to all participants. Turgay Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-IV)-Based Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavioral Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (T-DSM-IV-S) was applied to the group with ADHD to measure the disorder severity. Results: The group with ADHD was seen to have ToM skills impairment. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the ice cream truck test, faux pas recognition test, and eyes test. A significant correlation was observed between the T-DSM-IV-S results and the eyes test results of the patients. Conclusion: This study has shown that advanced ToM skills can be impaired in adolescents with ADHD and that impairment in skills is associated with disorder severity.

Factors affecting the anxiety levels of adolescents in home-quarantine during COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The long-term closing of schools and home-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic cause negative effects on the physical and mental health of young people. Studies evaluating the mental health of adolescents during the pandemic are limited in the literature. AIM: In our study, it was aimed to determine the results of home-quarantine measures taken for adolescents during the pandemic and the affecting factors. METHOD: This study was conducted as an online cross-sectional self-report questionnaire and included children aged between 12 and 18 years. The data were obtained from the children of volunteer families via Facebook family groups, and Google Forms questionnaires sent by the child psychiatry clinic to their smartphones. Sociodemographic form, State-Trait anxiety scale, and UCLA loneliness survey were used as data collection tools. RESULTS: We examined the data of 745 adolescents. The average age of the study group was 16.83 ± 1.66 years, and 69.5% were females. It was determined that 88.2% of the adolescents followed the developments in the COVID-19 process and obtained most information from the television. State anxiety was related to "Former psychiatric referral" by 4.39-fold, "Having a COVID positive patient in the family or your surroundings" by 3.81-fold, and "The most common medium for obtaining COVID-related information" by 2.41-fold. CONCLUSIONS: Closure of schools and home-quarantine during pandemic causes anxiety and loneliness in young people. The identification of risky groups helps to properly support these individuals by various social connections, including healthcare professionals, families, and schools.

The Role of Clozapine as a Mood Regulator in the Treatment of Rapid Cycling Bipolar Affective Disorder. / Klozapinin Hizli Döngülü Bipolar Afektif Bozuklukta Duygudurum Düzenleyicisi Olarak Rolü.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the clozapine on the course of the rapid cycling Bipolar Affective Disorder. METHOD: The study group was formed with the patients aged between 18 and 65 years of age, who met the criteria for the diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition, with rapid cycling characteristics. Variables like the number of mania and depressive episodes, the days spent in mania and in depression and the number of hospitalization and attempted suicide, in the year before starting clozapine were determined and compared with the annual data after starting the clozapine. RESULTS: Eleven female and two male patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. The group`s average daily use of clozapine was 180 mg (25-600 mg). There was a statistically significant difference in the number of days spent in the depression, the days spent in the mania, the number of depressive episodes and manic episodes, the number of hospitalizations and the suicide attempts after the clozapine use. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was determined that clozapine was effective as a mood stabilizer in Bipolar Affective Disorder treatment. The results show that clozapine reduces the episode frequency and the duration in rapid cycling Bipolar Affective Disorder which does not respond to all conventional treatments, including lithium, valproic acid, carbamazepine and antipsychotic drugs.