Effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy in schoolchildren with depressive symptoms in Alexandria, Egypt.

We evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy for 12-14-year-old school-children from a low socioeconomic area in Alexandria, Egypt during the academic year 2003-04. Our sample comprised 198 boys and 136 girls. Students were assessed using the Child Depression Inventory and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The frequency of depression was 9.6%; 7.1% in boys and 13.2% in girls. The 32 children with depression were offered cognitive behaviour therapy. Only 17 accepted the offer and received 9 sessions of therapy. They were assessed 3 months after the intervention using the same tools and the results indicate the short-term effectiveness of the therapy.

Effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy in schoolchildren with depressive symptoms in Alexandria, Egypt

We evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy for 12-14-year-old schoolchildren from a low socioeconomic area in Alexandria, Egypt during the academic year 2003-04. Our sample comprised 198 boys and 136 girls. Students were assessed using the Child Depression Inventory and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The frequency of depression was 9.6%; 7.1% in boys and 13.2% in girls. The 32 children with depression were offered cognitive behaviour therapy. Only 17 accepted the offer and received 9 sessions of therapy. They were assessed 3 months after the intervention using the same tools and the results indicate the short-term effectiveness of the therapy

[Swimming programme for mentally retarded children and its impact on skills development]

People with Down syndrome suffer from many social, psychological and motor function problems. Current research has looked at swimming programmes to assess their impact on such problems. The programme described here was applied for a 3-month period, with music being used as one of the tools. The results were very positive and children showed significant improvement in agility, self-esteem and behaviour patterns. The programme is thus effective in enhancing the integrated development of children with Down syndrome

Evaluation of an educational training programme for the development of trainers in child mental health in Alexandria

A six-day workshop was conducted to develop trainers in mental health by providing physicians participating in the programme with the necessary educational knowledge and skills. A significant improvement was observed in the participants' knowledge and skills after the workshop. A significant correlation was found between the increase in knowledge and that of performance. The increase was affected neither by the years of work experience nor by the postgraduate degree held. This observed benefit and the satisfaction expressed by participants encourage the replication of such a programme in order to develop qualified health personnel capable of expanding mental health services for children

A study of depression among Alexandria preparatory school adolescents.

Using a constructed Arabic version of Children Depression Inventory (CDI), screening of a stratified random sample of 1% (1561) of Alexandria Preparatory school adolescents was carried out. The prevalence of depressive scorers was 10.25% of total sample. A sub-sample of depressed scorers (111 pupils) were compared with controls (non-depressed scorers) matched on age and sex to study a variety of personal, familial, medical and scholastic ecological variables. Pupils neuroticism scorers were most predictive of depressive scorers where they explained 59.79% of the variance. Other ecological factors including peer and sibling relationships, introversive and lie scale scorers and scholastic performance explained an additional 14.87% of the variance. Using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Mother-Father relationship check list, a sub-sample of depressed pupils' mothers were compared with controls of non-depressed pupils' mothers (42 mothers for each). Results indicated a strong positive correlation between pupils, CDI scores and their mothers BDI scores. On the other hand poor mother-father relationship was significantly associated with depressive scores of pupils. Findings, pointed to the need for reconsideration of school mental health program, since the presented medical and social services to depressed pupils were very poor.

First derivative spectrophotometric determination of strychnine and brucine in nux vomica liquid extract.

A simple, rapid, and accurate method is presented for determining strychnine and brucine in nux vomica liquid extract. The 2 alkaloids are directly extracted from the alkaline liquid extract with 0.1N H2SO4, and the liberated alkaloids are determined separately using first derivative spectrophotometry. The minimum strychnine and brucine concentrations detectable by means of this method are 3.0 micrograms/mL. The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of 3 batches of nux vomica liquid extract.