Positive and Useful Voices in Patients With Schizophrenia: Prevalence, Course, Characteristics, and Correlates.

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) in schizophrenia have been characterized by their negative emotional valence. However, positive hallucinations have also been described. The objective of the current study is to explore the prevalence, course, characteristics, and associations of positive and useful voices. The Positive and Useful Voices Inquiry and some clinical and functioning instruments were administered to a sample of 68 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder presenting with AVHs. Both the lifetime and current prevalences of positive and useful voices were high. Although AVHs tended to remain stable, there was a trend to decrease over time. The strongest positive attributions of such voices were that they help patients to feel important, amuse them, and help them to conduct their studies and carry out their profession. They seem to be mainly related to more grandiosity and to worse general functioning. Interference with biological and psychological treatments and the need for personalized formulations in patients with auditory hallucinations are discussed.

Differences in the Use and Opinions About New eHealth Technologies Among Patients With Psychosis: Structured Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Despite a growing interest in the use of technology in order to support the treatment of psychotic disorders, limited knowledge exists about the viability and acceptability of these eHealth interventions in relation to the clinical characteristics of patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the access and use of, as well as experiences and interest in, new technologies using a survey of patients diagnosed with early psychosis compared with a survey of patients diagnosed with chronic psychotic disorders. METHODS: We designed a structured questionnaire. This questionnaire was divided into five parts: (1) clinical and demographic information, (2) access and use of the internet, (3) use of the internet in relation to mental health, (4) experiences with technology, and (5) patients' interest in eHealth services. In total, 105 patients were recruited from early psychosis units (n=65) and recovery units (n=40). RESULTS: In this study, 84.8% (89/105) of the patients had access to the internet and 88.6% (93/105) owned an electronic internet device. In total, 71.3% (57/80) of patients who owned a mobile phone were interested in eHealth systems and 38.2% (37/97) reported negative experiences related to the internet usage. We observed differences between the groups in terms of device ownership (P=.02), the frequency of internet access (P<.001), the use of social media (P=.01), and seeking health information (P=.04); the differences were found to be higher in the early psychosis group. No differences were found between the groups in terms of the use of internet in relation to mental health, experiences and opinions about the internet, or interest in eHealth interventions (P=.43). CONCLUSIONS: The availability and use of technology for the participants in our survey were equivalent to those for the general population. The differences found between the groups in relation to the access or use of technology seemed to due to age-related factors. The use of technology involving mental health and the interest in eHealth interventions were mainly positive and equivalent between the groups. Accordingly, this group of patients is a potential target for the emerging eHealth interventions, regardless of their clinical status. However, 28.7% (23/80) of the studied patients rejected the use of internet interventions and 38.2% (37/97) had unpleasant experiences related to its usage; thus, more in-depth studies are needed to better define the profile of patients with psychosis who may benefit from eHealth treatments.

[Spanish adaptation of the EAS Temperament Survey for the assessment of child temperament]. / Adaptación española del EAS Temperament Survey para la evaluación del temperamento infantil.

Better understanding of child temperament is essential, as it may predict subsequent development of psychopathology. Questionnaires which have been adapted to Spanish population include a rather restricted age range. The Emotionality Sociability and Activity (EAS) Temperament Survey has been widely used in child temperament genetic research. A Spanish version of the scale was administered to a sample of 229 mothers and to their children at 18 and 42 months of age. Its psychometric features were examined. Results showed accuracy indices akin to that obtained in prior studies. Findings suggest a three-factor structure for the assessment of temperament.

Adaptación española del EAS Temperament Survey para la evaluación del temperamento infantil / Spanish adaptation of the EAS Temperament Survey for the assessment of child temperament

Es fundamental un mayor conocimiento del temperamento infantil puesto que puede predecir el desarrollo de psicopatología posterior. Los cuestionarios adaptados a población infantil española cubren un rango de edad limitado. La escala más utilizada para estudios de genética del temperamento infantil es la Emotionality Activity and Sociability Temperament Survey (EAS). El principal objetivo de este estudio es realizar la versión española del EAS y comprobar sus propiedades psicométricas. Se administró la versión española del cuestionario a una muestra de 229 madres y sus hijos a los 18 y 42 meses. Se ha encontrado una fiabilidad comparable a la obtenida en población de la misma edad. Los resultados sugieren una medida del temperamento basada en tres factores (AU)

Better understanding of child temperament is essential, as it may predict subsequent development of psychopathology. Questionnaires which have been adapted to Spanish population include a rather restricted age range. The Emotionality Sociability and Activity (EAS) Temperament Survey has been widely used in child temperament genetic research. A Spanish version of the scale was administered to a sample of 229 mothers and to their children at 18 and 42 months of age. Its psychometric features were examined. Results showed accuracy indices akin to that obtained in prior studies. Findings suggest a three-factor structure for the assessment of temperament (AU)

Factores genéticos en el desarrollo del lenguaje / Genetic factors in the development of language

Objetivo. Revisar los aspectos más relevantes de los factores genéticos implicados en los trastornos del lenguaje y del habla. Desarrollo. Los estudios de agregación familiar y gemelos han demostrado que las capacidades lingüísticas, como la mayoría de las capacidades cognitivas, tienen un claro componente hereditario. Algunas mutaciones raras en el gen que codifica para el factor de trascripción FOXP2 han causado trastornos del habla de una forma monogénica. Sin embargo, los resultados del FOXP2 en diversos síndromes que se asocian a trastornos del habla (autismo, dislexia, trastorno específico del lenguaje, esquizofrenia) han dado resultados controvertidos, posiblemente debido a problemas en la definición del fenotipo. Conclusiones. La mayoría de los trastornos del lenguaje obedecen a variaciones en múltiples genes. Se precisan estudios longitudinales con amplias muestras que incluyan datos genéticos y ambientales para poder profundizar en los factores que afectan al desarrollo del lenguaje (AU)

Aim. To review selectively the status of the genetic research in the field of speech and language disorders. Development. Major contributions to the field are selected, presented, and discussed. Twin and family studies have demonstrated that most cognitive traits including language are moderately to highly heritable. Rare mutations affecting the FOXP2 transcription factor cause a monogenic speech and language disorder. The results of association studies of FOXP2 with several language disorders are controversial, probably due to the problem of phenotype definition. Conclusions. Common forms of disorders of speech and language are mostly likely associated with variability in the function of multiple genes. Longitudinal studies looking at gene environmental interaction might be important in order to understand the mechanism of language development (AU)