[Are Personality Traits Effective in Marital Adjustment in Couples with Sexual Dysfunction? The Mediating Effect of Sexual Satisfaction]. / Cinsel Islev Bozuklugu Olan Çiftlerde Evlilik Uyumunda Kisilik Özellikleri Etkili mi? Cinsel Doyumun Araci Etkisi.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of the study is to investigate the relationships between personality traits, marital relationship and sexual satisfaction in couples with sexual dysfunction (SD). The secondary aim is to examine the mediating effects of marital adjustment between personality traits and sexual satisfaction, and of sexual satisfaction between personality traits and marital adjustment. METHOD: The study was conducted with a total of 202 participants consisting of 101 married individuals diagnosed with SD and their spouses. Personal Information Form, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Golombok-Rust Sexual Satisfaction Scale (GRISS), and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) were administered to the participants. RESULTS: High harm avoidance and low self-directedness were associated with decreased marital adjustment and reduced sexual satisfaction. Reduced sexual satisfaction was related to the decreased marital adjustment. According to the results of multiple mediating analyzes, mediating effect of marital adjustment was not significant in the relationship between personality traits and sexual satisfaction, while the mediating effect of sexual satisfaction was significant in the relationship between personality traits and marital adjustment. Namely, selfdirectedness predicted the marital adjustment through the mediating role of sexual satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that the effects of personality traits on sexual satisfaction and marital adjustment should be considered cautiously and in detail, especially in people with SD. Interventions designed to improve healthy marital functioning should include personality traits and sexual satisfaction. In the psychotherapy for SD, focusing on personality traits and sexual functions can affect marital adjustment.

Cognitive dysfunctions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to the patients with schizophrenia patients: relation to overvalued ideas.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical overlaps between schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) seem to be related to thought disorders involving obsessions, overvalued ideas, and delusions. Overvalued ideas are beliefs falling in between obsessions and delusions and are stronger than obsessions but weaker than delusions. The goal of the present study was to compare patients with OCD to those with schizophrenia in terms of cognitive functions and to relate cognition and overvalued ideas in OCD. METHODS: Twenty three patients with OCD (free of depression), 24 patients with schizophrenia, and 22 healthy subjects matched to patients in age, gender, education, and hand dominance were included in the study. All subjects were administered neurocognitive tests assessing verbal learning-memory, executive functions, verbal fluency, attention and verbal working memory. RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia showed worse performance on cognitive tests than the OCD and control groups. The severity of overvalued ideas was significantly correlated to cognitive functions in the OCD group. There were no significant differences in cognitive functions between schizophrenia group and the OCD patients who had higher scores on the Overvalued Ideas Scale (OVIS). CONCLUSION: Overvalued ideas in OCD may be related to cognitive dysfunctions in OCD and this subtype of OCD may have similar characteristics to schizophrenia in terms of cognition.

[Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Sexual Satisfaction, Marital Adjustment, and Levels of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Couples with Vaginismus]. / Vajinismuslu Çiftlerde Bilissel Davranisçi Terapinin Cinsel Doyum, Evlilik Uyumu, Depresyon ve Anksiyete Belirti Düzeyleri Üzerine Etkisi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on sexual functions of women with vaginismus and their husbands, their marital adjustment, and their levels of depression and anxiety symptoms. METHOD: Twenty-six couples diagnosed as vaginismus according to DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria in gynecology outpatient clinics of Izmir Ege Maternity Hospital and Gynecological Diseases Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. The couples were treated with CBT through 50-minute sessions once a week. Pre- and post-treatment, all couples were assessed using a Personal Information Form, Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the total and all subscales' scores of sexual functions, significant increase in the marital adjustment, and a significant decrease in anxiety and depression symptom levels after CBT in women who completed the therapy (n = 20). In the husbands, significant recoveries were observed after the therapy in sexual functions total scores and subscales of satisfaction, avoidance, and impotence. However, there was no change in frequency, communication, sensuality, and in the premature ejaculation domains. Also, the marital adjustment scores increased, and significant decreases were observed in depression and anxiety symptom levels. CONCLUSION: It was observed that CBT is an appropriate therapy approach for vaginismus, and beneficial effects were observed in both women and their husbands in sexual functions, marital adjustment, and levels of depression and anxiety symptoms decreased.

[An Examination of the Relationships Between Psychobiological Model of Personality and Cognitive Theory in Patients Diagnosed with Major Depression and Healthy Individuals]. / Psikobiyolojik Kisilik Modeli ve Bilissel Kuram Arasindaki Iliskilerin Majör Depresyon Tanili Hastalarda ve Saglikli Bireylerde Incelenmesi.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate relationships among temperament-character traits, dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts, and compare with patient group with diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and healthy control group in terms of these variables. METHOD: 127 patients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and 128 healthy subjects participated voluntarily in the study. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to participants. RESULTS: It was seen that the patient group had higher harm avoidance and lower self-directedness, cooperativeness and persistence. Moreover, it was seen that the persons in the patient group had more dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts related to depression, comparing to the control group. In addition, according to results of the multiple mediating variables analysis,dysfunctional attitudes and automatic thoughts are fully mediated in relationship between among harm avoidance and self-directedness and depression. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the cognitive theory and psychobiological personality model may be used together for explaining depression. Accordingly, it can be said that harm avoidance and self-directedness were the risk factors for depression. Based upon the results of the research, it can be made works for preventing depression. Moreover,the effectiveness of cognitive psychotherapy intended to depressive people can be increased by taking these temperament and character traits into consideration.

[The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Medication, or Combined Treatment For Child Hood Anxiety Disorders]. / Çocukluk Çagi Kaygi Bozukluklarinda Bilissel Davranisçi Terapi, Ilaç Tedavisi ve Kombine Tedavinin Etkililiginin Karsilastirilmasi.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fear Hunter cognitive behavioral therapy program, which was developed for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, and to compare its effectiveness with standard medication treatment. METHOD: A total of 46 participants (aged 8 to 12) that applied to the Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry clinic and had a diagnosis of anxiety disorder were recruited for the study. The participants were randomly assigned to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), standard drug treatment (ST), or combined treatment (CBT+ ST) groups according to the order of application. Subjects were evaluated using pretest, posttest and 3 months follow-up measurements. The participants were assessed by the researcher using The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), The Children's Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ), Health Related Quality of Life in Children (Kid-KINDL), and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). RESULTS: The results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that, although general anxiety scores of all treatment conditions significantly decreased at posttest and follow up, a combination of two therapies (CBT+ST) had a significantly superior response rate. Moreover, all treatment conditions including CBT (CBT+ST and CBT) were superior to ST in terms of negative cognitive errors, quality of life, and depression. CONCLUSION: It is thought that The Fear Hunter Therapy Program is an effective treatment technique because; it provides significant improvement in the primary and secondary symptoms (e.g. quality of life, depression, negative automatic thoughts) of childhood anxiety disorders.

Effects of quetiapine on cognitive functions in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: All atypical antipsychotic drugs with complex pharmacology have been shown to improve some, but not all, domains of cognitive function, including quetiapine, i.e., the agent with the most rapid dissociation from dopamine receptors and a relatively weak serotonin antagonism. The present study was to evaluate which, if any, areas of cognition improve in patients with schizophrenia, following a brief treatment with quetiapine. METHODS: Effects of quetiapine on cognition were investigated in a group of patients with schizophrenia (n=14). Neuropsychological tests in cognitive areas previously shown as impaired in schizophrenia were administered at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment with quetiapine. Administered at these two times were also the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and scales to assess motor side effects (Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, Simpson-Angus Scale, and Barnes Akathisia Scale). RESULTS: Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test indicated a statistically significant improvement in scores on Digit Span Test, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, Finger Tapping Test, and on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. No significant change was noted in motor side effects. CONCLUSION: The patients improved in their attentional, motor, and visuo-motor skills, and in executive functions as well as with respect to psychopathology, without an increase in motor side effects.

[Factorial structure, validity, and reliability of the Turkish temperament and character inventory]. / Mizaç ve Karakter Envanteri'nin Türkçe Formunun Faktör Yapisi, Geçerlik ve Güvenilirligi.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the factorial structure, reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), a 240-item, self-report, paper-and-pencil test, and true-false format inventory based on Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality. It measures the four higher-order temperament dimensions and three character dimensions. METHOD: Using samples consisting of 470 healthy volunteers and 544 psychiatric patients, psychometric features were explored. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the scales was good (Cronbach alpha coefficients between 0.68 and 0.84), but weak for Reward dependence (0.55) and Persistence (0.56). The factor structures of the temperament and character dimensions, explored separately, were in agreement with the hypothesized constructs, except for the scales NS1 (Novelty Seeking 1 = exploratory excitability) and SD4 (Self-directedness 4 -- self-acceptance). The present study also confirmed that the TCI scales were weakly related among themselves. On the whole, psychiatric patients had higher harm avoidance and lower self-directedness, persistence, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence scores than the normal subjects. Gender differences were also found for different dimensions. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the TCI can be applied in the investigation of psychiatric and normal populations.

Effect of clozapine on serum leptin, insulin levels, and body weight and composition in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Weight gain frequently occurs during treatment with clozapine. However, the pathophysiology of clozapine-induced weight gain remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of clozapine on hormones leptin and insulin in relation to body weight and composition measures to determine their contribution to clozapine-induced weight gain. METHOD: Data are reported on 19 patients with schizophrenia (11 women and 8 men) who completed 10 weeks of treatment with clozapine. Insulin levels, weight measurements, body mass index (BMI), and body composition measurements were evaluated at baseline and at the end of treatment. Leptin levels were assessed at baseline and after 4 and 10 weeks of treatment. Analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to evaluate changes in weight, body composition measures, leptin, and insulin. The Pearson correlations were used to assess the relationships between changes in hormone levels and weight along with body composition measurements. The correlations of change in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score with changes in hormone levels, weight gain and body composition measures were evaluated with Pearson correlations. RESULTS: Leptin and insulin levels did not show any significant alterations across time. The use of clozapine was associated with significant increases in BMI (F=19.8, P<.001), lean muscle mass (F=8.2, P=.01), and fat mass (F=15.4, P=.001), while total body fluid percentage (F=4.1, P=.05) significantly decreased. Improvement in PANSS scores was not correlated to change in leptin, insulin, weight, BMI, or body composition measurements. The change in leptin levels was correlated to change in body fat mass. CONCLUSION: The role of leptin in weight gain induced by clozapine might be a regulatory mechanism rather than being etiologic.

The Turkish version of the Auditory Consonant Trigram Test as a measure of working memory: a normative study.

The following study was conducted to adapt the Auditory Consonant Trigram Test (ACT) to Turkish, acquire a new and larger set of normative data, and finally investigate the reliability and validity of the adapted version. The data were collected from a sample of 236 healthy individuals. To test the validity of the Turkish version of ACT, the normative results of ACT were first compared with those obtained from the Digit Span Test (DST) backwards section. Secondly, the ACT performance of 53 schizophrenic patients was compared with that of a matched group selected from the normative sample. Age and education variables influenced performance, whereas gender did not in the normal sample. The ACT and DST backwards scores were positively correlated. As expected, the ACT performance was worse in schizophrenic patients compared to controls. The internal consistency of the adapted version of ACT was found to be at a reliable level (alpha=0.8535). The Turkish version of ACT can be considered to be a reliable and valid measure of working memory.