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Objective: Long-term studies following disasters are rare. It is important to quantify long-term effects of disasters to determine impacts on populations over time. We therefore aim to report the long-term associations between exposure to the Canterbury earthquakes and common mental disorders, taking into account potential confounding factors. Methods: The Christchurch Health and Development Study is a 40-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of New Zealand children (635 males and 630 females). The Christchurch Health and Development Study includes 884 participants with data on earthquake exposure and mental health outcomes at ages 34 and 40 years. Rates of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) disorders were measured categorically and using an expanded definition that included sub-syndromal symptoms. The current impact of the earthquakes is reported using 12-month prevalence data 7 years after the earthquakes. The cumulative impact of the earthquakes over the 7 years since onset is also reported. Results: There was a linear trend towards increasing rates of disorder with increasing exposure to the earthquakes. After adjusting for covariates, the 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorder symptoms was significantly increased (p = 0.003). The earthquakes were also associated with cumulative increases in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p < 0.001), anxiety disorder (p = 0.016), nicotine dependence (p = 0.012), and the total number of disorders (p = 0.039). Conclusion: The Canterbury earthquakes were associated with persistent increases in Anxiety Disorder symptoms 7 years after their onset. The earthquakes were also associated with cumulative increases in symptoms of common psychiatric disorders. The magnitude of these effects is small, may no longer be clinically significant and has decreased over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Personality has been associated with a variety of outcomes in adulthood. Most of the literature related to mental state disorder and personality is cross sectional. Methods: Data from more than 900 participants of the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) were examined. Extroversion and neuroticism were measured at 14 years old and social outcomes at age 30. The presence of mental state disorder between 18-30 years old was identified. Multiple potential confounders in childhood were included in the analysis. Results: Neuroticism at fourteen was significantly correlated with multiple environmental exposures whereas extroversion had relatively few associations. Regression analysis found that neuroticism at 14 predicted depression, anxiety, suicidality and overall mental health problems at 30 as well as poor self-esteem but not relationship quality or wellbeing. Extroversion at 14 predicted alcohol and drug dependence and overall mental health problems, but also predicted improved social wellbeing, self-esteem and relationship quality at 30. Conclusions: In this analysis extroversion interacts with significantly fewer environmental factors than neuroticism in predicting adult outcomes. Neuroticism at 14 years predicts poorer mental health outcomes in adulthood. Extroversion in childhood may be a protective factor in the development of mental disorder other than alcohol use disorders. Extroverted adolescents have more positive social outcomes at 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents research which discussed the impact of earthquake sequence in New Zealand on the adverse mental health conditions of people in the area. Topics covered include information on an earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand in September 2010 as well as participation of 295 people in the study. Also mentioned are the damages caused by the disaster.

The article presents research which examined the occurrence of childhood trauma in children with bipolar disorder. Topics covered include the impact of stress on the treatment course for the children and the rate of childhood trauma in patients with the condition. Also mentioned is the use of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire in the study.

The article presents research which examined the use of electroconvulsive therapy in Otago, New Zealand. Topics covered include the global variations in the adoption of the treatment approach, and the participation of 199 patients with affective disorders in the study. Also mentioned is the prevalence of the method in other countries including the U.S. and Australia.

The article discusses a study to identify the time course of the retrieval of words from semantic memory. The study contains a test administered to 65 inpatients with major depression and 50 healthy controls. The result showed a shortcoming in the retrieval of words from long-term memory in depressed patients. It is concluded that a generalized impairment in memory retrieval could be a characteristic of major depression.