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Introduction: combining a successful career with family planning has become increasingly important in recent years. However, maintaining a relationship, deciding upon the optimal time for pregnancy and other family planning decisions can still be quite challenging, especially for junior doctors whose training is long and demanding. Currently, women form an important part of the medical workforce, and there is noticeable feminization in migration. However, little is known about the personal characteristics of junior doctors in Europe and how these play a role in their decision to migrate. Methods: survey of psychiatric trainees in 33 European countries, exploring how personal characteristics, such as gender, relationship status and parenthood, impact their attitudes toward migration. Results: 2,281 psychiatric trainees in Europe took part in the study. In this sample, the majority of psychiatric trainees were in a relationship, but only one quarter had children, although there were variations across Europe. Both men and women indicated personal reasons as their top reason to stay. However, women ranked personal reasons as the top reason to leave, and men financial reasons. Single woman were the most likely of all subgroups to choose academic reasons as their top reason to leave. Interestingly, when women were in a relationship or had children, their attitudes toward migration changed. Conclusions: in this study, a low number of psychiatric trainees in Europe had children, with differences across Europe. These findings raise awareness as to the role of parental conditions, which may be favoring or discouraging parenthood in junior doctors in different countries., NA

Background: Aim of the study was the validation of the Bipolar Disorder Rating Scale (BDRS) in an Italian population. Secondary aim was the evaluation of differences between unipolar and bipolar depression and between bipolar I and II depressed patients. Method: 125 Bipolar Disorder and 60 Major Depressive Disorder patients were administered an Italian translation of the BDRS (I-BDRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R).  Results: I-BDRS showed considerable validity and reliability. Factor analysis found 3 subscales, two linked to depressive symptoms and one to mixed symptoms. Measures concerning depression (MADRS and HAM-D) were positively related to the I-BDRS's subscales, but mostly to the two subscales measuring depression. In mixed symptoms, the mean of the bipolar group was significantly higher than the unipolar group suggesting that the BDRS was able to distinguish between unipolar and bipolar depressed patients. Conclusion: I-BDRS is a valid scale for the measurement of depression in BD patients, with a notable internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.82), a significant consistency between items/total (Cronbach's α from 0.80 to 0.82) and positive correlation with other scales (MADRS r = 0.67, p < 0.001; HDRS r = 0.81, p < 0.001; YMRS r = 0.46 p < 0.0001). The mixed state sub-scale shows usefulness in differentiating bipolar from unipolar patients. I-BDRS could be a sensitive tool, both in pure depression and in mixed states, and could be used in the everyday screening and treatment of Bipolar Disorder.