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Background: There has been increasing interest in the measurement of quality of life in cross-sectional investigations and in the assessment of intervention outcomes in elderly adults. Several instruments used in this measurement have not yet been adequately tested.Objective: To describe the psychometric properties of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Instrument-Short Version (WHOQOL-BREF) in a sample of Brazilian elderly.Method: A total of 424 elderly adults selected through convenience sampling completed the instruments WHOQOL-BREF, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and a sociodemographic data form. Discriminant validity, concurrent validity, criterion validity and internal consistency were analyzed.Results: The sample comprised predominantly women (64.2%), community-dwelling subjects (84.4%) and subjects who consider themselves healthy (67.5%). All domains in the instrument showed the ability to discriminate levels of depressive symptoms and hopelessness, as well as different perceptions of health status. The correlation coefficients among the domains and the BDI and BHS scores were statistically significant. The reliability coefficients present scores ranging from 0.614 to 0.925.Conclusion: The WHOQOL-BREF instrument shows suitable psychometric performance in a sample of Brazilian older adults, becoming a useful alternative in the measurement of quality of life in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objectives: ADHD among adults has been increasingly recognized over the last years, despite the difficulties of adapting diagnostic criteria and symptom dimensions to the assessment of these patients. In this study, we compared the performance of a symptom rating scale (SNAP-IV) across age groups. Methods: Baseline assessments of 705 individuals (286 children and adolescents and 419 adults) referred for ADHD treatment in an outpatient clinic setting were analyzed. Item response theory analyses were conducted to identify specific item performance across age and gender groups. Results: Preliminary results indicate a two-factor solution corroborating the inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity dimensions of ADHD. Three inattention and six hyperactive/impulsive items showed differential item functioning across age groups. Unidimensional analyses revealed a set of five inattention-related items with interval psychometric properties across both age groups. In the hyperactivity/impulsivity domain, however, no single solution was possible, with two final sets of six and four items demonstrating interval properties for children/adolescents and adults, respectively. Discussion: Initial results suggest that items reflecting specific ADHD symptoms have distinct psychometric properties among children/ adolescents and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inuit in Canada currently suffer from one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of suicide ideations and attempts among 15-24 year olds living in Nunavik, Québec, and to explore risk and protective factors of suicide attempts as a function of gender. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2004 across Nunavik. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted. A total of 22% of young males and 39% of females adults reported past suicidal attempts. Gender differences were observed in relation to associated risk and protective factors as well as degree of exposure to risk factors. Suicide prevention must include alcohol and drug prevention programs and rehabilitation services, interventions to reduce physical and sexual violence and their long-term impacts on Inuit youth, as well as exposure to culturally meaningful activities., (© 2014 The American Association of Suicidology.)

Objective: Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, especially among young subjects. Suicide is considered the outcome of a multidimensional and complex phenomenon, which is a result of the interaction between several factors. The association between psychopathology and suicide has been extensively investigated. Major depression plays an important role among the psychiatric diagnoses associated with suicide. This finding seems to be confirmed by different study designs, and in distinct populations. The present paper aims to briefly review the recent findings regarding the suicide-related clinical features of depression. Moreover, strategies for suicide prevention were also reviewed., Review: Recent references were identified and grouped in order to illustrate the main contributions about depression and suicide. Briefly, the literature review stresses the high prevalence of major depression among subjects presenting suicide behaviors. Psychopathological traits, such as aggression and impulsivity play a relevant role in triggering suicidal behaviors. Strategies for suicide prevention were also reviewed in Brazil and internationally. In general, detection and treatment are effective in reducing suicide rates., Conclusion: Studies regarding suicide behaviors have had a pragmatic approach, and generated a large body of evidence about correlates of suicide. However, these studies have not been able to provide a consistent theoretical explanation for this phenomenon. The recent adoption of modern strategies represents a possibility of enhancing the research capability of such studies. In order to be clinically useful, findings should make it possible to deepen the understanding over the experience of a suicidal person, as well as to design specific strategies for prevention and treatment in population subgroups.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of psychodynamic group therapy in patients with generalized social phobia., Methods: Thirty patients were included in a randomized single-blind clinical trial comparing psychodynamic group treatment (PGT) with a credible placebo control group (CPC). PGT was carried out within a 12-session psychodynamically-oriented group psychotherapy. Control patients received a treatment package of lecture-discussion and support group for 12 weeks which was compared to PGT. Each participant completed the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale(CGI) at pretreatment assessment and after 12 weeks of treatment. Data analysis was carried out using a repeated measures ANOVA. Patients were excluded if they were under any kind of pharmacotherapy or psychotherapic treatment., Results: Both groups demonstrated significant pretreatment-to-posttreatment change on most measures. On the LSAS, PGT patients were rated as more improved than controls at posttest assessment (F(1,28)=4.84, p=0.036). Baseline data of completers did not show differences between both groups in the demographic variables and outcome variables used., Conclusions: The present study showed that PGT was [corrected] superior to a credible placebo control group in the treatment of generalized social phobia, in a 12-week randomized single-blind clinical trial.

Objectives: Exploring the conditions that allow satisfactory quality of life in old age is an issue of scientific and social relevance. Thus, the objective of the study was to describe a quality of life assessment method for the elderly and present the results from focus groups conducted among old people in good health and ill health, as well as their caregivers., Methods: The methodology used in the WHOQOL-OLD project is the same as utilized in the development of other WHOQOL modules. Five focus groups were conducted in Brazil. The sampling procedure was done according to convenience. Eighteen old people and five caregivers took part in the focus groups. All the focus groups followed a pre-established methodology., Results: A tendency towards making an association between quality of life and wellbeing and feeling well was observed. The responses spontaneously included the 6 domains proposed in WHOQOL-100, thus corroborating the multidimensional nature of this construction. Nineteen out of the 24 original facets of this instrument were cited as relevant, and the five facets not spontaneously remembered were not concentrated in a single domain. When questioned about the importance of each of the 24 facets of WHOQOL-100, the groups considered all of them to be relevant. However, suggestions for modifications to five facets were made. Additional items were also examined and considered relevant for assessing quality of life among the elderly, by both the old people and the caregivers., Conclusions: The results corroborate the hypothesis that old people constitute a particular group and, as such, they have relevant specific characteristics. Thus, an appropriate instrument for assessing quality of life among the elderly needs to consider such matters.