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OBJECTIVE Lack of test norms is a major limitation in neuropsychological assessment in many non-English-speaking countries. Our objective was to generate sex-, age-, and education-adjusted, regression-based norms for three pen-and-paper-based executive function/working memory tests, viz. Victoria Stroop Test (VST), Digit Span, and Verbal Fluency, for Sinhala-Speaking Sri Lankan adults. METHOD Six-hundred and six healthy, community-living, Sinhala-speaking adults (273 men) aged 19-83 years completed VST, Digit Span (forward and backward), and Phonemic (Sinhala phonemes "N," "P," and "S") and Category (animals and vegetables) Fluency tests. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses with sex, age, and years of education fitted as predictors to model the test outcome variables. RESULTS Younger age was associated with better performance in all tests except in Phonemic Fluency. Longer education was associated with better performance in all outcomes except VST errors and interference. Women had a significant but small advantage over men in VST Neutral and Color Word tests, and Phonemic Fluency. We report regression equations to predict norms for the test performance measures based on sex, age, and years of education; and the test variances accounted by these factors. CONCLUSIONS We propose demographically adjusted norms for VST, Digit Span, and Verbal Fluency for Sinhala-speaking Sri Lankans aged 19-83 years, and supplement the regression formulae with a calculator that produces predicted and standard scores. These norms would help in interpreting the results of clinical samples in the future, taking into account the variability introduced by sex, age, and education.

Background: Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) is a simple pencil-and-paper substitution task that measures divided attention, visual scanning and processing speed. It is sensitive to cognitive impairment in a wide variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. Extant normative data for the SDMT, mainly based on Western populations, may not be applicable for Sri Lankans. Aims: We aimed to create sex-, age- and education-adjusted regression-based norms for the SDMT for Sri Lankan adults. Methods: Four-hundred and twenty-two community-living adults (220 women, 52.1%), aged 18 to 83 years, with 5 to 23 years of education, completed the study. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses with sex, age and years of education to predict the SDMT score. Results: The SDMT scores of the sample ranged from 5 to 72, with a mean (SD) score of 35.98 (12.87). The regression model [predicted SDMT score = 29.395 - (1.549 × sex) - (0.434 × age in years) + (2.207 × years of education)] explained 56.5% of the variance in SDMT scores (adjusted R2 = 0.565; F=183; p

The aim of this study was to create sex-, age- and education-adjusted norms for the WHO/UCLA version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) for Sinhala-speaking Sri Lankan adults.Five-hundred and sixty-one healthy, community-living adults (252 men), aged 19-83 years, and had 0-23 years of education completed the WHO/UCLA RAVLT in Sinhala language. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses with sex, age and years of education to predict RAVLT list A1-A5 individual trial scores; trials A1-A5 total learning; list B score; immediate and delayed recall and recognition trial scores; and retroactive interference.We report regression equations to predict RAVLT norms based on sex, age and years of education; and the test variances accounted by those variables. Accordingly, all measures, except retroactive interference had a significant age-related decline. All measures, except the recognition trial hits, significantly improved with more years of education. Women had significantly higher scores in all measures except in trial B and retroactive interference. Proactive interference, learning rate, learning over trials were not associated with sex, age or education. A confirmatory factor analysis loaded the RAVLT outcome measures into two factors: acquisition and retention.We report sex-, age- and education-adjusted WHO/UCLA RAVLT norms for Sinhala-speaking Sri Lankans aged 19-83 years; and supplement the regression formulae with a calculator that produces predicted and standard scores for given test participant. These norms would help clinicians accurately interpret individual test results, accounting for the variability introduced by sex, age and education.

Objective: Neuropsychological test batteries validated for Sri Lankan population are extremely scarce. Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is a language-independent...

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Aims: To estimate the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) among spouses of men who use alcohol in two rural areas in Sri Lanka, and to examine whether the severity of alcohol-related problems (ARPs) in men and presence of alcohol-related domestic violence are associated with MDD among these women. Method: In a cross-sectional study, ARPs among men were assessed using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire filled in by men, and domestic violence and husbands' drinking pattern data obtained from the women. MDD among the women was ascertained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV Disorders for major depression. Using logistic regression we examined whether age, past history of depression, different indices of ARPs and domestic violence were associated with current MDD among the women. Results: Point prevalence of MDD in the sample was 33.3% (95% CI: 25.93, 40.73%). Once adjusted for other factors, morning drinking of the spouse (odds ratio = 4.11, 95% CI: 1.25, 13.47; P = 0.019) and increasing age (odds ratio = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.09; P = 0.003) significantly increased the odds of MDD. Being subjected to domestic violence/arguments also had a trend to be associated with MDD among women, but was not significant (odds ratio = 2.29, 95% CI: 0.95, 5.48; P = 0.062). Conclusion: The prevalence of MDD among spouses of men who use alcohol is markedly higher than that has been observed among Sri Lankan women in previous studies. The prevalence of MDD in women seems to increase when their husbands are morning drinkers, and with increasing age.

One hundred and fifty-four flood victims of different ages completed standardised questionnaires measuring PTSD, psychiatric co-morbidity and cognitive distortions. Adolescents and young adults reported significantly fewer PTSD, psychiatric co-morbidity and distorted cognition symptoms than people who were older. Preoccupation with danger and hopelessness were associated with both outcomes for adolescents, people in their thirties and middle-aged/older people. For young adults, helplessness was associated with PTSD; hopelessness and preoccupation with danger with psychiatric co-morbidity.

This review article summarized the empirical findings on resilience in survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) and discussed the protective factors associated with adaptive functioning. The authors conducted a literature search of several electronic databases, namely PsycINFO, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and PSYNDEX plus. Publications upto November 2013 were considered, and further studies were retrieved by use of the snowball technique. A total of thirty-seven articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the review.

Clozapine is the mainstay of therapy for resistant schizophrenia. The compliance of medication in this patient group is poor. Instances of catatonia following abrupt discontinuation of clozapine have been reported. We report a case of a 44-year old woman who developed catatonia on two occasions following abrupt discontinuation of clozapine, and who improved after the reinstatement of clozapine. Although only rarely reported, clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon, in order to facilitate psycho-education, early recognition, avoid unnecessary investigations and minimize inadvertent delay of reinstatement of clozapine therapyDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v5i2.7820Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry Vol 5(2):27-28