Search

The aim of the current study is to validate the Turkish version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Participants were assessed across the CAS, Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (OCS) and Fear of COVID-19 Scale. We surveyed 1023 Turkish native speakers who participated online. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor structure of the CAS was satisfactory. The scale was internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. Positive correlations of the CAS with the OCS and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale demonstrated adequate convergent validity. These findings suggest that the CAS is a valid and reliable measure to assess the severity of dysfunctional coronavirus related anxiety.

The global death toll to date of the COVID-19 pandemic has been enormous, and millions of people are grieving these losses. The aim of the current study is to validate a Turkish version of the Pandemic Grief Scale (PGS), which is a brief English-language mental health screener to identify probable cases of dysfunctional grief associated with a COVID-19 death. Participants were assessed using the PGS, Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). We surveyed 758 Turkish native speakers who participated online. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor structure of the PGS was satisfactory. The scale was internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.77 and a composite reliability of 0.90. The PGS demonstrated construct validity with strong correlations with suicidal ideation and substance use coping. Positive correlations of the PGS with the PHQ-4 and the WSAS demonstrated adequate convergent validity. The PGS discriminates well between persons with and without dysfunctional grief using an optimized cut score of ≥ 3 (89% sensitivity and 72% specificity). The PGS also demonstrates incremental validity by explaining most of the variance (43%) in functional impairment due to a COVID-19 loss beyond measures of depression and generalized anxiety. These findings closely replicate the original validation study on the PGS in English and suggest that the current Turkish version of the PGS is a valid and reliable measure to assess the severity of dysfunctional grief associated with a COVID-19 death.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of Internet addiction (IA) symptom severity with probable attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and difficulties in emotion regulation, while controlling the effects of depression, anxiety and neuroticism. The study was conducted with online survey among 1010 volunteered participants of university students and/or amateur or professional gamers. Scale scores were higher among the group with high probability of ADHD (n = 190, 18.8%). In linear regression analysis, both Inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity dimensions of ADHD were related with the severity of IA symptoms, together with depression and non-accept dimension of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Similarly, presence of probable ADHD was related with the severity of IA symptoms in ANCOVA, together with depression, neuroticism and non-accept dimension of DERS. Participants were two different groups of non-clinical samples and all scales were self-rated. Also common comorbidities were not screened. Finally, since this study is cross-sectional the findings of this study cannot address the causal relationships among the primary constructs of interest. These findings suggest that the presence of probable ADHD is related with the severity of IA symptoms, together with the difficulties in emotion regulation, particularly non-accept dimension, depression and neuroticism among young adults.

Background: The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship of symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to childhood trauma and personality characteristics among patients with the diagnosis of mixed anxiety-depression disorder. Subjects and methods: A total of 130 patients who were admitted to the psychiatry outpatient and were diagnosed with mixed anxiety-depression disorder were conveniently sampled in the current study. In order for the researchers to complete the assessment, the patients with a history of at least one traumatic experience (40.8%, n=53) were asked to complete a socio-demographic form, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised/Abbreviated Form. Results: One hundred thirty patients participated in the current study. In the study, 40.8 % of the patients (n=53) reported that they had been exposed to at least one traumatic event during their lifetime. Patients with a history of at least one traumatic experience (40.8%, n=53) were separated into two groups: those with a diagnosis of PTSD (n=21) (39.6%) and those without PTSD (n=32) (60.4%) (cut off score is 50 and above). The mean comparisons concluded that the group with PTSD and the group without PTSD were significantly different from each other in terms of depression and anxiety symptom severity, neuroticism, and history of physical abuse and neglect. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that PTSD severity was significantly and positively correlated with neuroticism, and with depression and anxiety symptom severity, as the scores were significantly and negatively correlated with extraversion. The two-step logistic analysis first revealed the severity of the depression symptom, and secondly, physical abuse significantly predicted PTSD in the PTSD group. Conclusions: In patients with anxiety and/or depressive disorder, PTSD is one of the most frequently-observed comorbid psychiatric disorders. The current study revealed that a history of childhood trauma, neuroticism, and introversion can be considered risk factors for PTSD among patients with mixed anxiety-depression disorder in adulthood. Therefore, it should be taken into consideration that those neurotic and introverted patients with childhood trauma history could be more at risk for PTSD.

OBJECTIVES: The first aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of impulsivity with Internet addiction symptom severity (IASS), and the second aim was to evaluate the mediator effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on this relationship among Turkish university students. METHODS: A total of 314 Turkish university students participated in this study. However, 268 students who answered “YES” to the any question concerning various traumatic experiences were included in the study. The students were assessed through sociodemographic questionnaire, the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11 – Short Form (BIS-11-SF). RESULTS: According to Internet addiction risk severity (IARS), the participants were classified into the three groups as high (25.0%, n = 67), mild (33.6%, n = 90), and no risk (41.4%, n = 111) of IA. Total score of BIS-11-SF and subscale scores (non-planning impulsivity [NPI], motor impulsivity [MI], and attention impulsivity [AI]) were higher in the group with high IARS. Scale scores were mildly correlated with each other. Finally, hierarchical regression analysis indicated that severity of MI, AI, and PTSD symptoms, especially hyperarousal symptoms, were the main predictors for IASS. CONCLUSIONS: There was strong relationship between impulsivity and IASS and this relationship persist even after severity of PTSD symptoms was entered in the analysis among Turkish university students. Severity of PTSD symptoms especially hyperarousal symptoms, may partially mediate the relationship between severity of impulsivity (especially MI and AI) and IASS.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with severity of the Internet gaming disorder (IGD), neuroticism and extraversion. METHODS: The study was conducted with online survey among 457 volunteered university students in Ankara and people who play games on the Internet and who are in the e-mail database of a company located in Istanbul that organizes e-sports tournaments. Participants were evaluated by applying the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1), the 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated Form (EPQR-A). RESULTS: Age was lower among those with the probable ADHD (n = 102, 22.3%) and those without (n = 355, 77.7%). Gender, educational status, and type of the participants did not differ between the groups. Severity of IGD symptoms and neuroticism were higher among those with the probable ADHD, whereas extraversion was lower. In logistic regression analysis, severity of IGD symptoms predicted the probable ADHD in the first Step, whereas when extraversion and neuroticism were included in the analysis as independent variables, low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism predicted the probable ADHD and severity of IGD symptoms was no longer a predictor. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the severity of IGD symptoms is related with the probable ADHD and low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism may have mediator effect on this relationship.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationships of Internet addiction (IA) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptom severities with probable attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggression among university students, while controlling the effects of anxiety and depressive symptoms. The study was conducted with online survey among 1509 volunteered university students in Ankara who regularly use the Internet, among whom we conducted analyses related with IA. Among these students, 987 of them, who play video games, were included in the analyses related with IGD. Correlation analyses revealed that the severities of the scale scores were mildly correlated with each other both among students who regularly use the Internet and students who play video games. Probable ADHD was associated with the severity of IA symptoms, together with depression and aggression, particularly physical aggression and hostility, in ANCOVA analyses. Similarly probable ADHD was also associated with the severity of IGD symptoms, together with depression and aggression, particularly physical aggression, anger and hostility, in ANCOVA analyses. These findings suggest that the presence of probable ADHD is related with both severity of IA and IGD symptoms, together with aggression and depression.

Objective: The objective of the study is to examine the association of probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the increase in video gaming and the severity of disordered gaming symptoms among young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The second objective was to examine the mediating role of COVID-19 related dysfunctional anxiety and current age. Methods: The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1), the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale- Short Form (IGDS9-SF), and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were used to evaluate university students. Results: Participants with probable ADHD (n=117, 21.2%) did not differ in terms of age, gender, romantic relationship, employment status, and time spent on the gaming when compared with participants without probable ADHD (n=441, 79.0%). However, they had a higher rate of problems related to gaming, diagnosis of anxiety disorder before the COVID-19 pandemic and higher scale scores (IGDS9-SF and CAS). In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis, probable ADHD predicted the increase in video gaming during the pandemic, but when the current age and the dysfunctional anxiety related with COVID-19 were included in the analysis, they were significant predictors, whereas probable ADHD was no more a predictor. While probable ADHD was associated with the symptom severity of disordered gaming in ANCOVA, COVID-19 related dysfunctional anxiety was a significant covariate. Conclusion: Findings of the current study may suggest that the relationship between probable ADHD and the increase in video gaming during the pandemic was mediated by lower age and COVID-19 related dysfunctional anxiety among young adults. Additionally, while COVID-19 related dysfunctional anxiety was a significant covariate for the severity of disordered gaming symptoms, probable ADHD was independently associated with the symptom severity of disordered gaming.

Background: The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the relationship of loot box engagement to gender, disordered gaming, using massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and motives for online gaming among young adults. Method: The cross-sectional online study was conducted with 752 volun¬teer participants in Turkey. The participants were assessed with the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale- Short Form (IGDS9-SF) and the Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ). Results: Age of participants who engage with loot boxes (n=171, 22.7%) was lower than the group who do not engage with loot boxes (n=581, 77.3%). Also rates of male gender, using microtransaction, buying games, time spend on the gaming, gaming more than usual in weekends, being an e-sport gamer and/or following e-sport, having problems related with gaming, using MMORPGs, severity of IGD symptoms, and all six types of motives for online gaming were higher in the group who engage with loot boxes. Age at first gaming did not differ between the groups. In logistic regression model, loot box engagement was related with the severity of disordered gaming, using MMORPGs and severities of skill development and competition motives for online gaming. Conclusion: These findings suggest that those who engage with loot boxes may be using MMORPGs more with the motives of skill development and competition and they may have higher severity of IGD symptoms. Thus, this group of gamers who engage with loot boxes should be considered as a risk group and interventions should particularly include these individuals.

Objective: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a frequent neuropsychiatric disorder, in which genetic factors play important causative roles. We investigated the roles of the (-1019 C/G) promoter region polymorphism of 5-HTR1A and the G861C coding region polymorphism of 5-HTR1B genes in susceptibility to OCD in a Turkish population.Methods: Two single nucleotide polymorphisms, 5-HTR1A (rs6296) and 5-HTR1B (rs6295) genes were genotyped in 76 OCD patients and 57 healthy controls that were unrelated, using PCR-RFLP method.Results: We did not observe any difference in the genotype distributions of rs6296 and rs6295 between the OCD patient and control groups.Conclusions: As far as we know, our study is the first to establish the association of genetic variants 5-HTR1A (rs6296) and 5-HTR1B (rs6295) with OCD in a Turkish population. Based on our results, the relationship between polymorphisms of 5-HTR1A (rs6296) and 5-HTR1B (rs6295) with OCD do not seem.

PURPOSE: Previous research on gaming disorder (GD) used psychometric tools, which evaluates according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) diagnostic framework. The Gaming Disorder Test (GDT), a standardized measure to assess symptoms and prevalence of GD according to the World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic framework. The main aim of the current study was to adapt GDT to Turkish. METHOD: In the present study participants were assessed with the GDT, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF), and the CAGE-Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (CAGE-PIUQ). The factor structure of the scale was tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and reliability and validity analyses were conducted. The method used in the study, and the scale adaptation, RESULTS: A sample of 932 Turkish gamers (58.3% male, mean age 23.64 years, SD=5.42) was recruited online. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the unidimensional factor structure of the GDT was satisfactory. The scale was also reliable (i.e., internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.879) and showed adequate convergent and criterion-related validity, as indicated by statistically significant positive correlations between average time daily spent playing games (ATDSPG) during last year, IGDS9-SF and CAGE-PIUQ scores. By applying the International Classification of Diseases 11th edition (ICD-11) threshold for diagnosing GD (e.g., meeting all four criteria by answering them either with ‘often’ [4] or ‘very often’ [5]), it was found that the prevalence of GD is 1.9% (n = 18). CONCLUSION: Online gaming preference, ATDSPG and probable ADHD predicted the severity of disordered gaming. These findings support the Turkish version of the GDT as a valid and reliable tool for determining the extent of GD related problems among young adults and for the purposes of early GD diagnosis in clinical settings and similar research.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and severity of Internet addiction symptoms (IAS) on the relationship between probable attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and severity of insomnia among young adults. The study was conducted with online survey among 1010 volunteered university students in Ankara, people who are in the e-mail database of a company located in Istanbul that organizes e-sports tournaments and Turkish gamers from gaming forums. Scale scores were higher among the group with high probability of insomnia (n = 200, 19.8%). Also risk of high probability of insomnia was 2.7 times higher among those with probable ADHD. In linear regression analysis, both inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity dimensions of ADHD were related with the severity of insomnia, together with severities of anxiety, depression, neuroticism and IAS. Similarly, presence of probable ADHD was related with the severity of insomnia in ANCOVA, together with severities of anxiety, depression, neuroticism and IAS. These findings suggest that the presence of probable ADHD and the severity of ADHD symptoms are related with the severity of insomnia, even after controlling the depression, anxiety, neuroticism and IAS, which are all related with the severity of insomnia, among young adults.

The main aims of the current study were to test the factor structure, reliability and validity of the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9- SF), a standardized measure to assess symptoms and prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). In the present study participants were assessed with the IGDS9-SF, nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS) and the Young's Internet Addiction Test-Short Form (YIAT-SF). Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the factor structure (i.e., the dimensional structure) of the IGDS9-SF was satisfactory. The scale was also reliable (i.e., internally consistent with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89) and showed adequate convergent and criterion-related validity, as indicated by statistically significant positive correlations between average time daily spent playing games during last year, IGDS and YIAT-SF scores. By applying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) threshold for diagnosing IGD (e.g., endorsing at least five criteria), it was found that the prevalence of disordered gamers ranged from 0.96% (whole sample) to 2.57% (e-sports players). These findings support the Turkish version of the IGDS9-SF as a valid and reliable tool for determining the extent of IGD-related problems among young adults and for the purposes of early IGD diagnosis in clinical settings and similar research.

Objective: Aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of gender, self-destructive behavior (self-harming behaviors - [SHB] and suicidal ideation/attempts - [SI/A]), lifetime substance use (tobacco, alcohol and any drug) and psychological variables (depression, anxiety, anger and impulsivity) with having psychological symptoms after experiencing or witnessing any violence, serious assault or battery event among 10th grade students in Istanbul/Turkey. Methods: Online self-report survey was conducted based on 4957 10th grade students selected according to multi-stage sampling in 45 schools from 15 districts of Istanbul. Results: Risks of assault from a peer, physical fight within last year, bearing arms, disciplinary punishment and problems with the law were higher in the group with psychological symptoms (GPS). Together with SHB and SI/A, lifetime tobacco and any drug use, male gender, depression, anxiety, and anger predicted the GPS. Conclusion: The findings suggest that with a single and simple question, high risk group of GPS can be determined, followed and offered proper help for both internalizing problems and externalizing behaviors, whether or not they are consequences of the victimization.

Relation of anxiety and depressive symptoms with perceived social support according to gender within infertile couples Objective: Evaluation of infertile couples’ emotional symptoms and perceived social supports according to gender differences. Method: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were administered to 66 primarily infertile couples that did not have psychiatric Axis-I disorders according to DSM-IV. Results: According to the scale’s average points, the samples’ depressive symptom levels did not indicate clinical depression; rather, anxiety levels were in normal ranges. Comparing participants’ anxiety according to gender, female participants were more anxious than male participants. Couples reported less anxiety and depression as long as they perceived higher social support. It was found that the combined infertility group, in which both women and men have problems to conceive, had more perceived social support from significant other and friends than in the female-originated infertility group. Also, results revealed that the male-originated infertility group reported more perceived social support from significant other compared to the female-originated infertility group. Conclusion: Social support and emotional stress of females in infertile couples are more than males’, and perceived sufficient social support decreases couples’ emotional symptoms.

Objective: Present study aims to compare control group patients and patients with diffuse alopecia in order to understand the nature of the relationship between symptoms and level of anger and to see whether patient group has higher number of symptoms than control group. Methods: 43 female patients who were diagnosed diffuse alopecia in dermatology clinic and 52 age-and-gender-matched control participants were included in the study. 20% of patients (n=19) with androgenetic alopecia, 10.5% of patients (n=10) with diffuse alopecia areata and 14.7% of patients (n=14) with telogen effluvium participated in study. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and The Trait Anger and Anger Expression Scale (TAAES) were filled by the participants. Also patients were followed up by a standard hospital form recording alopecia. Results: It was found that patients with alopecia revealed significantly more depression (p

Previous studies reported that there is a significant association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adulthood.The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of borderline personality features (BPF) and ADHD symptoms while controlling the effect of childhood traumas, symptoms of depression and anxiety in adulthood on this relationship in Turkish university students.A total of 271 Turkish university students participated in this study. The students were assessed through the Turkish version of the Borderline Personality Inventory (BPI), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).Correlation analyses have revealed that severity of BPF is related with adult ADHD symptoms, emotional, physical abuse and depression scores. Hierarchical regression analysis has indicated that depressive symptoms, emotional and physical abuse and the severity of ADHD symptoms are the predictors for severity of BPF.Findings of the present study suggests that clinicians must carefully evaluate these variables and the relationship between them to understand BPF and ADHD symptoms in university students better. Together with depressive symptoms, emotional and physical abuse may play a mediator role on this relationship. Further studies are needed to evaluate causal relationship between these variables in both clinical and non-clinical populations.

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of Internet addiction (IA) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms while controlling the effect of personality traits, depression and anxiety symptoms in Turkish university students. Methods A total of 271 university students participated in the present study. The students were assessed through the Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), the Wender Utah Rating Short Scale (WURS-25), the Turkish version of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised Abbreviated Form (EPQR-A), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results According to IAS, participants were separated into three groups, namely, moderate/high, mild and without IA groups. The rates of groups were 19.9% (n = 54), 38.7% (n = 105) and 41.3% (n = 112), respectively. Correlation analyses revealed that the severity of IAS is positively correlated with WURS-25, ASRS (total, inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity subscales), neuroticism personality trait, depression and anxiety scores, whereas it is negatively correlated with extraversion personality trait. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that depression and anxiety symptoms, introversion and neuroticism personality traits and the severity of ADHD symptoms (particularly hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms) are the predictors for IAS score, respectively. Conclusions The severity of ADHD symptoms has predicted the severity of IA even after controlling the effect of personality traits, depression and anxiety symptoms among Turkish university students. University students with severe ADHD symptoms, particularly hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms may be considered as a risk group for IA.

The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship of social anxiety symptoms with alexithymia and personality dimensions in university students and to control the effects of depression and anxiety on this relationship. A total of 319 university students (85 males and 234 females) from two different universities in Ankara were investigated with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). We found that subscales of the LSAS (fear or anxiety and avoidance) were positively correlated with depression and alexithymia and "difficulty in identifying feelings" (DIF) and "difficulty in describing feelings" (DDF) subscales of the TAS-20. Harm avoidance (HA) showed positive correlations with subscales of the LSAS, whereas self-directedness (SD) showed negative correlations with these subscales. High TAS-20 DDFand HA and low SD predicted fear or anxiety LSAS subscale scores, whereas high TAS-20 DDF, HA and depression scores were predictors for LSAS avoidance subscale scores. Although our sample is not representative of the whole Turkish university student population, we conclude that both fear or anxiety and avoidance were mainly interrelated with DDF and HA, although the causal relationship is not clear.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of social anxiety disorder symptoms with probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while controlling the personality traits of neuroticism and extraversion, anxiety and depression symptoms in a sample of Turkish university students (n=455). Participants were evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated Form (EPQR-A), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale ( ASRS -v1.1) and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Severity of social anxiety, depression, anxiety and neuroticism were higher among those with probable ADHD, whereas extraversion score did not differ between the groups. The severity of ADHD score, particularly hyperactivity/impulsivity score, was related with the “fear or anxiety” together with low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism dimensions of personality, whereas the severity of ADHD score, both inatentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity scores, was related with “avoidence” together with low extraversion (introversion) dimension of personality. These findings suggest that probable ADHD and severity of ADHD symptoms are related with both “fear or anxiety” and “avoidance” of social anxiety, while personality dimensions of low extraversion (introversion) and high neuroticism may have an effect on this relationships among young adults.

Objective: The National Stressful Events Survey for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-Short Scale (NSESSS-PTSD) allows dimensional self-rating assessment of PTSD according to the DSM-5. The aim of the present study was to evaluate psychometric properties of this scale as Turkish PTSD-Short Scale (PTSD-SS) in a sample of undergraduate students in Turkey. Method: Participants included 415 university students, among which 351 (84.8%) reported trauma and thus were included in the analysis. Participants were evaluated with the PTSD-SS and the PTSD Checklist Civilian (PCL-C) version. Results: Turkish version of the PTSD-SS was found to be psychometrically sound PTSD screening measure with high convergent validity when compared with PCL-C (r=0.79) and having a Cronbach's ? of 0.87. In addition, a single component accounted for 49.94% of total variance for PTSD-SS. The PTSD-SS had sensitivity and specificity scores of 0.91 and 0.77, respectively, when using the optimal cut-off score of 24. Additionally, the PTSD-SS showed good discriminant validity as it significantly differentiated students with high risk of PTSD from those with low risk of PTSD.Conclusion: These findings supported the Turkish PTSD-SS as reliable and valid PTSD screening instrument with a unidimensional scale construct.

Introduction and Aims.Aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking (NS) and craving during 12 month follow up after inpatient treatment in male alcohol dependents. Design and Methods.Among 156 consecutively admitted male alcohol dependents, 102 were examined by face to face interview 12 months after discharge from hospital. Patients were investigated with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS-11), the NS dimension of the Temperament and Character Inventory, the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test at the end of 12 months. Results.Among 102 alcohol-dependent inpatients 61.8% (n = 63) were considered as relapsed to alcohol use during 12 month follow up. Sociodemographic variables did not differ between relapsed and non-relapsed groups. Mean scores of BIS-11 and NS and subscales of these scales were higher in relapsed group than non-relapsed group. BIS-11 and NS and their subscales were positively correlated with each other. PACS was also positively correlated with these scales and their subscales. Only exception was ‘exploratory excitability’ (NS1) subscale of NS, which did not differ between groups and did not correlate with PACS or BIS-11. Extravagance (NS3) and BIS-11 non-planning impulsiveness (NPI) scores were associated with craving in Stepwise Linear Regression model. Only NS3 showed an association with relapse in the first Forward Wald logistic regression model. When severity of craving was included in the second model, as an independent variable, it was also associated with relapse additional to NS3. Discussion and Conclusions.Both impulsivity and NS seem to be related with craving and relapse. Particularly, NS3 may be related with relapse both directly and indirectly via craving, whereas NPI may be related with relapse only indirectly via craving. Thus severity of craving may be a final pathway to relapse in these relationships of NS3 and NPI with relapse. These findings suggest that impulsivity, NS and craving are important variables to predict outcome and also for the treatment plan.[Evren C, Durkaya M, Evren B, Dalbudak E, Cetin R. Relationship of relapse with impulsivity, novelty seeking and craving in male alcohol-dependent inpatients. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:81–90]

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation and a history of childhood trauma on quality of life (QoL) among men with alcohol dependency. A consecutive series of alcohol-dependent men (N=156) admitted to an inpatient treatment unit were screened using the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. QoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-item health survey. Fifty (32.1%) patients had lifetime diagnosis of PTSD. Besides problems related to severity of alcohol use, the lifetime PTSD group was impaired on several physical and mental components of QoL. While the lifetime PTSD group and remaining patients did not differ on reports of childhood trauma and dissociation, in lifetime PTSD group, dissociative patients had higher scores of childhood emotional abuse than those of the non-dissociative patients. In multivariate covariance analysis, both dissociation and lifetime PTSD predicted impairment in physical functioning, general health, vitality, and mental health components of QoL. Among alcohol-dependent men with lifetime PTSD, a history of childhood emotional abuse contributes to impairment of QoL through its relationship with dissociation.

Novelty seeking among relapsed and non-relapsed male alcohol dependents during 12 month follow-up Objective: Aim of this study was to investigate the changes in novelty seeking and its subscales during 12 month follow-up among alcohol dependents. Methods: Participants were 102 consecutively admitted male alcohol dependents, who were available for a second evaluation at the end of 12 months. Patients were investigated with the Novelty Seeking (NS) dimension of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Results: Among alcohol dependent inpatients 61.8% (n=63) were considered to be relapsed. Sociodemographic variables did not differ between relapse and remission groups. Mean scores of NS and subscales did not differ between groups at the baseline evaluation, whereas they were higher in relapsed group at one year follow-up (other than Exploratory excitability-NS1- subscale). In the remission group, mean scores of NS and subscales decreased at one year follow-up (other than NS1 subscale), whereas in the relapsed group, mean scores of Impulsiveness (NS2) subscale and NS increased during follow-up period. Conclusion: Among alcohol dependent men, temperament dimension NS and subscales, which are suggested to be genetically determined, decreases during abstinence, whereas increases with relapse to alcohol use. Only exception is the NS1, which suggest that it might be the main trait NS subscale related with the occurrence of alcohol dependence, whereas other three subscales, particularly NS2 seems to

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate possible interactions between childhood trauma, temperament, character, and psychopathology among alcohol-dependent men. Methods: Participants were 156 alcohol-dependent men consecutively admitted to a dependency treatment unit. The Childhood Abuse and Neglect Questionnaire, the Temperament and Character Inventory, and the Symptom Checklist-Revised were administered to all participants. Results: Childhood abuse and neglect did not have any effect on temperament and character scores in multivariate analysis. Whereas childhood abuse had a significant main effect on all types of clinical psychopathology except depression and psychoticism scores, childhood neglect only had a significant main effect on depression scores. There was no interaction between childhood abuse and neglect on these analyses. Conclusions: Among alcohol-dependent men, childhood abuse and neglect contribute to general psychopathology through distinct clinical consequences, independently of temperamental and characterological features.

Factors related with relapse in male alcohol dependents: 12 months follow-up study Objective: Aim of this study was to evaluate clinical variables related with relapse to alcohol abuse during 12 months follow-up after inpatient treatment in male alcohol dependents. Method: Participants were 156 consecutively admitted male alcohol dependents. Among these patients, 102 were available at the evaluation that took place one year after the inpatient treatment. Patients were investigated with the Symptom Check List (SCL-90) and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) at baseline and with the PENN Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) one year later, at follow-up. Results: Among 102 alcohol dependent inpatients, 61.8% (n=63) were considered as relapsed to alcohol abuse. Sociodemographic variables did not differ between groups. Mean scores of MAST and global severity index of SCL-90 did not differ significantly between groups, whereas craving score was higher in the relapsed group. Also the relapsed group had less polyclinic control, less attendance to the Outpatient Treatment Program (OTP), less changes in social environment for self protection and less use of anticraving medications during one year follow-up. Severity of craving and not attending OTP during follow-up period predicted relapse in alcohol dependents. Conclusions: Severity of craving and not attending OTP seems to be the main factors related with relapse. Together with using anti-craving medications, regular attendance to OTP may help patients to recognize and manage with alcohol craving.

History of trauma and relationship with alexithymia, temperament and character dimensions in male alcohol dependent inpatients Objective: To evaluate the relationship of trauma history with alexithymia and personality dimensions in male alcohol dependent inpatients. Method: Participants were 156 consecutively admitted male alcohol dependents. Patients were investigated with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC). Results: Among alcohol dependent inpatients, 49.4% (n=77) were considered as the group having trauma history according to definition of DSM-IV, although this rate was 92% according to TEC. Rate of being single and alexithymic were higher, whereas age for regular alcohol use was lower in traumatic group. Current age, employment status, and duration of education did not differ between groups. Mean scores of difficulty in identifying feelings, alexithymia total score and personality dimensions of novelty seeking, harm avoidance and self-transcendence were higher in traumatic group whereas self-directedness (S) and cooperativeness (C) were lower in this group. Lower S score was determinant for trauma history (according to the DSM-IV) in Forward Logistic Regression model, whereas lower C was determinant for number of trauma types (according to the TEC) in Stepwise Linear Regression model. Conclusions: Alexithymia, temperament and character may all be related with trauma history in male alcohol dependent inpatients. Finding low S score which predicts the presence of trauma history and low C score which predicts the severity of trauma suggest that lifetime trauma experience is related with higher

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between social anxiety and dissociation among male patients with alcohol dependency. Participants were 176 male patients consecutively admitted to an alcohol dependency treatment unit. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised were administered to all participants. The dissociative (N=58, 33.0%) group had significantly higher social anxiety scores than the non-dissociative participants. Patients with a history of suicide attempt or childhood abuse had elevated social anxiety scores compared to those without. In multivariate analysis, dissociative taxon membership predicted both of the two social anxiety subscale scores consisting of fear/anxiety and avoidance in a highly significant level while trait anxiety was a significant covariant for these subscales. Among dissociative symptoms, only depersonalization and amnesia/fugue were predictors of social anxiety. Dissociation and social anxiety are interrelated among alcohol-dependent men. This relationship may have implications for prevention and treatment of alcohol dependency among men with a childhood trauma history in particular.

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of alexithymia and temperament and character model of personality with depression and anxiety symptoms in detoxified male alcohol-dependent inpatients. Method. The subjects consisted of 176 male alcohol-dependent inpatients according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition. Patients were investigated with the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Results. MAST score and scores of all three factors of the TAS-20 significantly predicted depression scale and anxiety scales. Difficulty in identifying feelings and difficulty in describing feelings factors were particularly effective, relative to the externally orientated thinking factor of the TAS-20 for prediction depression and anxiety. The TCI dimensions emerged as distinct and conceptually meaningful predictors for the depression scale and anxiety scales. Conclusion. Depression and anxiety symptoms among detoxified male alcohol dependents are associated with alexithymia, a broad range of personality dimensions and higher severity of alcohol-related problems, which make these related factors highly relevant for clinical practice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of self-mutilative behavior with dissociative experiences among men who are alcohol dependent. Participants were 176 inpatients consecutively admitted to an alcohol dependency treatment center. Dissociative Experiences Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Symptom Checklist-Revised, and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test were conducted to all participants. A sizable proportion of patients (29.0%) reported self-mutilation (SM). Childhood abuse, younger age, early onset of alcoholism, and dissociative taxon membership predicted SM. The overall severity of clinical condition and the frequency of suicide attempts among those who reported SM were higher than those of the remaining patients. The Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon item “auditory verbal hallucinations” and the Symptom Checklist-Revised dimension “hostility” were predictors of SM. There is a complex relationship between dissociation, alcohol use, and SM. Increased awareness among clinicians on this relationship may increase the effectiveness of treatment interventions.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation among men with alcoholism. Methods: Participants were 176 patients consecutively admitted to the inpatient unit of a addiction treatment center. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Symptom Checklist-Revised, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test were administered to all participants. Results: Fifty-three patients were considered as having alexithymia. The alexithymic group had a significantly higher rate of dissociative taxon members (patients with pathological dissociation; 62.3%) according to Bayesian probability. Trait anxiety, overall psychiatric symptom severity, and pathological dissociation predicted alexithymia on covariance analysis. A multivariate analysis of covariance demonstrated that these predictors were related only to difficulty of identifying feelings, whereas trait anxiety was a significant covariant for difficulty of expressing feelings as well. Conclusion: Alexithymic phenomena are interrelated with dissociation and chronic anxiety among men with alcoholism. The relevance of this triad for prevention and treatment of alcoholism deserves interest in further research.

Objective: Present study aims to compare control group patients and patients with diffuse alopecia in order to understand the nature of the relationship between symptoms and level of anger and to see whether patient group has higher number of symptoms than control group. Methods: 43 female patients who were diagnosed diffuse alopecia in dermatology clinic and 52 age-andgender-matched control participants were included in the study. 20% of patients (n=19) with androgenetic alopecia, 10.5% of patients (n=10) with diffuse alopecia areata and 14.7% of patients (n=14) with telogen effluvium participated in study. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and The Trait Anger and Anger Expression Scale (TAAES) were filled by the participants. Also patients were followed up by a standard hospital form recording alopecia. Results: It was found that patients with alopecia revealed significantly more depression (p, Amaç: Bu çalışmada diffüz alopesili hastalarda psikiyatrik belirti sıklığının sağlıklı kontrollere göre daha fazla olup olmadığının belirlenmesi ve bunların öfke düzeyleriyle ilişkisinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır.Yöntemler: Bu çalışmaya dermatoloji polikliniğinde diffüz alopesi tanısı konulan 43 kadın hasta ile cinsiyet ve yaş açısından uyumlu sağlıklı 52 gönüllü dâhil edildi. Dermatolojik tanı olarak diffüz alopesi alt tiplerinden androgenetik alopesi tanısı alan 19 (%20,0), diffüz alopesia areata tanısı alan 10 (%10,5), telogen effluvium tanısı alan 14 (%14,7) kişi çalışmaya dâhil edildi. Hastalara ve kontrol grubuna Hastane Anksiyete ve Depresyon Ölçeği (HAD) ve Sürekli Öfke ve Öfke Tarz Ölçeği (SÖÖTÖ) uygulandı. Standart hazırlanan “Saç Dökülmesi Hasta Takip Formu”na hastaların kayıtları yapıldı.Bulgular: Alopesili hasta grubunda sağlıklı kontrollere göre anksiyete (p

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of high PTSD risk with severity of ADHD symptoms while controlling the effect of impulsivity in a sample of university students.MethodParticipants included 271 volunteered university students. Participants were evaluated with the Short Form Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11-SF), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and PTSD Checklist Civilian version (PCL-C).ResultsAge and gender did not differed between those with the high PTSD risk (n = 224, 82.7%) and those without (n = 47, 17.3%). BIS-11-SF and subscale scores, other than non-planning impulsivity (which showed no difference), and ASRS scores were higher among those with the high PTSD risk than those without. Severity of ADHD symptoms, particularly inattentiveness (IN) score, predicted the high risk of PTSD, together with the severity of motor impulsivity in a logistic regression model.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the severity of ADHD symptoms is related with the high risk of PTSD, while severity of motor impulsivity may have an effect on this relationship among young adults.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate relationship of severity of ADHD symptoms with the presence of psychological trauma while controlling the effect of impulsivity in a sample of university students.MethodParticipants included 321 volunteered university students. Participants were evaluated with the Short Form Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11-SF), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC).ResultsAge and gender did not differed between those with the history of psychological trauma (n = 271, 84.4%) and those without (n = 50, 15.6%). BIS-11-SF and subscale scores did not differ between groups, other than motor impulsivity, which was higher among those with the history of psychological trauma. ASRS score, inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity subscale scores were higher among those with the history of psychological trauma than those without. Severity of ADHD symptoms, particularly inattentiveness score, predicted the presence of psychological trauma, together with the severity of motor and attentional impulsivities in a logistic regression model.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the severity of ADHD symptoms may be related with the presence of psychological trauma, while severity of motor and attentional impulsivities may have an effect on this relationship among young adults.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.