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There is paucity of studies on expressed emotion (EE) in families of patients with severe mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to assess and compare the levels of expressed emotion (LEE) in relatives of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder attending an out-patient clinic in Southwestern Nigeria. One hundred and forty consecutive clinic attendees with Mini-Plus diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder and 140 accompanying relatives were recruited. The patients and relatives were interviewed using a socio-demographic questionnaire. The perceived level of expressed emotion was assessed using the client version of the Level of Expressed Emotion Questionnaire (LEEQ). Although, the prevalence of high expressed emotion was higher among relatives of patients with schizophrenia when compared with relatives of patients with bipolar affective disorder (41% vs 37%), the difference was not statistically significant. The socio-demographic characteristics of the relatives of patients with these disorders were not significantly related to high EE. High expressed emotion is just as prevalent among relatives of patients with bipolar affective disorder as among relatives of patients with schizophrenia and clinicians should give similar attention to early detection of high EE and intervention in this population of patients and their relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SMAD Revista Electronica Salud Mental, Alcohol y Drogas is the property of Universidade de Sao Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirao Preto and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To analyze the level and related factors of burden of care，quality of life in family members of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Totally 312 family members of patients with schizophrenia in 5 blocks of Jing'an District, Shanghai, who consented the investigation, were investigated Burden of care were evaluated with the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI), and quality of life of the relatives by World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Chinese Residents SWB abridged (SWBS-CC20). ZBI score equal or higher than 39 indicated a heavy burden of care, while the score less than 39 indicated a low burden of care. Results: Totally 199 cases (63. 8%) were in a heavy burden, whose ZBI score was (52.1 ± 10.8)，and 113 cases (36. 2%) were in a low burden with a mean score of (23.1 ± 10.4). Their WHOQOL-BREF score and SWBS-CC20 score were lower than normal model (Ps <0. 001). The burden was heavy to those whose spouse was involved (β = -1. 76). Patient's age was negatively correlated with quality of life (β-0. 18). Relationship with the patient, education level and monthly family income were positively correlated with quality of life (β = 1.65, 1. 68,1. 66). Conclusion: Those families of patients with schizophrenia, who are aged, low educated, low paid, or whose spouse have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, may have a heavy burden of care, and low quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Processing speed turns out to be the central area of research on cognition in schizophrenia. So far the relationship between this dimension and the IQ level of patients and their healthy siblings has not been investigated. Aim:To investigate the differences in cognitive speed in patients with schizophrenia and their healthy siblings, and to determine whether cognitive speed as a covariate affects differences in IQ and cognitive profiles between groups. Methods:Forty-seven inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV (SCH) and their 36 healthy siblings (HSB) were tested with cognitive speed tasks according to Bartzokis et al. method and Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Additional control for the possible impact of antipsychotic drugs and selected demographic variables on the cognitive performance was taken into account. Results:The siblings scored significantly higher in the cognitive speed task (p < 0.01) than patients, the WAIS-R cognitive test profiles were also significantly different in two ways: between groups, and between single test results in each of the assessed groups. The interaction effect: ANOVA,F(10, 770) = 2.798,p = 0.002. Similarly, the Performance and Full Scale IQs were significantly different, atp < 0.01. After controlling for cognitive speed, all significant differences no longer exist: e.g. Full Scale IQ,p = 0.459. Conclusions:Significant differences in cognitive speed between patients and their healthy siblings generate the differences in the cognitive profile assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Some problems of cognitive speed diagnosis and further research on the cognitive schizophrenia endophenotype were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental illness that affects 1% of the population in all cultures. Objective To investigate causal beliefs regarding schizophrenia among families of Iraqi schizophrenic inpatients, and discuss the differences and similarities across cultures. Methods Two hundred Iraqi schizophrenic inpatients fulfilling DSM-IV criteria of schizophrenia were included. Causal beliefs of their key relatives were examined. Information list including open question of the causal beliefs of schizophrenia and sociodemographic data was used. The statistical significance of the findings was tested. Results Key relatives attributed natural causes to schizophrenia more often than supernatural causes. Stress was 44%. Stresses were related to life events, trauma, social problems, war, prison and poverty. Other causes were: 27% organic and 15% personality attributions. Supernatural causal beliefs were only 29%, including witchcraft, envy, possession, devil, karama and wish or punishment of God. Conclusions The major causal beliefs of schizophrenia amongst Iraqi relatives of the studied sample were stresses. Families' attribution of supernatural causes was similar across cultures. Organicity was more in the European studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Family stigma constitutes a major problem in schizophrenia worldwide. Data on first-hand experience of stigma in families is necessary for planning and implementing interventions to reduce its burden. The aim of the study was to investigate the experience of stigma among relatives of persons with schizophrenia in Belarus.Methods: Qualitative research methods, such as the thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 relatives of people diagnosed with schizophrenia, were used. Experience of discrimination, strategies used to cope with it, and requests for interventions were investigated.Results: The most salient themes in experience of stigma in the private domain of life elicited in the narratives included anticipated stigma and dissolution of families. The experience of stigma was associated with burdensome feelings of guilt, tiredness and loneliness, together with fear and anxiety due to uncertainty in the future and sorrow because of frustrated hopes in past. Analysis of the strategies used to overcome the difficulties revealed concealment and "life behind closed doors", avoidance of the rest of the family, taking full responsibility and sacrificing one's personal life.Conclusion: To reduce the burden of stigma in the private life of the family members of people living with schizophrenia in Belarus, important steps should be taken to promote the empowerment of families including: reforming mental health services; provision of better access to information; family support services, community care; development of family organisations; assistance in communication, re-socialisation and independent living for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Antropología Social is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Family members provide a significant source of social support to relatives living with a serious mental health disorder, such as schizophrenia. Few public mental health programs offer families a supportive environment where their relatives can develop independence, life skills, and satisfying relationships that are not dependent on the family's involvement. The Clubhouse is one such model. Although family members are not directly involved, they may experience indirect effects from their relative's participation. Family members with relatives involved in Clubhouse ( n = 35) completed an in-depth semi-structured interview. Transcripts were analyzed to identify underlying themes. Five primary themes emerged ranging from less burden to greater positive family interaction. Specifically, family members attributed Clubhouses as providing a supportive external community for their loved ones, but also ameliorating negative aspects of family care and improving family interactions. Practical implications for family professionals are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that negatively affects the quality of life of the patient and his family. Primary therapy in the treatment of schizophrenia is antipsychotics. Aims of the study: The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life of schizophrenic patients treated with depot neuroleptics preparations and patients without depot neuroleptics. Patientes and Methods: The sample size included 64 patients aged 18-65 years divided into two groups: patients treated with depot neuroleptic preparations and the control group, patients not treated with depot neuroleptics. For the investigation we used history and socio-demographic data, body weight, blood pressure, as well as quality of life questionnaire [a combination of Lancashire and Mansa questionnaire) and short scale for psychiatric evaluation (BPRS) Results: The average age of the examinees was 44.19 ± 7.785 years (experimental group: 43.31 ± 6.879 and control 45.06 ± 8.617 years). Regarding the frequent changes in mood, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups, Hi = 0000, p <0.05. A statistically significant difference between the groups was found in the presence of hallucinations (c2 = 8.400, df = 3, p = 0.038), Conclusion: It was found that the quality of life of patients treated for schizophrenia does not significantly differ, regardless of whether depot preparations are used or not; this finding is in accordance with the reports made by other authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reports on the quality of life (QOL) of family caregivers of schizophrenia patients are uncommon. Relations of different degree of kinship to caregivers' QOL are unexplored, but may be relevant. The purpose of this study was to assess the subjective QOL of caregivers of stable outpatients with diagnosis of schizophrenia compared with controls, and to assess factors associated with QOL in this population. Methods: Responses of 138 schizophrenia outpatient' family caregivers to the Quality of Life, Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (QLESQ-SF) were compared with those of a sex- and age-matched control group. Patients were assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and data were collected for kinship relationship and hospitalization. Results: Group of caregivers had significantly lower QOL compared with controls (t=11.347; df=271; p=0.0001). Caregivers' QOL correlated significantly with their age and differed according to the degree of kinship and marriage status. ANCOVA, with age as covariate, performed to asses the differences in QOL according to kinship, showed that parents and own children had significantly lower QOL than patients' siblings who were also caregivers. Conclusion: QOL of the schizophrenia patients' caregivers is lower in comparisons to controls. It depends on the degree of kinship and caregivers' age. Parents and own children have lower QOL than siblings. Psycho-educational intervention programmes should target specific needs of the family as a whole, depending also on their age and kinship relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SMAD Revista Electronica Salud Mental, Alcohol y Drogas is the property of Universidade de Sao Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirao Preto and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: The hippocampus has been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and hippocampal volume deficits have been a consistently reported abnormality, but the subregional specificity of the deficits remains unknown. The authors explored the nature and developmental trajectory of subregional shape abnormalities of the hippocampus in patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS), their healthy siblings, and healthy volunteers. Method: Two hundred twenty-five anatomic brain magnetic resonance images were obtained from 103 patients with COS, 169 from their 79 healthy siblings, and 255 from 101 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (age range = 9-29 years). The hippocampus was segmented using FreeSurfer automated image analysis software, and hippocampal shape was evaluated by comparing subjects at more than 6,000 vertices on the left and right hippocampal surfaces. Longitudinal data were examined using mixed model regression analysis. Results: Patients with COS showed significant bilateral inward deformation in the anterior hippocampus. Healthy siblings also showed a trend for anterior inward deformation. However, the trajectory of shape change did not differ significantly between the groups. Inward deformations in the anterior hippocampus were positively related to positive symptom severity, whereas outward surface displacement was positively related to overall functioning. Conclusion: This is the first and largest longitudinal three-way analysis of subregional hippocampal shape abnormalities in patients with COS and their healthy siblings compared with healthy controls. The anterior hippocampal abnormalities in COS suggest the pathophysiologic importance of this subregion in schizophrenia. The trend level and overlapping shape abnormalities in the healthy siblings suggest a more subtle, subregionally specific neuroanatomic endophenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciencia, Cuidado e Saude is the property of Universidade Estadual de Maringa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira em Promoção da Saúde is the property of Revista Brasileira em Promocao da Saude and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: The present study aims to investigate caregivers' burden and level of emotional expression and related factors in members of the families with schizophrenic patients. Methods: The study was conducted on seventy two schizophrenic patients and their caregivers under treatment at the Department of Psychiatry and Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine. A sociodemographic inventory was administered to the patients and their caregivers. The perceived family burden scale and expressed emotion were also administered to the caregivers. Results: The caregivers' mean score and standard deviation were computed as 28.88±22.55 for the subject burden, 8.70±5.83 for the objective burden and 15.90±6.10 for the emotional expression scale. The emotional expression scores of the caregivers were found to be correlated with both the subjective burden and the objective burden scores. We observed significant difference between scores of the sub groups of caregivers defined by various sociodemographic characteristic and their patients' clinical characteristic. Conclusion: A caregiver is likely to present higher emotional expression if s/he is jobless and undereducated, if the family income is insufficient, and if the respected patient is male undereducated, with no social security. A caregiver is likely to perceive higher subjective burden if his/her patient is male and unable to conform with the treatment regimen, and without social security. A caregiver is likely to perceive higher objective burden if s/he is divorced or widowed, under educated, and living with his/her first nuclear family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expressed emotion (EE) is considered to be an adverse family environment, which includes the quality of interaction patterns and nature of family relationships among the family caregivers and patients of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Influence of EE has been found to be one of the robust predictors of relapse in schizophrenia. This review article aims to provide a brief description of the origins and evolution of the EE as a construct from the available literature. The EE is modulated by multiple factors-some of which include certain personality profile, attribution factors by caregivers toward patient symptoms, and patient's vulnerability to stress. The psychosocial assessment and interventions specifically focused on family psychoeducation can potentially reduce high EE and relapse of symptoms as well. However, the theory surrounded with EE undermines the caregiver's positive attitudes toward the patients. Hence, it is important that the future studies should focus on both protective and vulnerable factors within the construct of EE in schizophrenia to facilitate comprehensive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this research was to determine the needs of Schizophrenic patients' families, based on their caring experience. Methods: This was a phenomenological qualitative research whose participants were the main caregivers of schizophrenic patients (parents, spouses or children).Data were collected by the face to face and in depth interviews up to the data saturation stage. To confirm the yielded concepts, the researcher referred the findings to the participants again to avoid any kind of biases. The data were saturated by 36 interviews. Collected data were analyzed by Collaizzi's seven stage method. Findings: Our findings demonstrated three main concepts as caregivers' educational needs: social role acceptance, reaction to tension and getting access to unknown aspects of the disorder. Conclusion: It is concluded that major dietary patterns in this population are not associated with the risk of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study is designed to assess the reliability and validity of the Turkish adaptation of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale (ZCBS). The ZCBS has been developed for evaluating the burden of caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: 100 adult caregivers were included in the study. Caregiver demographic form and ZCBS were administered to the subjects. Factorial validity and internal consistency of the Turkish version of ZCBS were assessed. Criterion-related validity of the scale was investigated by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results: Construction validity of the scale has been investigated by factor analysis, which revealed five factors. ZCBS has a Cronbach's alpha score of 0.83. The correlation of ZCBS total score with MBI (r=.609) was significant. Conclusion: The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale is found to be a valid and reliable scale to be used within the Turkish population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The concepts of functionality and remission in schizophrenia are being subject for a substantial amount of research. At the same time, an increasing number of scales are developed in our country and worldwide, which are intended to measure the level of functionality in severe mental disorders. Functional remission is an important goal of treatment, which provides possibility of an autonomous lifestyle for schizophrenia patients, allowing them to readapt to their relationships with parents, work life, other interpersonal communications and social environments. The "Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia" (FROGS) Scale was developed in French and is suitable for use in research as well as for clinical evaluation of patients. We intended to carry out a validity and reliability study on this scale in order to make it eligible for use in the conditions within Turkey. Methods: 102 schizophrenia patients, either inpatients or outpatients, receiving treatment in the Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Psychiatry Department, were included in the study. In this research, reliability of the "Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia" (FROGS) Scale was assessed by investigating the internal consistency coefficients and item analysis procedures of every subscale and interrater reliability coefficient, whereas validity was evaluated by factor analysis, content validity and criterion validity. In order to test the criterion and content validities in addition to the FROGS Scale, the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) was used and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was aplied to determine the symptom severity. Results: Within the reliability analysis, the highest internal consistency coefficient of the scale (0.89) was found using Cronbach's Alpha method. The lowest internal consistency coefficient (0.86) was obtained with Guttman's split-half technique. The investigation of the item analysis results of the "Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia" (FROGS) Scale has shown that all of the items which the scale consists of are significant at 0.01 level when they are assessed using all three methods of item total, item remainder and distinctiveness (p<0.01). Therefore, it was decided that those items are excellent and they should be included in the scale. Criterion validity analysis was carried out between the FROGS Scale and the Quality of Life Scale and a high level of correlation was observed (r=0.82, p<0.0001). A good level of correlation was found between the FROGS Scale and PANSS, as well (r =- 0.51, p<0.001). Conclusion: The Turkish version of the "Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia" (FROGS) Scale is a tool which can assess the functional remission of schizophrenia patients in a reliable and valid level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the level of caregiver burden and its relationship with the sociodemographic and clinical data of the schizophrenic patients Methods: 50 patients who met the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of schizophrenia and their caregivers were enrolled into the study. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS) was applied to the patients, while the Hamilton Depresssion Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Caregiver Burden Scale were applied to the caregivers. Results: There were significant differences related to some variables. Caregiver burden was associated with patient age (p=0.007, r=0.376), number of previous episodes (r=0.392, p=0.005) and number of previous hospitalizations (r=0.281, p=0.048). The level of education of the caregivers was also found to be related to the caregiver burden (z=-2.373, p=0.018). However, PANSS scores were not associated with the caregiver burden. The caregiver burden was associated with the caregivers' anxiety and depression levels, (r=0.434, p=0.002) and (r=0.442, p=0.001), respectively. The daily duration of caregiving was correlated with the caregiver depression and anxiety, (r=0.327, p=0.02) and (r=0.461, p=0.001), respectively, while it was not significantly associated with the level of caregiver burden. Conclusion: The number of previous episodes, hospitalizations and the age of the patient influence the caregiver burden. However, as the education level of caregivers increases, the burden level is likely to decrease. Though, the duration of time spent with the patient does not seem to affect the caregiver burden, it probably causes some psychological distress in caregivers. Therefore, caregivers should be monitored regularly for psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Some particular psychiatric interventions, as psychoeducational programs, may be helpful in reducing caregiver burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare psychiatric management of antipsychotic non-adherence among schizophrenia outpatients with high and low levels of family contact. A national survey was conducted among a random sample of psychiatrists treating schizophrenia, providing data on 310 patients. Patients were stratified by level of family contact. Psychiatrists were more likely to use family interventions to manage non-adherence among patients with high family contact. Psychiatrists were significantly more likely to change antipsychotic dosing in patients with high family contact, though less likely to start depot antipsychotic medications. Family interventions appear to be commonly used in the psychiatric management of medication non-adherence in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study begins with the premise that individuals living with schizophrenia can and do develop social relationships and derive pleasure from these relationships. This premise prompted us to explore how individuals living with schizophrenia form and maintain social relationships. We begin by considering two important constructs with respect to the role of social relationships, the constructs of intersubjective self and occupational self. This study was directed by a grounded theory methodology. Grounded theory focuses on firsthand knowledge of empirical worlds while recognizing the role the researcher plays in the interpretation of findings (Charmaz, 2006a). Eight individuals participated in in-depth interviews with the first author. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, analyzed, and emergent themes were organized into five core themes. The findings suggest that environmental proximity, a routine environment, reciprocity, constancy/hope, and understanding are important dimensions in the formation and maintenance of social relationships. We discuss these findings in terms of two reciprocal processes: (1) structural form, and (2) relational qualities. The findings of this study suggest that structural forms such as environmental proximity and routine environments, dimensions frequently facilitated by engagement in occupation, contribute to opportunities for persons living with schizophrenia to form and maintain relationships. Furthermore, relational qualities such as reciprocity, constancy and understanding, were found to be highly valued, and to be implicated in participants' engagement in social relationships. This theoretical account of how individuals form and maintain relationships attempts to privilege the voices of persons living with Schizophrenia, and can act as a catalyst for future research and a lens through which to view rehabilitation practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of the application of McFarlane's multiple family group intervention in seven schizophrenic patients and their eight caregivers in a middle-stay unit in order to improve burden and social support for the caregivers and to improve patient functioning is reported. A baseline evaluation and another post-intervention evaluation were made. Improvement in the knowledge about the disease and in the family burden was observed. Social support for the family and general functioning of the patient was not changed after family intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia may score higher on the Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ) than controls. The present study was designed to provide evidence of validity for the French version of the 24-item subscale of the Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ-24). In 27 first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia (high-risk group) and 30 controls, the high-risk group scored significantly higher on the FCQ, as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's experience of having a brother who is a diagnosed chronic schizophrenic. The author's family was confronted with the fact that a family member suffered from a condition which the author had ridiculed as a young person, the author states. Topics include the threat the brother posed to the hospital staff and the family, the confusion that comes with caring for a loved one that suffers from mental illness, and the importance the brother attached to the author's visits to the mental hospital.

Background: This study explored the effectiveness of family psycho education in reducing patients’ symptoms as well as on family caregiver burden, and investigated the relationship between patients’ symptoms and caregiver burden. Methods: Seventy Iranian outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder and their caregivers were randomly allocated to the experimental (n=35) or control groups (n=35). Patients in the experimental group received antipsychotic drug treatment and a psycho-educational program was arranged for their caregivers. At baseline, immediately post-intervention and one month later, validated tools were used to assess patients’ clinical status and caregiver burden. Results: Compared with the control group, the case group showed significantly reduced symptom severity and caregiver burden, immediately post-intervention and one month later. Conclusions: These results suggest that even short-term Psycho-educational Intervention for family members of patients with schizophrenic disorder can improve the outcomes of patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study focuses on the emotion processing deficits, which are typical for schizophrenia patients. Since abnormalities in this field can be seen in terms of insufficient individuation and failure in the separation process, a context of a close interpersonal relationship was introduced into the testing procedure. Method: 30 schizophrenia patients were compared to a normal control sample (n=31) on their performance on the lexical decision task (LDT). Two-factor of experimental design had a form of 2 (possible values of the independent variable was healthy /ill) x 2 (experimental conditions). Participants completed the LDT twice -1) in a standard testing situation, and 2) in the relational context condition (the procedure followed the activation of the subjects’ experience with his/her mother). In an e-prime computerized experiment the list of 91 words (names of positive and negative emotions, divided into 9 categories) and 27 nonwords were randomly subliminally exposed. It was hypothesised that in a relational context condition the emotional processing irregularities would be more distinct. Results: Analyses confirmed the aforementioned theoretical assumptions. A significant condition/group interactional effect was found for anger (F=4, 56, p=0, 04) and joy (F=5, 05, p=0, 03). The accessibility of the emotion categories mentioned above was higher in the relational condition for patients whereas in the control sample no differences were observed. Conclusions: The results were interpreted to provide an explanation of separation difficulties in the clinical sample, since simultaneous presence of opposing emotions hinders the process of decision making, including a decision to leave the family of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We recruited patients with schizophrenia four weeks post-discharge from Zomba mental hospital and followed them for six months to find out if care and support had an impact on their staying well and avoid relapse in their local communities. Objective: To establish skills and knowledge family members hold to take care of their schizophrenic relative. Aims: We hypothesized that good support and care would be positively associated with good recovery and reduced relapse rate among schizophrenic patients. Method: This Study was carried out in Zomba city and areas surrounding Zomba mental hospital. We used both quantitative and qualitative approach to research; simple random sampling was used to get a sample of 70 participants in this study. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from discharged schizophrenic patients while focus group discussion was used to get views of family members and nurses who take part in provision of care and support. Results: Our findings indicate that where patients following discharge receive good support and care from family members the rate of relapse becomes low and patients also live a more productive life in society. However, 31% of family members felt they had no knowledge as how to handle their sick relative at home hence they were unsure on what to do to help. Conclusion: We recommend to intensify carer educatioin order to equip guardians with necessary knowledge which will in the long run reduce re-admissions and hence congestion in mental hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Caregiving of offspring with a chronic illness is a highly stressful vital experience. Previous studies with parents of schizophrenic persons revealed that these situations increase health complaints (González-Bono et al., 2009), with the duration of caring being a relevant variable (Contell-Montaña et al., 2010). The higher age of the caregivers of schizophrenia can contribute to this health unbalance, but little is known in younger samples. Aim/objective: To test whether middle-aged caregivers (parents of autistic persons) present higher health disturbances than controls and to investigate the moderating role of duration of caring Methods: Health complaints and resting levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) were measured in a sample of 38 middle-aged caregivers of autistic offspring (24 mothers/14 fathers) and 35 parents of healthy persons (17 women/18 men) of similar characteristics. Results: Caregivers report more immunological, muscular, genital-urinary and general health complaints than controls. Additionally, the scores of all scales and total score of Goldberg Health Questionnaire were higher in caregivers than in non caregivers. No significant differences were found in IgA levels. Among caregivers, fewer years of caring were associated with more anxiety and lower IgA levels. Conclusions: Chronic stress of caregiving of autistic offspring is associated with more health complaints. The number of years after unequivocal diagnosis of autism has a moderating effect on immunological disturbances and anxiety in care givers. Further research is needed to clarify whether the interventions focused on anxiety can influence the low antibodies levels and decrease future health complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with schizophrenia show a deficit in emotion recognition through facial expression and the low sense of familiarity may be a factor involved. However, the emotion facial expression in families of patients could be disturbed and be another factor related to the deficit in emotion recognition and in sense of familiarity in schizophrenia. Objectives: To assess the emotion facial expression in a sample of 21 families of patients with schizophrenia and families of healthy controls. Methods: 22 healthy volunteers, all of them professionals of mental health, were assessed with the Ekman Test of emotion recognition in unfamiliar people which was photographed by expressing the 6 Ekman’s basic emotions. The task was composed of 42 pictures, half of them from families of patients and the other half from families of healthy control. Results: Volunteers recognize worse emotions in relatives of patients than in relatives of control group and this difference was statistically significant (Wilcoxon W=-4.13; p=.001). The average of pictures correctly recognized from families of patients was lower than pictures from families of control group (54.28% vs. 82%). Conclusions: The emotion facial expression in families of patients with schizophrenia seems worse than in families of healthy controls. It could be a factor involved in face emotion recognition deficit in schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]