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Introduction: Family functioning, particularly among primary family caregivers for patients with schizophrenia, is a global concern that poses unprecedented challenges. The family unit is a pivotal agent for the preservation of the integrity of individual members. Little attention has been paid to the changes in family functioning and their predictors in primary family caregivers. This study aimed to examine the changes in and the correlates of family functioning in primary family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia over a 6‐month post‐discharge period. Design: A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted. Methods: A total of 58 primary family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia were recruited from two psychiatric hospitals in Taiwan. Data were collected four times, including 1 week before hospital discharge and at 1‐, 3‐, and 6‐month intervals post‐discharge. Demographic and clinical questionnaires, the Affiliate Stigma Scale, the Family Empowerment Scale, and the General Functioning subscale were used to collect data. Generalized Estimating Equations were applied for data analysis. Results: Approximately 59.6%–77.6% of primary family caregivers presented unhealthy family functioning during the 6‐month post‐discharge period. Significant reductions in family functioning of primary family caregivers were noted in the group with unhealthy family functioning; however, family functioning of primary family caregivers remained unchanged in the group with healthy family functioning over 6 months. Affiliate stigma and family empowerment significantly accounted for the changes in family functioning of primary family caregivers in the groups with unhealthy and healthy family functioning, respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights affiliate stigma and family empowerment as long‐term predictors of changes in family functioning for primary family caregivers and as pivotal targets of mental health care. Clinical Relevance: Family‐centered interventions with a focus on ameliorating affiliate stigma and enhancing family empowerment are recommended to improve family functioning for primary family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia at different periods after hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date Presented 03/21/24 The study provides a reliable and valid Chinese version of the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11–C) for people with depression in the clinical and research field of OT. Primary Author and Speaker: Yun-Ling Chen Contributing Authors: Wei-Ting Ko, Pei-Chi Su, Ming-Hong Hsieh, Yin-To Liao, Po-Chung Ju, Yung-Teng Chan, Petra Wagman, Carita Håkansson [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the effects of a brief family strengths‐oriented therapeutic conversation (FAM‐SOTC) intervention on symptom severity of patients with schizophrenia and family coping and caregiver burden for family caregivers. Design: A quasi‐experimental research design with repeated measures. Methods: A convenience sample of 72 dyads of patient‐family caregivers was recruited from randomized inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation units in a psychiatric hospital in Taiwan. Sixty‐one patient‐family caregiver dyads that comprised the intervention group (n = 29) and control group (n = 32) completed questionnaires at four time points (baseline, immediate, one‐ and three‐months post‐intervention). Demographic questionnaires and clinical information, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Family Crisis‐Orientation Personal Evaluation Scales, and Zarit Burden Interview were used to collect data. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the differences in symptom severity, family coping, and caregiver burden between the two groups. Findings: As compared to the control group, the intervention group showed statistically significant improvements over three months in symptom severity as well as family coping, especially acquiring social support, reframing, and mobilizing social support for family caregivers. Caregiver burden in the intervention group was ameliorated immediately and one month after the intervention rather than a three‐month post‐intervention. Conclusions: A brief FAM‐SOTC intervention proved to be favorable for alleviating psychiatric symptoms of patients coupled with an improvement in family coping and burden in family caregivers encountering schizophrenia. Clinical relevance: Integration of a brief family therapeutic conversation intervention into the routine psychiatric rehabilitation services delivery is recommended to help patients and their family caregivers effectively manage schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study conducted in China from July 2021 to January 2022 found that depressive symptoms were still prevalent among community residents during the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study identified several risk factors for depressive symptoms, including female sex, being overweight, and alcohol consumption. On the other hand, factors such as marriage, high income, ordinary work, and living in urban areas were associated with a lower probability of depressive symptoms. However, the study did not evaluate other potential factors for depression during the pandemic, such as younger age, lower education, tobacco smoking, comorbidities, and various social and environmental factors. The authors acknowledge that the dynamic nature of the pandemic and the complexity of mental health make it challenging to capture the full range of factors contributing to depressive disorders. [Extracted from the article]

Differences in child abuse perpetration between individuals with and without mental disorders remain obscure. This study compared the risk difference and further investigated the association between the category of mental disorders and child abuse perpetration. A total of 681,970 adults from the 2002 to 2013 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed, including 340,985 patients with psychiatric disorders (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes 290.x–319.x) and 340,985 sex- and age-matched individuals without psychiatric disorders. Child abuse perpetration (ICD-9-CM N-codes 995.5x and E-code E967) was the outcome variable. Matched analyses indicated that the risk of child abuse among patients with psychiatric disorders (0.25%) was significantly higher than that among those without psychiatric disorders (0.16%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.464, p <.0001). Among the six categories of mental disorders, the prevalence rates of committing child abuse were significantly higher for personality disorders, substance use, and affective disorders (0.56%, 0.45%, and 0.40%, respectively; p <.0001). Compared with anxiety disorders, substance use disorders were significantly associated with higher odds of child abuse perpetration (OR = 2.032, p <.05), especially physical abuse (OR = 2.018, p <.0001). Psychiatric morbidity was associated with higher odds of child abuse, with substance use determined as the major risk category. Screening high-risk families by using the associated factors is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective To evaluate the overall long-term effectiveness of aripiprazole in patients with schizophrenia in a general psychiatric practice setting in Taiwan. Methods This was a prospective, open-label, multicenter, post-market surveillance study in Taiwanese patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder requiring a switch in antipsychotic medication because current medication was not well tolerated and/or clinical symptoms were not well controlled. Eligible patients were titrated to aripiprazole (5-30 mg/day) over a 12-week switching phase, during which their previous medication was discontinued. Patients could then enter a 52-week, long-term treatment phase. Aripiprazole was flexibly dosed (5-30 mg/day) at the discretion of the treating physicians. Efficacy was assessed using the Clinical Global Impression scale Improvement (CGI-I) score, the Clinical Global Impression scale Severity (CGI-S) score, The Brief Psychiatry Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Quality of Life (QOL) scale, as well as Preference of Medicine (POM) ratings by patients and caregivers. Safety and tolerability were also assessed. Results A total of 245 patients were enrolled and switched from their prior antipsychotic medications, and 153 patients entered the 52-week extension phase. In all, 79 patients (32.2%) completed the study. At week 64, the mean CGI-I score was 3.10 and 64.6% of patients who showed response. Compared to baseline, scores of CGI-S, QOL, and BPRS after 64 weeks of treatment also showed significant improvements. At week 12, 65.4% of subjects and 58.9% of caregivers rated aripiprazole as better than the prestudy medication on the POM. The most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) were headache, auditory hallucinations and insomnia. A total of 13 patients (5.3%) discontinued treatment due to AEs. No statistically significant changes were noted with respect to fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, body weight, and body mass index after long-term treatment with aripiprazole. Conclusions Although the discontinuation rate was high, aripiprazole was found to be effective, safe and well tolerated in the long-term treatment of Taiwanese patients with schizophrenia who continued to receive treatment for 64 weeks.

Purpose: Drug-induced taste disturbances are prevalent in clinical practice, with dysgeusia being a frequent manifestation. This study aims to present a case of taste disorders and tongue numbness induced by a lithium overdose., Case Report: A 33-year-old woman with bipolar II disorder attempted suicide by ingesting multiple drugs, including lithium and benzodiazepines. She exhibited weakness but was conscious after admission. Laboratory analyses indicated elevated serum lithium and urine benzodiazepine levels. Admitted to a psychiatric ward, her symptoms included diarrhea, poor appetite, and postprandial nausea. Two weeks later, she reported altered taste sensations and tongue numbness following the overdose. Her ongoing medication included venlafaxine, valproate sodium, and clozapine. Symptoms improved over time without specific treatment, aligning with increased appetite and weight gain., Conclusion: Drug-induced taste disturbances have a substantial impact on patients' quality of life and medication adherence. This case brings attention to taste disorders induced by lithium and suggests potential mechanisms that could contribute to taste alterations. It underscores the importance of conducting thorough assessments in patients experiencing gustatory symptoms, particularly during the ongoing pandemic.