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The Schwartz Outcome Scale-10 (SOS-10) is a 10-item questionnaire that measures the broad domain of psychological well-being and quality of life. The SOS-10 is easy to administer and score. Past research has shown its utility, reliability and validity in different clinical settings (i.e., inpatient, outpatient and non-psychiatry medical settings) and with diverse clinical populations in measuring treatment outcome. The present study looks to extend the construct validity of the SOS-10 to assessing quality of life and psychological health in non-clinical samples as well. The results reveal that the SOS-10 is associated in predicted ways with established measures of attachment, interpersonal distress, alexithymia and the big five model whose construct validity and psychometric soundness has been well documented. The SOS-10 was also associated in predicted ways with ratings of childhood memories and the length of the participants' longest romantic relationship. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Key Practitioner Message:* The Schwartz Outcome Scale-10 is a measure of overall psychological health and well-being which is cost effective, short, easy to administer and score, and evidences strong psychometric properties. It can be utilized with a number of different populations and in diverse settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wearable activity trackers and social media have been identified as having the potential to increase physical activity among adolescents, yet little is known about the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the technology by adolescents., Objective: The aim of this study was to use the technology acceptance model to explore adolescents' acceptance of wearable activity trackers used in combination with social media within a physical activity intervention., Methods: The Raising Awareness of Physical Activity study was a 12-week physical activity intervention that combined a wearable activity tracker (Fitbit Flex) with supporting digital materials that were delivered using social media (Facebook). A total of 124 adolescents aged 13 to 14 years randomized to the intervention group (9 schools) participated in focus groups immediately post intervention. Focus groups explored adolescents' perspectives of the intervention and were analyzed using pen profiles using a coding framework based on the technology acceptance model., Results: Adolescents reported that Fitbit Flex was useful as it motivated them to be active and provided feedback about their physical activity levels. However, adolescents typically reported that Fitbit Flex required effort to use, which negatively impacted on their perceived ease of use. Similarly, Facebook was considered to be a useful platform for delivering intervention content. However, adolescents generally noted preferences for using alternative social media websites, which may have impacted on negative perceptions concerning Facebook's ease of use. Perceptions of technological risks included damage to or loss of the device, integrity of data, and challenges with both Fitbit and Facebook being compatible with daily life., Conclusions: Wearable activity trackers and social media have the potential to impact adolescents' physical activity levels. The findings from this study suggest that although the adolescents recognized the potential usefulness of the wearable activity trackers and the social media platform, the effort required to use these technologies, as well as the issues concerning risks and compatibility, may have influenced overall engagement and technology acceptance. As wearable activity trackers and social media platforms can change rapidly, future research is needed to examine the factors that may influence the acceptance of specific forms of technology by using the technology acceptance model., Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000899448; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370716., (©Mark D Drehlich, Michael Naraine, Katie Rowe, Samuel K Lai, Jo Salmon, Helen Brown, Harriet Koorts, Susie Macfarlane, Nicola D Ridgers. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2020.)

Omega-3 treatment studies for multi-episode schizophrenia or clinical high risk for conversion to psychosis states have had variable, and often negative, results. To examine adjunctive omega-3 treatment for recent onset psychosis, participants aged 15-40 years with recent onset schizophrenia-spectrum (n = 46) or bipolar (n = 4) disorders and current psychotic symptoms were treated for 16 weeks with risperidone and randomly-assigned omega-3 (EPA 740 mg and DHA 400 mg daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome measure was the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total score. Mean lifetime antipsychotic exposure was 18.1 days. Length of time in treatment, risperidone dose and number of omega-3/placebo capsules taken did not differ between conditions. Longitudinal analysis of the total BPRS score revealed a trend level (p = 0.0826) treatment effect favoring omega-3 treatment. Lorazepam was an allowed concomitant medication. Among the subgroup (N = 23) who did not receive lorazepam, the treatment effect on BPRS total scores favoring omega-3 was significant (p = 0.0406) and factor scores analyses revealed a substantial decrease in depression-anxiety with omega-3 but no change with placebo (treatment-by-time interaction, p = 0.0184). Motor side effects did not differ between conditions. Analysis of Systematic Assessment for Treatment Emergent Events assessments revealed fewer adverse events overall with omega-3 compared with placebo with the largest differences between conditions (all favoring omega-3) on confusion, anxiety, depression, irritability, and tiredness/fatigue. These results suggest that omega-3 adjuvant treatment is a potential option for depression and anxiety symptoms of people with recent onset psychosis. Further research is needed to confirm this potential. Clinical trial registration: NCT01786239., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Research findings are particularly important for medication choice for first-episode patients as individual prior medication response to guide treatment decisions is unavailable. We describe the first large-scale double-masked randomized comparison with first-episode patients of aripiprazole and risperidone, 2 commonly used first-episode treatment agents. One hundred ninety-eight participants aged 15-40 years with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder or psychotic disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and who had been treated in their lifetime with antipsychotics for 2 weeks or less were randomly assigned to double-masked aripiprazole (5-30 mg/d) or risperidone (1-6 mg/d) and followed for 12 weeks. Positive symptom response rates did not differ (62.8% vs 56.8%) nor did time to response. Aripiprazole-treated participants had better negative symptom outcomes but experienced more akathisia. Body mass index change did not differ between treatments but advantages were found for aripiprazole treatment for total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, and prolactin levels. Post hoc analyses suggested advantages for aripiprazole on depressed mood. Overall, if the potential for akathisia is a concern, low-dose risperidone as used in this trial maybe a preferred choice over aripiprazole. Otherwise, aripiprazole would be the preferred choice over risperidone in most situations based upon metabolic outcome advantages and some symptom advantages within the context of similar positive symptom response between medications., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)