Psychiatry research
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Psychiatry research · Aug 2016
Emotional suppression in torture survivors: Relationship to posttraumatic stress symptoms and trauma-related negative affect.
While clinical reports suggest that torture survivors may try to suppress their emotions during torture, little is known about the use of emotional suppression following torture. In this study, 82 refugees and asylum-seekers (including 33 torture survivors) completed self-report measures of trait suppression, PTSD symptoms and baseline negative affect before being exposed to images depicting scenes of interpersonal trauma. The use of suppression while viewing the images was indexed and negative affect was measured both immediately after viewing the images and following a five minute rest period. ⋯ However, torture survivors who endorsed state suppression higher levels of distress, and this relationship was especially strong for those with more severe PTSD symptoms. In contrast, there was a negative relationship between state suppression and distress for non-torture survivors with high levels of PTSD symptoms. These findings suggest that, while torture exposure does not lead to greater use of suppression, it does influence the impact of suppression on emotional responses to stimuli.
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Psychiatry research · Jun 2016
A test of the interpersonal theory of suicide in a large sample of current firefighters.
Recent research suggests that firefighters experience elevated rates of suicidal ideation and behaviors. The interpersonal theory of suicide may shed light on this finding. This theory postulates that suicidal desire is strongest among individuals experiencing perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, and that the combination of suicide desire and acquired capability for suicide is necessary for the development of suicidal behaviors. ⋯ However, findings were no longer significant after accounting for years of firefighter service or age. Contrary to predictions, the two-way interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness was not significantly related to career suicidal ideation severity. Applications of the theory to firefighters and future research are discussed.
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Psychiatry research · May 2016
Adaptation and initial validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 Questionnaire (GAD-7) in an Arabic speaking Lebanese psychiatric outpatient sample.
The Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 (GAD-7) are short screening measures used in medical and community settings to assess depression and anxiety severity. The aim of this study is to translate the screening tools into Arabic and evaluate their psychometric properties in an Arabic-speaking Lebanese psychiatric outpatient sample. The patients completed the questionnaires, among others, prior to being evaluated by a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist. ⋯ Results showed that the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 are reliable screening tools for depression and anxiety and their factor structures replicated those reported in the literature. Sensitivity and specificity analyses showed that the PHQ-9 is sensitive but not specific at capturing depressive symptoms when compared to clinician diagnoses whereas the GAD-7 was neither sensitive nor specific at capturing anxiety symptoms. The implications of these findings are discussed in reference to the scales themselves and the cultural specificity of the Lebanese population.
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Psychiatry research · Apr 2016
The relationship between dispositional mindfulness, borderline personality features, and suicidal ideation in a sample of women in residential substance use treatment.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships, is also associated with heightened suicidal ideation. Prior research has demonstrated that BPD and suicidal ideation are prevalent among women in substance use treatment. Efforts to treat substance use in this population are made difficult due to the severity of BPD, and it is possible that mindfulness-based interventions specific to substance use could be an effective approach for this population. ⋯ Findings demonstrated dispositional mindfulness to be negatively associated with BPD features and suicidal ideation. With the exception of self-harm, this negative relationship was found even after controlling for age, substance use, and impression management. Future research should examine whether mindfulness-based interventions are an effective treatment for comorbid substance use and BPD.
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Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been identified as a correlate and predictor of suicidal ideation and attempts. Given the high-rates of NSSI presence among adolescents and young adults, it is important to identify specific characteristics of NSSI that might place individuals who engage in this behavior at highest risk for suicidal behavior. NSSI is thought to increase the acquired capability for suicide via habituation to self-harm, though the NSSI characteristics most responsible for this relationship are unclear. ⋯ University students (N=997) with a history of NSSI completed measures assessing lifetime NSSI frequency, number of NSSI methods employed, and subjective experience of pain during NSSI, as well as suicide attempt (SA) history. Results indicated that NSSI frequency, number of NSSI methods, and subjective pain experienced during NSSI were each positively associated with SA history. Further, subjective pain experienced during NSSI moderated the relationship between NSSI frequency and SA history, such that the association between NSSI frequency and SA history was stronger for individuals who experienced lower levels of subjective pain.