European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists
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The autism spectrum (AS) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental variant associated with lifelong challenges. Despite the relevant importance of identifying AS in adults for epidemiological, public health, and quality of life issues, the measurement properties of the tools currently used to screen and diagnose adults without intellectual disabilities (ID) have not been assessed. ⋯ There is limited evidence for the measurement properties of the screening and diagnostic tools used for AS adults with a mean normal range of measured intelligence. This may lessen the validity of conclusions and public health decisions on an important fraction of the adult autistic population. This not only justifies further validation studies of screening and diagnostic tools for autistic adults, but also supports the parallel use of self-reported information and clinical expertise with these instruments during the diagnostic process.
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Substantial evidence supports an association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal behaviour. However, few studies have examined factors mediating this relationship among patients with unipolar or bipolar mood disorders. ⋯ The mechanisms of the effect of childhood maltreatment on suicidal ideation versus suicide attempts may diverge among psychiatric patients with mood disorders. Borderline personality disorder traits may contribute to these mechanisms, although the influence appears considerably stronger for suicide attempts than for suicidal ideation.
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Anhedonia is a core symptom of major depression and a key prognostic factor that is often poorly explored in clinical trials of major depressive disorder (MDD). Beyond symptomatic remission, psychosocial functioning also reveals difficulty in achieving remission in patients with MDD. The main objective of this study was to explore the interrelationships between social functioning and anhedonia on a longitudinal basis. ⋯ Our results suggest that anhedonia is one of the strongest predictors of psychosocial functioning, along with symptomatic remission, and should be carefully assessed by health professionals, in order to optimize pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological management of depression.
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To investigate the potential use of smartphone apps to support self-management in young adults with bipolar disorder. ⋯ The results indicate that young adults with bipolar disorder are interested in a wide range of apps for self-management. Participants were interested in apps to support self-management strategies considered clinically important for disorder management. Many of these app needs are currently unmet. Results suggest diversifying and prioritising app capabilities to ensure evidence-based resources for a broader range of app functions are available to consumers.