It has been suggested that using humor plays important roles as stress moderator and reduces negative emotions in stressful situations. However, it is unknown what kind of humor is more helpful to cope with stress.

The objective of this research is an empirical evaluation of the use of humor as stress moderator.

This study examined the relation between the classifications of produced humor in interpersonal stressful situations and self-reports of stress responses such as depression, anxiety, anger, and helplessness.

The participants were 396 university students. They were shown 3 types of interpersonal stressful situations in the questionnaire, and they were then asked to complete the Stress Response Scale-18 (SRS-18) (Suzuki et al., 1997) and how they would react in order to let those situations go past humorously.

First, the humorous productions were classified into 5 groups based on similarities by coders. Secondly, the numbers of humors in each of the 5 categories were correlated with the scores of SRS-18. For example, there were negative correlations of the numbers of self-deprecating humor with depression-anxiety and helplessness scores for females and the numbers of entertaining humor with helplessness score for males in interpersonal inferiority complex situation.

Certain kinds of humors worked as significant stress buffers depending on the situation or sex. For females, humor involving interaction situations worked particularly well as a stress buffers. These results have clinical implications for the prevention and intervention of stressful experiences.

Social Readjusment Rating Scale, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Defense Mechanisms Assessment Scale were employed in 60 patients.

91.7% of assessed patients go through a life crisis, while 88.4% of them present with various levels of depression; stress levels and depression appear to be higher in patients from psychiatric clinics, and in those from an urban environment. Widowed subjects present with higher levels of depression, compared with divorced and married ones, in the groups of psychiatric and oncology patients.

Patients with medical conditions mostly go through a moderate life crisis and present with mild depression, while those with mood disorders go through major life crisis and present with moderate depression. Denial is the defense mechanism mostly employed by both patient groups; psychiatric and oncology patients use denial, while cardiology ones employ repression.

To explore the relationship between resilience and social support, coping style of students in middle school for providing some evidences for improving students’resilience.

Six hundred students were surveyed with the Connor-Davidson resilience questionnaire(CD-RISC), perceived social support scale(PSSS)and coping style questionnaire(CSQ).

Resilience had significant difference between male and female students.The resilience was positively correlated with social support and two factors of coping style:seeking help and solving problem, but negatively correlated with the other factors in coping style questionnaire.

Students with high score in Connor-Davidson resilience questionnaire are more tend to the positive coping style. Social support is an important factor of resilience in middle school students.

Many studies have shown that the prevalence of psychological distress among medical students during medical training is high. However, there are few studies explore on the psychological health of medical students prior to the medical training.

To determine the prevalence and associated factors of entering medical students had significant stress, anxiety and depression symptoms prior to medical course.

This study was an attempt to explore the psychological health aspects of entering medical students prior to medical training.

A cross-sectional study was done on two cohorts of applicants to a medical school. A total of 839 applicants were invited to participate in the study. The DASS-21 was administered to them after they completed interviews to measure stress, anxiety and depression level. Moderate to extremely severe levels of stress, anxiety and depression were considered as significant levels.

A total of 743 (92.2%) applicants took part in the study. Approximately 26 (3.6%) experienced stress, 400 (54.5%) experienced anxiety, and 14 (1.9%) experienced depression. Stress associated with entry qualification, previous academic performance, race, involvement in extra-curricular activities, and parent education levels. Anxiety associated with parent concern about religion education, entry qualification, extra-curricular activities, previous academic performance, race and mother education level. Depression associated with parent concern about friends, entry qualification, extra-curricular activities, previous academic performance and race.

The prevalence of stress and depression among entering medical students was low prior to medical training. Its associated factors seem to be related to academic, parent and student personal backgrounds.

The researches show a rapid growth of mental disorders among adolescents and young adults that often co-occurs with risk behaviours, such as suicide, which is one of the leading cause of death among young ages 15–34. Therefore it's necessary to use some tools that can promote mental health getting to young lives such as Internet and media.

SUPREME (Suicide Prevention by Internet and Media Based Mental Health Promotion) is an European project for the prevention of risk behaviours and mental health promotion through the use of mass media and Internet, financed by DG SANCO EU Public Health and developed by a consortium of 7 European countries.

The main expected outcome of the project is to improve mental health among European adolescents and young adults.

The intervention will comprise of a highly interactive website targeted at adolescents and young adults in the age group 14–24 years, and a set of published guidelines, aimed at Media that targets young audiences, such as newspapers and magazines. In each participating country, a sample of 300 pupils in the age 14 – 24 years will be selected and randomized in one of the three different intervention arms. A baseline questionnaire will be administered to the pupils for require the data on lifestyles, values and attitudes, psychological well-being, familiar relationship and friendship.

Through the obtained data will be possible identify the best practices to promote mental health through the Internet and the media.

Portugal consistently presents lower suicide rates when compared with other non-Mediterranean European countries (< 10 suicides/100000 habitants). During the 90's the average annual incidence of suicidal behavior (SB) was 20 times greater than completed suicide.

Since this is a common cause of admission to the emergency room (ER) and given that it has a major impact on society and patient's health, it's important to recognize specific groups of patients at risk.

Study SB prevalence and the characteristics of those patients admitted to the psychiatric ER at Coimbra University Hospitals (HUC).

We retrospectively analyzed clinical files relative to patients admitted to the psychiatric emergency between January and June 2010 and explored data concerning those who presented some form of SB.

SB was present in 12,12% of the 4537 patients who were admitted to the psychiatric emergency at HUC, during the first 6 months of 2010. 74% were female. The mean age was 38 (min 13, max 90 years). There were considerable differences between men and women in some socio-demographic variables, such as marital status and profession. There were also differences concerning the diagnoses. While adjustment and depressive disorders were the most common diagnoses in both sexes, alcohol and drug dependence were an important co-morbidity in man with SB.

There are important subgroups of patients in risk of SB, namely women and alcoholic and drug dependent males. It is important to target these subgroups in order to establish adequate preventing measures.

Prior suicide attempt is the strongest single risk factor for death by suicide: 30–40% of those who commit suicide, have made a previous suicide attempt. Many nations have surveillance system to monitor deaths by suicide, but not such a system to monitor suicide attempts.

Patients (N = 60) admitted for after a suicide attempt to Special hospital of neuropsychiatric diseases in Belgrade from 2008-10, were assessed to sociodemographic, diagnostic characteristics and suicide attempt method.

Sociodemographic characteristics: Mean age 43.07 (SD 15.658); gender: male 53.3%, female 46.7%; education: 12years (86.6%), 12years (13.3%); occupational status: unemployed 56.7%, invalid pensioner 16.7%, employed 26.7%; marital status: single 53.3%, widow/er 11.7%, divorced 8.3%, married 26.7%; without any children 86.7%; unsettled housing 46.6%. Diagnostic characteristics: Depressive disorder (36.7%), Schizophrenia (33.3%), other (30%); psychiatric comorbidity: abuse/addiction of alcohol/drugs 41.6%, personality disorder 28.3%; illness duration (years): M 15.117 (SD 14.1); mean age of first suicide attempt 41.2 years (SD 15.172); Suicide attempt method: self-harming with sharp objects 35.0%, jumping from a high place 23.3%, self-poisoning 23.3%, hanging 18.3%.

A follow-up surveillance of suicide attempters should be established (by national office or register), in order to clarify characteristics that would predict possible suicide.

Truancy is a serious public health problem that affects adolescents from all countries around the world. In the United States, it has been reported that up to 35% of high school students skipped one or more days of school during a school year. However, little is known on the short- and long-term outcomes of underlying psychological and mental ill-health for those adolescents who truant. It is evident that there is a great need for developing our knowledge in this field, especially in Europe, as there are very few data on truancy, and almost no existing preventive programmes implemented in this field.

To gather epidemiological information on truancy on European adolescents; to perform intervention school-based programmes for adolescents, aimed at reducing truancy rates and improve mental health of students; to evaluate outcomes of the interventions, in comparison with a control group, from a multidisciplinary perspective including social, psychological and economical aspects; to recommend effective, culturally adjusted models for preventing truancy and promoting mental health of adolescents in different European countries.

The WE-STAY project comprises 10 European countries. The WE-STAY project proposes to implement and evaluate outcomes of three different kinds of intervention against truancy:

1. a) A universal intervention based on an awareness program for students, teachers and parents;

2. b) A screening intervention aimed at identifying students at risk and refer them to mental health services;

3. c) A combination of the above interventions. A mechanistic intervention to stop truancy will be used as control.

Suicide is strongly associated with mental disorders, especially depression. However, it has been found that a minority of individuals affected by depression receive adequate treatment. Co-morbidity with other psychiatric disorders, especially with self-harm, increases the risk of suicide.

To investigate the main risk factors of suicide and the use of antidepressant treatment in the Italian Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG).

To determinate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and self-harm in suicides and population controls. To investigate the use of antidepressants among suicides. To determinate to which extent suicides had previous contacts with health care.

Individual based data on self-harm, diagnoses and antidepressant prescriptions in FVG from 2002 to 2008 were obtained from the Regional Health Information System. All suicides occurred during the study period (N = 766) were included as cases. Each case was matched with regard to age and sex with 10 controls from the general population.

Previous self-harm and a psychiatric diagnosis increases the suicide risk by 124 and 31 fold respectively. Only 48% of cases with a previous diagnosis of unipolar depression received a prescription of antidepressants in the last 90 days prior to death. Among all suicides 20% had received an antidepressant prescription during the last 90 days. Twenty-two percent of the cases had never received any prescriptions or diagnosis.

The main risk factors of suicide are self-harm and psychiatric illness. Depression appears undertreated among suicides. A substantial number of people who will kill themselves are unknown by health care.

School-based prevention programs, especially depression and suicidal behavior screenings, performed on highschool pupils, proved their validity and efficiency in identifying high suicidal risk individuals.

This research aimed to perform an evaluation of adolescent mental health and of the risk factors for the psychiatric pathology that generates suicidal behavior.

The study sample was collected by randomizing 16 highschools in Cluj and Maramureş counties. 1470 pupils were contacted. Informed consents were signed for 1143 pupils. These pupils were evaluated at baseline and 3 and 12 months after baseline.

The initial evaluation identified 151 pupils showing high risk for mental health problems, out of the 1143 pupils included. Also, the initial evaluation identified 50 pupils (4,37% of the study group) showing high suicidal risk. The second evaluation (3 months from baseline) identified 42 pupils showing high suicidal risk, out of a total of 990 pupils re-evaluated. The third evaluation (12 months from baseline) identified 27 pupils showing high suicidal risk, out of 991 pupils re-evaluated. More maladaptive behaviors were identified in pupils with suicidal risk.

Our results confirm the hypothesis of the interdependence of suicidal risk and maladaptive behaviors. There is no evidence supporting the hypothesis that suicide screening might lead individuals to suicidal behavior.

Truancy is correlated to many aspects of adolescent daily life: physical, mental health, social and economical conditions. WE-STAY (Working in Europe to Stop Truancy Among Youth) is a prevention program designed to reduce truancy and to promote mental health among European adolescents.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the awareness program, in truancy prevention . The awareness intervention aims to increase knowledge about a number of factors, including psychological ones, associated to truancy and how to get help.

Gather information on truancy in European adolescents and perform three school-based health- promotion interventions for adolescents in the entire study and compare the results with a control intervention.

Six European countries are participating in the WE- STAY intervention. In each country, a sample of 1600 pupils ages 14–18 will be randomized into one of four different intervention arms. Baseline evaluation of students’ lifestyle, coping styles, at-risk truancy, self-harm behaviours and mental health issues will be collected using a structured questionnaire.

In the Molise region there are 58 schools, 15 vocational schools and 43 high schools, with a total of 15393 students. After the randomization, we were left with 32 schools, 6 vocational schools and 26 high schools, encompassing a total of 9.489 students, 4.166 males and 5.323 females.

Truancy is often related to mental health problems and at-risk behaviours. WE-STAY will make it possible to evaluate outcomes of different preventive programs and to recommend effective culturally adjusted models for preventing truancy and promoting mental health for adolescents.

Numerous studies demonstrate that bullying in childhood correlates with suicide attempts and completed suicide in children. There is very little scientific literature, however, on the suicidogenic consequences of bullying in adulthood, either preceded by bullying in childhood or in the absence of it. The aim of this study is to explore the history of bullying in parasuicide in adult personnel.

We re-analyzed data from a prior empirical study of the psychodynamics of suicidal behavior in the sample consisted of 30 subjects (24 females and 6 males). These were individuals hospitalized at the Clinic for Toxicology, at the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, following attempted suicide by self-poisoning. Data had originally been collected during psychotherapeutic crisis intervention. The mean age was 28.20 (± 12.46; range, 15–57 years). Most (63.3%) were single.

86,7% of suicide attempters had a history of bullying just preceding the suicide attempt: 53,3% by their mother or father (emotionally mistreated and/or physically bullied), 23,3% by their conjugal partner (sexually neglected and/or emotionally harassed, or physically bullied), and 10% by persons in their social network (emotionally neglected and/or bullied). We also present vignettes which illustrate these relationships.

To place parasuicide in a psychotherapeutic context, therapists must recognize that the identification and management of recent bullying is of central import. It crucially informs the type of intervention required when involving a conjugal partner or members of the suicidal subject's family of origin. This ensures successful psychotherapeutic crisis intervention following suicide attempt.

Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder in Primary Care (PC), with 60% of depressed patients receiving treatment in PC Units. Suicide is the most serious consequence of depression. The European Commission funded the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD), a preventive program on depression and suicide that has been applied in 18 European countries. In Spain, this program has been implemented in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands (Majorca and Menorca).

To present the results obtained in the program implementation in Majorca.

This program was applied in June 2009 within the urban area of Palma (222,100 inhabitants). Phase 1 entailed data collection of suicide, suicide attempts and antidepressant consumption since 2006. Phase 2 implied the development of specific training courses for General Practitioners on suicide prevention in high-risk population, and the launch of a public advertising campaign with the collaboration of mass media.

Based on data collected since 2006, there are nearly 300 suicide attempts in the Balearic Islands every year. Within the area of intervention suicide attempts decreased a 24.8% between 2009 and 2010. Conversely, antidepressant prescription and consumption increased from a frequent 2–3% per year to a 5%.

Obtained results are consistent with findings in other areas where this program has been applied. Data available next years about number of suicides will help to assess the final impact of this program. It is important to continue designing and implementing preventive programs aimed to reduce suicide risk including specific training for health care providers.

In Portugal, drastic changes in suicide rates have been claimed in the last 10-year period. Portugal is frequently presented as an example of masked suicides within the registered undetermined deaths. References on suicide and undetermined death rates and trends in Portugal are outdated.

To ascertain the actual numbers of suicide in Portugal providing the scientific community with an updated, methodologically correct, source of reference.

Raw data of suicide deaths was obtained per year, by age, sex, geographic region and lethal causes, and specific rates per 100,000 habitants and age-adjusted rates were calculated.

From 1980 to 2009, rates of suicide mortality have remained stable, but this trend does not occur in all age groups, decreasing with respect to young people and increasing in higher age group. Mortality is much higher in males than in females, and in the south. Hanging is the main method. Mortality from suicide and undetermined causes correlate inversely and undetermined death and suicide rates ratio are close to 1:1.

Suicide prevention should focus on males older than 55 years. A substantial proportion of deaths of undetermined causes seem to correspond to misclassified suicides. However, it is unlikely that not counting these masked suicides modifies the trends of suicide rates in the period under study. These are realistic trends for the Portuguese population.

The research objects are people aged 15–24, Minsk citizens who committed parasuicides and suicides.

To study socio-psychological mechanisms of suicidal behavior of adolescents and young people in modern big cities and to develop an anti-suicide aid program for this contingent of people.

To conduct retrospective suicidological analysis we included in the research 1051 parasuicide and 99 suicides altogether, and to conduct prospective suicidological and clinic-therapeutical examination we included 106 parasuicides.

There is evidence given on the basis of which for the first time in Belarus the modern and typical for adolescents and young people in big cities socio-psychological and motivational-typological factors of emerging of conditions predisposing to suicide are studied and systemized, which allowed to develop the suicidal actions prevention program with the set of basic preventive strategies in the spheres of social and medical prevention and legislative measures among this contingent of population of big cities, as well as to develop and approve the program of rendering specialized medico-psychological aid to people aged 15–24 in post-suicidal period.

The primary goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a community-based multimodal intervention program for suicide prevention in regions where the suicide rate was relatively high compared to control regions. The secondary goal was to explore the effectiveness of a community-based multimodal intervention program for suicide prevention in highly populated regions.

NOCOMIT-J is a community-based large-scale non-randomized controlled trial, involving seven intervention regions with accompanying control regions, all with populations of statistically sufficient size. The program consists of

1. 1) Establishing social support networks in the public health system for suicide prevention and mental health promotion;

2. 2) A primary prevention measures of awareness campaign for the public and key personnel;

3. 3) Secondary prevention measures for screening, counseling and outreach services for high-risk individuals;

4. 4) After-care for individuals bereaved by suicide;

5. 5) Suicide prevention measures especially for individuals with mental illness and work-related problems.

This study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Central Ethics Committee of the J-MISP. Additionally, the regional leaders obtained written authorization from the local governors.

The intervention started in July 2006, and continued for 3.5 years. Participants are Japanese and foreign residents living in the intervention and control regions, a total of population of 2,120,000 individuals.

Because treatment and prevention of suicide are complex and encompass many factors, success will need multi-sector collaboration. We hope that the results of NOCOMIT-J will help to develop effective strategies to reduce future suicide rate. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00737165)