Psychiatric comorbidities are common among older, post-menopausal women. The Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) Service of Modena General Hospital has set up a regular collaboration with the Cardiology Clinic, within the Woman Wellness Project (WWP), whose aim is detection and prevention of post-menopausal correlated diseases.

The aim of the study is to understand the management of psychic distress and mental disorders in post-menopausal women.

Data on 383 WWP outpatients, from January 2010 to September 2011, were retrospectively analyzed.

12.5% of the WWP patients (48/383) were referred to the CLP Service, but only 77% of them (37/48) attended the examination. Positive psychiatric history was detected in 62.2% of the patients, and 48% of these were already on psychopharmacological therapy. Main psychiatric diagnoses were depression (37.8%), anxious-depressive syndrome (18.9%), anxiety (16.2%), dysthymia (8.1%) and eating disorders (5.4%). The majority of patients (89%) had two or more medical comorbidities: dyslipidemia (62.1%), hypertension (29.7%) and thyroid diseases (21.6%). 83.8% of the patients were advised for psychopharmacological therapy, together with referral for psychological support in 22.7% of cases. Back-referral to Mental Health Care (21% to the Community Mental Health Centre, 30% to the Clinical Psychological Care Service and 5.4% to the Day Hospital for Eating Disorders) was suggested in 56.4% of cases.

Data from our experience support evidence from literature. Collaboration with a CLP Service improves detection of psychic distress and access to Mental Health Care for menopausal women. Considering the high frequency of medical comorbidities, psychiatric treatment needs an integrated approach.

The EPDS (Edinburg Postpartum Depression Scale) is a scale widely used for postpartum depression screening. Its application has been made usually in face to face situation. Because of problems that may hamper the contact with patients, alternative strategies for its application have been used, such as telephone contact. This study aims to establish the cutoff point of EPDS which provides the best sensitivity and specificity rates for telephone use.

It is a cross-sectional study, using data collected from a cohort of women followed in the third trimester of pregnancy and in the postpartum period in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. EPDS was applied by telephone on 176 women, of whom 147 were interviewed face to face. The SCID (Strutured Clinical Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV) data were correlated with the EPDS data, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated using ROC-curve.

The diagnosis of major depressive episode was confirmed by the SCID in 77 participants. For EPDS values ≥ 10 the sensitivity rate was of 70.1%, specificity of 74.3%, positive predictive value of 75.0% and negative predictive value of 69.3%. With a EPDS cutoff point ≥ 12, sensitivity was 55.8%, specificity was 84.3% and positive predictive value was 79.6%.

The cutoff point of 10 was more appropriate than the cutoff point of 12 when using EPDS by telephone, as a measure of population screening for postpartum depression.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in utero on child IQ and psychopathological syndromes.

A two cohorts study was designed. A cohort of 40 mother-child pairs with depressive or anxiety disorders (DSM-IV criteria) attended at a Perinatal Psychiatry Program between 2004 and 2006 and exposed in utero to SSRI was compared with a healthy cohort of 40 mother-child pairs, paired by gender and gestational age. The two groups were compared in terms of children's IQ between ages 60 and 72 months, assessed blindly through Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). The Early Childhood Inventory teachers’ and parents’ versions (ECI-4) were used to assess psychopathological syndromes. Statistical analysis were done with paired t-test, Chi square test, and Fisher's exact test.

There were no differences among the groups in maternal IQ, socioeconomic status and obstetric variables. There were no differences among the groups (exposed vs. non-exposed) in the Mental Processing Composite (101.20 vs. 106.95; p = 0.07), the Sequential Processing Scale (97.78 vs. 103.00; p = 0.11), the Simultaneous Processing Scale (103.90 vs. 109.23; p = 0.13) and the Achievement Scale (98.80 vs. 103.13; p = 0.13). The ECI-4 psychopathological syndromes rates of exposed children were slightly higher than non-exposed children, but these differences were only significant on Adjustment Disorder in parents’ reports (30% vs. 10%; p = 0.04).

Exposure to SSRI during pregnancy does not appear to adversely affect cognitive functioning. Exposed children showed slightly higher rates of psychopathology, especially Adjustment Disorder.

According to WHO data about 60–80 million people around the world suffer from infertility. This problem causes huge negative impact on family life. Forty percent of women with infertility experience various mental disorders.

Aims/objectives: Investigation of anxiety-depressive spectrum disorders in women with infertility. Assessment of impact of women infertility on self-esteem and certain aspects of life. Development of recommendations on mental health services for women, experiencing infertility problems.

Sixty women at the age of 21 to 36 years, experiencing infertility problems for maximum period of 60 months participated in the study. Anxiety, depression and stress rates were assessed using Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - DASS-21, the level of self-esteem was determined with Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0.

Such factors as education, occupation, religious beliefs, and accessibility of proper medical services were determined to have significant impact on depression, anxiety and stress rates as well as on self-esteem and satisfaction with life of women with infertility.

Screening for early detection of mental health problems, psychological counseling and family therapy for couples encountering infertility problems was recommended.

Hope is individual's most valuable resource which lead to deal with difficult situations. One of the experiences that a woman can feel hopelessness is to be diagnosed with a breast lesion which they can have fear of escalation to breast cancer.

The aim of this study is to determine hopelessness and the influencing factors in women diagnosed with fibrocystic change.

The sample of this sectional study consisted of 69 women chosen by random sampling from those presenting at General Surgery Clinic and who volunteered to participate in the study. The data were collected using the information from mostly containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).

The mean BHS score was 6.1 ± 4.6. The hopelessness level was found to be related to age, marriage status, number of children, earlier breast control and family history. Women who had children, were in reproductive period and those who admitted for the first time suffered more hopelessness. However, BHS scores of women admitted for control with a previously negative result, women without a family history and those whose close acquaintances had no history of breast surgery were very low. Also, althought breast cancer is more commen in older ages, in this study BHS score was found negatively related to age.

We found some sociodemographic characteristics to influence hopelessness in women diagnosed with fibrocystic changes. We believe it is important for treatment success to take these influencing factors into account for individuals presenting at Breast Clinics.

It is estimated that every year more than half a million people commit suicide in the world. however, in the third world and developing countries, the death resulted from committing suicide is remained hidden. This unpleasunt phenomena is quite problematic, first for the families and then for the societies, especially when it is presenting among the women. For this reason in 2003 the world health organization (WHO) dedicated 10th of september as the international day of suicide.

The aim of this reaserch is to investigate the source of depression as a risk factor for suicide among women by considering its cultural and social aspects.

In this investigation from the tajik women who had committed suicide 46 women were chosen randomly. They were tested using the depression test of beck together with a self-made questionnaire to check the intimate family relationships between the cases and their family members.

The average of the depression rate among these women was 15–58. The questionnaire showed these women had severly experienced violence from their family and especially from their husbands, which was the source of their depression. After tolerating many years of violence, these battered women had found suicide as their only way to free themselves from their tough lives.

Governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations can provide educational facilities and possibilities for the families, to help increasing family behavior understandings, which in turn leads to decrease the level of violence in the families and toward women.

The present research investigated the relationship of emotional intelligence and mental health in university students.

The sample comprised of 73 female students of psychology from Payame - Noor University that were randomly selected and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Schutte's Self- Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSREIT) were administered on them. SSREIT measures three fields: Appraisal of emotion, regulation of emotion and utilization of emotion; and GHQ measures four fields: physical symptoms, insomnia and anxiety symptoms, social dysfunction symptoms, depression symptoms. Data were analyzed with Pearson correlation formula.

Findings revealed significant negative correlation between components of emotional intelligence and components of mental health. It means that increasing of emotional intelligence decreases mental illness.

Findings of the present research can have important psychological implications in the area of student counseling, adolescent and youth counseling, and personality development. Helping students and youth can improve their emotional competencies and help in improving their quality of life.

The importance of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of hypertension is controversial.

The purpose of the present study was determining the psychological factors which can predict hypertension.

The subjects were 50 middle-aged volunteers among referring persons who diagnosed as hypertensive patients that completed Nowak's Stress Profile . The assessed psychological variables were: Stress (STR), Cognitive Hardiness (HAR), Type A (TYP), Social Support (SOC), Coping Style: positive appraisal (POS), Negative appraisal (NEG), Threat Minimization (THR), Problem Focus (PRO), Psychological Well-Being (WEL) and Health Habits (HAB).

In the scales STR, TYP, NEG the scores higher than 60T indicated a health risk, and in other scales, the score 39T and below indicated a health risk. In order to examine the relation between patients' health risks and their psychological factors, logistic regression analysis was taken and these variables were used in the model: WEL (p < .000), SOC (p < .000). Coping Style (p < .006), TYP (p < .047), HAR (p < .196), STR (p < .204), and HAB (p < .696). As is seen, Psychological Well-Being, Social Support Network, Coping Styles and Type A Behavior, played the greatest roles. But, in comparison with the other variables, stress wasn't a determinative. Also, in Health Habits, physical activity was more effective.

The findings of study showed the psychological factors' prediction power is greater than the one of health habits. So, through assessing psychologically high risk persons and controlling their risk factors, we can take more effective steps in preventing and controlling hypertension.

The perimenstrual period is associated with increased psychiatric disturbances of both neurotic and psychotic nature. Menstrual psychotic disorder (MPD) is an uncommon condition, not universally accepted within the classifications of functional psychosis; its symptoms are not included under actual definitions of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The MPD diagnosis requires specific features and excludes acute menstrual-related exacerbations of chronic mental conditions and menstrual mood-disorders.

We present the prospective case study of a 24-year-old Chinese woman recently arrived in France following marriage, who was admitted on three occasions to an inpatient psychiatric service for symptoms of acute recurrent psychosis developed with the onset of menstrual flow. Each episode was characterized by acute onset with the menstrual bleeding, short duration with full recovery few days after. Pharmacotherapy was instaurated from the first episode (risperidone and other coadjuvant drugs).

This case illustrates the complexity of diagnosis in a person with recurrent presentation of psychotic symptoms associated with menses. In most of the MPD case-reports in literature, no serious psychosocial stress factor was mentioned; the use of psychotropic drugs was also considered inconclusive, successful treatment with hormone therapy being reported in several situations.

Although pre-existing psychiatric conditions may exacerbate in the perimenstrual period, the relationship between typical functional psychoses and MPD, and the phenomenology of this disorder needs to be clarified; case-studies may contribute to the recognition of MPD as a specific disease entity.

Although developed for postpartum depression, the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS; Beck & Gable, 2002) is accurate to screen for antenatal depression (Pereira et al., 2011). Nonetheless, as any screening instrument should be valid, short and easy it is important to develop a PDSS short form to use in pregnancy.

To develop PDSS short version to use in pregnancy and to determine its cut-off points and associated conditional probabilities to screen for antenatal depression according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria.

441 pregnant women in their last trimester of pregnancy (M = 32.6 ± 3.47 weeks of gestation) completed the Portuguese PDSS adapted to pregnancy and were interviewed using the Mood Disorders Section/Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies. A factor analysis was performed to select the items (factor loadings > .60). ROC analysis was applied and cut-off points adjusted to the prevalence were determined.

Four factors were extracted, making a total of 24 items selected to the short version (PDSS-24). For major depression/DSM-IV the cut-off point (CO) of 44, resulted in sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 78.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) 8.5% and negative predictive value (NPV) 99.7%; for depressive disorder/ICD-10 the CO of 42 determined sensitivity 85.7%, specificity 79.2%, PPV 11.9%, NPV 99.4%; for mild/moderate depression with somatic syndrome or severe depression without psychotic symptoms/ICD-10 the CO of 46 was associated to sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 82.2%, PPV 9.3% and NPV 99.7%.

The PDSS-24 is a good alternative to the 35-items version, equally valid, but more economic, faster and easier.

Pseudocyesis, a false belief of being pregnant that is associated with objective signs of pregnancy, is seldom a subject of professional debate because of its infrequency.

In the case presented, pseudocyesis was preceded by six unsuccessful IVF procedures and followed by delusions of maternity.

A 39-year-old woman, an immigrant from the Muslim part of Bosnia, was admitted to our clinic after the sixth IVF procedure. Upon admission she had a plastic doll with her. She claimed to have delivered a baby, but she could not remember the delivery itself. After the delivery her belly became flat. She was breast-feeding her imaginary daughter and she was carrying her around all the time. Despite antipsychotic and antidepressant therapy, her condition was worsening. She had auditory hallucinations and she became more and more depressed and suicidal. After seven months soon after a higher dosage of risperidone was given, her condition improved. She confided to the medical staff that her daughter had died and that she had buried her. Nurses found the plastic doll on the earth pile. After the discharge she continued her treatment as an outpatient.

Pseudocyesis has become increasingly rare in many parts of the world where accurate pregnancy tests have become widely available. However, cultures that place high value on pregnancy or that make close associations between fertility and a person's worth, still have high rates of the disorder. The case presented is the first published case of pseudocyesis that was followed by delusions of maternity.

While any type of victimization can produce psychological effects, in the case of battered women by their partners, the impact of this increase due to the following characteristics: violence often involves a combination of abusive acts of physical, psychological and/or sexual kind; it usually has a progressive and chronic character; it occurs repeatedly and intermittent, within the home and the person whom ones lives with. The high impact on the health of those who suffer it are forced to consider this form of violence as one of the major issues of health and human rights.

To determine the most relevant circumstances of abuse from a psychopathological perspective.

The goal of this study is examining which sociodemographic factors and specificity of abuse are associated with greater mental health.

Participants: 97 battered women. Instruments: GHQ-12, consists of 12 items, each one assessing the severity of a mental problem. Specific interview developed for the study (history of the problem and physical health).

Battered women who are living with their partner have better health offending than non-living.

The results could be explained by the need to be alert and in good physical and mental strength to withstand the abusive situation.

To our knowledge, only one study has assessed the risk of relapse of affective disorders after discontinuation of antidepressants in pregnancy (Cohen et al, 2006). The factors associated with antidepressant discontinuation are unknown.

To describe the factors associated to discontinuation of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) in pregnant women and the rates of reintroduction of SSRIs throughout pregnancy.

A transversal study was conducted at the Perinatal Psychiatry Program. Total sample was composed by 201 pregnant women with depressive or anxiety disorder (DSM-IV criteria) who received SSRI at the time conception. Clinical and socio-demographic variables were collected at the first visit. Descriptive analysis was performed; categorical variables were compared by using Chi-square statistics or Fisher's exact test and continuous measures were compared by t tests.

Among the 134 women in the sample, 71 (53%) discontinued treatment with SSRI when they know they are pregnant. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between women who maintain and women who discontinued treatment. Only unplanned pregnancy was associated with major risk of discontinuation treatment (OR 2.86, IC95 1.4–5.7). Also, women who discontinued medication had higher scores on EPDS and STAI (p < .05).

Nearly 58% (n = 41) of women who discontinued SSRI reintroduced antidepressant therapy during pregnancy, most of them between first and second trimester.

Unplanned pregnancy was a risk factor for abrupt discontinuation of SSRIs in pregnant women with depressive or anxiety disorder. More than half of pregnant women who discontinued SSRIs reintroduced antidepressant therapy during pregnancy.

History of previous psychiatric illness, hormonal actors, and psychosocial factors has been investigated as a possible etiological cause for postpartum psychiatric illness.

The goal was to determine whether poor social support and undiagnosed depression in the previous pregnancy have an impact on the development of peripartal complications.

We investigated 103 women 3 days after vaginal delivery. Investigated women filed a social support questionnaire with 7 questions. 1 We asumed that women with “poor social suport” would give 2 or more positive answers on these questions.

We found that all eight woman in childbed which had 2 or more positive answers on social support questionaiere, were at the group with examined complications (n = 61), and none was in the control group (n = 42). These eight women had by far the greatest mean score in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and of Impact of Events Scale revised (IES-R) of all other subgroups examined in the previously published study. 2 They also had a statistically significant difference in both scores versus the control group (n = 42).

According to these results we concluded that poor social support and previosly undiagnosed pospartal depression may have an impact both on peripartal complications and postpartum psychiatric disorders development.

Group intervention with Portuguese cancer patients is not sufficiently documented. The support given to cancer survivors is limited especially in the current difficult economic situation. Group intervention is a cost-benefit solution to be studied.

This study purposes to explore the applicability and effectiveness of group intervention in Portuguese breast cancer women survivors.Methods. Eighteen survivors of breast cancer participated in this study (mean age = 63, SD = 5.47). The evaluation in the beginning and at the end of the program was based on an individual interview and on the following self-report instruments: HADS, CEC, CCQ, ICAC, TOV-R, EORTC QLQ-C30 and supplement EORTC QLQ-BR23.

The overall results shows a significant increase in the factor of psychological maturity, measured by the ICAC, from the beginning (MDN = 15) to the end of the program (MDN = 16),z = −2.29,p = .02,r = −.38, and a decrease in interpersonal coping.

The results of this study demonstrate the applicability of the intervention group to Portuguese breast cancer survivors and indicate that there are potential therapeutic benefits of it. The decrease in interpersonal coping observed seems to confirm the self-concept benefit, because it is comprehensible that as the survivors perceived to have more psychological maturity, more confident in their personal skills they are and, consequently, less needed from their partner support they are.It is important to continue to implement intervention groups with bigger samples. In sum, we can conclude that group intervention is a potential solution to give support to Portuguese breast cancer survivors.

Socioeconomic status (SS) is an important factor in etiology and development of ischemic heart disease (IHD), influencing morbidity and mortality. Women demonstrate lower quality of life (QoL) and greater tendency to IHD induced depressions.

Evaluation of relation between socioeconomic status and QoL and depression in women with IHD.

Socioeconomic status determines QoL and depression level in women with IHD.

Socioeconomic status was verified in a survey based on: education, marital status, number of children, financial status. QoL and depression intensity was verified using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and SF36 test examining physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary of QoL. Correlations of ordinal scales were calculated using rang Spearman correlation ratio (R). Identification of correlation between nominal and ordinal variable rates was based on Kruskall-Wallis test. Test possibility was essential when p ≤ 0,05.

In tested group there were no relation between QoL and depression intensity versus marital status and number of children. Essential statistical correlations between financial status and psychological tests were proved. Such relation was negative for BDI (SS vs. BDI; R = −0,300; p = 0,005) and positive for SF36 (SS vs. PCS; R = 0,221; p = 0,04 and SS vs. MCS; R = 0,321; p = 0,003). Education level correlated negatively with depression intensity (R = −0,258; p = 0,02) and positively with MCS (R = 0,217; p = 0,005).

Higher education and better financial status secure lower depression intensity and higher MCS. Physical dimension of QoL (PCS) is affected only by better financial status. Marital status and number of children have no impact of QoL and depression level.