The lack of empathy is often described as one of the core characteristics of psychopaths. However, prior studies on cognitive empathy in psychopaths have led to mixed conclusions, with some indicating that psychopaths have no impairments in cognitive empathy.

This study set out to resolve this inconsistency by distinguishing the two factors that constitute the construct of psychopathy: Factor 1 (e.g., emotional callousness, lack of guilt) and Factor 2 (e.g., irresponsible lifestyle, poor behavioral controls).

The main aim of this study was to examine the differential relationship between these two factors and relevant variables including empathy, aggression, satisfaction with life.

Self-report questionnaires and two online experiments (facial affect recognition task, emotional scenario task) were administered to 306 undergraduate students to collect data about psychopathy, cognitive/affective empathy, aggression, satisfaction with life.

Correlation analysis revealed that both Factor 1 and Factor 2 had negative correlations with self-reported measures of cognitive/affective empathy, and only Factor 1 emerged as a significant predictor of both kinds of empathy. Aggression also showed a stronger positive correlation with Factor 1 than with Factor 2, regardless of subtypes (instrumental, reactive, relational, overt aggression). On the other hand, satisfaction with life was more negatively correlated with Factor 2 than Factor 1, and regression analysis revealed that only Factor 2 was a significant predictor.

This study showed Factor 1 is more important than Factor 2 in explaining both empathy and aggression in psychopath, while satisfaction with life is better explained by Factor 2 than by Factor 1.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The purpose of this study was to investigate cognitive functioning in Borderline Personality Disorder subjects, with particular reference to the Working Memory functioning. The Working Memory seems to be relate to core features of the disturb. The final aim was to better understand the disorder and to implement a cognitive training to improve the deficits.

A literature search was conducted in April 2015. Pubmed and Scopus databases were used to find studies to include in the systematic review. The keywords used for the literature search were: “borderline personality disorder”, “borderline personality”, “working memory”, “executive functioning”. In each search, the keywords were used together with the logical operator “and”.

Three studies were included in this systematic review (Table 1). In each study, the working memory was investigated using N-back test. In two of those studies significantly differences were found between patients and healthy group in N-back task. In the third study, which used more tests to investigate working memory domain, no differences were found between the two groups.

Borderline personality disorder patients performed significantly worse on the N-back test compared to healthy controls and the impairment increased with increasing working memory load. In the third study the working memory domain was investigated using four different tests and single scores were not included therefore it was impossible to compare N-back data.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Self-Concealment Scale (SCS) is composed of ten items to measure self-concealment, defined as a tendency to conceal from others personal information that one perceives as distressing or negative (Larson and Chastain, 1990).

To investigate the psychometric properties of the SCS-10 Portuguese version and of an adapted version containing two additional items specifically focused on self-concealment related do health problems (physical and psychological)–SCS-12.

The Portuguese version of the SCS-12 and other validated questionnaires designed to evaluate self-reported health, perfectionism and optimism-pessimism were administered to a convenience sample of 555 adults from the community (60.5% females; mean age = 43.49 ± 10.565).

The SCS-10 and SCS-12 Cronbach's alphas were α < 0.80. In both versions, all the items contribute to the internal consistency. The factor analysis, following the Kaiser and the Cattel's Scree Plot criteria, revealed that SCS-10 is unidimensional and that SCS-12 reliably and validly evaluates two dimensions: F1 Keeping secrets (Explained variance = 48.60%; α = 0.816), F2 Personal concealment including health problems (9.65%; α = 0.797). The pattern of correlations of the SCS dimensional and total scores was as follow: negative low correlations with physical health (@−0.20), negative moderate correlations with psychological health (@–.30), moderate correlations with self-oriented perfectionism, social-prescribed perfectionism, pessimism (@0.25) and optimism (@−0.20).

The Portuguese versions of SCS have good reliability and validity (construct and convergent-divergent). The factorial structure partially overlaps with the original. SCS could be useful for research proposes, namely in an ongoing project on the role of the mentioned personality traits on illness and health behavior.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

We have recently found that Perfectionism and Perseverative Negative are both correlates of psychological distress/PD and that PNT mediates the relationship between perfectionism and PD (Macedo et al., 2015).

To investigate if perfectionism and PNT are prospectively associated to PD and if PNT is a longitudinal mediator between perfectionism and PD, controlling for perceived stress and gender.

A total of 227 university students (80.1% girls) filled in the Portuguese validated versions of Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), Multidimensional Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (MPCI), Profile of Mood States and Perceived Stress Scale, with an additional item to evaluate perceived social support/PSS at T0 and after approximately one year (T1) (Mean months = 12.77 ± 1.137). Only variables significantly correlated with the outcomes (Tension/Anxiety at T1 and Depression at T1) were entered in the conditional process analysis. The moderating role of perceived support on the link between Concern over Mistakes (MPCI) and psychological distress and between PTQ total score and psychological distress (anxiety and depression separately) was examined via conditional process analyses.

The estimated models were significant (F = 4.257, P = .002; F = 6.476, P < .001) explaining 15.9% of tension-anxiety and 25.5% of depression variance. A significant conditional indirect effect of PTQ total score on psychological distress at average and higher levels of perceived support was found, in both models (anxiety and depression). On the contrary, the two models showed a non-significant conditional direct effect of Concern over Mistakes on psychological distress only at any level of perceived support.

PNT prospectively mediates the relationship between negative perfectionism and PD.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Section III of 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes a hybrid model of personality pathology, in which dimensional personality traits (PTs) are used to derive one of six categorical Personality Disorder (PD) diagnoses. The Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) has been developed to assess PTs within this new system.

PT is a tendency to feel, perceive, behave, and think in relatively consistent ways across time and situations. PD diagnosis is generally stated if a pattern of maladaptive PTs persists at least 5 years. Nevertheless, the PID-5 instruction does not cover duration of symptoms.

We have explored the effect of two different types of instructions, in which duration of symptoms is or is not explicitly mentioned, on the PID-5 scores. Moreover, we have asked whether the scores differ in psychiatric patients and healthy individuals.

Differences between original and modified instructions of the Czech PID-5 version have been evaluated in a group of 62 psychiatric patients and 38 healthy controls; each respondent has been administered both instruction types in random sequence. ANOVA mixed design has been used to test the relation between groups and different sequence of administration.

We have found no consistent differences in PID-5 scores using the different types of instruction described above.

In our sample, PID-5 seems to reflect strong beliefs of a subject regardless of symptoms’ duration and could be reliably used with both types of instruction. The PID-5 represents an appropriate instrument for the assessment of maladaptive PTs.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Perfectionism and cognitive emotion regulation (CER) mechanisms have been associated with perceived stress/coping, negative affect (NA) and mental problems. Comparatively, the correlates of Positive Affect (PA) have been less studied.

To compare Perfectionism, CER and Perceived distress/coping by groups with different levels of NA/PA.

A total of 344 medical students (68.4% girls) completed the Hewitt & Flett and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scales (H&F-MPS/F-MPS), the Profile of Mood States, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire.

The subjects with high NA, when compared to those with low NA, showed significant higher levels of Evaluative Concerns (EC), Positive Striving (PStr), of H&F-MPS/F-MPS total and dimensions scores (excluding Organization) of Rumination, Blaming others, Self-blaming, Catastrophizing and Perceived distress (all P < 0.01). They also revealed lower levels of Positive reevaluation and planning; Positive refocusing, Putting into perspective and Perceived coping (all P < 0.01). The subjects with high and medium levels of PA, when compared to the subjects with low PA, showed significant lower levels of Perceived distress, EC, Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism, Doubts about action, Concerns over Mistakes, (all P < 0.01), Self-Oriented Perfectionism, PStr (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively) and higher levels of Perceived coping, Positive reevaluation and planning, Positive refocusing, Putting into perspective (all P < 0.01) and Acceptance (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively).

NA is associated with perfectionism, high maladaptive and low adaptive CER, and also with high Perceived distress/low coping, which might increase the subject's vulnerability to psychopathology. Low perfectionism, high adaptive CER and perceived coping are associated with PA and might be protective factors.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Trauma narratives contain a lot of emotion words, in comparison with narratives about other autobiographical memories. Negative emotion's words, as well as words about death (as an indicator of threat perception), have been associated to a worse adjustment after trauma. However, the different kind of negative emotions reported have been rarely explored. Also, in violence victims, the use of words about abuse might indicate threat perception.

Analyzing the use of negative words and threat perception (death and abuse words) in trauma narratives from 50 battered women, compared with stressful narratives from 50 non-traumatized women, and positive narratives. The relationship between narratives aspects and symptomatology is explored.

Exploring differences in emotions and threat perception related to psychological functioning after trauma.

Battered women were asked to remember the worst violence episode, whereas non-traumatized women narrated their most stressful experience. Both groups remembered also a neutral and a positive episode. LIWC software was used to calculate the percentage of different words used.

Anger was the most used negative emotion. Anger and sadness words were more reported in stressful and trauma narratives than in positive ones. There were differences between groups in the use of death and abuse words. Anger and abuse words were associated to anxiety and depression, but not PTSD symptoms. Death words were related to a better functioning.

This study evidences the need to explore the role of different negative emotions in the posttraumatic adaptation. Also contextual aspects involved on threat perception must be considered.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

PTSD is associated with medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Less is known regarding differences in PTSD comorbidities and service use by gender.

To examine variations in comorbidities for PTSD by gender and implications for quality of care.

We identify the prevalence of PTSD, medical and psychiatric comorbidities diagnosed by gender within outpatient, inpatient and emergency services.

We conducted a retrospective analysis using existing medical records from all outpatient, inpatient and emergency department (ED) encounters in 2010–2012 in a safety net health care system in the US. We identified the rates of PTSD diagnosis by gender, co-occurring diagnoses in ED and inpatient care, and rate of different comorbid diagnoses following initial PTSD diagnosis.

Women in the sample had twice the likelihood of having a diagnosis of PTSD as compared to men (1.9% vs. 3.6%, P > 0.001), the most common comorbid diagnoses for ED visits were substance use disorder (SUD), depression, anxiety and pain. Men were more likely to have pain as a diagnosis in the ED as compared to women (P > 0.001). In inpatient services, men with PTSD were more likely to be diagnosed with a SUD (35% vs. 26%, P > 0.001) and women more likely diagnosed with comorbid depression (32% vs. 43%, P > 0.001). Men were more likely to have combined medical and substance use disorders and women more likely to have combined medical and psychiatric disorders.

Given the different patterns of comorbidity by gender, services should focus on tailoring services early to contend with these differences.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Georgia is the Country located in Caucasian Region with two occupied territories: Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Since 1993 as a result of military actions 500,000 civilians became victims of ethnic cleansing. In October 13, 2015 the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, requests judges for authorization to open an investigation into the Situation in Georgia that clearly shows importance of the problem addressed by this study.

Observation of outcomes of traumatic stress among three categories of victims: IDPs, population living in the military conflict zone and civilians living in the so called “Buffer Zone”. Aim of the study was to provide comparative analysis between trauma affected different groups.

The clinical and paraclinical methods using the semi–structured clinical interview, psychological test battery and paraclinical diagnostic tests were used, analysis were provided by using the SPSS.

Based on observation in 2014–2015 n = 150 victims of war crimes were observed. Also additional stressors for all target groups were identified. Differences and similarities of psychological and somatic after effects of trauma revealed.

We can conclude that prolonged stress situation with unsecured environment and daily life under unexpected circumstances caused prolongation of PTSD alongside of behavioral changes and with damages in social adaptation. On the other hand completed trauma with leaving of native living areas and significant changes in social life in most of cases caused emotional disturbances with prolonged chronic depression and persistent fillings of grief.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Association of pro-inflammatory cytokines with severity of various psychiatric disorders is shown. Evidence suggests omega-3 fatty acids reduce psychiatric symptoms due to anti-inflammatory properties.

To evaluate if serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines correlate with the intensity of PTSD symptoms, and the observed change in symptoms’ severity induced by omega-3 supplementation.

We included 26 Croatian Homeland war veterans (aged 39–60) with chronic PTSD and no major comorbidity, who were on stable therapeutic sertraline dose at least three months before recruitment. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Intensity of PTSD symptomatology was assessed by Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (17-HAM-D). During 12 weeks, participants took omega-3 capsules (600 mg/day) while continuing sertraline therapy.

Most participants presented with moderate PTSD evaluated by CAPS. At baseline, cytokine levels were not associated with the severity of PTSD symptoms, as measured by all three scales (P ≥ 0.209). After 12 weeks of omega-3 supplementation the severity of PTSD symptoms significantly decreased, on average by 8 to 13% on the psychometric scales per person (P < 0.001 for all). However, no association was found between the change in cytokine levels and the change in scores, induced by omega-3, on the assessed scales (P ≥ 0.730).

Cytokine levels are not associated with PTSD severity or with improvement in PTSD symptomatology. At the same time, sertraline therapy supplemented with omega-3 seemed to reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

With increasing numbers of previous traumatic experiences, a rising risk of psychiatric morbidity and in particular post-traumatic stress disorder following an acute trauma has been reported. This dose-effect relationship was called the building block effect. Most results are derived from studies on riot and prosecution victims. We investigated victims of a natural disaster with respect to the building block effect due to prior traumatization.

We assessed tourists who had been affected by the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 using the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory. Outcome variables were related to the numbers or prior civil trauma according to the trauma history scale of the PDS.

We found a building block effect for the development of anxiety (P = 0.018) and by trend with PTSD symptoms (P = 0.06), but not with depressive symptoms (P = 0.436). Prior traumatization and the actual Tsunami exposure significantly explained variance of personal posttraumatic growth (P = 0.013). Prior interpersonal traumata emerged as a strong risk factor for the development of posttraumatic psychiatric morbidity.

We suggest that an increasing number of trauma is closely associated with anxiety but not with depressive disorders in the aftermath of natural disasters. For clinical practice, it is necessary to ask victims of natural disasters about prior traumatization, in particular about prior interpersonal trauma.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

PTSD has been associated with HPA axis alterations, mainly consisting of reduced cortisol levels, elevated CRH and enhanced glucocorticoid receptor responsiveness. These findings led to the emergence of glucocorticoid-based therapeutic options for PTSD.

To outline the different glucocorticoid-based interventions for PTSD either for prophylactic or for curative treatment.

A systematic review was performed. The Medline database was searched using the following keywords: ‘PTSD’, ‘treatment’, ‘Glucocorticoids’, ‘hydrocortisone’.

Glucocorticoid-based therapeutic for PTSD comprise preventive and curative interventions. Preventive interventions mainly consist of administering one single bolus of hydrocortisone shortly following the exposure to a traumatic event. Evidence comes from six published trials, all positive. Curative interventions include: prescribing hydrocortisone over short periods of time to treat PTSD symptoms, using Glucocorticoids to augment psychotherapy (in particular exposure therapy) for PTSD and using Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist. Moreover, novel glucocorticoid receptor modulators are currently being developed and tested on animal models as a potential curative treatment for PTSD.

Use of hydrocortisone in preventing PTSD might be tempting, as is the use of hydrocortisone or Glucocorticoid receptors antagonists/modulators in treating PTSD. Yet, it should be emphasized that these interventions are not mainstream yet. They rather reflect a revolutionary new direction.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Exposure to a traumatic event is necessary but not sufficient condition for development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is evident from the fact that many people who experience traumatic stressors do not develop this disorder. PTSD is a multicausal phenomenon and a final end point of the combination of a number of potential causes.

To examine the different factors as potential risk factors for developing PTSD in general adult population.

The sample consisted of 640 subjects, randomly chosen in five regions of the country. The assessment has been carried out by MINI-5, Life Stressor Checklist-Revised, Brief Symptom Inventory, and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life scale.

Older age, low education and lower monthly income can predict current PTSD, as well as decreased quality of life, psychiatric comorbidity and higher personal distress.

The risk and resilience factors contribute to the development/protection of developing PTSD, which is important for prevention and treatment of this disorder.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Traumatising experiences have been shown to be important in suicide ideation and attempt. A prolonged and continuous exposure to stressing interpersonal events can have more complex consequences. Therefore, the concept of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) has been emerging.

Our goal is to relate the symptoms of C-PTSD with suicide attempt and to evaluate the differences between C-PTSD and PTSD on those patients. Moreover, we compared our findings with a control population without prior suicide attempts.

Fifty patients that had been hospitalised in the Psychiatry ward following a suicide attempt were evaluated one week after the event with the ICD-11 Trauma Questionnaire (PTSD and C-PTSD). The same evaluation was performed on a control population without known suicide attempts.

There is a statistically significant relationship (P < 0.001) between the symptoms of C-PTSD and PTSD and suicide attempt, which effect is higher for C-PTSD. These symptoms are almost absent in the control group.

C-PTSD seams to be a more relevant risk factor for suicidal attempts. This aspect is important to define preventive and treatment programs and for suicidal attempts follow-up. The importance of traumatic events and of traumatic stress symptoms as moderator factors should be considered in future research.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To determine the incidence of traumatic events in Ecuadorian women exposed to domestic violence and other complex social situations and their relationship with PTSD.

We applied a transversal descriptive study accomplished by the INEC (National Institute of Statistics and Census). The INEC recruited Ecuadorian women from 15 years old and more, the surveys were focused on this population. In total, 18,800 rural and urban housings were selected all over the country, 24 provinces. Date of the survey: November 16–December 15 of 2011. A, D and G were taken as references for guidelines following the criteria diagnosis of DSM V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to determine a Traumatic Event.

The average age of the sample was 28 years old. The standard deviation was 21, ages: 15–25 years old: 14.265 (21.6%), 25–35 years old: 9.324 (14.1%), 35–45 years old: 8.132 (12.3%), 45–55 years old: 6.283 (9.5%), 55–65 years old: 4.302 (6.5%), > 65 years old: 23.745 (35.9%). Prevalence of the traumatic event (DSM-V) 4.6%. Women experienced any kind of violence 60.6%: 61.4% urban, 58.% rural. Types of abuse: psychological: 53.9%, physical: 38.0; sexual, patrimonial: 35.3%. Domestic violence 76.0% y other types of violence 24.0%.

Domestic violence rate is high, also, in this study, we determined that women face an important index of violence during their daily activities. Psychological abuse is the highest abuse, higher in the urban areas. These results based on acute traumatic events may predispose women to develop PTSD. The prevalence of traumatic events must be an alert to the Mental Health Organizations, not only in Ecuador but also in Latin American.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Both clinical and subclinical psychosis is probably a consequence of underlying genetic and environmental interactions.

Defining differential impact of environmental/familial risk factors and psychotic experiences across the onset of clinical psychosis.

To assess mental health outcomes in a 6-year follow-up of a representative general population sample with a special focus on extended psychosis phenotype.

Addresses were contacted in multistage clustered area probability sampling frame covering 9 districts and 302 neighbourhoods (n: 4011) at baseline (T1) and 6 years after (n: 2142) (T2). Psychotic experiences were screened with Composite International Diagnostic Interview and probable cases were re-interviewed with SCID-I. Relations were tested using logistic regression models.

Of subclinical psychotic symptoms at baseline, 6.4% transitioned to clinical psychosis; 44.4% persisted, 90.2% transitioned to any DSM disorder. Of newly onset clinical psychosis at T2, 62.8% had subclinical psychotic expressions at baseline. The risk of developing clinical psychosis was greater in those with baseline subclinical psychotic experiences, alcohol–cannabis abuse, stressful-forensic event history and family history of mental disorders. Most of risk factors associated with psychosis proneness at T1 were also associated with clinical psychotic outcome at T2 (Table 1).

Psychotic experiences takes attention for the risk to develop psychosis due to underlying genetic and environmental interactions; also may be an important risk factor to develop any mental disorder.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Conditions of depression and anxiety among employees’ leads to increased absenteeism and decreased social and professional function.

To test a collaborative model for contributing to mental health at work at the lowest interference and highest possible availability among Danish workers.

To investigate the effect of early detection and treatment in order to interrupt and improve conditions of clinical and sub-clinical levels of mental illness.

Self-reporting questionnaires were used for identification of clinical and sub-clinical cases of mental illness and for follow-up. Four questionnaires were distributed to all employees in six medium-large companies in Denmark (n = 1292) during a period of 16 months. Employees meeting the screening criteria were assessed diagnostically. Outpatient psychiatric treatment was offered to employees diagnosed with mental illness and preventive CBT-session to those assessed with sub-clinical conditions. Follow-up questionnaires were filled out after 6 and 12 months. Data were analysed using repeated measure mixed effects linear regression.

Of the 587 (55%) employees that returned the questionnaires, 58 were referred to either outpatient psychiatric treatment (n = 38) or preventive treatment (n = 20). Levels of psychopathology decreased significantly in both treated groups. Comparing with the pre-treatment period, a significant positive difference in change in psychopathology was detected for employees in psychiatric treatment. Measured up to healthy controls, the self-perceived level of stress also decreased significantly among employees in psychiatric treatment.

An integrated collaborative model for early detection and treatment was beneficial in order to interrupt and improve the course of mental health problems among Danish employees.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Concern for medical doctors’ health has been widely recognized over the past ten years. EFPT is aware of the heterogeneity of support set up for doctors in distress, recognizing the need for further cross-Europe research.

The EFPT “HELP Project” was designed to investigate psychiatry trainees’ perceptions of and attitudes towards health seeking at a Europe-wide scale. Furthermore, it aims to determine what services are available in Europe specifically to support physicians’ health.

Multinational, cross-sectional survey conducted in 14 European countries between 2013 and 2014. Data collection was accomplished by an anonymous online or hard copy questionnaire. Completion implied consent to participate. Data was analysed using SPSS v20.0.

Of the respondent trainees, 57.7% were from developed economies; 46.2% under 30 years; 26.9% males. Ninety-eight per cent said they would have surgery in the public sector, versus 42.3% who agree to get treatment there for an eating disorder, depression (28.8%) or addiction (17.3%). Trainees from developing economies were significantly less confident in using public sector help for mental health difficulties. When asked for advice regarding the same problems in their fellow trainees, they said they would recommend public sector help. Specific services for doctors exist in the UK, Spain, The Netherlands and Switzerland, but most trainees said there were no services locally.

The EFPT believes specialised physician health services are needed to ensure doctors seek help when necessary, while avoiding feeling stigmatised or punished in doing so. The authors plan to create a ‘survival guide’ for European trainees in distress, with collated information about local services for doctors.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Research shows that variables, such as depression, less functionality and health, less contact with family and others, may have a negative impact on life satisfaction.

To verify which variables correlate with satisfaction with life (SWL) and analyse which of them predict the evolution of SWL.

To examine correlates and predictors of SWL in institutionalized elderly.

This study involved a subsidiary longitudinal analysis of cross-sectional data gathered at Phase I (2010–2012; n = 493 elderly) and after 36 months at Phase II (2013–2014; n = 85) of Aging Trajectories Project from Miguel Torga University College.

At Phase I, higher scores in SWL scale correlated with having visits (r = 0.17; P < 0.01), specially from family (r = 0.20; P < 0.01), less depressive (r = –0.42; P < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (r = –0.25; P < 0.001), less loneliness feelings (r = –0.37; P < 0.001), less functionality (r = 0.15; P < 0.01), and better general physical health (r = 0.25; P < 0.001). Age, sex, civil status, cognitive, and executive status did not correlate with SWL. SWL, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and loneliness feelings were stable through time, between assessment stages (P < 0.01). The worsening of depression and loneliness through time predicted the negative evolution of SWL (respectively, β = 1.16; P < 0.01; β = –0.69; P < 0.05).

These findings highlight the relevance of early detecting depressed mood and loneliness feelings in institutionalized elderly, and the importance of the treatment and the development of preventive interventions for this vulnerable population.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.