High amounts of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF) characterized Western type diet and have recently been associated with adverse cardio-metabolic outcomes. The extent to which UPF intakes affect Depressive Symptoms (DepS) in non-Mediterranean countries remains uninvestigated.

We aimed to study whether long-term intake of UPF over adult life 1) is associated with subsequent recurrence of DepS assessed over 13 years of follow-up and 2) contribute to explain the diet quality-DepS associations already established.

Data came from the 4554 participants (mean age=61.0 (SD=5.9) years; 74% men) from the Whitehall II Study who underwent repeated dietary intake assessment (food frequency questionnaire in 1991-1993, 1997-1999 and 2002-2004), and follow-up for recurrence of DepS (CES-D ≥ 16 or use of antidepressants) over 13 years (2002-2004 and 2015-2016). The NOVA classification was used to estimate UPF intakes.

Over 13 years of follow-up, 12.9% of participants reported having recurrence of DepS. Results of logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders showed that high amounts of UPF intakes (top quintile versus the four last ones) increased the odds of recurrent DepS by 30 % (95%CI 1.05 - 1.61). Additional analyses suggested that UPF intakes did not attenuate much the overall diet quality–DepS association previously reported.

Our study showed that long term exposure to high UPF intakes increased odds of subsequent recurrent DepS. This association was independent of overall diet quality. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms between food processing and depression physiopathology.

No significant relationships.

The Covid 19 pandemic has had an enormous psychological impact in which women were mentally more affected than men (Berthelot et al 2020 - Liu et al 2020). More over it exacerbated symptoms and suffering in individuals with psychiatric disorders. The question is how did it affect individuals with autism (ASD). And if so, did it affect women and girls more that men and boys or differently.

To evaluate the impact of the covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown in patients with ASD

a combination of literature review and assessement of the population of individuals with autism spectrum disorders in a large specialized unit for individuals with ASD

No seperate reports on individuals with ASD were found in the recent literature. Obviously the pandemic and confinement had great impact on individuals with intellectual disabilities amongst whom many individuals with comorbid developmental disorders as ADHD and/or Autism (e.g.Palacio-Ortiz et al 2020 - Guessoum et al 2020) In our population some remarkable outcomes were noted in the sense that a substantial part of the population with autism had positive experiences: e.g. clear social rules / less contact. Males enjoyed more online contact and games / experienced less loneliness - In females we found significantly more depressive symptoms, anxiety and suicidal behaviour.

Covid 19 has had a great psychological impact with marked gender differences. Remarkably in ASD men enjoyed some of the benefits of the confinement. In women with ASD the emotional impact was significantly higher.

No significant relationships.

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder and chronic stress is considered its main environmental risk factor. Recently, immune processes including adenosine triphosphate mediated P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) signalling via microglia and macrophages (M/Ms) were found to play a critical role in depression genesis, by linking environmental stress to depression biology and symptoms.

To characterize the role of human P2X7R (hP2X7R) in psychosocial and immune stress conditions, both in vitro and in vivo.

Several, custom designed mouse lines expressing the loxP-flanked, hP2X7R-sequence in the murine P2X7R locus were established. In addition, these mice possess a Cre-sensitive reporter and express a Cre recombinase fused to a mutant estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain in M/Ms. This enables conditional, tamoxifen-inducible hP2X7R inactivation and simultaneous tdTomato expression. First, we established primary microglia cell cultures and characterized them at baseline and following immune stimulation. Next, we performed behavioural assessment of hP2X7Rwt and microglia-specific hP2X7RKO mice following chronic psychosocial stress. Last, we developed a novel in vivo two-photon microscopy (TPM) approach by use of frontolimbic cranial windows.

Primary hP2X7RKO microglia displayed significantly lower IL-1β production, increased survival and decreased morphological activation upon immune stimulation. Although hP2X7RKO mice showed a significant increase of locomotor activity at baseline, there was no impact on anxiety- and depressive-like phenotypes. Longitudinal in vivo TPM enabled morphometric characterization of cortical M/Ms over several weeks.

Our results illustrate the great potential of this humanized mouse line for translational psychiatry. In the future, this system could proof useful to evaluate immunomodulatory approaches in chronic stress and depression.

No significant relationships.

The 15-method: a new brief intervention tool for alcohol problems in primary care, has shown promising results in Sweden for mild to moderate alcohol use disorders.

To evaluate the 15-method’s usability, organizational integration, and overall implementation feasibility in Danish general practice (GP) in preparation for a large-scale evaluation of the method’s effectiveness in identifying and treating alcohol problems in GP.

In the Central and Southern Region of Denmark, five general practices participated: seven doctors and eight nurses. Participants received half a day of training in the 15-method. Testing of implementation strategies and overall applicability ran for two months. A focus group interview, two individual interviews with the participating doctors, and five individual patient interviews concluded the study phase.

indicate that implementation of the 15-method is feasible in Danish general practice. The healthcare professionals and patients were optimistic about the method and its possibilities. The method was considered a new patient-centred treatment offer and provided structure to a challenging topic. An interdisciplinary approach was much welcomed. Results indicate that the method is ready for large-scale assessment.

Implementation of the 15-method is considered feasible in Danish general practice, and large-scale evaluation is currently being planned. The results from the present feasibility study, and an overview of the large-scale evaluation, will be presented at the conference.

No significant relationships.

Previous studies indicated, that mentalization mediates the link between adult attachment and stress, however, this relationship was not tested before among non-clinical parents of children aged between 12 and 18 years.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between parental reflective functioning, attachment style, perceived parental sense of competence, and stress among parents.

After providing written consent, 186 non-clinical mothers completed a questionnaire packet that included a demographic form, The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire - Adolescent version, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Parental Sense of Competence Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. A moderated mediation analysis with parental sense of competence as a dependent variable, mother’s attachment style as an independent variable, certainty about mental states hypermentalization subscale as a mediator, and stress as a moderator was conducted.

In the moderated mediation analysis, the direct effect of the attachment style on the parental sense of competence in the case of preoccupied attachment style was significant (p < .001). The interaction term of the hypermentalization subscale by perceived stress was also significant in the case of low level (w = -1.57, p < .001) and high level of perceived stress (w= 1.21, p = .049) among mothers with a preoccupied attachment style.

These findings suggest that the preoccupied attachment style is related to the parental sense of competence through certainty about mental states hypermentalization in case of low level and high level of perceived stress, so mentalization-based interventions are warranted.

No significant relationships.

Background: Recently, a new instrument, the Guilt And Shame Proneness Scale has been developed and showed promising psychometric properties. However, the Italian version of the Instrument has not still been validated. In addition, despite the growing number of studies on the topic, the knowledge regarding the role played by guilt, shame and rivalry in the relationship between pathological narcissism facets and suicidal ideation.

To validate the Italian version of the Guilt And Shame Proneness Scale and to extend the knowledge regarding the relationships between guilt, shame, pathological narcissism and suicidality.

We administrated, to a sample of Italian adults, the Italian versions of the GASP, the Pathological Narcissism Inventory, the Beck Suicide Inventory and the Narcissism Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire.

The structural equation model testing the factorial structure of the Italian version of the GASP obtained a good fit. In addition, invariance among gender as well as other invariance tests were tested successfully. Finally, regression and mediation analyses showed that the subscale Shame Social withdraw mediate the relationship between Narcissism grandiosity and suicidal ideation. In contrast, rivalry and social withdraw in response to shame were no more predictive of suicidal ideation controlling for pathological narcissism levels.

The Italian version of the GASP appears promising to deepen the investigation of the pathological personality topic.

No significant relationships.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is an important cause of discomfort and dysfunction that impair the quality of life and the daily functionality not only of the patient but also of her child and her family, in its entirety. New treatment options have been made available for this pathology, but their use is restricted by methodological aspects, like the difficulty of administration, lack of enough data regarding their long-term efficacy, and costs.

To conduct a literature review in order to find the most evidence-based pharmacological interventions for PPD.

A literature review was performed through the main electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, EMBASE) using the search paradigm “postpartum depression” AND “treatment” OR “pharmacological agents”. All papers published between January 2000 and August 2021 were included.

Among the most evidence-based agents for PPD treatment are serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). As individual agents, sertraline seems to be the most supported antidepressant by evidence from clinical trials, followed by escitalopram/citalopram, and fluoxetine. Other antidepressants supported by clinical data were venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, nortriptyline, and bupropion. A 6-12 months maintenance treatment is considered optimal after remission, in women with a low risk of recurrence. Brexanolone, zuranolone, and ganaxolone are members of a new class of drugs studied for postpartum depression, but currently, only the first agent is FDA-approved for this indication.

SSRIs are the most supported by evidence treatments for PPD, and brexanolone is a drug with a new mechanism, dedicated to this pathology that provides new hope for recovery.

No significant relationships.

Alcohol and (illicit) substance abuse are among the most common psychiatric disorders within the general population and their impact can not be underestimated. Reputedly for these disorders, there is a large treatment gap and treatment delay, i.e. large numbers of afflicted individuals never receive appropriate treatment and if they do so often many years after the onset of the disorder. The Covid19 pandemic has only aggravated these gaps. In many countries, due to the Covid 19 pandemic and its associated restriction measures telepsychiatric tools have become increasingly implemented (and funded) as regular parts in the possibilities in delivering interventions. With respect to substance abuse treatment, a vast body of research already showed promises both in the field of telepsychiatry as broader the use of digitalization (e.g. the use of virtual reality designed treatment interventions, digital monitoring). In the current presentation, an overview will be presented of both telemental health interventions and digital tools/interventions in the field of substance abuse treatment.

No significant relationships.

The Social media have gained tremendous popularity over the past decade, these sites have occupied a major part of people’s lives, especially young people. Many teenagers use tik tok, instagram, snapchat and facebook, to build relationships, connect with the world, share and acquire knowledge and information, and build their personalities, their effects are not limited. to that, comparisons made using social networking sites have led people to have a drop in self-esteem, with all the complications that can cause (anxiety disorders, depression and the anxiety disorder , etc.)

Assessment of the impact of social media on the self-image, of young subjects in the Moroccan context

Cross-sectional study with a descriptive and analytical aim, using a questionnaire and a satisfaction scale to assess the impact of social media on the self-image of young subjects in the Moroccan context. bibliographic research to objectify several studies on this subject

our results are close to the results of the literature. Sample of 200 young peoples was selected based on the confidence level of 80%. In order to test the hypothesis each respondent was given a questionnaire which tested their selfesteem and enquired the amount of time they spent on Facebook, instagram, tik tok, snapchat.

social networks are a way to communicate information, ideas of ways of life. this communication includes harmful effects on the social behavior of young people

No significant relationships.

The language of visual arts speaks to us in a way that words cannot. Acknowledging the therapeutic effects of artistic expression, art therapy – a psychotherapeutic approach that integrates expressive characteristics of art and explorative characteristics of psychotherapy – has developed. From its beginnings, it has been used with people with psychotic disorders and is enlisted in NICE guidelines as psychological therapy for psychosis and schizophrenia.

To understand and to activate the potential of artistic expression in people with psychotic disorders treated on acute ward, in day hospitals and as a form of long-term therapy in the Patients club of the University psychiatric hospital „Sveti Ivan“.

Art therapy programme is conducted separately on acute ward (Ward for integrative psychiatry), day hospitals (Day hospital for integrative psychiatry and Day hospital for psychotic disorders) and in the Patients club with patients with psychotic disorders. The workshops are adjusted for people with psychotic disorders to enable them to strengthen their sense of self, to empower them and to express their authentic feelings in a safe environment.

The artwork of people who have taken part in the art therapy programmes for psychosis of the University psychiatric hospital „Sveti Ivan“ will be presented and will serve as an example of an art therapy process, therapeutic goals, as well as the significance of this method for psychotic disorders.

Art therapy can be of great benefit for people with psychosis both on acute wards and as a long-term therapy.

No significant relationships.

As of August 27th, 2021, the diagnosed cases of COVID 19 in Spain are 4 758 003 with a prevalence of 10.03%. 68.4% of the Spanish population is fully vaccinated

Primary: To compare the prevalence of COVID infection in a cohort of patients with schizophrenia to patients with a dual diagnosis of schizophrenia and substance use disorder Secondary: To compare the rate of fully vaccinated patients diagnosed with schizophrenia with and without a coexisting substance use disorder.

Retrospective descriptive study. The population in study is made up of patients with schizophrenia (46) and dual diagnosis schizophrenia (28) (following DSM 5 criteria) Confirmed cases were those cases with positive PCR

There was not a stadistically significant difference in the prevalence of COVID 19 infection between both groups of patients. The prevalence of COVID infection among the dual diagnosis schizophrenia was 3.57% compared to 6.5% in those without coexisting substance abuse disorder. Relative to vaccination rate, we didn’t find a stadistically significant difference between both groups. However, there was a higher vaccination rate in the dual diagnosis schizophrenia group (82.12%) compared to the non-dual diagnosis schizophrenia group (69.56%)

The prevalence of COVID 19 infection in the dual diagnosis schizophrenia cohort is 3.57% and in the group of patients with schizophrenia without substance abuse disorder is 6,5%. In those with dual diagnosis schizophrenia the vaccination rate was un 82.12%. It was 69.56% in those without coexisting substance abuse disorder.

No significant relationships.

Despite a significant number of studies devoted to the relationship between depression and religiosity, the diagnosis of depression in religious patients is complicated due to the insufficiently studied psychopathology and the peculiarities of the patient’s experiences.

To determine the specific features of psychopathology and phenomenology of depression, masked by a “religious facade”, for timely diagnostics and prevention of suicidal behavior.

One hundred and fifteen religious (orthodox) inpatients (41 male, 74 female) with depression (F31.3, F31.4, F 32.1., F 32.2, F 33.1, F 33.2 according to ICD-10) were examined. Psychopathological method, HAM-D, SIDAS and statistical analysis were applied.

Five types of depression were specified, which differed in psychopathological structure and content of the religious experiences. Overvalued ideas of guilt and sinfulness were predominant in melancholic depressions, ideas of God-forsakenness and the loss of “living” faith - in apathetic. Depressions with overvalued doubts whether the right faith and confession has been chosen accompanied with anxiety, melancholy and apathy. It should be specially mentioned apathetic and melancholic depressions characterized by “spiritual hypochondria” with specific cenesto-hypochondrical symptomatology. Melancholic depressions characterized by high suicidal risk prevailed (65%) over the other depressions.

Depressions masked by a “religious facade” often are not recognized due to specifical content, which results in lack of timely diagnostics and creates a high risk of suicidal behavior.

No significant relationships.

The pilot clinical study of GB-115, a new peptide antagonist of central cholecystokinin-1 receptors, revealed that drug was clinically effective in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) at dose 6 mg daily. Here, we provide results of post-hoc analysis of changes of anxiety and fatigue symptoms to give characterization of its clinical effects in clinically relevant doses.

To research the changes of anxiety- and fatigue-related symptoms during GB-115 treatment in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Patients with GAD without somatic diseases aged 18-55 years were eligible in the study. Patients were prescribed with GB-115 6 mg daily for 21 days. Anxiety and fatigue symptoms were assessed with Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Variables are described as medians and interquartile range (IQR). Pre-post comparisons were performed using the Friedman ANOVA at 2-side p-value <0.05.

25 patients diagnosed with GAD (8 males, 17 females; median [IQR] age: 34 [29.75, 43.0]) included in the analysis. Median [IQR] HARS total score decreased from 22 [20, 24.5] to 19 [16, 20], 13 [10.5, 15.5], 9 [5.5, 11] and 5 [3.5, 8] on the Day 3,7,14 and 21, respectively (χ2=95.07, df=4, p<0.001). Median [IQR] MFI-20 score decreased from 70 [46, 75.5] to 59 [41, 74.5], 52 [37.5, 64.5], 37 [26.5, 63] and 28 [24, 48.5] on the Day 3, 7, 14 and 21, respectively (χ2= 55.41, df=4, p<0.001). None of patients had stimulation-related side effects.

GB-115 action in the treatment of GAD patients is characterized with anxiolytic action with mild psychostimulant properties.

No significant relationships.

Psychiatric care following self-harm treatment is pivotal in patients´ life both in short- and long-terms.

To examine follow-up psychiatric care received by patients treated for deliberate self-harm (DSH), and to assess the influence of psychiatric referral and treatment attendance on risk for subsequent mortality.

Nationwide registries were interlinked to follow all DSH patients for data on personal socioeconomic status, clinical features of DSH, psychiatric treatment and cause of death. Data were analyzed with Logistic regression and cause-specific survival analysis.

The study identified 43153 patients involving 69569 DSH episodes. Of these patients 15.7% were referred or transferred to psychiatric services and 51.0% attended psychiatric treatment within subsequent 3 months. Evidently, prior psychiatric history and psychiatric comorbidities had strong influence on both referral and attendance to psychiatric healthcare, personal socioeconomic status also deviated the likelihoods. During the follow-up, 7041 patients died from suicide (n=911) or other causes (n=6130). While suicide risk was highly associated with male gender, middle age, and particularly, prior and coexisting psychopathologies, other cause mortality was strongly associated with old age and socioeconomic disadvantages. Meanwhile, a referral to psychiatric services was associated with suicide risk, and the risk was particularly high for patients who received the referral but did not attend psychiatric treatment. The observed effect was more pronounced during the early years, and in patients of young or middle age and those with a clear intent of self-harm.

The insightful findings highlight the importance of patients´ attendance and engagement in follow-up psychiatric care on risk for subsequent mortality.

No significant relationships.

Borderline personality disorder is characterized by a pattern in which instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image and affections prevails, and intense impulsivity present in the early stages of adulthood and with altered functionality in several contexts.

Establish what functions may be altered in crisis situations in borderline personality disorder.

Point out what legal tools we have available in situations in which the will is altered in borderline personality disorder.

Reflect on borderline personality disorder and its relationship with substance use.

Regarding a clinical case with a 25-year-old patient with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and a history of use in a pattern of dependence (opioids, cannabis, cocaine) who is admitted to a hospital for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures secondary to pathology to which it is denied, determining the absence of the capacity to give consent. A systematic review of the existing bibliography on borderline personality disorder, substance use disorder and decision-making capacity has been carried out using as key words: borderline personality disorder decision-making capacity.

The presence of anxious symptoms, affective instability, feelings of emptiness and hopelessness as well as impulsivity can give rise to scenarios in which the decision-making capacity is impaired, being necessary to resort to legal means that allow us to prioritize the well-being of the patient.

The decision-making capacity can be altered in crisis situations in borderline personality disorder, having legal tools at hand that allow us to carry out actions to preserve the physical state of patients.

No significant relationships.

Impairments of empathy have been observed in patients with various psychiatric Disorders. Yet, little research on empathy concerning mood disorders exists.

To compare empathy levels in euthymic bipolar patients (BP) and healthy controls (HC).

A cross-sectional and comparative study of 78 patients followed for bipolar disorder, during euthymia, at the psychiatric outpatient clinic at CHU Hédi Chaker in Sfax, and 78 age-gender matched HC. We used a socio-demographic and clinical data sheet and the Questionnaire of Cognitive And Affective Empathy (QCAE) to assess empathy with its two dimensions : “Affective empathy” and “Cognitive empathy”.

The average age was 36.27 years, the sex ratio was 5.5. Bipolar I disorder was diagnosed in 88.5% of patients. The mean age of onset was 27.73 years, and the mean duration of illness was 8.4 years. Total scores of empathy as well as scores of cognitive and affective empathy were higher in HC than in BP. *Total QCAE BP vs HC : 72.49 vs 80.53 *Cognitive empathy BP vs HC : 43.21 vs 94.24 *Affective empathy BP vs HC : 29.36 vs 30.44 A significant difference in QCAE score and cognitive empathy score between BP and HC was found (p<10-3).

In our study, euthymic BP have been less empathetic than HC. Research on the subject are small and few. Thus, more studies are needed to confirm our results on the effect of mood disorders on empathy.

No significant relationships.

Eating disorders are associated with suicidal behavior in adolescents. But the relationship between subthreshold eating disorders and suicidality is not well understood.

To examine suicidal behavior in adolescent girls with eating disorders (ED) and subthreshold eating disorders (SED).

The study of 917 girls aged 12–17 used the Body Image and Eating Distress scale (Koskelainen et al., 2001) and questions about intentional self-harm (burns or cuts), suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. Adolescents were divided into three groups: girls with ED (n = 20); girls with SED (n = 88); and control group (CG, n = 809).

Self-harm was reported by 55% of girls with ED, 35.2% of girls with SED and 20.2% of CG girls (χ2 = 15.82, p <0.001). Suicidal ideation was reported by 65% of girls with ED, 51.1% of girls with SED and 27.2% of CG girls (χ2 = 21.86, p <0.001). Suicidal attempts were reported by 45% of girls with ED, 17.1% of girls with SED and 7.5% of the CG. There were no differences in the prevalence of self-harm and suicidal ideation between the ED and SED groups, rates of suicide attempts were 2.6 times higher in the ED group.

Girls with both ED and SED have a high risk of suicidal behavior: 2.7-4.5 times higher rates of self-harm, 1.9-2.4 times higher rates of suicidal ideation, and 2.3-6 times higher rates of suicidal attempts. Management of such adolescents should include assessment of the risk of suicide.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant # 21-15-00033.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized with difficulties in social interaction/communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Sexual issues such as paraphilic behaviors in ASD have gained attention in recent years, however there is still a great paucity of research regarding this issue.

The aim of this presentation is to draw attention to a crucial dimension through a case of ASD with paraphilic disorder (pedophilic tendencies) and gender dysphoria.

One case from an inpatient unit of a psychiatric clinic in Lower Saxony, Germany will be reported.

Case: An 18-year-old male was referred to our acute psychiatric ward due to suicidal thoughts and other depressive symptoms. In further examination, he stated that he had pedophilic phantasies which he was trying to satisfy by using child pornography in the darknet. He had never been involved in any sexual relationship with a child and described this behavior as an addiction that he wanted to get rid of. Detailed psychiatric examination and developmental history yielded the diagnosis of high-functioning ASD. The compulsory paraphilic engagement is classified as a restrictive-repetitive interest in terms of ASD. In addition, the patient presented gender incongruence with moderate gender dysphoria, dressed in a skirt and wanted to be perceived and named rather gender-neutral, which was supported through the whole course.

Through systemic understanding of the high-functioning ASD structure and complex symptomatology, socio- and psychotherapeutic approaches were implemented which yielded an apparent stabilization. The detailed therapeutic process in the light of the present literature will be discussed.

No significant relationships.

Depression as a public health concern highlights the importance of prevention. The nature of the disease is complex, linked to numerous biopsychosocial factors. However, it was found that healthiest lifestyle reduced 67% the risk of depressive symptoms.

To review evidence on how exercise, diet, and smoking impact on the risk of depression.

Non-systematic review of literature through search on PubMed/MEDLINE following the terms “Lifestyles”,“risk” and “depression”.

Several studies have shown that exercise reduces the incidence of depressive symptoms and major depressive disorder regardless of intensity, geographic region, age, gender, or follow-up period. Smoking significantly increases the risk of depression, including the ones exposed to second-hand smoking and pregnant women in which prenatal smoking was associated with a three-fold increased risk of postpartum depression. The Mediterranean diet rich in complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids, B-group vitamins and several amino acids have shown a negative association with the incidence of depression. A high frequency of breakfast consumption, an increased intake of fruits, vegetables, and some specific nutrients (zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamins, and folate) was also inversely correlated with prevalence of depressive symptoms. On the other hand, western dietary patterns, with sweetened beverages, processed food, and foods rich in saturated fatty acids, have been linked to an increased risk. Skipping meals and snacking on unhealthy food also contributes to depressive symptoms.

Relatively modest changes in population diet, tobacco consumption and levels of exercise may have important public mental health benefits preventing a substantial number of new cases of depression.

No significant relationships.

Clinicians often do not have experience assessing perinatal patients unless they work as part of a perinatal team. Informal feedback points to a lack of confidence in performing perinatal assessments.

The aim of the project was to assess clinicians’ confidence in performing perinatal assessments in outpatient and inpatient settings including the Emergency Department. Additionally, we wanted to assess whether access to a perinatal assessment tool was beneficial. We hypothesise that clinicians lack confidence in performing perinatal assessments and would benefit from using a perinatal assessment tool.

We designed a survey of 10 questions assessing the above. The survey was sent out to psychiatric trainees and nurses at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The participant’s confidence in completing perinatal assessments in various settings was assessed using a 5 point Likert scale.

52 responses were received. 50% of participants felt not so confident in performing perinatal assessments in the outpatient setting. 40.38%(n=21) of participants felt not so confident in exploring the mother and foetal relationship. 71.15% (n=37) of participants felt that they would benefit from additional teaching with 48.1% of participants citing that they would benefit from access to an assessment tool.

As predicted, the results of the survey show that clinicians lack confidence in performing perinatal assessments. Therefore, we have commenced work on modifying the existing Stafford Interview. This is a structured interview that explores the obstetric and psycho-social background and psychiatric complications of pregnancy. The survey is due to be replicated in other project locations to allow transcultural comparison.

No significant relationships.