Only a few European countries have carried out large, community-based, national surveys about psychiatric morbidity. Here is presented the first national French survey, aiming to estimate the prevalence of anxiety disorders and associated comorbidities according to sociodemographic characteristics.

The Mental Health in General Population (MHGP) database is derived from a representative national survey of the French adult population (n = 36,105), conducted between 1999 and 2003. Data collection was done using an anonymous face-to-face interview. The presence of anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder) was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

The overall prevalence of anxiety disorders was estimated to be 21.6%, generalized anxiety disorder being the most prevalent one (12.8%). Women, young people, and people earning low income were identified as the more at risk. Major depressive episode, alcohol abuse and drug addiction frequently co-occur with anxiety disorders (28.3, 4.4 and 2.8% respectively).

The MHGP study showed that anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in France with a high frequency of comorbidities. Our results highlight the need for considering anxiety disorders as a public health priority in France as well as in other European countries.

The polymorphism rs1006737 within the CACNA1C gene is associated with increased risk for bipolar disorder (BD) and variations in brain morphology and function of subcortical regions. Here we sought to investigate the influence of CACNA1C polymorphism on key subcortical brain structures implicated in the pathophysiology of BD.

Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 41 euthymic patients with BD and 40 healthy controls, who were also genotyped for the CACNA1C rs1006737 polymorphism. The effect of diagnosis, genotype and their interaction was examined in predefined volumes of interest in the basal ganglia, hypothalamus and amygdala extracted using SPM5.

Carriers of the CACNA1C rs1006737 risk allele showed increased grey matter density in the right amygdala and right hypothalamus irrespective of diagnosis. An interaction between genotype and diagnosis was observed in the left putamen which was smaller in BD patients carrying the risk allele than in healthy controls.

The CACNA1C rs1006737 polymorphism influences anatomical variation within subcortical regions involved in emotional processing.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the general public including patients with mental health problems are largely unaware of the potential risks of codeine abuse and dependence. Despite this, little research has been done in establishing the public’s level of awareness on this issue.

To assess the extent of use of codeine-containing preparations, as well as the level of knowledge regarding the dependency potential of codeine, in patients admitted to an acute psychiatric hospital.

150 patients admitted consecutively to an acute psychiatric hospital over a 2 month period were asked to fill out an anonymous 18-item semi-structured questionnaire. The results were compiled and analysed using descriptive statistics with SPSS version 17.

116 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 77% (54% female, mean age 46.7 years, SD = 15 years). 90% of respondents reported that they had ever used codeine-containing medications, 80% have bought them over the counter, 65% always used them without prescription, and 7% reported daily use of such medicines. 14% reported using them for the euphoriant effect, 5% to curb cravings, and the remaining mainly for migraines or aches and pains. 11% of all patients had used a codeine-containing medication as recently as 24 hours prior to their admission and 66% of patients indicated that they were aware of the dependence potential of codeine.

Awareness among psychiatric patients regarding the dependence potential of codeine is high. Additionally, a considerable proportion of patients indicated use of codeine for euphoriant effects or to curb cravings

To study the short-term effect of treatment with quetiapine on prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits of the startle reflex in schizophrenia patients.

Using PPI, we studied a group of 21 schizophrenia patients and 16 controls. Seventeen of the patients were re-tested with PPI after 21 days of treatment with quetiapine.

At baseline, an almost significant decrease in PPI was found in the patients as compared to the controls. PPI measurements did not change in the patients after 21 days of treatment with quetiapine, despite their clinical improvement.

Our results suggest that short-term quetiapine treatment may not modify PPI measures in schizophrenia patients.

To examine to what extent the association between neuroticism and psychological distress is related to individuals’ inherent vulnerability or their tendency to self-select high-risk environments or situations.

Data was drawn from both waves (1984/1985 and 1991) of the Health and Lifestyle Survey. Psychological distress was evaluated using the 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and neuroticism was assessed with the Eysenck Personality Inventory. A checklist of life events was completed in the second wave only. A Latent State Trait model was estimated to decompose psychological distress into its environmental-contextual and individual-specific components.

Neuroticism accounted for 31 and 10% respectively of the variance of the environmental-contextual and individual-specific psychological distress components.

Our results favour the notion that individuals with high-levels of neuroticism tend to self-select situations likely to lead to adversity and distress.

The communication between clinician and patient is the basis of psychiatric treatment. However, there has been little practical attention to training in it, and no specific theory of what constitutes good communication in psychiatry has been developed. This review aims to identify principles that guide good communication.

A conceptual review of guiding principles for how clinicians should communicate with patients to achieve clinical objectives in psychiatry.

Five guiding principles for clinicians were identified: a focus on the patient's concerns; positive regard and personal respect; appropriate involvement of patients in decision making; genuineness with a personal touch; and the use of a psychological treatment model.

The principles are mostly generic, but their implementation can be particularly challenging in psychiatry. They may guide further empirical research on effective communication in psychiatry and be utilised using different personal skills of clinicians.

Cognitive functioning in anxiety disorders has received little investigation, particularly among young adults and in non-clinical samples. The present study examined cognitive functioning in a population-based sample of young adults with anxiety disorders in comparison to healthy peers.

A population-based sample of 21–35-year-olds with a lifetime history of anxiety disorders (n = 75) and a random sample of healthy controls (n = 71) derived from the same population were compared in terms of performance in neuropsychological tests measuring verbal and visual short-term memory, verbal long-term memory, attention, psychomotor processing speed, and executive functioning.

In general, young adults with anxiety disorders did not have major cognitive impairments when compared to healthy peers. When participants with anxiety disorder in remission were excluded, persons with current anxiety disorder scored lower in visual working memory tests. Current psychotropic medication use and low current psychosocial functioning associated with deficits in executive functioning, psychomotor processing speed, and visual short-term memory.

Lifetime history of anxiety disorders is not associated with cognitive impairment among young adults in the general population. However, among persons with anxiety disorders, current psychotropic medication use and low psychosocial functioning, indicating more severe symptoms, may associate with cognitive impairments.

We sought to determine the level of procedural justice experienced by individuals at the time of involuntary admission and whether this influenced future engagement with the mental health services.

Over a 15-month period, individuals admitted involuntarily were interviewed prior to discharge and at one-year follow-up.

Eighty-one people participated in the study and 81% were interviewed at one-year follow-up. At the time of involuntary admission, over half of individuals experienced at least one form of physical coercion and it was found that the level of procedural justice experienced was unrelated to the use of physical coercive measures. A total of 20% of participants intended not to voluntarily engage with the mental health services upon discharge and they were more likely to have experienced lower levels of procedural justice at the time of admission. At one year following discharge, 65% of participants were adherent with outpatient appointments and 18% had been readmitted involuntarily. Insight was associated with future engagement with the mental health services; however, the level of procedural justice experienced at admission did not influence engagement.

This study demonstrates that the use of physical coercive measures is a separate entity from procedural justice and perceived pressures.

Cognitive dysfunction has been demonstrated in patients with schizophrenia, and this may affect patients’ functional outcome. The improvement of such dysfunction by means of cognitive remediation interventions has become a relevant target in the care of schizophrenia.

To assess the effectiveness of the cognitive subprograms of Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) on symptomatological, neuropsychological and functional outcome variables and to analyze the relationships between cognitive and functional outcome changes in schizophrenia.

Thirty-two patients with schizophrenia were assigned to cognitive remediation (IPT-cog) or usual rehabilitative interventions in a naturalistic setting of care. Clinical, neuropsychological and functional outcome variables were assessed at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment.

The IPT-cog group improved significantly more than the comparison group with respect to psychopathological and functional outcome variables. Moreover, only the IPT-cog group improved significantly in the neuropsychological domains of verbal and working memory, with specific significant correlations between neurocognitive performance and functional outcome changes.

The results of the study confirm the effectiveness of the cognitive remediation component of IPT in schizophrenia, and indicate that some of the changes in functional outcome may be mediated by improvement in specific cognitive domains.

This study aimed to establish whether psychiatric patients’ subjective initial response (SIR) to hospital and day hospital treatment predicts outcomes over a one-year follow-up period.

We analysed data from 765 patients who were randomised to acute psychiatric treatment in a hospital or day hospital. SIR was assessed on day 3 after admission. Outcomes were psychiatric symptom levels and social disability at discharge, and at 3 and 12 months after discharge.

After controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, a more positive SIR was significantly associated with lower symptom levels at discharge and 3 months after discharge and lower social disability at 3 months and 12 months after discharge.

SIR can predict outcomes of complex interventions over a one-year period. Patients’ initial views of acute hospital and day treatment should be elicited and considered as important.

Discussions and debate about youth smoking, alcohol use, and illegal substance use (collectively referred to as youth substance use) continue to receive wide attention among researchers, policymakers, and the general public. Previous research has suggested that peer delinquency is a particularly strong correlate of youth substance use. The current study focuses on the influence of delinquent peers on substance use, and how peer delinquency influences change across age cohorts of youth.

The current study examines multiple correlates for youth substance use in a sample of 8,256 youth (mean age 14), with the goal of identifying the influence of delinquent peers across age cohorts while controlling for other correlates. Data was collected from the Ohio version of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) developed by the Centers for Disease Control.

Results from multiple regression analyses identified peer delinquency as the strongest correlate of youth substance use even when other relevant factors related to family, neighborhood, and media use were controlled. Correlations between peer delinquency and substance use behavior increased across age cohorts and for individuals who first used in middle teen years (13–16) irrespective of current age.

Age appears to be a moderating factor regarding the correlation between peer delinquency and youth substance abuse. Primary and secondary prevention and intervention strategies that focus on peers are potentially more likely to reduce youth substance use and improve peer relationships than those focused on other areas such as schools or media.

Life’s skill because of great theory and researching background is very important in avoiding of getting further into drug. “Teaching life skill’s s” collection by Dr.Botvin is the same and tries by contrasting sense of person to increase great self-independency and self-confidence.

It is an important key on taking drug. Because there is no influence avoiding program on universities, we verified this program on this research.

All university student of Payam noor, Babol branch on the years of 88-89 are of research collection. Research sample of about 100 girl and boys student were chosen and divided on two 50 persons groups. (Control and testing) testing group students passed life skills course but the other did not passed. The two groups were compared by health and good behavior of Dr.Botvin’s Questionnaires and on the base of dependent and independent group of T-teaching statistic.

The mean score of university student have had differences to the scores on pre-testing phase. Because after- testing we had increasing information about materials, changing attitude to material and increasing skills.

Teaching life skills increased testing group’s skills level. In this case, this program is an avoiding factor and decrease drug taking on future. Teaching life skills collection is an avoiding factor on drug taking.We propos to teach this as an optional course on all universities. To do research on all other factor on life skills and noticing to time of teaching (long term, short term) is very interesting.