The effect of order has been previously addressed in test–retest studies but its effect on the presentation of more than one test, in the same time, is often underestimated. This study has shown that when two rating scales were given sequentially, each scored lower if received second in the pair, and that this particular form of order effect (occasion effect) was enough to affect markedly agreement on caseness when utilizing standard cut-off scores. It is therefore important that research workers not only adopt design strategies such as counterbalanced presentation, but also analyse their data for the effects of test order and position within such designs.

This paper describes a psychometric replication study of a British coping scale, the Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale, on 239 USA cancer patients. The internal consistency and construct validity were similar to the original validation study. However, the factor structure was different. Cultural differences between the British and USA patient populations are discussed.

A 21-item rating scale for measuring aggressive behaviour in psychogeriatric in-patients is described. This scale is designed to be completed by ward staff. It should prove valuable in treatment studies and in studies which aim to investigate the correlates of aggressive behaviour. Studies using the scale demonstrate that when used in conjunction with a ward check list the scale has high reliability and validity.

Behavioural problems are an important feature of dementia and other neuropsychiatric conditions. This paper describes the development and performance of an investigator-based interview (the PBE) for the detailed assessment of the behaviour of subjects over the preceding four weeks. The interview is designed to be administered to carers.

A test–retest reliability study was carried out on the penultimate edition of this interview; and the inter-rater reliability of the final edition was measured. These studies show that the reliability of the PBE is comparable with that of other investigator-based interviews.

Functional and phenotypic immunological parameters were examined immediately before, after, and 30 minutes after experimentally-induced short-term positive (happiness) and negative (anxiety, depression) affective states and a neutral state, in five healthy subjects. Results indicated that all affective states induced more immune fluctuations (regardless of the direction) than the neutral state. Furthermore, among the affective states, anxiety induced the most immunological variability and depression the least.

The prevalence of dementia in elderly people living in the community was compared using data from Zaragoza (Spain) and Liverpool (UK). A standardized interview, the Geriatric Mental State (GMS), was administered to a random sample of 1070 persons in Liverpool and 1080 in Zaragoza. Using diagnoses derived from the GMS-AGECAT package we found no significant difference between the prevalence of dementia in Zaragoza (7·4%) and Liverpool (5·0%). The expected increase in prevalence with age was found, but the two cities did not appear to differ in the relationship between age and prevalence. No sex difference was apparent, and the two cities do not differ in the relationship between sex and prevalence.

Social language use (pragmatics) in parents of autistic individuals and controls was compared. Autism parents displayed atypical pragmatic behaviours more often than controls. Preliminary factor analysis suggested three parsimonious groupings of pragmatic abnormalities: Disinhibited Social Communication, Awkward/Inadequate Expression, and Odd Verbal Interaction. The pragmatic features observed in some autism parents are milder but conceptually similar to the social language deficits of autism. Possible reasons for familial aggregation of pragmatic language deficits are discussed.

In this paper background, objectives, methodology and a few preliminary findings of a comparative epidemiological study of mental disorders among four aboriginal groups in Taiwan are presented. The study includes both a cross-sectional sample survey (N = 993) and prospective cohort studies involving psychoses, minor psychiatric morbidity, alcoholism, suicide, and accidental death. The total response rate to the sample survey was 98·3%; respondents were found to be representative. A preliminary analysis found very high rates of death from suicide, accidents and chronic liver and lung disease with a previous history of alcoholism in many of these deaths. Implications of these findings and studies of risk factors of all these health problems and their relationships are discussed.

During the 1988/89 academic year the Department of Neuroscience was formed at the Institute of Psychiatry from the former Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology. The University agreed to the establishment of a new Chair of Neuroscience to accompany this academic initiative and to which Professor Brian Anderton was appointed in 1989. In 1989, a new Lecturer in Molecular Biology, Dr John Powell, was appointed as well as a Clinical Senior Lecturer jointly with the Department of Psychiatry, Dr Robert Kerwin; this latter post was a new post under the UFC New Clinical Appointments Scheme. These changes have led to a strengthening of the molecular and cellular neurobiological interests of this new department and will influence the future academic aims of the Department of Neuroscience and Institute of Psychiatry as a whole.