Lower cognitive functioning has been documented across psychiatric disorders and hypothesized to be a core deficit of mental disorders. Situating psychopathology and cognition as part of a unitary construct is therefore important to understanding the etiology of psychiatric disorders. The current study aims to test competing structural models of psychopathology and cognition in a large national cohort of adolescents.

The analytic sample consisted of 1189 participants aged 16–17 years, screened by the Israeli Draft Board. Psychopathology was assessed using a modified version of the Brief Symptom Inventory, and cognition was assessed based on four standardized test scores ((1) mathematical reasoning, concentration, and concept manipulation; (2) visual-spatial problem-solving skills and nonverbal abstract reasoning; (3) verbal understanding; (4) categorization and verbal abstraction). Confirmatory factor analysis was implemented to compare competing structural models of psychopathology with and without cognition. Sensitivity analyses examined the models in different subpopulations.

Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a better model fit of psychopathological symptoms without cognition (RMSEA = 0.037; TLI = 0.991; CFI = 0.992) than with cognition (RMSEA = 0.04–0.042; TLI = 0.987–0.988; CFI = 0.988–0.989). Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these results with a single exception. Among participants with low cognitive abilities (N = 139), models that integrated psychopathological symptoms with cognition had a better fit compared to models of psychopathology without cognition.

The current study suggests that cognition and psychopathology are, generally, independent constructs. However, within low cognitive abilities, cognition was integral to the structure of psychopathology. Our results point toward an increased vulnerability to psychopathology in individuals with low cognitive abilities and may provide valuable information for clinicians.

Thyroid dysfunction such as hypothyroidism, is connected with numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the importance of assessing the interaction between brain, psyche and thyroid in clinical practice is often underestimated, and this has a direct impact on the planning of therapeutic interventions and treatment efficacy in patients with primary hypothyroidism.

We examined 132 patients with primary hypothyroidism.

Assessment of the presence and severity of psychopathology was performed using the technique SCL-90-R (questionnaire severity of psychopathology).

The results showed the highest scores on the scales of somatization (3,75 ± 0,12), depression (3,64 ± 0,13), interpersonal anxiety (3,45 ± 0,19), phobias (3.25 ± 0,31). High rates of somatization scale showing a violation of bodily dysfunction of various body systems-cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory and headache, muscular discomfort and other unpleasant sensations in different parts of the body and manifest themselves in a complaint of patients. Scale depression revealed the presence of dysphoria, anhedonia, low affect, loss of vitality and interest in life. Relatively high on a scale of phobias indicate the presence in these patients persistent fear responses to certain situations and objects that are irrational and inadequate and lead to avoiding behavior. General index of severity of symptoms (GSI) and the index of an existing symptomatic distress (PSDI) were significantly higher in the following patients than in hypothyroid patients without mental disorders.

Thus, these results should be taken into account when determining treatment strategy both in psychopharmacotherapy and different methods of psychological correction.

No significant relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lifestyle and psychological well-being of millions of people.

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of psychopathological symptoms in the Russian population in the COVID- 19 pandemic context.

We used a socio-demographic questionnaire (20 questions) and a Short Scale for Psychopathological Symptom Checklist (SCL -32) (Derogatis 1977; Mitina, Gorbunova, 2011). 582 Russian residents (496 women and 86 men) aged 18-64 years participated in the online survey in May 2020.

Women were significantly more likely than men to have somatic dysfunctions (5.6±2.54vs4.8±1.9;p=0.001), interpersonal problems (6.97±2.9vs6.0±2.8; p=0.005), depression signs (6.9±3.2vs5.7±2.9;p=0.001) and anxiety disorders (6.8±2.8vs5.2 ±2.1;p=0.000), as well as sleep disorders (6.4±2.8vs5.9±2.1;p=0.049) and suicidal thoughts (4.2±1.8vs3.7±1.8;p=0.032). In addition, women are more hostile than men are (6.3±2.7 vs 5.1±2.3; p=0.000). Respondents under the age of 30 are more likely than older people to have interpersonal problems (p=0.286, p=0.000), as well as signs of depression (p=0.216, p=0.000), hostility (p=0.226, p=0.000) and psychoticism (p=0.203, p=0.000). Respondents’ low income is statistically associated with interpersonal problems (p=0.139,p=0.001), anxiety (p=0.131, p=0.002), hostility (p=0.156, p=0.000), psychoticism (p=0.137, p=0.001), and suicidal intentions (p=0.152,p=0.000). Among respondents whose relatives had COVID-19, signs of anxiety disorders (7.2±3vs3.5±2.9;p=0.027) and obsessive disorders (8.1±3.2 vs 7.3±2.6; p=0.029) were significantly more common than in the whole sample.

The study highlights socio-demographic factors of vulnerability to psychopathological symptoms in the COVID-19 pandemic context, which should be taken into account when organizing medical and psychological assistance to the population.

To assess hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing palliative treatment by comparing their scores at the onset of treatment and one month later and by assessing possible correlations with coping strategies.

Participants included 85 patients of both genders (56.5% female) diagnosed with advanced cancer who did not have curative therapeutic options who were assessed with self-applied instruments (the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire–Cancer 30, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Coping Strategies Inventory by Folkman and Lazarus) at two timepoints: first before their appointment with doctors and other professionals in their first visit to the palliative care outpatient clinic (PCOC) and then as soon as patients arrived at the PCOC for their first medical follow-up visit (approximately 30 days after the first appointment).

The scores for hopelessness, anxiety, and depression remained stable (p = 0.24). The results were the same for the quality-of-life (QoL) variables, except for the fatigue and pain scores, which decreased (p = 0.01), and social impairment, which increased (p = 0.03). Analysis of the correlations between the coping mechanisms used after the onset of palliative treatment showed that confronting coping, seeking social support, and positive reappraisal were inversely correlated with hopelessness. Seeking social support, planful problem solving, and positive reappraisal were inversely correlated with indicators of depression. In contrast, use of the escape–avoidance strategy and reduced use of the planful problem-solving strategy were associated with increased anxiety.

The employment of problem-focused coping strategies exerted a positive impact on the end-of-life process and, above all, protected patients from the negative experiences associated with psychiatric symptoms, thus enabling them to look for alternative solutions for experiencing the end-of-life process in a more well-adjusted manner.