Recovery-oriented care requires a paradigm shift from a vulnerability to a protection model. However, protective factors and resources to recovery in urban milieus remain poorly understood. Whether material, emotional or social, the identification of those resources calls for user-led initiatives and a more situated understanding of environments, where those recovery trajectories occur.

The Lausanne-based Urban Remediation program is a multi-stakeholder (service users, psychiatrists, geographers, community actors and public authorities) initiative, which aims to identify key elements of an ‘urban recovery milieu for psychosis’ and create such a milieu in the city of Lausanne (Switzerland). This talk describes the participatory methods used to create a strategy to foster recovery from psychosis in cities to better inform city’s mental health plan and policies.

We implement a living lab approach aimed at real-world experimentation in four phases: (i) exploration, (ii) co-creation, (iii) experimentation, and (iv) implementation. During phase one, we’ve used participatory mapping, go-along interviews and photovoice for an in-situ engagement with 10 young patients to ensure a systematic understanding of obstacles and resources for recovery. For phase 2, qualitative analysis and collective workshops with the various stakeholders were used to co-elaborate relevant urban interventions and identify partners for further implementation.

Introducing a Living Lab methodology to experiment the recovery-oriented strategy in a limited area in a real-world setting provides us with solutions, which can be further scaled up to inform the creation of a more inclusive city. Lessons learnt with early psychosis patients can benefit to the community as a whole, as high sensitivity of psychotic patients can teach us a great deal both regarding urban stressors and resources common to the general population.

Using real-world methodologies in cities allows to mobilize actors and resources beyond individual resilience to support recovery trajectories. Consistent transdisciplinary efforts are needed to involve all stakeholders (urban planners, mental health plan developers and society at large) for effective user-based changes and implementation of sustainable solutions.

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Mood disorders are among the most prevalent and debilitating mental conditions in worldwide populations. Non-adherence to treatment recommendations may have serious consequences for patients with mood disorders. There are several methods to show whether the patient cooperates with the doctor and follows his recommendations, or whether he or she skips the prescribed doses of medications. These include objective methods, such as detecting the drug in the blood, urine or saliva by analysis or special markers, pill counting, electronic monitoring, and an electronic record of filled prescriptions. Subjective methods involve assessment of the patient, medical staff, and those in the patient’s immediate environment. The most commonly used subjective methods are an interview, filling out a questionnaire, and assessment by health care professionals and the patient’s relatives The problem arises when the patient inadvertently skips medications, which makes it difficult to assess adherence. This may be due to the severity of the disease and poorer cognitive function, and sometimes a change in daily routine.

The aim of the study was to identify factors influencing life satisfaction, disease acceptance and therapeutic adherence among people with mood disorders.

This survey-based study included 103 people with mood disorders. It was performed using the author questionnaire, and standardized research tools, namely: the Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

The level of life satisfaction decreased with an increase in the severity of depressive symptoms (βstd. = -0.665, p < 0.001). Mood disorder patients with more severe depressive symptoms had significantly higher scores on the adherence scale (βstd. = 0.290, p = 0.003). Patients with higher levels of depressive symptoms showed a lower level of acceptance of the disease (βstd. = -0.215, p < 0.001).

1. 1. The dosage of medications taken, and the severity of depressive symptoms determine life satisfaction of people with mood disorders.

2. 2. Respondents with greater severity of depressive symptoms scored higher on the adherence scale, which means that they were more likely to be non-adherent to treatment recommendations. The type of mood disorder may affect patient adherence. Subjects with bipolar disorder showed higher and those with anxiety-depressive disorder—lower adherence than patients with depression.

3. 3. Subjects with more severe depressive symptoms showed a lower degree of acceptance of the disease.

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a very common cause of dementia and a common cause of death in elderly humans. No effective long-term treatment has been found so far. Recently developed treatments with antibodies have shown severe side effects of edema or intracerebral hemorrhage in a larger number of cases.

Neuronavigated transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) as a new non-invasive therapy method could represent a current alternative to standard treatments. In contrast to ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) TPS uses shock waves with a mechanical transduction. These shock waves allow an application to superficial brain structures as well as into areas deep in the brain without the induction of any unwanted thermal side effects. The stimulation of the target areas can be MRI-navigated with nearly a similar precision as in stereotactical procedures.

85 out-patients with Alzheimer’s disease with light to moderate symptoms received TPS-treatments with 6.000 pulses each session bilaterally in 6 sessions over 2 weeks into the frontal, parietal and temporal cortex (0.2 mJ/mm2 4 Hz - Neurolith by Storz Medical). The treatment was repeated with a single booster session every 6 weeks. Pulses were inividually neuronavigated by current MRI-images. Executive functions were tested using the Stroop-Test (colour-word-interference-test). Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease normaly present only poor results in the Stroop-Test. We tested with a pre – post design (t0 pre stimulation : t1 after 6 sessions, two weeks later as well as t2 6 months later). The mood of the patients was measured using the BDI on t0, t1 and t2.

TPS-stimulation showed strong ameliorating effects on performance in the Stroop-Test. The mean-score of the Stroop-test was diminished significantly (pre vs. post ; p < 0.05 – paired T-test) in a comparison of t0 to t1. This effect was preserved during an interval of 6 months (t2). Single patients showed extraordinary improvements by shortening completer times in the Stroop-Test by half.

Depressive symptoms of the patients were also diminished by the treatment. The BDI score decreased from 20.1 ( t0 ) to 9.7 ( t1), and 9,1 (t2) respectively.

No significant side-effects occured during all the sessions in any of the patients.

The results of this trial show that cognitive impairments of executive functions and depressive symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease may be ameliorated using TPS as a noninvasive neuronavigated brain stimulation method. No severe side-effects were observed. In the meantime beneficial effects of shockwaves with low intensitiy have also been shown in the fields of dermatology, orthopedics and cardial surgery.

Different mechanisms of action of TPS are still under investigation.

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Numerous studies have revealed the association between deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and brain inflammation due to immune system response to congenital or perinatal human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

The aim of study was to examine the impact of neuroinflammation caused by CMV infection on the development of ADHD in prematurely born children.

The medical records of 126 prematurely born children aged 7-11 were retrospectively analyzed. Participants were divided into two groups, the observed population of 56 children with ADHD and the control group without ADHD. Three parameters were observed, C-reactive protein (CRP) as an indicator of inflammation, IgM antibodies to CMV for etiological diagnosis of CMV infection and cranial ultrasound findings for the confirmation of structural changes in the brain.

Statistical analysis of our data showed the association between the onset of ADHD and the presence of congenital/perinatal CMV infection in prematurely born children (p<0.01). Nevertheless, these two variables had a very low positive correlation (phi coefficient 0.07173). The results did not show the association between elevated levels of CRP and presence of ADHD in prematurely born children (p>0.01), which confirmed that not every inflammation, regardless of the cause, was associated with ADHD. The analysis also confirmed the positive correlation between the variables listed in pairs: elevated levels of CRP and positive IgM on CMV, elevated levels of CRP and altered ultrasound neuroimaging findings, as well as positive IgM on CMV and altered ultrasound neuroimaging findings. All of these correlations speak in favor of the CMV caused neuroinflammation as etiopathogenetic basis in ADHD.

In our sample CMV-induced neuroinflammation was associated with the development of ADHD in prematurely born children.

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Adolescence in young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a special time of life, for them facing physical and mental changes, and for their parents who must cope with the new challenges associated with their child’s development. Research has shown that the severity, violence and behavioral disorders help to explain the major difficulties encountered by these families.

To cope with these difficulties, parents often use a variety of coping strategies. These coping strategies encompass all an individual’s cognitive and behavioral efforts, which are constantly evolving, to manage a situation perceived as stressful.

Our study aimed to assess the coping strategies adopted by parents of adolescents with ASD, their level of burden and to determine the relationship between these two variables

We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross sectional study among parents of adolescents with ASD followed at the “Erraihan” therapeutic farm in Sfax during the period of May 2024.

The hetero-questionnaire used a pre-established form for collecting data relating to parents and adolescents and two psychometric scales:

• - The BRIEF-COPE scale: to assess coping mechanisms in parents, of which there are four: problem-focused mechanisms, avoidance-focused mechanisms, social support-focused mechanisms and emotion-focused mechanisms.

• - The zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI): used to assess the level of burden.

Forty-three parents were enrolled. Their mean age was 50.6 ±7.93 years (min=36; max=81). The average age of the adolescents was 17.79 years, with extremes of 13 and 20 years.

Emotional focus (mean score=2.54) was the coping mechanism most used by parents, followed by problem focus (mean score=2.50) and social support (mean score=2.45).

Avoidance was the least-used coping mechanism (mean score=1.63). Assessment of parental burden showed that the mean Zarit score was 24.6±20.14, with extremes of 0 and 48. Twenty-seven parents (62.80%) felt a burden of severe intensity.

In our study, only the humor-based emotion-focused coping strategy was more important in parents with absent to moderate levels of burden (1.98 versus 1.41; p=0.02). For the other coping strategies, there was no significant association with level of burden. Social support scores between parents with absent to moderate and severe levels of burden were close.

Our results show that parents feel the heavy burden of caring for their sick adolescent. Indeed, ASD generates a great deal of stigmatization in the parent, who avoids discussing the illness with those around him, for fear of suffering further stigmatization. This vicious may explain the absence of a link between the level of burden and coping strategies centred on social support.

Thus, the question of the role of family support and associations for autistic families, proves crucial.

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Psychotherapy, when supported by an appropriate set of techniques, has a high impact on the patient’s psychological well-being, self-knowledge and self-growth.

This study aimed to determine the clinical utility of the therapeutic tool “Kintsugi,” developed by the corresponding author, through two assessment phases.

To a total of 200 participants, aged between 18 and 70 years (M = 44.3, SD = 12.5), were administered a semistructured interview, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and the Échelle de Mesure des Manifestations du Bien-Être Psychologique. The assessments occurred before and after the application of the techinique, with an interval of about two months (approximately 4 to 6 sessions).

Findings indicate that, in the first moment of assessment, participants showed lower levels of psychological well-being (M = 78.0, SD = 15.0) and, consequently, more anxious symptoms (M = 32.0, SD = 9.0). After the use of the “Kintsugi” technique, regardless of the participant’s age or gender, an increase in psychological well-being (M = 96.5, SD = 12.0; F-test = 77.65, p < .001, η² = 0.28) and a decrease in anxiety (M = 21.0, SD = 7.0; F-test = 87.50, p < .001, η² = 0.31) were observed.

This therapeutic tool proves to be useful, beneficial, and clinically effective in a psychotherapeutic context, as its high contribution to the mental health of individuals becomes evident.

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Marriage is widely regarded as an important part of social life, providing emotional support and stability. However, public perceptions of marriages involving individuals with psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are not well understood. Stigma likely plays a crucial role in shaping these perceptions and affects societal attitudes toward such unions.

This study aimed to explore and compare public perceptions of marriage in individuals with schizophrenia and in individuals with bipolar disorder, and to examine how these views affect their marital prospects.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online form to gather data from the general population. It covered socio-demographic and clinical variables, as well as detailed descriptions of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder symptoms and outcomes. The survey also included questions on public attitudes toward marriage involving individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Participants answered 13 questions about the right of individuals with these conditions to marry, their capacity to maintain a stable relationship, and whether they would personally consider or recommend marrying someone with these disorders. This study was inspired by the article of Kumar et al., 2019).

The study involved 304 participants, mostly young adults, with 246 being women. Around 35.6% had a family history of psychiatric illness, and 23.35% lived with someone with a psychiatric disorder. The findings revealed significant differences in public perceptions of marriage for individuals with schizophrenia versus bipolar disorder. Participants were more strongly opposed to marriage as a cure, especially for schizophrenia (p<10^-3), and more had never considered finding a partner for someone with schizophrenia compared to bipolar disorder (p<10^-3). Reluctance to marry someone with schizophrenia was also significantly higher, even if compatibility was present (p<10^-3).

Regarding bipolar disorder, concerns about marriage exacerbating symptoms were more prevalent compared to schizophrenia (p=0.001). Despite these concerns, the stigma around marriage with individuals affected by bipolar disorder appeared less severe, as indicated by participants’ greater openness toward the possibility of such a union in individuals with schizophrenia (p<10^-3).

Results emphasize the need for targeted awareness and educational initiatives to address misunderstandings and support the marriage goals of individuals with mental health conditions. Future studies should examine the factors shaping these perceptions and develop approaches to promote a more inclusive perspective on marriage and mental health, tackling stigma and challenging widespread stereotypes.

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Patients with severe mental disorders (SMD) often have a high number of admissions and readmissions, which leads to a loss of quality of life and functionality. The approach to patients must be multidisciplinary with the intervention of psychiatry, psychology and occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy is an important tool in acute mental health units; in the literature it has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing suicide, offering a person-centered approach, contributing to improving their well-being and quality of life. Also noteworthy are the occupational therapy therapeutic groups for health education; sleep-wake balance; cognitive rehabilitation, social skills and relaxation that can be carried out in hospitalization units and demonstrate significant improvement in hospitalized SMD patients.

To describe the importance of the joint approach with occupational therapy in the acute mental health unit by describing 2 clinical cases.

A 54-year-old male was admitted to the mental health hospitalization unit involuntarily due to manic decompensation. During the examination, he was in a euphoric mood and reported a decrease in the need for sleep. He spent all of his pension on compulsive shopping. The family said that in the weeks prior to admission, the patient had made abrupt decisions and had a violent attitude. He has now abandoned treatment. A 56-year-old woman, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, was admitted due to psychotic decompensation after being isolated at home for 1 month, with neglect of hygiene and inadequate nutrition due to thoughts of poisoning and neglect of pharmacological treatment. Upon examination, she said he was delusional about harm and poisoning, isolation, neglect of self-care.

After the intervention by the therapeutic team, psychopharmacological treatment was reintroduced and daily attendance at occupational therapy groups was indicated, after which the patient showed a notable improvement. We conclude that occupational therapy has allowed a faster recovery, together with the proper intake of medication, constituting an effective therapeutic approach in the treatment. Recovering the deficient Basic Activities of Daily Living related to hygiene and personal image, adherence to treatment and social relationships. Upon discharge, both patients participate in the rehabilitation unit and continue specific programs.

The intervention with psychoeducational programs by Occupational Therapy and the multidisciplinary team in the acute unit improves disease awareness, health knowledge and reduces the rate of readmission in patients with SMD.

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Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s disease. Initial neuropsychiatric manifestations such as depression, delusions and hallucinations are frequently observed and sometimes make it difficult to diagnose the neurocognitive disorder underlying the symptoms, so it is important to perform a proper clinical examination, as the use of certain neuroleptics may worsen neurological symptoms.

This case aims to investigate the psychiatric clinical features of Lewy body dementia from a clinical and therapeutic perspective.

A comprehensive search on psychiatric manifestations that may cover up dementia.

71-year-old female with depressive symptoms for the last 8 years. She is admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit due to worsening of depressive symptoms despite correct adherence to treatment. Her psychiatric history includes a diagnosis of specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depressive episodes with inhibitory symptomatology.

During her stay at the hospital, the patient is inhibited, perplexed and experiences feelings of embarrassment and guilt, along with persistent insomnia and poor response to different lines of treatment. Initially, there is notable intolerance to antipsychotics, resulting in worsening of motor and cognitive functions, as well as hypotension, using risperidone and olanzapine. After the withdrawal of treatment, the patient begins to exhibit delusional ideas and visual hallucinations, leading us to consider that she may be suffering from depression associated with an undiagnosed organic brain pathology.

Clinical tests (MoCA,MMSE) reveals cognitive symptoms which, along with the motor symptoms, suggests a Parkinson’s-dementia complex.

A PET-CT scan with fluorodeoxyglucose-F18 reveals severe hypometabolism in the left parietotemporal and prefrontal regions. These findings are consistent with LBD.

Treatment is initiated with rivastigmine and quetiapine. However, due to the presence of hypotension, quetiapine is replaced with clozapine 25 mg, resulting in a slight improvement in rest and affective responses to the psychotic symptoms.

This case illustrates how depression and psychotic symptoms can serve as early indicators of dementia, stemming from the loss of dopaminergic and acetylcholinergic pathways as part of the neurodegenerative process.

These patients may present with a range of cognitive, neuropsychiatric, sleep, motor, and autonomic symptoms. Depression is prevalent in approximately 28% of these patients. Currently, clinicians diagnose LBD based on the presence of core clinical features and indicative biomarkers. Treatment can be complicated by patients’ sensitivity to certain medications, needing careful evaluation of potential side effects. Current guidelines recommend the use of antipsychotics such as quetiapine or clozapine at low doses, as these have a reduced risk of extrapyramidal effects.

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The study was designed to determine the prevalence of drug abuse and its perceived effect on the mnetal health and academic performance of secondary school students in Bauchi State, Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of drug abuse and its perceived effects on the mental health and academic performance of secondary schools student in Bauchi state. The specific objectives are:

1. 1. To determine the prevalence of drug abuse among secondary school students in Bauchi metropolis.

2. 2. To identify the perceived drugs commonly abused by students in secondary schools.

3. 3. To investigate perceived reasons secondary school students abuse drug in Bauchi metropolis.

4. 4. To investigate the perceived negative effect of drug abuse on the mental health and school performance of the students in secondary schools of Bauchi metropolis.

The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive design. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 26 Secondary Schools in Bauchi state. The schools have a combined population of 11,439 students. The instrument for Data collection was a WHO Youth Drug Survey (WHOYDSQ) and drug abuse screening test (DAST) adapted questionnaire and a sample size of 399 was obtained using Yamane formula. The reliability of the instrument was established using a test and re-test. Data generated analysed using frequency distribution tables, cross tabulation and chi square.

Out of 399 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 372 were correctly filled and analyzed. Majority (80%) of the respondents were between 18-20 years. More than half, 208 respondents (55.9%) reported to have used drug for non-medical reasons once or more in the past one year. The commonest substances abused were codeine, cough syrup, cannabis and tramadol. More than half of the users of each of the substances take it occasionally. Among the respondents, 42.8% who used psychoactive substances were introduced to the substance by their friends. Major reasons for using psychoactive substance include reduction of stress (37.1%), out of curiosity (28%) and memory improvement and retention (26.6%). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in the academic performance of the respondents that abuse drug and those that do not.

In conclusion the prevalence of substance abuse among Secondary School students was high (55.9%) as such government, parents, teachers, stakeholders and the community leaders needs to join hands to fight and address the problem.

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For most people, gender identity is consistent with biological sex and such people are called cisgender. People in whom such a relationship does not occur or occurs to a lesser extent are referred to as gender non-conforming - and these include transgender, non-binary, agender and gender-fluid people. These groups are usually affected by minority stress, which, combined with the circumstances of the pandemic and war, may have led to mental disorders and sleep disorders in this population.

The aim of the study was to analyze the symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia in a group of Polish youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, taking into consideration gender differences.

The study involved 1621 secondary school students aged 14 to 19, the average age was 16.73±1.35, including 857 girls, 690 boys and 74 people who defined their gender as non-binary. A set of questionnaires for the Diagnosis of Depression in Children (CDI 2), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the X-1 subscale, The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and an original questionnaire of sociodemographic data were used in research.

Analyzing the results obtained in the study group, the respondents scored an average of 17.99 ±9.55pts in the assessment of depressive symptoms. After division into genders, the overall score was 19.69±9.40pts for girls, 15.03±8.68 for boys and 25.86±9.91 for non-binary people. The difference was statistically significant in all groups. In the anxiety symptoms assessment, the respondents scored an average of 46.92± 11.67pts. After division into genders, 49.21± 11.12pts for girls, 43.39 ± 11.47 for boys and 53.39 ± 10.41 for non-binary people. The difference was statistically significant in all groups. Analyzing the results obtained in AIS, the average score was 8.31±4.58pts, which allows to evaluate sleep onset as a norm. After dividing into groups, the results were 8.95±4.55pts for girls, 7.19±4.21 points for boys and 11.35±5.43 for non-binary people, the difference was statistically significant. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between the results obtained on the scale assessing depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms and the results obtained on the AIS scale.

Among the studied group of teenagers, the highest intensity of depressive symptoms is demonstrated by non-binary people, followed by females, and finally by males. Similar results were obtained in the assessment of anxiety symptoms. The non-binary group achieved results indicating sleep disorders, while the cisgender group’s results of sleep onset were borderline normal. Whatsmore, the greater the severity of depressive and anxiety disorders, the greater the sleep disorders in all study groups, regardless of gender.

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Postpartum depression is a disorder that usually occurs six weeks after birth and can last for up to a year. If postpartum depression is not diagnosed and treated, there is a risk of suicide. Postpartum depression affects 18% of mothers worldwide.

To investigate the relationship between the prevalence of postpartum depression, the number of births, and postpartum depression.

Women who gave birth will be surveyed using the Edinburgh test specially prepared by WHO for primary health care practitioners.

41% of the women who gave birth in the study had their first birth, 28% had their second birth, 21% had their third birth, and 10% had four or more births. 2% of women who gave birth had no postpartum depression, 15% had self-managed depression, and 83% had postpartum depression. 4% of women aged 20-24 have no postpartum depression, 20% have self-managed depression, and 76% have postpartum depression. 0% of women aged 25-29 had no postpartum depression, 14.3% had self-managed depression, and 85.7% had postpartum depression. 0% of women aged 30-34 have no postpartum depression, 10% have self-managed depression, and 90% have postpartum depression. 5% of women aged 35-39 have no postpartum depression, 15% have self-managed depression, and 80% have postpartum depression. Among women aged 40-44, 0% had no postpartum depression, 0% had self-managed depression, and 100% had postpartum depression. Among women aged 45-49, 0% had no postpartum depression, 50% had self-managed depression, and 50% had postpartum depression.

Among 41 women with their first child, 2.4% did not have postpartum depression, 17.1% had self-correcting depression, and 80.5% had postpartum depression. Among 28 women with second birth, 0% did not have postpartum depression, 17.9% had self-correcting depression, and 82.1% had postpartum depression. Among 22 women with their third child, 4.5% did not have postpartum depression, 4.5% had self-correcting depression, and 90.9% had postpartum depression. Of the 9 women with four or more births, 0% did not have postpartum depression, 22.2% had self-correcting depression, and 77.8% had postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression is very high among the women who gave birth in the study. According to the results of the study, there is a weak positive correlation between the number of births and the stress of the mother. Stress and insomnia are strongly related. Postpartum depression and insomnia are strongly correlated in Edinburgh. Therefore, there is a need to increase the diagnosis and treatment of postpartum depression.

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Severe mental disorders, characterized by their progressive course, early onset, and persistent symptoms, pose significant challenges to patients’ well-being and psychosocial functioning. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of comprehensive treatment, psychological therapies remain underutilized in this population in Vietnam. The Tree of Life therapy, a low-cost, evidence-based, and culturally adaptable intervention, offers a holistic perspective on mental health recovery through personal growth, enhanced coping skills, and social connectedness. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of the Tree of Life group therapy for inpatients with severe mental disorders at Hanoi Mental Hospital.

1) To understand the experience of participating in the Tree of Life therapy group for inpatients with severe mental disorders; 2) To explore the perspectives of patients on the hospitalization, inpatient treatment process, their self-perception, life goals and resources before and after participating in the group

Using qualitative methods, we interviewed 30 inpatients about their experiences before and after participating in the therapy. The Tree of Life group was conducted through four 1-hour sessions guided by the original protocol (Ncube, 2006). The study design follows a qualitative approach. After collection, the data was transcribed, coded, and stored as online text. We chose thematic analysis using MAXQDA 24 software for data analysis.

Regarding the Tree of Life group therapy experience, prominent themes emerged, including positive group interactions, relevant content, enhanced health and well-being, therapeutic engagement promotion, and memorable session components. When examining patients’ perspectives on hospitalization, treatment, recovery, self-description, hopes and dreams, and resources, a strong emphasis on family stood out. The family theme was then analysed further to identify subthemes: Family members were perceived as gatekeepers to treatment, sources of love and support, motivations for recovery, active participants and decision-makers in future life plans.

The pilot qualitative study demonstrates the potential therapeutic efficacy of Tree of Life group therapy for patients with severe mental disorders. The findings also highlight the critical role of the family in supporting patients with severe mental disorders and underscore the importance of involving family members in the treatment process in the Vietnam context. However, further randomised controlled trials are required to establish the therapy’s effectiveness on a broader scale and provide robust evidence for clinical implementation.

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In addition to play a key role in the generation of the inflammatory response, cyclooxygenases (COXs) are involved in a variety of other physiological processes, including dopaminergic signaling, and the skin flush response to the water-soluble B vitamin niacin. Patients with schizophrenia frequently exhibit abnormal signaling of dopamine and other neurotransmitters and attenuated niacin skin flush response. Clinical studies reported beneficial effects of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors on the simptom expression of schizophrenia, as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Several studies investigated potential correlations between functional rs689466 polymorphism (A/G polymorphism) of the COX-2 gene and etiology of schizophrenia, but the results have not been consistent. While we did not find evidence that the COX-2 polymorphism was associated with an elevated risk of schizophrenia risk in a Croatian population, we observed that the COX-2 polymorphism contributes to attenuated niacin skin flushing in patients with schizophrenia.

To the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the potential associations between any COX-2 gene polymorphisms and the etiology of nicotine dependence. Based on the elevated smoking rate observed consistently in patients with schizophrenia and the possible relevance of COX-2 genes in schizophrenia and nicotine dependence via dopaminergic signaling, we investigated whether the risk of nicotine dependence among patients with schizophrenia is associated with the COX-2 gene rs689466 polymorphism. Given evidence suggesting that smoking influences the severity of schizophrenia, we also hypothesized that an interaction between smoking and the COX-2 polymorphism may contribute to the age of schizophrenia onset and/or PANSS psychopathology.

Polymerase chain reaction analysis/restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to genotype 190 chronically ill schizophrenia patients treated with antipsychotic medications (104 males/86 females).

There were no significant differences in the distribution of COX-2 genotypes and alleles in male or female schizophrenia patients who were stratified based on their smoking status and no COX-2 genotype-smoking interaction on PANSS psychopathology (P > 0.05). We revealed a significant COX-2 genotype-smoking interaction on the time of disease onset among female patients (P < 0.05). An earlier onset, observed for female smokers carrying the G-allele in their COX-2 genotypes (COX-2-GG homozygous and COX-2-AG heterozygous), in comparison to nonsmoking COX-2-G allele carriers, contributed mostly to this finding.

Our results indicate no COX-2 gene polymorphism’s effect on the risk of nicotine dependence, but they suggest that COX-2 genotype-smoking interaction might be of relevance in disease onset, in a gender-specific fashion.

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Alcohol consumption, monitoring its prevalence and temporal trends, is one of the leading epidemiological interests in public health. When there are significant changes over time, understanding these new trends is crucial for health professionals. In the Czech Republic, a significant and sustained decline in alcohol use among the adolescent population has been observed since the mid-2010s (Kážmér & Orlíková Adiktologie. 2017; 17(2):118–132; Kážmér & Csémy J Public Health Res. 2019; 8(1):1493). The decline was in line with general trends across Europe and North America (Kraus et al. Addiction. 2018; 113(7):1317–1332). However, the factors driving the decline were attributed to new modes of adolescent leisure activities (Chomynová & Kážmér J Subst Use. 2019; 24(6):630–637) rather than changes in prevention-related issues (Pennay et al. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2018; 37(S1):S115–S119). If the decline among the adolescent population has continued into later age groups, there should also be a significant decline in today’s Czech young adults.

The study examines temporal trends in alcohol use in the general population of the Czech Republic, with an age-specific focus on young adults under 25 years of age.

Time series of nationally representative data on alcohol use were compiled from the National Survey on Tobacco and Alcohol Use in the Czech Republic. The large-sample representative survey, conducted annually by the National Institute of Public Health, provided high-quality data on alcohol use among the general Czech population aged ≥15 years in 9 cross-sectional time periods: 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018–2023. The subgroup of respondents aged 15–24 years was selected. Time trends for three main measures on alcohol use were considered: i) mean annual alcohol consumption (in litres per person per year); ii) prevalence of binge drinking (%); iii) prevalence of abstainers (%).

Among the Czech population aged 15–24, all the three measures on alcohol use have improved in recent time periods. In particular, the estimated mean annual alcohol consumption decreased significantly from 8.9 litres (95% CI: 6.5–11.2) of pure ethanol per person per year in 2012 to 5.1 litres (95% CI: 4.0–6.2) in 2023. The prevalence of last year abstainers increased accordingly: from 8.6% (95% CI: 5.4%–12.8%) in 2012 to 13.1% (95% CI: 8.6%–17.6%) in 2023. In a similar vein, there was also an improvement in the prevalence of binge drinking.

There was a noticeable decrease in alcohol use among the Czech young adults aged 15–24 years in recent periods, especially after 2020. Further research will be conducted to examine this trend in more detail.

The study was supported by the Operational Program Johannes Amos Comenius, project number CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004583.

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Gambling disorder is a rising concern among young adults, highlighting the need for effective screening to offer appropriate support and intervention.

This study aims to characterize gambling disorder among young adults (ages 18-25) in Portugal.

A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire completed by young adults.

This study included a population of 554 participants, 166 of whom were gamblers. Among the gamblers, the prevalence was as follows: 63% did not show signs of pathological gambling, while the remaining participants exhibited gambling addiction at varying levels: 25% mild, 9% moderate, and 3% severe. The typical profile of a gambler was identified as a male university student with an average age of 23.5 years, of a middle economic status and residing in an urban area. The preferred types of gambling were sports betting and online casino games. Most online gamblers had previously engaged in offline gambling at the age of M=19.25. The primary attractions of online gambling for these individuals were accessibility, the variety of games, and the potential for economic gains. The main encouragements to gamble online were friend´s influence and online advertising. No significant differences were observed in depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety scores (GAD-7) between gamblers and non-gamblers (p > 0.05). However, among gamblers, a strong positive correlation was found between higher levels of addiction (assessed by DSM-V gambling disorder criteria) and both depression and anxiety scores (r = 0.732, r = 0.681; p < 0.01). Furthermore, severe gambling cases were associated with a higher prevalence of prior formal diagnoses of psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, anxiety, and depression, although this association was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). All gamblers showed a higher prevalence of substance abuse (p < 0.01). However, this trend did not extend to alcohol consumption (p > 0.05). The Jacobs Dissociative Experiences Scale was used to assess the presence of dissociative symptoms in relation to the severity of gambling addiction, revealing a strong positive correlation (r = 0.721; p < 0.01). Gamblers reported negative impacts on their family and romantical relationships. In contrast, they did not perceive their gambling behavior as having an adverse effect on their friendships or work performance. The majority (71.4%) of high-severity gamblers did not seek professional help and were not receiving any psychopharmacological therapy.

This study features the critical need for effective screening and intervention strategies for gambling disorder among young adults, given its correlation with mental health disorders and substance abuse. Addressing these challenges is essential for enhancing support and improving outcomes for individuals with gambling disorder.

None Declared

Severe mental disorders and rare genetic diseases are chronic and highly disabling conditions requiring continuous assistance by caregivers, whose personal and social burden may result in mental health problems.

The current study aims to compare objective and subjective burden as well as levels of general well-being, anxiety, depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, sleep quality and suicidality between caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders, caregivers of patients aged 0-18 with rare genetic diseases, and caregivers of patients aged 50-85 with rare genetic diseases.

Caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders were recruited at the Department of Psychiatry of University of Campania, Naples, if they were more than 18 and released consent. Caregivers of all patients with rare genetic diseases were recruited at the Inherited and Rare Cardiovascular Disease Unit of University of Campania, Naples, if they were more than 18 and released consent. Caregivers’ levels of personal and social burden, anxiety, depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, sleep quality and suicidality were assessed through standardized tools and compared between groups by carrying out analyses of variance.

Seventy-seven caregivers were included, mostly women (74.0%) with a mean age of 52.2±12.5 years. Caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders were mainly mothers (31.8%) or partners (31.8%) of patients, showing the highest levels of subjective burden, as well as avoidance and need to be informed about the illness adopted as problem-solving strategies. Caregivers of patients aged 0-18 with rare genetic diseases were mainly mothers of patients (76.5%), reporting the highest levels of received support and PTSD symptoms. Caregivers of patients aged 50-85 were usually partners of patients (52.4%), who showed the lowest levels of need to be informed about the illness and PTSD symptoms.

Caregivers of patients suffering from chronic and disabling diseases such as severe mental disorders and rare genetic diseases are prone to develop mental health problems due to the persistent exposure to high levels of personal and social burden. To this extent, family psychosocial interventions may be effective strategies to be implemented in order to relieve the levels of burden, by taking into account the features of patient’s disease.

None Declared

Aripiprazole, a novel antipsychotic drug with partial agonist activity at dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors, as well as antagonist activity at 5-HT2A receptor, has demonstrated fewer side effects, including extrapyramidal symptoms, hyperprolactinemia, and metabolic disturbances, compared to other antipsychotic drugs.

The aim of this study was to examine the dose-dependent impact of aripiprazole on sexual dysfunction and prolactin levels in patients with schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia under aripiprazole monotherapy were recruited into this study.

Patients with schizophrenia under aripiprazole monotherapy were recruited into this study. Psychopathology and sexual dysfunction were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), respectively. Fasting blood samples were analyzed to measure metabolic parameters and prolactin levels.

We recruited 128 patients with schizophrenia, comprising 86 females and 42 males. The prevalence of hyperprolactinemia, hypoprolactinemia, sexual dysfunction, and metabolic syndrome was 12.5%, 47.6%, 39.1%, and 36.7%, respectively. Patients with sexual dysfunction exhibited higher prolactin levels and a higher prevalence of hyperprolactinemia compared to those without sexual dysfunction. The ASEX scores showed a positive correlation with prolactin levels and a negative correlation with aripiprazole dose. Multivariate analysis revealed that prolactin levels and age were associated with ASEX scores. Prolactin levels were negatively correlated with aripiprazole dose and metabolic parameters. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that aripiprazole dose was associated with prolactin levels.

Aripiprazole exhibited inverse dose-dependent effects on prolactin levels and ASEX scores in patients with schizophrenia. Regular monitoring of prolactin levels and sexual function is recommended for patients with schizophrenia receiving aripiprazole treatment.

None Declared