In this research, we investigate how Aberrant Salience (AS), Psychotic-Like Experiences (PLEs), and anxiety are interlinked in both healthy individuals and subjects with psychotic disorders. AS is a trait contributing to a susceptibility to psychosis and anxiety, while PLEs are subclinical states often leading to psychosis. We hypothesize that AS impacts the occurrence and severity of PLEs, which in turn influences anxiety.

The goal is to offer a more nuanced understanding of the risk factors leading to psychotic disorders and to shed light on anxiety psychopathogenesis in healthy and psychotic populations.

We used self-reported questionnaires like the Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI), Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), and Symptom Check List-90-revised (SCL-90-R). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and mediation analysis, adjusting for age, gender, and education. Controls were sourced through convenience and snowball sampling, while out-patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder, Bipolar Disorder with psychotic features, or Major Depression with psychotic features were recruited from Florence University Hospital.

A total of 207 participants were included, with 163 controls and 44 patients. Descriptive statistics are shown in Table 1. Mediation analysis showed that PLEs frequency acted as a mediator between AS and anxiety only in the control group (Figure 1), not in patients (Figure 2).Table 1.

Descriptive statistics - Mean ± Std. Deviation.

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Image 2:

PLEs triggered by AS led to anxiety in the control group but not in psychotic patients. The discrepancy could be due to reduced novelty and awareness of experiences in the patient group. This may affect how bodily responses to PLEs are perceived and suggests the need for specialized treatment approaches for anxiety in these two groups.

None Declared

The aim of this project is to study to which extent salience alterations influence the severity of psychotic symptoms. However, rather than studying them individually, we decided to focus on their interplay with two additional variables, that is: observing their effect in a vulnerability phase (adolescence) and with another added, well-recognized risk factor (cannabis use).

The reason for this study design lies in the fact that, in our opinion, it is fundamental to observe the trajectory of psychotic symptoms over a continuum; however, rather than adopting a longitudinal approach, we decided to structure it as a cross-sectional study confronting patients from two age brackets - adolescence and adulthood.

The primary purpose of this study was to assess a difference between THC-abusing and non-abusing patients in adolescent and adult cohorts, using the Italian version of the psychometric scale “Aberrant Salience Inventory” (ASI), and the possible correlation with more severe psychotic symptoms. The employment of several different psychometric scales and the inclusion of a variegated cohort allowed to pursue multiple secondary objectives.

We recruited 192 patients, subsequently divided into six subgroups based on age and department of recruitment (whether adolescent or adult psychiatric or neurologic units - the latter serving as controls). Each individual was administered a set of questionnaires and a socio-demographic survey; the set included: Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI), Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Mania Rating Scale (MRS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) and Cannabis Experience Questionnaire (CEQ).

The data analysis showed statistically significant (p<0.05) differences between adolescents and adults with psychotic symptoms in all of the three scales of PANSS and in MADRS. These two groups were homogenous for both cannabis use and ASI score. The intra-group comparison (either adolescent or adult) showed a hierarchical pattern in the scores of psychometric scales according to the diagnostic subgroup of allocation: patients with psychotic symptoms showed an higher level of psychopathology in all measures when compared to patients from the psychiatric unit without psychotic symptoms, which in turn scored higher than the patients from the neurologic unit.

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The results of the present study may suggest that when salience alterations occur in adolescents with cannabis exposure, we might observe worsened positive and negative psychotic symptoms; their influence might be relevant also in other domains, especially regarding the depressive and anxiety spectrums.

None Declared

Attachment style is defined by the American Psychological Association as “the characteristic way people relate to others in the context of intimate relationships”. Four attachment styles have been described: secure, fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing. While the effect of attachment style on psychotherapy was widely investigated, few studies have investigated its role in determining beliefs about medicines in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoccupied attachment style and beliefs about medicines in patients with MDD.

27 patients admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of MDD were enrolled. Working Alliance Inventory - patient version (WAI-P), Relationship Style Questionnaire (RSQ) and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) were administered. An ANCOVA model having BMQ total score as dependent variable and age, sex, RSQ preoccupied attachment subscale and WAI-P task subscale as predictors was considered. WAI-P task was intended to assess the role of agreement on therapeutic choices.

The overall model was significant (F(4,22)=9,571, P<0.001) and explained 66.8% of BMQ total score variance (R2=0.668). Both RSQ preoccupied attachment subscale (B=3.331, t(22)=3.907, p=0.001) and WAI-P task subscale (B=0.238, t(22)=4.565, p<0.001) showed a positive correlation with BMQ total scores. RSQ preoccupied attachment subscale explained 44.6% of variance of BMQ total scores (partial η2=0.446), WAI-P task explained 52.3% of variance of BMQ total scores (partial η2= 0.523). Age (B=0.059, t(22)=1.588, p=0.129) and sex (F(1,22)=0.035, p=0.854) had no significant effect.

These preliminary data suggest a possible influence of preoccupied attachment style on beliefs about medicines in patients with MDD.

No significant relationships.

Theory of Mind (ToM) is defined as the ability to understand mental states of other people. Recent studies explored its role in various psychopathological disorders, but evidence lacks on the relationship existing between specific psychopathological domains and ToM.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between psychopathology of Anxiety Disorders (AD) and Theory of Mind.

We enrolled 35 patients admitted to the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi Hospital in Florence with diagnosis of AD. We administered them: Zung Anxiety Scale (ZSAS), Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RMET). Pearson’s correlation was used to assess relationships between variables.

A significant positive correlation was detected between RMET scores and ZSAS total scores (r=0.385, p=0.022), MCQ-30 Negative Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger subscale (MCQ-30-Neg, r=0.407, p=0.015), and MCQ-30 Cognitive Self-Consciousness subscale (MCQ-30-CSC, r=0.349, p=0.040).

Such preliminary data suggest a relationship between Theory of Mind and AD psychopathology. In particular, some dimensions of AD psychopathology seem to predict higher Theory of Mind levels.

No significant relationships.

Theory of Mind is defined as the ability to understand mental states of other people, and is notoriously impaired in patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A growing body of evidence suggests an impairment of Theory of Mind in several other psychopathological disorders. However, only few studies have assessed Theory of Mind in patients with Anxiety Disorders (AD), addressing only patients with Social Anxiety Disorder.

We aimed to investigate the differences in Theory of Mind between patients with AD and Healthy Controls (HC).

We enrolled 35 patients admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of AD and 31 HC. We administered them: Zung Anxiety Scale (ZSAS), Empathy Quotient (EQ), Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RMET), and Faux Pas test (FP). A t-test for independent samples was performed to assess between-group differences.

Zung total scores proved to be significantly higher in patients (t(60)=4.375, p<0.001), while Empathy Quotient total scores (t(61)=-3.325, p=0.002), detection of faux pas in Faux Pas test (t(61)=-4.957, p<0.001), RMET total scores (t(63)=-2.269, p=0.031) were significantly higher in healthy controls.

Such preliminary data suggest impairment of Theory of Mind and Empathy in patients with AD as compared to HC. This could be linked to the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms in patients with AD, making Theory of Mind a potential target in psychotherapy of AD.

No significant relationships.

There is a known association between the core psychopathological features of anorexia nervosa (AN) and sexual dysfunctions, to the point that the recovery of healthy sexuality could be considered a marker of recovery. However, no studies have evaluated the role of insecure attachment in moderating this recovery during treatment.

To evaluate the role of insecure attachment as a possible moderator of the recovery of healthy sexuality in patients with AN treated with Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E).

A total of 65 patients with anorexia nervosa were treated with CBT-E in a multidisciplinary environment, after filling out self-administered questionnaires for the evaluation of general (SCL-90-R) and ED-specific psychopathology (EDE-Q), female sexuality (FSFI) and adult attachment style (ECR). The assessment was repeated after one (T1) and two years (T2).

At baseline, all domains of sexual dysfunction were significantly predicted by avoidant attachment. A significant amelioration of both general and eating disorder-specific psychopathology and sexual dysfunctions was observed at all follow-up evaluations with respect to baseline levels. However, only 45% of remitted patients also showed a complete recovery of healthy sexuality: this subgroup reported significantly lower avoidance scores when compared to patients who only recovered from AN. Moderation analysis indicated that sexual desire did not increase in participants with higher levels of avoidant attachment.

This study highlighted the crucial role of avoidant attachment in the relationship between AN and sexual dysfunctions, underlining the importance of assessing adult attachment for a better characterization and treatment. Attachment-focused interventions may be beneficial for a full recovery.

No significant relationships.

The high technical barrier to entry in the field of neuroimaging can hinder early insight from promising results and the development of evidence-based clinical practice.

The working group focused on published literature in order to develop a new methodology in the analysis, visualization, and representation of fMRI data in the psychiatric setting.

Three valid and established measures were chosen, in order to achieve dimensionality reduction, stability and explainability of results, namely Regional-Homogeneity; fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations; Eigenvector-Centrality. Each measure was color coded and individual images per subject compiled, averaging results by functional networks as described the FIND lab of the University of Stanford. 272 individual scans were processed (130 neurotypicals, 50 patients with Schizophrenia, 49 with Bipolar Disorder, 43 with ADHD).

The discriminative power between clinical groups of the novel method was significant both by human eye, and later confirmation by statistical tests, and by computer vision algorithms (Convolutional Neural Networks). The precision-recall Area Under the Curve, dividing by 80/20 proportion between train and test sets, was >84.5% for each group. The group of patients with Bipolar Disorder showed a partial overlap with the group of patients suffering from Schizophrenia – by a dominance of Eigenvector-Centrality and Regional-Homogeneity, as well as a lower prevalence of fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations, for both in comparison to controls.

The present study offers preliminary evidence for the adoption of i-ECO (integrated-Explainability through Color Coding) in fMRI analyses during rest in the Psychiatric field.

No significant relationships.

Working Alliance is defined as the emotional bond and the agreement on therapeutic goals and tasks between patients and therapists. Despite the wide use of the construct of working alliance in research on psychotherapy, few studies have investigated the role of working alliance in influencing adherence to pharmacotherapy, and drug attitude. A deeper knowledge of the interplay between working alliance and drug attitude could help to challenge low adherence to psychopharmacological treatments in Major Depressive Disorder.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between working alliance and drug attitude in patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

27 patients admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorders were enrolled. Working Alliance Inventory - patient version (WAI-P), Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) and Beliefs about Medicines (BMQ) were administered. Pearson’s correlation was used to assess relationships between variables.

A significant positive correlation was detected between BMQ total scores, DAI total scores and WAI-P task, bond, and goal subscales.

Such preliminary data suggest a relationship between Working Alliance and drug attitude. This could contribute to provide tools to challenge low adherence to psychopharmacological treatments in patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

No significant relationships.

Clinical relapses in schizophrenia remain a frequent event. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics enhance adherence, but low blood levels can sometimes be observed despite an adequate posology. Nonetheless, the evaluation of this parameter is uncommon in clinical practice.

To explore the potential advantages of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of LAIs as a predictor of relapse in clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia.

44 individuals who had reached the pharmacokinetic steady state of LAI treatment (paliperidone, olanzapine, aripiprazole) underwent an anamnestic and psychopathological assessment. LAI blood levels were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and classified as “in range” or “under range” according to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP) guideline values. Individuals who relapsed during the one-year follow-up were compared to non-relapsers (Fisher’s exact test, χ2 or Mann-Whitney U). An exploratory binary logistic regression tested the role of other possible relevant predictors of relapse.

No differences were observed in baseline use of mood stabilisers (p=0.211), antidepressants (p=0.530), or prescribed LAI (p=0.563). Other comparisons are presented in the table: among these variables, in-range LAI levels were the only significant predictor of relapse (F=5.95, p=0.015; OR 0.04, 95%CI 0.02-0.56).

TDM of LAIs may optimise the clinical management of schizophrenia by highlighting a suboptimal dosage and a consequent higher relapse risk. Large-scale, drug-specific assessments are needed to confirm these findings.

No significant relationships.

It is proven that high levels of disgust contribute to implementing protective behaviors. Investigators also discovered that the emotion of disgust plays a central role in determining anxiety related to the contraction of COVID-19. Few data are available about the role of the contamination disgust, a specific disgust domain, in this relationship.

The effect of contamination disgust on COVID-19-related anxiety was investigated.

295 healthy subjects were enrolled through an online survey. They completed Disgust Scale-Revised (DS-R) and were asked to estimate their levels of Covid-19-related anxiety in 12 proposed situations. A total score was then calculated. An ANOVA model having Covid-19-related anxiety total score as dependent variable, and DS-R contamination disgust, age, and sex as predictors was estimated.

The overall model was significant (F(3,291)=6.402, p<0.001) and explained 6.2% of total Covid-19 anxiety variance (R2=0.062). The effect of DS-R contamination disgust on Covid-19-related anxiety was positive, significant (B=0.974, t(291)=3.227, p=0.001) and explained 3.5% of Covid-19-related anxiety variance (partial η2=0.035). A significant effect of sex was detected (F(1,291)=4.919, p=0.027), with females having higher Covid-19-related anxiety than males, while no effect was detected for age (B=-0.024, t(291)=-0.884, p=0.377).

The presented data provide preliminary evidence for an effect of contamination disgust on Covid-19-related anxiety.

No significant relationships.

Despite a wide range of proposed risk factors and theoretical models, prediction of eating disorder (ED) onset remains poor. This study undertook the first comparison of two machine learning (ML) approaches [penalised logistic regression (LASSO), and prediction rule ensembles (PREs)] to conventional logistic regression (LR) models to enhance prediction of ED onset and differential ED diagnoses from a range of putative risk factors.

Data were part of a European Project and comprised 1402 participants, 642 ED patients [52% with anorexia nervosa (AN) and 40% with bulimia nervosa (BN)] and 760 controls. The Cross-Cultural Risk Factor Questionnaire, which assesses retrospectively a range of sociocultural and psychological ED risk factors occurring before the age of 12 years (46 predictors in total), was used.

All three statistical approaches had satisfactory model accuracy, with an average area under the curve (AUC) of 86% for predicting ED onset and 70% for predicting AN v. BN. Predictive performance was greatest for the two regression methods (LR and LASSO), although the PRE technique relied on fewer predictors with comparable accuracy. The individual risk factors differed depending on the outcome classification (EDs v. non-EDs and AN v. BN).

Even though the conventional LR performed comparably to the ML approaches in terms of predictive accuracy, the ML methods produced more parsimonious predictive models. ML approaches offer a viable way to modify screening practices for ED risk that balance accuracy against participant burden.

The COVID-19 epidemic that spread in Italy in the early 2020, together with the general lockdown, are high-risk events for vulnerable populations who need high levels of assistance, such as patients with eating disorders (EDs).

To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic and lockdown on subjects suffering from EDs, considering previous vulnerabilities.

74 patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) already on treatment and 97 healthy controls were evaluated between November 2019/January 2020 (T1), and again in April 2020, 6 weeks after the start of lockdown (T2). Patients were also evaluated at baseline (T0). At each assessment, general and ED psychopathology (SCL-90-R and EDE-Q) were assessed. Childhood abuse experiences (CTQ) and adult attachment (ECR-R) were investigated at T1, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (IES-R) at T2.

Patients reported a significant increase in compensatory exercise; in addition, patients with BN and those who achieved remission at T1 showed a significant exacerbation of binge-eating. The longitudinal trend (T1-T2) of psychopathology was not different between patients and controls, however the expected benefit from treatment on ED psychopathology was significant only for AN, while no changes were noted in BN. Patients with BN reported more severe post-traumatic stress symptoms than AN and controls, and these symptoms correlated positively with prior traumatic experiences and an insecure attachment style.

The COVID-19 epidemic and lockdown had a significant impact on subjects with eating disorders, both by interfering with the treatment process and in terms of post-traumatic stress symptoms.

No significant relationships.

Several studies demonstrate that disgust, defined as a revulsion response aimed at distancing an individual from a potentially harmful or noxious stimulus, is linked to post-traumatic stress following sexual trauma even when accounting for associated fear and anxiety. One of the suggested mechanisms implicated in this association is a feeling of mental contamination. Recent neuroimaging studies demonstrated that exposure to contamination activates the insular cortex. In addition, disgust sensitivity correlates with the activation of the insular cortex.

We aimed to investigate the psychopathological role of the emotion of disgust in the developement of anxiety symptoms in patient with an history of abuse.

We enrolled 84 patients admitted in Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders. We administered to them: Zung Anxiety Scale (ZSAS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-revised (DPSS-r).

Results showed a significant mediation of the association between CTQ emotional abuse scores and total ZSAS scores via DPSS disgust sensitivity scores in patients with anxiety disorders (p=0.022). Total effect and indirect effect of emotional abuse on severity of anxiety symptoms were significant (total effect = 0.494; p=0.051, indirect effect: 0.256, p=0.022), while there was no significant direct effect from emotional abuse to anxiety symptoms in the total model (direct effect: 0.237, p=0.356). The model explained 18% of variance in anxiety symptomatology (R2=0.18).

Such preliminary data suggest a possible mediating role of disgust in development and maintenance of childhood abuse-related anxiety, making it a potential target for psychotherapy.

No significant relationships.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting containment measures, such as “lockdown” and “social distancing”, have had important consequences on people’s mental and physical health.

We aimed to study the effect of social isolation and subsequent re- exposure and eventual changes in general and ED-specific psychopathology in people with Eating Disorders (EDs).

Three-hundred twelve Italian people with EDs (179 Anorexia Nervosa, 83 Bulimia Nervosa, 48 Binge Eating Disorder and 22 Other Specific Feeding Eating Disorder) were asked to fill-in an online survey to explore several dimensions such as: anxiety, depression, panic, insomnia, suicide ideation, stress, post-traumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Differences in ED specific and general symptoms among the 3 investigated time periods (before, during and after the end of lockdown) were assessed with a one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Subsequently, ED diagnosis was introduced as covariate in the analysis in order to investigate the possible contribution on psychopathological changes.

ED core symptoms increased during the lockdown but most of them returned to pre-COVID19 levels at re-opening. The severity of general psychopathology also increased during the lockdown and persisted high in the following phase, except for depression and suicide ideation. None of this symptoms was affected by ED diagnosis, participants’age and illness duration.

People with EDs showed worsening of both general and specific psychopathology; moreover, changes in general psychopathology persisted in the re-opening period suggesting a higher stress vulnerability in this kind of patients.

No significant relationships.

COVID19 and Eating Disorders

Sexual dysfunction is common in eating disorders (EDs), but its relevance is often overlooked.

To describe different ED clinical subgroups in terms of psychopathology, putative biological correlates, and consequences of dysregulated sexuality, focusing on the role of childhood trauma.

Healthy controls (n=60), binge-purging (n=38), and restricting patients (n=24) were compared (age- and BMI-adjusted ANOVA; Bonferroni post-hoc tests), using total scores of Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Emotional Eating Scale (EES), SCL-90-R Global Severity Index (GSI), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI), Hypersexual Behaviour Inventory (HBI), and patients’ hormonal profiles (gonadal and pituitary hormones, ghrelin). Self-reported voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP) and promiscuous sexual activity were recorded. For ED patients (N=62), regression analyses between significant variables and HBI were carried, applying moderation models for different CTQ scores.

Table 1 outlines significant between-group comparisons (°: different from controls; *: different from restricting patients; p<0.05). Binge-purging patients had higher FSH, LH, and ghrelin levels, more VTPs and promiscuity. HBI showed significant correlations with EES, SCL-90-R-GSI, DERS, CTQ, and ghrelin levels. CTQ moderated interactions for DERS and EES (Figure 1).

Dysregulated sexuality is linked to emotion dysregulation and childhood trauma. Binge-purging patients experience adverse behavioural consequences.

No significant relationships.

Patients’ attitudes and subjective experience are crucial in the management of severe mental illness, but their practical value is overlooked.

To identify predictors of future adherence to LAI antipsychotic maintenance treatment of schizophrenia among socio-demographic, clinical, and psychometric characteristics – including Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10) and Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics short form (SWN-K) scores.

Retrospective baseline data from 53 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia switched from oral to LAI therapy were collected. Patients continuing treatment at the time of analysis (n=29) were compared to those who had discontinued it (n=24). Selected variables were further evaluated in survival analyses.

Between-group differences are presented in Table 1 (**: p<0.01; *: p<0.05).

Cox regression analysis included instruction, employment, hospitalisations, PANSS subscales and DAI-10 scores: a protective role against treatment discontinuation was outlined only for employment (HR 0.16; 95%CI 0.05-0.50) and higher DAI-10 scores (HR 0.85; 95%CI 0.78-0.94). DAI-10 scores delineated distinct adherence trajectories (Figure 1).

Baseline DAI-10 scores may identify patients at risk of dropout after switching to LAI.

No significant relationships.

The comorbidity between anxiety disorders (AD) and eating disorders (ED) has already been well discovered, and because of the link between disgust, food choice and rejection (which appear to be key factors of eating psychopathology), it can be suggested that these three aspects may be related. Accordingly, it can be hypothesized that individuals who express heightened levels of both disgust and eating concerns are at a higher risk to develop an AD. By contrast, disgust, as a negative emotion, influences ED symptoms through a greater level of anxiety.

We aimed to investigate the psychopathological role of disgust and eating disorder symptoms in the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms in patients with AD.

We enrolled 84 patients admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders. We administered them: Zung Anxiety Scale (ZSAS), Disgust Propensity and Sensibility Scale-revised (DPSS-r) and Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q).

A multiple regression model having ZSAS total as dependent variable, and EDE-Q total and DPSS disgust sensitivity subscale as independent variables explained 29% of ZSAS total variance (R²=0.290). The effect of EDE-Q total was positive, significant (β=0.331, t=2.631, p=0.011) and explained 11.9% of ZSAS total variance (pr²=0.119). The effect of DPSS disgust sensitivity was positive, significant (β=0.326, t=2.595, p=0.012) and explained 11.6% of ZSAS total variance (pr²=0.116) (Fig.1).

Such preliminary data suggest a possible role of feelings of disgust and eating disorder symptoms in development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms in patients with AD, making them a potential target for psychotherapy.

No significant relationships.

There is a growing literature suggesting disgust plays a major role in religiosity. Asceticism is a personality trait characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Since few studies suggested that higher disgust levels may lead to greater fear of sin, contamination disgust may serve as effective mechanisms for inflated scrupulosity.

We aimed to investigate the role of contamination disgust on a specific religious belief in two clinical groups: eating disorders and anxiety disorders.

We enrolled 84 patients admitted in the Psychiatric Unit of Careggi with diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders (AD) and Eating Disorders (ED). We administered them: Disgust Scale Revised (DS-R) and Eating Disorders Inventory 2 (EDI-2)

A t-test for independent samples between AD patients and ED patients showed no difference in DS-R contamination disgust subscale (t=1.437, p=0.153), while significantly higher EDI-2 asceticism scores were detected in ED patients (t=2.452, p=0.010). An ANCOVA model having EDI2 Asceticism subscale as dependent variable, and DS contamination disgust subscale, diagnosis, and interaction between contamination disgust and diagnosis was estimated. The overall model was significant (F(1,136)=4.854, p=0.003) and accounted for 9.7% of variance of EDI2 Asceticism subscale (R2=0.097). The effect of contamination disgust was positive and significant (β=0.302, t=2.781, p=0.006), and accounted for 5.4% of variance of EDI2 Asceticism (partial η2=0.054). No effect was detected for diagnosis (F(1,136)=0.012, p=0.912) or interaction between contamination disgust and diagnosis (F(1,136)=1.346, p=0.248).

Contamination disgust may have a trans-diagnostic effect on asceticism and may be a possible driver for specific religious behaviors.

No significant relationships.

Disgust is a basic emotion characterized by the feeling of revulsion and evoked by unpleasant stimuli such as contaminated food, poor hygiene and contact with sick or dead organisms. Disgust is a contributing factor to the development of several mental disorders including anxiety disorders (AD). Several studies have tried to explore the relationship between disgust and eating disorders (ED), with heterogeneous findings. Subjects with ED showed a heightened level of disgust sensitivity (DS) when compared with healthy controls (HC).

Our study aims to evaluate levels of disgust and anxiety in ED, AD and HC in order to assess associations between these two emotions.

We enrolled 74 patients admitted to Psychiatric Unit of Careggi, 41 with diagnosis of Eating Disorder, 33 with Anxiety Disorders, and 40 healthy controls. We administered to all groups: Zung Anxiety Scale (ZSAS) and Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-revised (DPSS-r).

Both patients with anxiety disorders and eating disorders showed higher levels of disgust propensity and sensitivity than healthy controls. Moreover, there was no significant differences in anxiety, Disgust Propensity (DP) and Disgust Sensitivity levels between patients with eating disorders and anxiety disorders. Among healthy controls there was a significant association between DS and Anxiety levels (B: 0.579, T:3,416 p:0,001).

Anxiety and disgust are typical emotions of anxiety disorders and eating disorders. However, they are increased both in anxiety and eating disorders and they are associated in healthy controls. The nature of this association needs to be deeply investigated.

No significant relationships.

In the first months of 2020 the COVID-19 epidemic spread in Italy, and the Italian government implemented a general lockdown. These events are at high risk for psychiatric symptoms in the general population, including anxiety/depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

To characterize the psychopathological correlates of the spread of COVID-19 and lockdown in a sample of subjects from the Italian population, with a before-after follow-up.

Six weeks after the lockdown, 671 subjects aged 18-60 years completed the Brief Symptom Inventory and Impact of Event Scale-Revised, for the evaluation of psychopathology and PTSS respectively. Environmental factors and subjectively-perceived deteriorations related to COVID-19 were also investigated. Pre-COVID-19 data on psychopathology, collected in December 2019/January 2020, were available for 130 subjects and were used for longitudinal analyses.

With respect to males, female subjects more frequently reported deteriorations of relations (21.5% vs 10.9%), household arguments (26.0% vs 12.6%), sleep quality (47.6% vs 26.6%), episodes of overeating (22.5% vs 12.5%), worries for oneself (19% vs 8.9%) and for loved ones (55.7% vs 36.5%). These changes were associated with increased psychopathology, PTSS, and numerous environmental conditions, including significant economic damage from COVID-19/lockdown. Longitudinal analyses showed an increase in phobic anxiety in the whole sample, and in depression for female subjects only, following the spread of COVID-19. Pre-existing psychopathology was a significant predictor of PTSS.

COVID-19 epidemic and lockdown have a high impact on psychopathology and PTSS. Female subjects and those with pre-existing psychopathology were found to be more vulnerable and may need additional support.

No significant relationships.