Psychiatry Int., Volume 6, Issue 3 (September 2025) – 10 articles

Background: Suicidal behavior presents a significant dilemma in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. Numerous ethical discussions have emerged regarding euthanasia for patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions, and research indicates an elevated incidence of suicide in the early stages of dementia. However, there remains a gap in knowledge concerning the historical prevalence of suicidal ideations or attempts among individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This study aims to investigate the historical patterns of suicidal behavior and the associated factors across the lifespan in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: This study is an excerpt from a case–control research study, where the sample size was calculated at 150 participants, with 75 in the case group and 75 in the control group. Here, the descriptive statistics for the first third of the sample, 50 participants, are discussed. Results: Among the participants in the case group, 12.5% reported having suicidal ideation throughout life, compared to 24% in the control group (OR for suicidal ideation = 0.432 [0.095–1.966]). Additionally, among the participants in the case group, 4% reported having attempted suicide at some point in their life, compared to 8% in the control group (OR for suicide attempts = 0.479 [0.41–5.652]). People with Alzheimer’s disease tended to have a worse quality of life but less suicidality. Conclusions: It appears that suicidal behavior is inversely related to the risk of developing suicidal intentions. The odds ratio data demonstrate the need for a larger sample size to determine whether there is a difference in the history of suicide throughout the lives of people with Alzheimer’s disease and among the general population. Full article

Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of Experience New Days (END), a school-based smoking cessation program, on smoking dependence and mental health among Korean adolescent smokers. Methods: A single-group pretest–posttest study was conducted from April to June 2024 with 40 adolescent smokers from three high schools. The program consisted of weekly 50 min sessions over an 8-week period. Smoking dependence was measured using FTND and CDS-12, while mental health was assessed through PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Urine cotinine test was used as a biomarker. Results: The results showed significant improvements with moderate to large effect sizes in nicotine dependence (p = 0.033, d = 0.25), cigarette dependence (p = 0.034, d = 0.31), depression (p = 0.013, d = 0.37), and anxiety (p = 0.043, d = 0.40). Daily cigarette consumption decreased by an average of 2.57 cigarettes per day (p = 0.002, d = 0.52), with 15% of participants achieving complete smoking cessation and 42.5% showing reduced smoking behaviors. Conclusions: The results suggest that the END program was associated with reduced dependence and improved mental health outcomes among adolescent smokers. The positive memory reinforcement had a beneficial effect on mental health. Full article

Objective: Cyberbullying among children and adolescents is a serious and increasingly prevalent issue worldwide. Victims often experience various emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, as well as disruptive and impulsive behavioral problems. Therefore, effective therapeutic interventions and social support are essential. This study investigated the effects of group sandplay therapy (GST) on children who have been victims of cyberbullying. Method: This study was designed as a non-randomized controlled trial with an intervention group and a control group. The participants included 127 children aged 11 to 12 years old who had experienced cyberbullying, with 64 participants in the GST intervention group and 63 participants in a matched control group based on gender and age. The intervention group participated in 10 GST sessions, each lasting 40 min, held once a week in groups of three or four. The control group received no treatment. The Korean Youth Self Report (K-YSR) was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Results: The results indicated that the GST intervention group experienced significant reductions in anxiety/depression (F = 7.09, p = 0.009, d = 0.49), somatic symptoms (F = 10.02, p = 0.002, d = 0.58), and aggressive behavior (F = 3.94, p = 0.049, d = 0.36) on the K-YSR scale compared to the control group. Conclusions: Thus, GST was found to be effective in alleviating negative emotions and aggressive behavior in children affected by cyberbullying. Full article

Problematic internet use (PIU) can be defined as internet use that is not well-controlled. The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form (PIUQ-SF-6) among Serbian medical students and to examine the prevalence of students at risk of problematic internet use and social, lifestyle, and mental health characteristics associated with it. We conducted a cross-sectional study that included a total of 735 medical students (66.8% female and 33.2% male) attending classes in Social Medicine during the 2023/2024 school year. The instrument used was a questionnaire developed based on the questionnaires in similar studies. A total of 160 students (21.8%) were in the problematic internet use group, and 575 were in the non-problematic internet use group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with PIU as the outcome variable showed an association between PIU and the Patient Health Questionnaire−9 score (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.16) and impulsivity (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05–1.10). The mental health of medical students, as future health professionals, should be promoted through tailored interventions that are widely accessible and long-lasting. Full article

Background and objectives. Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are frequently present in university students, even without a clinical diagnosis, and may be aggravated by various factors. This study analyzes the relationship between these symptoms and the use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other drugs by young university students. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 397 university students using an anonymous online questionnaire. ADHD symptoms were assessed with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), alcohol use with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), nicotine dependence with the Fagerström test, cannabis use with the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), and the use of other substances with an adaptation of the latter. Results. The mean age was 21.4 years, and most participants (76.6%) were women. Of the participants, 46.1% presented symptoms compatible with ADHD according to the ASRS. The most frequent items were difficulty maintaining attention during boring tasks (77.3%), avoiding tasks that require mental effort (76.8%), and being easily distracted by noise or external activity (73.8%). Significant differences were found between ASRS scores and gender, with scores being higher and more consistent among those students who identified themselves as non-binary gender (male or female) (p < 0.01). A significant association was also found between smoking and a higher ASRS score (p < 0.01). Although no significant associations with body mass index were detected, a trend toward greater symptomatology was observed in obese individuals. In multivariate analysis, still gender and smoking significantly (p = 0.12 and p = 0.031, respectively) predicted ADHD symptoms (ASRS score). The model R = 0.228 (R squared = 0.052, F = 1.62, p = 0.077). No statistically significant differences were found between ADHD symptoms and the use of alcohol, cannabis, or other substances in either bivariate or multivariate analyses. Conclusions. This study underscores the importance of early detection of ADHD symptoms in the university setting, considering factors such as gender and smoking habit. Future research should focus on aggravating factors such as academic stress and problematic technology use. Full article

There is a growing interest in ToM performance among individuals with psychiatric disorders. However, the difference and the performance level between different diagnoses are unclear. Here, we compared the ToM abilities of schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SZaff), and borderline personality individuals (BPD) with healthy individuals. Individuals with SZ (n = 44), SZaff (n = 11), BPD (n = 11), and healthy individuals (n = 18) were recruited from Mazor Mental Health Center. All groups underwent the Reading Mind in the Eyes (RME) and the Faux Pas recognition test (FB) to assess TOM ability and completed empathy and autism questionnaires. The current results show that the three diagnostic groups performed worse in the RME and FB test compared to healthy individuals. However, women with BPD performed significantly better in ToM tasks than women with SZ and SZaff. Individuals with schizophrenia and BPD scored higher on the autism spectrum questionnaire, while all the diagnostic groups scored lower on the empathy quotient scale than healthy individuals. Finally, a positive correlation was found between ToM ability and empathy. Strikingly, our findings challenge the ability to use ToM as a differential clinical diagnostic tool, especially among men, and strengthen the correlation between decreased empathy and impaired ToM. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered a potentially traumatic event, as it introduced new challenges and threats to people around the world, disrupting daily life due to the restrictions imposed. The psychological defenses of individuals mobilized to deal with stress reactions are influenced by a set of factors, including previous traumatic experiences, which can amplify the current trauma. Recognizing that people exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have increased risks of an array of adverse mental and physical health outcomes throughout life, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between ACEs—more specifically, child abuse and child neglect—and PTSD symptoms in a sample of European adults during the pandemic. A sample of 8459 participants (67.1% female and 32.9% male, with a mean of 43.95 years old) was evaluated. The survey questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5), and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire. According to our findings, younger women who have suffered from child abuse or child neglect are more likely to develop PTSD symptoms. The most significant factor influencing the PTSD risk was child neglect, contrary to many studies that indicate that child abuse is the most impactful adverse childhood experience. Full article

Psychotherapy has become a necessity for Parkinson’s patients suffering from anxiety disorder. There are different types of therapy; for example, Morita therapy, first proposed in 1919, is a psychological therapy. It is mainly used as an alternative therapy in Asian countries such as Japan and China. Morita therapy focuses on accepting emotions, including anxiety, rather than trying to reduce them. Although it has had an impact on treating anxiety disorder in other populations, there have been no studies to date investigating the evidence and effects of Morita therapy on anxiety disorder in Parkinson’s patients. This opinion article focuses on conducting a literature review to identify relevant studies on the applications of Morita therapy in anxiety disorders and explore the possibility of proposing it as a treatment option for Parkinson’s patients. Full article

(1) Background: Acromegaly is a rare disease associated with multiple complications. Consequently, it has a high clinical burden, which leads to a lower quality of life (QoL). The Acromegaly Quality of Life Questionnaire (AcroQoL) is a specific tool developed to assess the impact of the disease on a patient’s physical and emotional well-being. Current research on anxiety has shown that higher levels of psychosocial factors are linked to a poorer quality of life. (2) Methods: Our study included 40 patients (26 women and 14 men) with a mean disease duration of 85.9 ± 97.7 months. Information about disease status, associated comorbidities, and clinical and paraclinical data was obtained. All patients completed the AcroQoL questionnaire. (3) Results: The lowest score was observed on the physical scale, while the least affected scale was personal relations. Biochemical parameters, biochemical control, and adenoma size were not associated with a lower QoL. Gender, age at diagnosis, and comorbidities, such as hypertension and arthropathy, were associated with a decrease in QoL. Additionally, the presence of anxiety and depression, which were mostly reported by women (30.7%), had a negative impact on the global QoL. (4) Conclusions: Early diagnosis of acromegaly can increase the QoL by preventing comorbidities, but there are also non-modifiable factors that have been associated with a decreased QoL. Preventing depression and anxiety could serve as important targets for future interventions. Full article

Introduction: In the literature, depression is a medical condition that is well known and has been studied for decades, yet in clinical practice it often happens that depressive symptoms are confused with structured disorders or complexes. This incorrect interpretation can lead the psychiatrist to choose to make a psychopharmacological prescription, relegating psychotherapy to mere support or in any case reducing its importance, risking making the patient’s symptoms chronic and overloading the healthcare system. Materials and Methods: The literature up to December 2024 was reviewed and 40 articles were included in the review. A pilot study was conducted to verify the effectiveness and validation of the proposed theoretical model. Results: We propose the use of the “Perrotta Depressive Symptoms Assessment” (PDSYA) for the differential diagnosis in disorders with the manifestation of depressive symptoms, to facilitate the correct diagnosis and to reduce interpretative errors, both at a nosographic and therapeutic level. Conclusions: In the pilot study, in the content validity analysis, all items obtained a CVR score greater than the cut-off value, with a minimum score of 0.811. Therefore, all items of the scale were considered essential; also, regarding the relevance of the items in exploring the constructs investigated, optimal values of I-CVI (>0.93) and scale (S-CVI > 0.98) were obtained. Therefore, all items were rated as relevant. The validation study of the model is underway with a representative sample. Full article