Trauma/Grief Group play therapy effect on Bam earthquake related emotional and behavioral symptoms in preschool children: a before after trial

Depressive, anxious, aggressive and regressive behaviors are the most common psychiatric symptoms following natural disasters in children. Art, play and behavioral techniques are used for reducing these traumatic symptoms. We studied the effect of 12 sessions of group play therapy in children 3 to 6 years old who had been exposed to the Bam earthquake directly. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of 12 sessions of group play therapy with cognitive-behavioral approach for the preschool aged children who had been exposed to the Bam earthquake directly and had lost at least one of their first degree family members. Mental retarded children and those with psychiatric or severe medical problems that needed medications were excluded. Before and after interventions we evaluated post traumatic, emotional and anxiety symptoms by using Yule's PTSD scale and behavioral symptoms by Rutter's questionnaire. Then we compared before and after interventions scores. At first 19 children were included in the study, 13 of them completed at least two thirds of the interventional sessions. We excluded six children who participated in fewer sessions. The mean scores of Yule's PTSD scale and Rutter's questionaire reduced during interventions which was statistically significant. Trauma/grief focused group play therapy may be effective in reducing post traumatic symptoms of natural disasters in preschool aged children

Qualitative analysis of mental hospitals problems from view point of thier managers

This study revealed mental hospitals problems based on view point of their managers and analyzed atiologyand its consequences. Delphi method, which is a mean of systematicall data collecting and refining information provided by a group of selected experts, was conducted. The majority of the problems in the mental hospitals were due to self-management procedure, lack or enough budget and irrational fees. In one hand mental patients and their families don't have sufficient income to pay the expenses of these hospitals and on the other hand facilities for improvement of patients social, occupational and rehabilitation capabilities are inadequate. Coverage of insurance for mental patients is incomplete and lack of proper socio-economic supports due to negative attitudes toward them are a many other problems. There are no administrative structures for standardization of mental hospitals and most of the mental hospitals are dilapiodated and without enough space for patients. Based on complicated problems of mental hospitals and increasing needs of mental patients to health care and treatment services, it is the time to change the structure and budgetary of psychiatric centers in Iran

[Supportive and cognitive behavioral group interventions on Bam earthquake related PTSD symptoms in adolescents]

Psychological debriefing has been widely advocated for routine use following major traumatic events. Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, art supportive therapies, and sport and recreational support activities are other interventions for reducing posttraumatic stress disorder. We assessed the effects of theses methods individually and in combination on reduction posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in adolescents who had experienced Bam earthquake. In a field trial, we evaluated the efficacy of psychological debriefing, group cognitive-behavioral therapy, art and sport supportive interventions in 200 adolescents with PTSD symptoms who survived of Bam earthquake and compare it with a control group. Patients were randomly assigned to one of intervention programs including: group cognitive-behavioral therapy; group CBT plus art and sport interventions; art and sport interventions without group CBT; and control group. Thirty one individuals were excluded because of migration. A statistically significant reduction in overall PTSD symptoms as well as in avoidance symptoms was observed after group cognitive-behavioral therapy. There was no significant difference in reduction of overall PTSD and avoidance symptoms between the other groups. Psychological interventions in form of group cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce the symptoms of PTSD symptoms but we couldn't find the art and sport supportive therapy alone or in combination with group CBT to be useful in this regard

Delusion of having acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS]: report of two cases

This is a report of two cases of monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychosis who were convinced of having acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. They bitterly criticised the incompetence of their medical advisers, on of always showed virus-like particles of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome organisms beneath their lip mucosa or penile skin. The first case was advised to continue psycholytic compounds. Favorable results were obtained following a 5 months period. In the second case, amitryptiline and trifluoperazine were prescribed with comparatively good results