Translating findings from basic fear research to clinical psychiatry in Puerto Rico

Recent advances in the neuroscience of classical fear conditioning from both rodent and human studies are beginning to be translated to the psychiatry clinic. In particular, our understanding of fear extinction as a form of "safety learning" holds promise for the treatment of anxiety disorders in which extinction learning is thought to be compromised. The Department of Psychiatry at the UPR, School of Medicine promotes the development of innovative strategies for treating mental health problems. Given the burden resulting from anxiety disorders in Puerto Rico, and the lack of evidence-based treatment practices, there is a pressing need for a future center specializing in the treatment of anxiety related disorders. This center would also serve research and training functions, with the ultimate goal of translating extinction research into clinical practice. This review presents the current developments in extinction research and its relationship to anxiety disorders and treatment. We also analyze the available literature on the epidemiology of anxiety disorders and the existing evidence-based treatments for these conditions.

Applicability of the Spanish Translation of the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale in a general Puerto Rican population

Voluntary screening has shown to be an effective way to identify depressive symptoms and to provide adequate treatment. If a screening tool was to be used in a general Puerto Rican population, it should be validated in Spanish and be consistent with the particular response style of this group. The main objective of this research study is to assess if the Spanish translation of the Zung SDS is adequate to screen for depression in Puerto Ricans, and if the translation considers the sociocultural peculiarities of this group. Although the Zung SDS is presented as a self-report scale and was found to be reliable by Alpha coefficient and manageable by both the questioner and the participant, the Spanish version used in this activity presented interpretation difficulties. It is recommendable that a Spanish translation of this scale should be developed taking into consideration the particularities of the Puerto Rican population. The use of other screening tools that have already been validated as being culturally sensitive to Puerto Ricans could also be considered.