relationship between substance dependency, antisocial personality disorder and adult antisocial behaviors

To examine the relationship between substance dependency and personality disorders. Ninety eight patients with substance dependency who had referred to a psychiatry and substance rehabilitation center in Tehran took part in this study. Data were collected using questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Participants were examined for conduct and antisocial personality disorders. Non-parametric tests were used for data analysis. Eighty eight percentage of the participants showed adult antisocial behaviors. Forty two percentage of the patients with substance dependency were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, while 47.9% [n = 47] suffered from conduct disorder. Only 22 participants had such problems before beginning substance abuse. Abuse frequency, financial status, previous attempts to quit drugs, educational level and family background did not significantly affect the status of antisocial personality disorder and conduct disorder. However, smoking and using alcohol were found to be playing a role in suffering from such disorders. The results of the present study demonstrate a direct relationship between substance abuse and personality disorders. This indicates the need for more preventive measures to control substance abuse especially among teenagers in order to have fewer individuals with personality disorders in the society

attitude of psychologists, psychiatrists, chronic psychiatric patients and ordinary viewers toward a TV series with the main character of a psychologist

Popular TV series and sitcoms have received different reactions from people of different classes. The present study was conducted to measure the positive and negative attitudes of psychologists, psychiatrists, chronic psychiatric patients and ordinary healthy viewers toward an Iranian TV series entitled 'The Physicians' Building' whose main character was a psychologist. The study tool was a researcher-made questionnaire that measured the attitude toward the mentioned TV series with 19 items based on Likert scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential tests. The participants were selected voluntarily and included 30 psychologists, 25 psychiatrists, 16 under-treatment psychiatric patients and 57 ordinary people [total of 128 participants]. The results showed that in most cases, psychologists' opinion about the series was different from the other groups of participants [P = .04]. Psychologists strongly emphasized on the bad influences of this TV series in the society [P = .02]. There was a significant difference between the attitudes of psychologists toward the studied TV series as compared to psychiatrists, psychiatric patients and ordinary people.

How to run psychiatry OSCE in three days

Objectivity, reliability and validity of examinations in psychiatry have always been one of the major concerns of experts in this discipline. Recently, objective structured clinical examination [OSCE] for its unique approach and by providing the requirements of psychiatric examinations has been a topic of interest. In Iran, an OSCE has been replaced the individual patient assessment [IPA] for examination of the National Board of Psychiatry. Although it is better to provide psychiatry OSCE in an extended time frame, in some cases this examination should be executed in a short period of time. For executing OSCE in psychiatry, especially if it should be performed in a short time, it requires addressing various points. In this article, based upon the previous experiences, we offer a standard format for establishing a practical, reliable and measurable OSCE in psychiatry in three days

qualitative study of psychiatrists' view about a pilot objective structured clinical examination [OSCE] in Iran

In Aug 2004, for the first time, a psychiatric OSCE was piloted in Iran. The objective of current study was to explore the view and opinion of both candidates and examiners after they took part in the exam. Two focus groups were formed. There were 10 participants in each group. Each group was asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the OSCE. The discussion was tape recorded and then converted into a script before being analyzed. Standard format of the exam and its unbiased evaluation of candidates' abilities were reported as the most significant advantages of OSCE. However, participants criticized the artificiality of the setting and use of simulated patients. Although expensive and time consuming to organize, OSCE was viewed as a standard and fair method of assessing candidates' skills. To overcome the artificiality of the setting, participants asked for a better training of the actors and actresses