Validation of parental stress scale in a Greek sample of mothers with infants from 0 to 12 months.

Parenting an offspring is a rewarding, albeit challenging task, often accompanied by high levels of stress. It is important to accurately assess the stress associated with parenting, as severe forms of stress may affect the parent-child dyad and lead to poor child outcomes. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) in the Greek population. We implemented forward and back translation and conducted a pilot test. A total of 735 mothers (Mage  = 34.6) with infants aged 0-12 months completed the PSS, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The Greek PSS-18 showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .83) and adequate convergent validity. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed two underlying factors: positive aspects of parenting and negative aspects of parenting. Our data confirm the validity of the Greek version of the PSS-18 in mothers with infants aged 0-12 months. The Greek version of the PSS-18 could be a useful tool for professionals and researchers who are interested in perinatal period and the aspects of parenthood.

Criar a un hijo es una tarea gratificante, aunque desafiante, a menudo acompañada por altos niveles de estrés. Es importante evaluar con certeza el estrés asociado con la crianza, ya que formas severas de estrés pudieran afectar la díada progenitor-niño y llevar a pobres resultados en el niño. El propósito de este estudio fue traducir y validar la Escala de Estrés del Progenitor (PSS) en la población griega. Implementamos la traducción hacia adelante y hacia atrás y llevamos a cabo una examinación experimental. Un total de 735 madres (Edad promedio = 34.6) con infantes de edad 0-12 meses completaron la PSS, la Escala de Edimburgo de Depresión Posnatal y la Escala de Ansiedad de Hospital y Depresión. La PSS griega-18 mostró una buena consistencia interna (de Cronbach α = .83) y una validez de convergencia adecuada. Los resultados de los análisis de factores exploratorios y confirmatorios revelaron dos factores subyacentes: aspectos positivos de crianza y aspectos negativos de crianza. Nuestros datos confirman la validez de la versión griega de PSS-18 en madres con infantes de edad 0-12 meses. La versión griega de PSS-18 pudiera ser una herramienta útil para profesionales e investigadores que están interesados en el período perinatal y los aspectos de la maternidad/paternidad.

Le parentage d'un enfant est une tâche gratifiante mais également un défi, souvent accompagnée de niveaux de stress élevés. Il est important d'évaluer avec précision le stress lié au parentage puisque les formes sévères de stress affectent la dyade parent-enfant et mènent à de piètres résultats pour l'enfant. Le but de cette étude était de traduire et de valider l'Echelle de Stress Parental (abrégé en anglais et ici par PSS) chez la population grecque. Nous avons procédé à la traduction et fait un test pilote. Un total de 735 mères (Mâge = 34,6) avec des bébés âgés de 0 à 12 mois ont rempli la PSS, l'Echelle de Dépression Postnatale d'Edinbourg, et l'Echelle d'Anxiété de l'Hôpital et de Dépression. La PSS-18 grecque a fait preuve de bonne cohérence interne (Cronbach's α = .83) et d'une validité convergente adéquate. Les résultats de l'analyse de facteur exploratoire et confirmative ont révélé deux facteurs sous-jacents: les aspects positifs du parentage et les aspects négatifs du parentage. Nos données confirment la validité de la version grecque de la PSS-19 chez des mères avec des bébés âgés de 0 à 12 mois. La version grecque de la PSS-18 pourrait être un outil utile pour les professionnels et les chercheurs qui s'intéressent à la période périnatale et aux aspects du parentage.

Episodic Visual Learning/Memory and Attentional Flexibility in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder After Clinically Effective Electroconvulsive Therapy.

OBJECTIVES: This study is a follow-up of a previous one reporting that the neuropsychological profile of pharmacoresistant patients with major depressive disorder referred for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT, ECT group) contrasted with that of their pharmacorespondent counterparts (NECT group). The NECT group exhibited severe visuospatial memory and minor executive deficits; the ECT group presented the reverse pattern. In that same ECT group, the current follow-up study examined the effects of clinically effective ECT on both cognitive domains 2 months later. METHODS: Fifteen ECT patients were administered Hamilton Depression (HAMD-24), Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA), Mini-Mental State Examination Scales and 5 tests of Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery at intake (pre-ECT), end of ECT course (post-ECT), and 2 months thereafter (follow-up). RESULTS: Electroconvulsive therapy was effective in relieving clinical depression. After a post-ECT decline, the patients exhibited significant improvement in both Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, paired associate learning, and Stockings of Cambridge. By contrast, their major pre-ECT deficit in intra/extradimensional set shifting remained virtually unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that attentional flexibility deficits may constitute a neuropsychological trait-like feature of pharmacoresistant, ECT-referred major depressive disorder patients. However, this deficit does not seem generalized, given patient improvement in episodic visual learning/memory and some indication of improvement in spatial planning after ECT.

CSF and plasma cytokines at delivery and postpartum mood disturbances.

BACKGROUND: Immune activation has been shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of anxiety states and major depression and pregnancy is associated with a characteristic immune activation to sustain the fetus. Despite the possibility of a relation between immune parameters and postpartum mood disturbance, few studies have explored this association. Further, no study to-date has examined CSF. METHODS: Fifty-six Greek parturients were recruited and a detailed medical and obstetric history was recorded. All of them completed the Postpartum Blues Questionnaire (on admission and on days 1-4 postpartum) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (at first and sixth week postpartum). At delivery, a blood sample and a CSF sample while puncturing for epidural analgesia were taken from 33 participants; blood samples only were obtained from the rest of the 23 parturients. TNF-a and IL-6 were quantified with an ELISA assay. RESULTS: A multiple regression analysis of psychometric scores depending on cytokine levels revealed that cytokine levels were positively associated with depressive mood during the first four days postpartum (p=0.035 for CSF IL-6, p=0.025 for CSF TnF-a, p=0.023 for serum TnF-a) and also at sixth week postpartum (p=0.012 for CSF IL-6, p=0.072 for CSF TnF-a). Pregnancy duration had an adverse association to psychometric scores. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that immune mechanisms may play a role in the etiopathology of postpartum depressive mood shifts. The role of a "rebound" reaction of the maternal immune system postnatal should be further investigated.

Quality of life and psychological symptoms in Greek postmenopausal women: association with hormone therapy.

Quality of life (QoL) in menopause is influenced by many parameters, including vasomotor symptoms, psychological status and culture. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of hormone therapy (HT) with QoL and psychological symptoms in Greek postmenopausal women. The study assessed 216 postmenopausal women (mean age 54.5 years) attending a university menopause clinic in Greece. Fifty-three were users of HT and 163 were not. QoL was evaluated by the Utian Quality of Life Scale (UQOL) and psychological symptoms were assessed by the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). Women on HT were younger and more educated than women not using HT. Adjusting the analysis for the women's characteristics, HT users had better total UQOL scores than non-users (p < 0.05). Marital status and education had independent effects on QoL, with married and more educated women scoring higher (p < 0.05). Assessment of psychological symptomatology, after adjustment for sociodemographic variables across the different dimensions, revealed that HT users had better SCL-90-R scores than non-users for obsessionality, interpersonal sensitivity and for the general index (p < 0.05). Concluding, even though the impact of sociodemographic and lifestyle variables must be factored into the assessment of QoL, HT use is independently related to an improvement in the total score and in most domains of QoL, and has a significant positive effect on many aspects of psychological well-being in Greek postmenopausal women.

Pituitary volume in psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with psychosis have activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during the acute phase of the psychosis. Whether this has any morphological consequences for the pituitary gland is currently unknown. AIMS: To examine pituitary volume variation in people at different stages of psychotic disorder. METHOD: Pituitary volume was measured using 1.5 mm, coronal magnetic resonance images in 24 people with first-episode psychosis, 51 with established schizophrenia and 59 healthy controls. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the people with first-episode psychosis had pituitary volumes that were 10% larger, whereas those with established schizophrenia had pituitary volumes that were 17% smaller. In both of the groups with psychosis, there was no difference in pituitary volume between those receiving typical antipsychotic drugs and those receiving atypical antipsychotics. CONCLUSIONS: The first episode of a psychosis is associated with a larger pituitary volume, which we suggest is due to activation of the HPA axis. The smaller pituitary volume in the group with established schizophrenia could be the consequence of repeated episodes of HPA axis hyperactivity.