Depression in a Patient With Alzheimer Disease

This is a case study of a 73-year-old woman recently diagnosed with Alzheimer disease living in an assisted living facility who presented to an outpatient behavioral health clinic with her son for evaluation and treatment of depression. This article highlights the presentation of depression (a diagnosis) versus apathy (a symptom of Alzheimer disease) and the need to assess for co-occurring mood disorders that warrant pharmacologic intervention as well as treatment for cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease.     

Effets de la maltraitance sur la régulation émotionnelle des enfants et des adolescents confiés à l’Aide Sociale à l’Enfance

ObjectivesThis research aims to compare coping strategies (strategies developed to cope with stress) and temperamental dimensions used by children and adolescents have not been maltreated and those who have been. The aim of these analyzes is to identify the effects of age as well as vulnerabilities and resources for children and adolescents who have been maltreated.Materials and methodsA total of 232 children and adolescents aged 7 to 16 years participated in this study including 115 who have never been maltreated (control group) and 117 have been maltreated and are living in foster care (placed group). Each young people responded to a scale measuring the frequency of coping strategies (Kidcope) as well as a questionnaire of temperament (questionnaire d’auto- et d’hétéro-évaluation du tempérament en sept facteurs pour l’enfant d’âge scolaire et l’adolescent).ResultsAn analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each coping strategy and temperamental dimension to evaluate the consequence of maltreatment on the emotional regulation, according to the slice of age. The age-based comparison of control and placed groups reveals major differences in the use of certain coping strategies as well as in the temperamental dimensions of maltreated children and adolescents. This confirms that the child's life experience influences his way of understanding his environment and affects his individual resources.ConclusionsThe results show vulnerabilities of emotional regulation for children and adolescents who have been maltreated. These aspects underline the importance to think about supports in order to promote the development of some coping strategies and to reduce the stressors. These points will be discussed with preventive and therapeutic used to improve coping skills and emotional regulation.     

Family nurture intervention alters relationships between preterm infant EEG delta brush characteristics and term age EEG power

ObjectiveFamily Nurture Intervention (FNI) facilitates mother/infant emotional connection, improves neurodevelopmental outcomes and increases electroencephalogram (EEG) power at term age. Here we explored whether delta brushes (DB), early EEG bursts that shape brain development, are altered by FNI and mediate later effects of FNI on EEG.MethodsWe assessed DB characteristics in EEG data from a randomized controlled trial comparing infants with standard care (SC, n = 31) versus SC + FNI (n = 33) at ~35 and ~40 weeks GA.ResultsCompared to SC infants, FNI infant DB amplitude increased more from ~35 to ~40 weeks, and FNI infants had longer duration DBs. DB parameters (rate, amplitude, brush frequency) at ~35 weeks were correlated with power at ~40 weeks, but only in SC infants. FNI effects on DB parameters do not mediate FNI effects on EEG power or coherence at term.ConclusionsDBs are related to subsequent brain activity and FNI alters DB parameters. However, FNI’s effects on electrocortical activity at term age are not dependent on its earlier effects on DBs.SignificanceWhile early DBs can have important effects on later brain activity in preterm infants, facilitating emotional connection with FNI may allow brain maturation to be less dependent on early bursts.     

A comparison of termination of pregnancy procedures: Patient choice,emotional impact and satisfaction with care

ObjectivesTo investigate: (1) whether women self-report an ability to choose their preferred termination of pregnancy (TOP) procedure, (2) what factors influence this choice, and (3) what effect this choice has on emotional responses and satisfaction with care.Study designA mixed-method prospective comparative study in which women requesting a TOP between five and eighteen weeks gestation for social reasons (as opposed to medical indications), were invited to complete a semi-structured pre-TOP interview and questionnaire, and a post-TOP questionnaire four weeks after the procedure.Main outcome measuresQuantitative data was collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Impact of Event Scale – Revised, and Client Satisfaction Questionnaire.ResultsPre-TOP emotion-based factors did not differ between groups. Most women felt that they were able to choose their preferred method of TOP. Their decisions were based on factors categorised as procedure-related, lifestyle or social circumstance-related, emotional, or other factors. When no choice was perceived, common reasons reported were that: (1) gestation was too far along for there to be another option, or (2) an appointment was not available within the required timeframe. When women felt that the method of TOP performed was not their choice they found the procedure more stressful. All women reported high satisfaction with care.ConclusionA better understanding of the patient experience can inform service development, enabling staff to ensure that the services provided meet women’s needs. The perception that one is able to choose their preferred TOP procedure is important for reducing procedure-related stress and ensuring high satisfaction with care.     

Mindfulness to regulate emotions: The Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence Program (PINEP) and its adaptation to a virtual learning platform

The present study examines the effect of the Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence Program (PINEP), adapted to the virtual learning platform Moodle where participants receive Mindfulness training in 12 sessions lasting an hour and a half. The sample consists of 89 people, assigned randomly to a control group on the waiting list and to an experimental group that undertakes the training. The results indicate that the participants who completed PINEP showed improvement in the variables of health, empathy and mindfulness, in comparison with the participants of the group on the waiting list.     

‘The body is a battleground for unwanted and unexpressed emotions’: exploring eating disorders and the role of emotional intelligence

Emotional difficulties have been observed in individuals with eating disorders across awide range of studies, including poor interoceptive awareness, confusion of emotional states and difficulties with emotional language. Literature has linked these difficulties with emotional functioning as being an important factor related to the core aetiology ofeating disorders, however limited knowledge exists to how this impacts on professionalability to engage patients within treatment as a result of such dysfunction. Using aqualitative design this paper explores how facets of Emotional intelligence (EI) are related to the experience of an eating disorder. The study sampled a total of 32 participants with either a professional background working with eating disorders (n=27)or participants with personal lived experience (n=5), with a number of the participants (n=13) identified as having dual roles. The findings of the study show that aspects of EIsuch as emotional regulation and lack of an emotional language are considered to beat the core of the onset and maintenance of these disorders. Additional aspects of emotional awareness and expression were found to be related to treatment disengagement and difficulties. Building on previous literature, this paper found suchemotional deficits as a transdiagnostic issue rather than specifically anorexia nervosa. Furthermore, such dysfunction was seen by professionals to have a considerable impact on therapeutic relationships and successful treatment. These findings provide insight into the potential applications that EI may have in addressing aspects of theeating disorder to create better outcomes for treatment and intervention models.