conference report: Mental health and intellectual disability: an international perspective

The present paper reports on the inaugural meeting of the Mental Health Special Interest Research Group (SIRG) of the International Association for the Scientific study of Intellectual disability which was held at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, UK, in March 1998. The meeting was organized in conjunction with the Ninth Annual SIRG on ageing and intellectual disability. Representatives from North America, several European and Scandinavian countries, Australia, and Israel attended. Two broad themes had been determined prior to the meeting: ‘Improving the detection of mental health problems’ and ‘Research strategies for identifying risk factors for mental health problems’. In the presentations and subsequent discussions, it was apparent that there were extrenely diverse perspectives both across and within the different countries represented. Not only were individuals' experiences very different, but most strikingly, the theoretical frameworks were very diverse. This was partly a function of there being understandable differences in perspectives across disciplines, but at its most marked, there were fundamental differences in the way both intellectual disability and mental health were conceptualized.     

The Italian mental health reform nine years on

It is 9 years since the mental health reform was passed by the Italian Parliament. The author presents a data-based evaluation of the effects of the Italian mental health reform. There are still many problems to be resolved: More than 30,000 inpatients are still in psychiatric hospitals and little is known of the fate of those discharged in recent years. District mental health services are still lacking, especially in the south of the country; Psychiatric units in the general hospital function much the same way as the "old" psychiatric hospitals. The pattern of mental health services consumers have changed: They are younger with less severe psychiatric diagnosis and come from a higher social background.     

Adult adjustment of persons with severe/profound mental disabilities: A longitudinal study

The parents of 14 individuals with severe/profound mental disabilities were interviewed one and three years after their children graduated or aged out of high school. Two categories of information were sought concerning the adult adjustment of these individuals. General status variables included marital status, place of residence, agencies contacted concerning employment opportunities, financial resources, leisure activities, means of transportation, sources of help in resolving problems, and amount of postsecondary training. Employment variables included location of employment, wages, number of hours worked per week, and job benefits received. Results indicated that three years after exiting high school, all participants were very dependent upon others for housing, transportation, and financial assistance. Ten of the 14 individuals were employed 3 years after exiting high school, all in sheltered workshops.     

Existing in-between two worlds: supporting asylum seeking women living in temporary accommodation through a creative movement and art intervention

ABSTRACT

In this reflective article we introduce Moving Space, a creative movement and art project supporting female Asylum Seekers as they move through the transient space of temporary accommodation. We explore how this cross-modal approach supports women to anchor experiences of displacement, loss and trauma through the use of embodied and visual creative process. Moreover, we argue that the transient nature of the therapeutic space brings into focus women’s resourcefulness and resilience despite the adversity and uncertainty they are experiencing.     

胃癌患者生活质量问卷(QLQ-STO22)中文版的制定

目的:将QLQ-STO22引入国内,并评价其可行性、信度和效度。方法:以2003年6月1日至12 月31日在某市三家医院入院治疗的胃癌患者为研究对象。调查内容主要包括一般状况、简明病情调查表及QLQ-STO22。结果:重复测量前后比较,STO22量表各个维度的ICC 值均大于0.75;Cronbaeh'a 系数为0.80; 量表的分半信度系数分别为0.78。表明量表的重测信度、分半信度和内部一致性良好。对STO22量表的各个维度做因子分析,得到3个因子,它们分别能解释总体方差的72.8%,各公共因子在相应项目上的因子载荷均>0. 5,表明该量表具有较满意的结构效度。结论:QLQ-STO22中文版具有较好的信度和效度。     

创伤病人的手术与焦虑状态调查

采用状态——特质焦虑问卷及１０项躯体性焦虑测试题，对４０例外科创伤病人手术前后的焦虑状态调查显示：术前状态焦虑量表评分显著高于术后；术前躯体性焦虑评分显著高于术后；高特质焦虑评分亚组与低特质焦虑评分亚组术前状态焦虑评分无显著差异，但术后则前者显著高于后者；急诊手术者手术前后状态焦虑评分显著高于择期手术者。     

Reciprocal translocation mosaicism in man

We report on an8-month-old girl with a de novo 5q/6q autosomal translocation with loss of the distal part of the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q23.3→6qter); clinical manifestations are peculiar craniofacial stigmata, truncal obesity and persisting hypotonia. The similarity with a previously reported patient with 6q interstitial deletion is discussed.     

Cognitive and motor skills in achondroplastic infants: Neurologic and respiratory correlates

Thirteen infants with achondroplasia underwent psychometric testing as part of a comprehensive neurologic assessment. As a group, mental development was average and motor development was delayed, although a wide range of scores was obtained. Foramen magnum measurements were correlated with respiratory dysfunction, abnormal so-matosensory evoked potentials, and delayed motor development. Abnormal polysomno-gram outcome was associated with reduced mental capacity. In light of the reported increased frequency of respiratory dysfunction in achondroplasia, these findings warrant careful attention and further study.     

深圳市警察心理素质研究Ⅲ.心理健康与应对方式调查

目的：探讨深圳警察的心理健康和应对方式及其与人口学特征的关系。方法：通过团体测试方式对6107名深圳警察进行症状自评量表(SCL-90)和简易应对方式问卷调查。结果：深圳警察SCL-90的总均分、阳性症状均分及l0个因子分均显著低于全国常模；其积极应对得分显著高于全国常模，而消极应对得分显著低于全国常模。深圳男性警察的躯体化、强迫、人际敏感、敌对、偏执、精神病及总均分均显著高于女性，其积极应对得分显著低于女性。36-40岁年龄段及副科级警察SCL-90多项因子分在各年龄段及各职务级别警察中得分最高；45岁以前，随着年龄的递增，积极应对和消极应对两维度的均分均相应递增。结论：年龄、性别、文化程度和职务级别的不同对深圳警察的心理健康状况和应对方式存在一定影响。积极应对有利于心理健康。     

New multiple congenital anomalies: Mental retardation syndrome (MCA/MR) with facio-cutaneous-skeletal involvement

Five unrelated patients (a male and 4 females) were affected with a previously undefined multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome which has been designated the facio-cutaneous-skeletal (FCS) syndrome and which includes mental retardation with specific sociable, humorous behavior, characteristic facial appearance, excessive generalized skin, postnatal growth failure, and skeletal involvement. Consanguinity was noted in 2 patients, thus autosomal recessive inheritance is suggested. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.