Josepa Canals

Prevalence of DSM-III-R and ICD-10 psychiatric disorders in a Spanish population of 18-year-olds.

The aim of this study was to estimate the current prevalence of DSM‐III‐R and ICD‐10 psychiatric disorders in Spanish 18‐year‐old members of the general population. Subjects were assessed using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN). Nearly 30% of the study subjects reported at least one current disorder according to ICD‐10 criteria, and almost 21% reported at least one current disorder according to DSM‐III‐R criteria. Women had a significantly higher probability of suffering from any psychiatric disorder than men. The most common disorders were insomnia, dysthymia, major depression and simple phobia. Nearly 40% of the diagnosed subjects had one or more comorbid disorders. Comorbidity was found to be higher among female subjects. Consistent with previous risk factor research, it was found that women had higher rates of mood, anxiety and sleep disorders than men. Good communication between parents and their offspring was found to be a protecting factor for all disorders.

Parent-child agreement in SCARED and its relationship to anxiety symptoms.

The aim of this study is to analyze parent-child agreement in the Spanish version of the Screen for Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders and its relationship with the anxiety symptoms reported in a scheduled interview and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents in order to establish the best informant and the degree of incremental validity when both sources of information are combined. Results indicated that, as in the original English version, parent-children agreement is low, with parents clearly tending to report fewer severe symptoms than children. When both parent and child versions were related to anxiety symptoms of the scheduled interview, children showed higher relationships than parents with all the anxiety categories reported by the scheduled interview. Childrens scores were also the best predictors of anxiety symptoms, while incremental validity of parents reports was quite low.

The Beck Depression Inventory: Psychometric Characteristics and Usefulness in Nonclinical Adolescents

Summary: Epidemiological utility and characteristics of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were examined in a sample of 304 nonclinical adolescents. Psychopathological diagnoses according ICD-10 c...

How anxiety levels during pregnancy are linked to personality dimensions and sociodemographic factors

We evaluated the development of anxiety, from the pre-conception stage to the postpartum stage, in 96 women who wanted to have children. Anxiety levels were assessed with the State-Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire for Adults (STAI). Personality dimensions (from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire for Adults, EPQ-A) and sociodemographic variables were related with the anxiety levels. There were no statistical differences in State or Trait Anxiety during the period we studied. Neuroticism was significantly linked to anxiety levels. Older expectant mothers had significantly lower levels of anxiety at the pre-conception stage. We suggest that support offered at this stage would enhance the health of the mother and her new-born baby.

Predictors of depression at eighteen: A 7-year follow-up study in a Spanish nonclinical population

Abstract. This study prospectively examined predicting factors and depressive antecedents of depression in early adulthood and determined differences by sex. 199 adolescents aged 11–12 from the general community were followed up annually for 4 years and reassessed at 18 years of age. Sociodemographic data, depressive symptomatology, anxiety level, personality dimensions, self-esteem, academic aptitude and pubertal development were reported throughout this period and tested as possible risk variables of depression. At 18, depression was diagnosed using ICD-10 criteria. Of the cases of major depression (MDD) at eighteen, 30 % had been diagnosed as MDD between 12 and 14 years of age. Of the cases of MDD at eighteen, 80 % had had depressive symptomatology between the ages of 11 and 14. Subclinical scores in the Childrens Depression Inventory (CDI) were early indicators of long-term risk. Gender differences were found in the risk pattern; depressive symptoms were more significant in girls than in boys. In boys, early anxious symptomatology was a significant predictor. This study reports cross-cultural data that support a continuity of depression from adolescence to young adulthood.

Discriminant validity of the Eating Attitudes Test according to American Psychiatric Association and World Health Organization criteria of eating disorders.

The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity, the specificity, and the positive predictive value of the Eating Attitudes Test in a sample of Spanish nonclinical 18-yr.-olds. 304 subjects answered the Eating Attitudes Test-40, 290 of whom were interviewed individually with the Spanish version of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry. Eating disorders were diagnosed using ICD–10 and DSM-III–R criteria. The prevalence of eating disorders was higher for ICD–10 (5.2%) than for DSM-III-R (2.6%) and only affected the rate of diagnosis in women. According to ICD–10 criteria, the cut-off of 25 was more sensitive (87.5%) than the cut-off of 30 (75%) and varied little in specificity (93.9% vs 97.1%). The positive predictive value of the Eating Attitudes Test cut-off of 30 for eating disorders (ICD–10) was 36%. Our results support the test as useful for identifying eating disturbances in 18-yr.-olds and suggest assessment of a cut-off lower than 30 may be appropriate in the general population if confirmed in further research with a representative sample of adults.

Feeding problems in nursery children: prevalence and psychosocial factors.

Aim: In this study we analyze the prevalence of feeding problems in a sample of nursery children and examine the environmental and psychopathological factors related to such problems. Methods: We used the Early Childhood Inventory—Parents Checklist to assess 851 Spanish children aged between 3 and 6 years from both urban and rural samples. This screens emotional and behavioural problems and is based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders‐IV. We collected sociodemographic data and information about life events and the psychopathology of the childrens parents (General Health Questionnaire‐28). Results: Our results showed that the prevalence of feeding problems was 4.8% and that there were no differences between gender. Sample subtype, socioeconomic level and family characteristics were not linked to feeding problems. Children with feeding problems had significantly more symptoms of psychological problems and somatic complaints and had experienced more life events in the previous 12 months. The psychopathology of the mother, especially in terms of anxiety problems, increased the risk of feeding problems in children.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish adaptation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11-A for children.

Given difficulty in having children assess their own behaviour, there are few self reports on child impulsivity. With the exception of Eysencks 16 questionnaire, there are no self-report measures of impulsivity in children with good psychometric properties. The present study tested the possibility of using the adolescent version of the Barrati Impulsiveness Scale-11 with children. For this purpose the questionnaire was translated and backtranslated and administered to school children (182 boys and 195 girls) ages 8 to 12 years (M = 10.4, SD = 0.9). The data were analysed by exploratory factor analysis, to evaluate the factorial structure of the questionnaire, the fit of the proposed solution, and internal consistency reliabilities. Results seem to indicate that this questionnaire may be useful in assessing impulsivity in children. The three-factor structure showed slight differences with the initial questionnaire proposed by Barratt and had good or sufficient internal consistency (depending upon the scale) across the 8- to 12-yr.-old age range.

Smoking and personality predictors in young Spanish people

Abstract The influence of personality on age at smoking initiation, daily cigarette consumption and tobacco dependence was assessed in a sample of adolescents. Personality traits were evaluated by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire—Junior at the age of 11 and 12 and smoking habits were reported at 18. Psychoticism was the most closely related to smoking. Any previous personality characteristic accounted for 6.2% of the quantity of cigarettes used. Other predictors such as environmental, biological and psychopathological factors could contribute to the initiation and maintenance of smoking habits.

Parents and teachers reports of DSM-IV psychopathological symptoms in preschool children : Differences between urban-rural spanish areas

BackgroundThis study used DSM-IV criteria to analyse reports from teachers and parents and to compare behavioural and emotional symptoms in Spanish preschool children from both urban and rural populations.MethodThe field survey was conducted in two geographical areas in Catalonia (Spain). A sample of 1104 children (56.67% boys and 43.32% girls) aged 3–6 years participated in this study: 697 were from urban areas and 408 from rural ones. The Early Childhood Inventory—teachers’ and parents’ versions (ECI-4) [Gadow KD, Sprafkin J (1997)—was used as the screening instrument.ResultsThe teachers’ and parents’ reports assigned 32.7 and 46.7%, respectively, to one or more ECI-4 categories. Significant differences between sexes were found in teachers’ reports. The whole disorders were significantly more prevalent in the urban sample than in the rural one (30.6 vs. 20.3%). The most prevalent disorders in both areas were Anxiety Disorders and Behavioural Problems, and the least prevalent were Mood Disorders and Autistic Disorders.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that there are some differences in the prevalence rates of preschool psychopathological disorders between rural and urban Spanish areas.