Meral Kelleci

Psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with Internet use: comparison without Internet use.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychiatric symptoms of adolescents with and without Internet use. A total of 2,080 students (1,105 male, 975 female) were recruited for the study. We administered the Symptom Checklist-90-Revision and Questions Related to Internet Use. Students in 10th through 12th grades were recruited from 14 senior high schools in Sivas, Turkey. Data were collected from October to May 2008. Data were analyzed after excluding the participants who provided incomplete data. It was found that Internet use in adolescents was associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms. Attention should be devoted to adolescents with Internet use for the design of preventive strategies.

Perspectives on reasons of medication nonadherence in psychiatric patients

Purpose This study was carried out to evaluate factors resulting in medication nonadherence within 6 months before admission to the psychiatric service of our hospital for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and other psychiatric diseases. Patients and methods Two hundred and three patients admitted to the Psychiatry Service of the Medical Faculty were included in this study. Sociodemographic parameters and clinical findings within 6 months before admission and patients’ views on reasons of medication nonadherence were examined. Results Patients were classified into four groups according to their diagnosis: bipolar disorder (n=68, 33.5%), schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder (n=59, 29.1%), depression (n=39, 19.2%), and others (n=37, 18.2%). The ratio of medication nonadherence was higher in the bipolar disorder group when compared to the groups with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and other disorders (12.1%, 18.2%, and 24.2% vs 45.5%); however, the ratio of medication nonadherence was similar in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, depression, and the others group. In logistic regression analysis, irregular follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 5.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.92–11.31) and diagnosis (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.07–1.95) were determined to be important risk factors for medication nonadherence. The leading factors for medication nonadherence were: “not willing to use medication”, “not accepting the disease”, and “being disturbed by side effects” in the bipolar disorder group, “not accepting the disease” in the schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder group, “feeling well” in the depression group, and “being disturbed by side effects” in the other diseases group. Conclusion Medication nonadherence is an important problem in psychiatric patients and should be dealt with by taking into account the diagnosis, attendance to follow-up appointments, and the patient’s attitude. Ensuring regular attendance to follow-up appointments, adjusting the management plan according to the diagnosis, and improving their thoughts about resistance to medication can be beneficial in terms of medication adherence.

Alexithymia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the role of anxiety, depression, and glycemic control

Objective This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with type 2 DM and the factors affecting it. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 326 patients with type 2 DM. Study data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Glycemic control was assessed by glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) results. The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Pear-son’s correlation, and logistic regression analysis. Results Of the patients, 37.7% were determined to have alexithymia. A significant relationship was determined between alexithymia and HbA1c, depression, and anxiety. According to binary logistic regression analyses, alexithymia was 2.63 times higher among those who were in a paid employment than those who were not, 2.09 times higher among those whose HbA1c levels were ≥7.0% than those whose HbA1c levels were <7.0%, 3.77 times higher among those whose anxiety subscale scores were ≥11 than those whose anxiety subscale scores were ≤10, and 2.57 times higher among those whose depression subscale scores were ≥8 than those whose depression subscale scores were ≤7. Conclusion In this study, it was determined that two out of every five patients with DM had alexithymia. Therefore, their treatment should be arranged to include mental health care services.

Evaluation of the psychosocial symptoms by several variables in the hospitalized children

Aim. The aim of the study is to evaluate the psychosocial symptoms by several variables in the hospitalized 6-12 years old children. Method. The sample of this descriptive study includes 360 children hospitalized in the Gaziantep Pediatric Hospital. Inclusion criteria: with an acute or chronic disease, without any psychiatric disease diagnosis, at least 3 days of hospitalization, willing to participate in the study, 6-12 years old children. “Personal Data Form” and “psychosocial symptoms identification scale in the hospitalized children” scales were used to collect the characteristics data of the patients. Data were evaluated by t test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results. The average age of the children was 8.8±2.0, 56.9% of the children were male, 62.2% of them hospitalized in two or more hospitals. The psychosocial symptoms were more common among the children: -having a poor family whose income is less than expenditure, -living in village,-not going school-having 2 brothers/sisters, having an urinary or endocrine disease, hospitalized for more than 15 days, having a psychiatric symptom history. Conclusion. In conclusion, it is important to pay more attention to the children especially: -having a psychiatric symptom history, -experiencing disease symptoms for a long period,-hospitalized in two or more hospitals, -living in a poor socioeconomic status. According to the study, we emphase that the hospitalized children should be evaluated in terms of their psychosocial status.

Childhood trauma and general cognitive ability: Roles of minimization/denial and gender

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of minimization and gender on the interaction between childhood trauma and general cognitive ability. The study included 345 students. The data were obtained via an information form, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Ravens standard progressive matrices (RSPM). The mean CTQ total score and the mean sexual abuse, physical, and emotional neglect subscale scores of the male students were significantly higher than those of the female students (p<0.05). The mean minimization score of the female students was greater than that of the male students (p<0.05). However, among the female students with minimization scores of 3, there was a moderate and significant negative correlation between the CTQ and RSPM scores (r=-0.533, p<0.05). This study found that general cognitive ability was influenced by childhood trauma among female students with higher minimization/neglect scores. The results of the current study suggest that ignoring the effects of minimization may be a misleading factor for determining the gender ratio of childhood trauma and evaluating its effect on long-term cognitive functions.

Hastanede yatan çocuklarda psikososyal semptomların bazı değişkenler açısından incelenmesi

Ozet Amac. Arastirma, bir cocuk hastanesinde yatan 6-12 yas cocuklarda psikososyal semptomlarin incelenmesi amaciyla yapilmistir. Yontem. Tanimlayici nitelikteki bu arastirmanin orneklemini, Gaziantep Cocuk Hastanesi’nde yatmakta olan, akut veya kronik bir hastalik tanisi almis ve herhangi bir psikiyatrik hastalik tanisi almamis, en az uc gundur hastanede yatan, calismaya katilmaya istekli, 6-12 yas grubundaki 360 cocuk olusturmustur. Verilerin toplanmasinda hastalarin tanitici ozelliklerini belirleyen “Kisisel Bilgi Formu” ve “Hastanede Yatan Cocuklar Icin Psikososyal Semptomlari Tanilama Olcegi” kullanilmistir. Veriler t testi ve Kruskal Wallis testle degerlendirilmistir. Bulgular. Yas ortalamasi 8,8±2,0 olan cocuklarin, %56,9’u erkek, %62,2’si iki ve daha fazla sayida hastanede yatmistir. Ailesinin geliri giderinden az olan, koyde yasayan, okula gitmeyen, iki kardesi olan, uriner sistem ve endokrin sistemle ilgili hastaligi olan, 15 gunden daha fazla suredir hastanede yatan ve psikiyatrik belirti oykusu olan cocuklarda psikososyal semptomlarin daha fazla goruldugu belirlenmistir. Sonuc. Sonuc olarak ozellikle psikiyatrik semptom oykusu olan, uzun suredir hastalik semptomlari yasayan, iki ve daha fazla hastaneye yatma oykusu olan ve sosyoekonomik durumu yetersiz cocuklara dikkat edilmesinin onemine vurgu yapilmistir. Calismamizda hastanede yatan cocuklarin psikososyal acidan degerlendirilmelerinin gerekli oldugu vurgulanmistir. Anahtar sozcukler: Cocuk, hastaneye yatma, psikososyal sorunlar Abstract Aim. The aim of the study is to evaluate the psychosocial symptoms by several variables in the hospitalized 6-12 years old children. Method. The sample of this descriptive study includes 360 children hospitalized in the Gaziantep Pediatric Hospital. Inclusion criteria: with an acute or chronic disease, without any psychiatric disease diagnosis, at least 3 days of hospitalization, willing to participate in the study, 6-12 years old children. “Personal Data Form” and “psychosocial symptoms identification scale in the hospitalized children” scales were used to collect the characteristics data of the patients. Data were evaluated by t test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results. The average age of the children was 8.8±2.0, 56.9% of the children were male, 62.2% of them hospitalized in two or more hospitals. The psychosocial symptoms were more common among the children: -having a poor family whose income is less than expenditure, -living in village,-not going school-having 2 brothers/sisters, having an urinary or endocrine disease, hospitalized for more than 15 days, having a psychiatric symptom history. Conclusion. In conclusion, it is important to pay more attention to the children especially: -having a psychiatric symptom history, -experiencing disease symptoms for a long period,-hospitalized in two or more hospitals, -living in a poor socioeconomic status. According to the study, we emphase that the hospitalized children should be evaluated in terms of their psychosocial status. Keywords: Child, hospitalization, psychosocial symptoms

Orijinal araştırma-Original research Sigara içen ve içmeyen üniversite öğrencilerinin stresle başa çıkma tarzları: Cinsiyetin etkisi

Amac. Bu calismada sigara icen ve icmeyen universite ogrencilerinin stresle basa cikma tarzlarinin cinsiyet acisindan incelenmesi amaclanmistir. Yontem. Calisma bir universitede ogrenim goren ogrenciler ile yurutulmustur. Arastirmanin orneklemini bu universitenin cesitli bolumlerinde ogrenim goren 965 universite ogrencisi olusturmustur. Verilerin toplanmasinda “Bilgi Formu” ve “Stresle Basa Cikma Yollari Envanteri” (SBCT) kullanilmistir. Verilerin analizinde student t testi, ki kare testi ve tek yonlu varyans analizi kullanilmistir. Bulgular. Arastirmada universite ogrencileri arasinda sigara kullanma yayginligi %39,8 olarak bulundu (erkeklerin %50,7’si ve kadinlarin %24,9’u). Ogrencilerin sigaraya baslama nedenleri arasinda arkadas etkisi, stresle basa cikma, merak ve sosyal kabul gorme yer aldi. Erkeklerde sigara kullanan ve kullanmayan bireylerin stresle basa cikma tarzlari puan ortalamasi benzer iken, kizlarda SBCT olceginin boyun egici yaklasim alt boyutu puan ortalamasi sigara kullananlarda, sosyal destek arama yaklasimi alt boyutu puan ortalamasi ise sigara kullanmayanlarda anlamli duzeyde yuksek bulundu (p