Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 

About: Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences is an academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Epilepsy & Poison control. It has an ISSN identifier of 1323-1316. Over the lifetime, 5952 publications have been published receiving 99662 citations. The journal is also known as: Folia Psychiatrica et Neurologica Japonica.

Public responses to the novel 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Japan: Mental health consequences and target populations.

Abstract: In December 2019, cases of life-threatening pneumonia were reported in Wuhan, China. A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified as the source of infection. The number of reported cases has rapidly increased in Wuhan as well as other Chinese cities. The virus has also been identified in other parts of the world. On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this disease a ‘public health emergency of international concern.’ As of 3 February 2020, the Chinese government had reported 17 205 confirmed cases in Mainland China, and the WHO had reported 146 confirmed cases in 23 countries outside China. The virus has not been contained within Wuhan, and other major cities in China are likely to experience localized outbreaks. Foreign cities with close transport links to China could also become outbreak epicenters without careful public health interventions. In Japan, economic impacts and social disruptions have been reported. Several Japanese individuals who were on Japanese-government-chartered airplanes from Wuhan to Japan were reported as coronavirus-positive. Also, human-to-human transmission was confirmed in Nara Prefecture on 28 January 2020. Since then, the public has shown anxiety-related behaviors and there has been a significant shortage of masks and antiseptics in drug stores. The economic impact has been substantial. Stock prices have dropped in China and Japan, and other parts of the world are also showing some synchronous decline. As of 3 February 2020, no one had died directly from coronavirus infection in Japan. Tragically, however, a 37-year-old government worker who had been in charge of isolated returnees died from apparent suicide. This is not the first time that the Japanese people have experienced imperceptible-agent emergencies – often dubbed as ‘CBRNE’ (i.e., chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives). Japan has endured two atomic bombings in 1945, the sarin gas attacks in 1995, the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, and the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011: all of which carried fear and risk associated with unseen agents. All of these events provoked social disruption. Overwhelming and sensational news headlines and images added anxiety and fear to these situations and fostered rumors and hyped information as individuals filled in the absence of information with rumors. The affected people were subject to societal rejection, discrimination, and stigmatization. Fukushima survivors tend to attribute physical changes to the event (regardless of actual exposure) and have decreased perceived health, which is associated with decreased life expectancy. Fear of the unknown raises anxiety levels in healthy individuals as well as those with preexisting mental health conditions. For example, studies of the 2001 anthrax letter attacks in the USA showed long-term mental health adversities as well as lowered health perception of the infected employees and responders. Public fear manifests as discrimination, stigmatization, and scapegoating of specific populations, authorities, and scientists. As we write this letter, the coronavirus emergency is rapidly evolving. Nonetheless, we can more or less predict expected mental/physical health consequences and the most vulnerable populations. First, peoples’ emotional responses will likely include extreme fear and uncertainty. Moreover, negative societal behaviors will be often driven by fear and distorted perceptions of risk. These experiences might evolve to include a broad range of public mental health concerns, including distress reactions (insomnia, anger, extreme fear of illness even in those not exposed), health risk behaviors (increased use of alcohol and tobacco, social isolation), mental health disorders (post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, somatization), and lowered perceived health. It is essential for mental health professionals to provide necessary support to those exposed and to those who deliver care. Second, particular effort must be directed to vulnerable populations, which include: (i) the infected and ill patients, their families, and colleagues; (ii) Chinese individuals and communities; (iii) individuals with pre-existing mental/physical conditions; and, last but not least, (iv) health-care and aid workers, especially nurses and physicians working directly with ill or quarantined persons. If nothing else, the death of the government quarantine worker must remind us to recognize the extent of psychological stress associated with imperceptible agent emergencies and to give paramount weight to the integrity and rights of vulnerable populations.

Reliability and validity of Japanese version of the Mini‐International Neuropsychiatric Interview

Abstract: The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) is a short, structured diagnostic interview used as a tool to diagnose 16 axis I (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) DSM-IV disorders and one personality disorder. Its original version was developed by Sheehan and Lecrubier. We translated the MINI into Japanese, and investigated the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of MINI. Eighty-two subjects participated in the validation of the MINI versus the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID-P). One hundred and sixty-nine subjects participated in the validation of the MINI versus an expert's professional opinion. Seventy-seven subjects were interviewed by two investigators and subsequently readministered by a third interviewer blind to the results of initial evaluation 1-2 days later. In general, kappa values indicated good or excellent agreement between MINI and SCID-P diagnoses. Kappa values indicated poor agreement between MINI and expert's diagnoses for most diagnoses. Interrater and test-retest reliabilities were good or excellent. The mean durations of the interview were 18.8 min for MINI and 45.4 min for corresponding sections of SCID-P. Overall, the results suggest that the MINI Japanese version succeeds in reliably and validly eliciting symptom criteria used in making DSM-III-R diagnoses, and can be performed in less than half the time required for the SCID-P.

Screening performance of K6/K10 and other screening instruments for mood and anxiety disorders in Japan

Abstract: Aims: This study aimed to establish the screening performance and optimal cut-off points for the Japanese version of Kessler (K)6, K10 and the Depression and Suicide Screen (DSS). Methods: A self-report questionnaire including K6, K10 and DSS, as well as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression Scale (CES-D), was administered to a random sample of community residents in Japan (non-cases, n = 147) and psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders according to DSM-IV (cases, n = 17). A receiver–operator characteristics (ROC) curve was drawn to estimate the area under the curve (AUC), the sensitivity, and specificity with the optimal cut-off points for K6, K10, and DSS, which were then compared with those of CES-D. The community sample was also asked to rate each measure on a scale from ‘very easy’ to ‘very hard’ to use. Results: K6 and K10 showed a high AUC (0.93–0.94), which was comparable to that of CES-D (0.95), but DSS showed a significantly smaller AUC (0.89) than CES-D (P < 0.05). The optimal cut-off points were estimated as 4/5 for K6, 9/10 for K10, and 1/2 for DSS. The sensitivity of these three scales was similar, but the specificity was lower for DSS than for the other two. K6, K10 and DSS were rated as being ‘very easy’ or ‘easy to use’ significantly more than CES-D (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The screening performance of the Japanese versions of K6 and K10 was comparable with that of CES-D, and better than that of DDS. K6/K10, particularly K6, might have an advantage, even over the CES-D, because of its similar screening performance and better acceptability.

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and internet addiction.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attention deficit-hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms and Internet addiction. In total, 535 elementary school students (264 boys, 271 girls; mean age, 11.0 +/- 1.0 years) were recruited. The presence or severity of Internet addiction was assessed by the Young's Internet Addiction test. Parents and teachers of the children completed the DuPaul's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rating scale (ARS; Korean version, K-ARS) and Child Behavior Checklists. Children with the highest and lowest quartiles in K-ARS scores were defined to be in ADHD and non-ADHD groups, respectively. Five children (0.9%) met criteria for a definite Internet addiction and 75 children (14.0%) met criteria for a probable Internet addiction. K-ARS scores had significant positive correlations with Young's Internet Addiction test scores. The Internet addiction group had higher total scores of K-ARS and ADHD-related subcategories in the Child Behavior Checklists than the non-addiction group. The ADHD group had higher Internet addiction scores compared with the non-ADHD group. Therefore, significant associations have been found between the level of ADHD symptoms and the severity of Internet addiction in children. In addition, current findings suggest that the presence of ADHD symptoms, both in inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity domains, may be one of the important risk factors for Internet addiction.