Showing papers on "Psychiatric interview published in 2002"

Behavioural disorders, Parkinson's disease and subthalamic stimulation

Abstract: Objective: to analyse 24 parkinsonian patients successfully treated by bilateral STN stimulation for the presence of behavioural disorders. Method: patients were evaluated retrospectively for adjustment disorders (social adjustment scale, SAS), psychiatric disorders (comparison of the results of psychiatric interview and the mini international neuropsychiatric inventory) and personality changes (IOWA scale of personality changes). Results: parkinsonian motor disability was improved by 69.5% and the levodopa equivalent daily dosage was reduced by 60.5%. Social adjustment (SAS) was considered good or excellent in nine patients, moderately (n=14), or severely (n=1) impaired in 15 patients. Psychiatric disorders consisted of amplification or decompensation of previously existing disorders that had sometimes passed unnoticed, such as depressive episodes (n=4), generalised anxiety (n=18), and behavioural disorders with drug dependence (n=2). Appearance of mild to moderate emotional hyperreactivity was reported in 15 patients. Personality traits (IOWA scale) were improved in eight patients, unchanged in seven, and aggravated in eight Conclusion: Improvement in parkinsonian motor disability induced by STN stimulation is not necessarily accompanied by improvement in psychic function and quality of life. Attention is drawn to the possible appearance of personality disorders and decompensation of previous psychiatric disorders in parkinsonian patients who are suitable candidates for neurosurgery. We suggest that a careful psychological and psychiatric interview be performed before surgery, and emphasise the need for psychological follow up to ensure the best possible outcome.

The behavioral spectrum of tic disorders: A community-based study

Abstract: Background: Tourette syndrome (TS) and related tic disorders are commonly associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It has been argued, however, that any observed association between TS and these and other psychopathologies may be due to ascertainment bias in that individuals with multiple problems are more likely to be referred for medical evaluation. Methods: In order to overcome the potential confounding by ascertainment bias, the authors conducted a community-based study of school children using direct interviews to determine the prevalence of tic disorders and any comorbid psychopathology. A standard psychiatric interview and standardized rating scales were utilized to diagnose childhood behavioral disorders. Results: Of the 1,596 children interviewed, 339 were identified as having tics. The following psychopathologies were found more commonly (p Conclusion: The behavioral spectrum of tic disorders includes OCD, other anxiety disorders, a mood disorder, and attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorders.

Mental health of teenagers who use cannabis. Results of an Australian survey.

Abstract: Background There is concern in the community about increasing cannabis use and its potential effect on health. Aims To ascertain the prevalence of cannabis use among Australian adolescents, associations with mental health problems, risk behaviours and service use. Method Examination of data from a national representative sample of households comprising 1261 adolescents aged 13-17 years. Parents completed a psychiatric interview and questionnaires while adolescents completed questionnaires. Results One-quarter of the adolescents in the sample had used cannabis. There were no gender differences. Use increased rapidly with age, was more common in adolescents living with a sole parent and was associated with increased depression, conduct problems and health risk behaviours (smoking, drinking) but not with higher use of services. Conclusions Cannabis use is very prevalent. The association with depression, conduct problems, excessive drinking and use of other drugs shows a malignant pattern of comorbidity that may lead to negative outcomes.

Preschool major depressive disorder: preliminary validation for developmentally modified DSM-IV criteria.

Abstract: Objective To investigate the validity of developmentally modified DSM-IV criteria for preschool major depressive disorder (MDD). Method Subjects between the ages of 3.0 and 5.6 years were ascertained from community and clinical sites for a comprehensive assessment that included an age-appropriate psychiatric interview with the parent about the child. Minor developmental modifications to the formal DSM-IV MDD criteria were tested, including translations of symptoms to describe age-appropriate manifestations and setting aside the duration criterion. Preschool children who met modified criteria were compared with psychiatric and normal control groups. Results Validation for the modified criteria was supported by a specific and stable symptom constellation, social impairment, greater family histories of affective disorders, and higher child-reported symptoms of depression on an age-appropriate puppet interview. Preschool children with MDD displayed "typical" symptoms of depression, as well as vegetative signs. Standard DSM-IV criteria failed to capture 76% of children who met these modified criteria. Conclusions Evidence that preschool children can manifest typical symptoms of MDD when age-adjusted symptoms states are assessed is provided. Findings also suggest that standard DSM-IV criteria may not be sufficiently sensitive for preschool children, as they failed to capture a substantial proportion of symptomatic children. Minor modifications to DSM-IV criteria are recommended to capture clinically significant preschool MDD.

The validity of general health questionnaires, GHQ-12 and GHQ-28, in mental health studies of working people.

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to determine such cut-off points in the scores of General Health Questionnaires (GHQ-12 and GHQ-28) that allow for optimal identification of people with mental health disorders in the Polish working population attending primary health care settings. The groups under the study covered 419 and 392 patients for GHQ-12, and GHQ-28, respectively. In the GHQ-12 group, 90 and in the GHQ-28 group, 80 subjects filled in the questionnaires and agreed to participate in the second stage of the study - a psychiatric interview. The criterion validity of the GHQs was a mental health diagnosis, based on the Munich version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The complete computerized version of interview, covering all diagnostic sections, has been adopted. In the mental health diagnosis only disorders, which currently troubled patients were taken into consideration and disorders which created problems in the dis- tant past were excluded. In the group covered by GHQ-12 examination, 55.6% of persons had at least one type of mental disorder diagnosed, based on the criteria of both Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). In the GHQ-28 group, the percentage of persons with mental dis- orders was 47.5%. After excluding patients with nicotine dependence disorder only, the frequency of mental health prob- lems decreased to 45.5% and 33.8%, respectively. The proposed cut-off points, 2/3 points for GHQ-12 and 5/6 points for GHQ-28, were established at the level of the high- est possible sensitivity and specificity not lower than 75%. These principals have been accepted for a practical reason, as the acceptance of the lower level of specificity forces medical practitioners to devote too much time to practically healthy people. At the above mentioned cut-off points for GHQ-12 sensitivity is 64% and specificity - 79%, while for GHQ-28 the values are 59% and 75%, respectively. These validity coefficients were calculated from distributions of groups, from which per- sons with nicotine dependence as the only disorder were excluded. Incorporation of these people in the whole sample reduced the questionnaires' validity. Modification of responses scoring from the standard one - GHQ to CGHQ has not improved the validity of questionnaires. Lower validity coefficients of GHQ-28, in comparison to GHQ-12 validity are the effect of greater influence of somatic dis- ease on the results acquired in this scale version of the questionnaire.

Depression predicts disability in long-term chronic pain patients

Abstract: Purpose : Investigators have examined factors that predict treatment outcome and disability status in chronic pain patients, including psychopathology and personality characteristics with equivocal results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of personality characteristics, depression, and personality disorders in predicting disability status in pain patients with long-term follow-up. The setting was a rehabilitation hospital in Southern Sweden. Method : Subjects were 184 pain patients (mean age=43.4 (10.8) years; 72.8% female) who had no more than 365 sick leave days (Mean sick leave days=132.7 (128.2)) prior to the baseline personality and psychiatric evaluation. The baseline evaluation consisted of a psychiatric interview that included the administration of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Screen Questionnaire (SCID-II), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Disability status was assessed by insurance reco...

Psychiatric comorbidity and hostility in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures compared with somatoform disorders and healthy controls.

Abstract: Summary: Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity and level of anxiety, depression, and aggression in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures compared with those in patients with somatoform disorders and healthy controls. Methods: Twenty-three patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNESs) and 23 age- and sex-matched patients with somatoform disorders (SDs) underwent a clinical and a semistructured psychiatric interview (MINI) and filled in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ). Twenty-three sex- and age-matched controls without psychopathology also underwent a clinical interview and completed the HAD and AQ. Results: PNES reported more minor head injuries in the past than did the two comparison groups, and more unspecific EEG dysrhythmias were observed on EEG. Twenty-one PNES patients and 18 with SDs had comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. However, the mean number of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses was higher in the PNES group (1.9 ± 0.3 compared with 1.5 ± 0.5 in the SD group; p = 0.003). Ten PNES patients additionally had a somatoform pain disorder, and seven had an undifferentiated somatoform disorder. Both patient groups reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and anger than did the healthy controls, but the PNES patients had significantly higher level of hostility than both comparison groups. Conclusions: Increased psychiatric comorbidity is known to be associated with poorer response to regular interventions, and hostility is associated with more hostile coping patterns, often interfering with treatment compliance. Thus the increased prevalence of soft neurologic signs and comorbid psychiatric disorders and increased hostility as well in the PNES group, emphasizes that assessment and treatment of patients with PNES referred to a tertiary center requires an integrated approach involving both neurologic and psychiatric resources.

Depressive disorders in spouses of mentally ill patients.

Abstract: Background According to the literature on stress and coping, the burden of caregiving to a mentally ill partner might have an impact on the mental health of the spouse. Method As part of a study on the burden of caregiving to mentally ill family members, a structured psychiatric interview (DIA-X-M-CIDI) was conducted with spouses of patients suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia (n = 151). Results Covarying with the partner's gender and the severity of the patient's illness a significantly increased prevalence of depressive disorders could be found. Conclusion Psychiatric patients' partners are at a high risk of developing a depressive disorder. It appears necessary to develop special interventions for spouses reducing stress and the risk of getting depressed.

Prevalence and prognostic significance of psychiatric disorders in patients evaluated for recurrent unexplained syncope.

Abstract: We aimed to assess the psychiatric profile and prognostic value of psychiatric disorders (PDs) in patients presenting with unexplained syncope. Forty patients with recurrent unexplained syncope referred for head-up tilt testing were compared with age- and sex-matched patients free of known chronic PDs referred for arrhythmia. All patients underwent a semistandardized psychiatry questionnaire (Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) to assess their profile. Additional stress coping was performed to study adaptational processes to stressful situations. After tilt testing and psychiatric evaluation, a drug-free follow-up was performed in patients with syncope. Of the 80 patients who referred to the psychiatric interview, 40 had evidence of at least 1 psychiatric disorder. They were 26 patients (65%) in the syncope group and 14 patients (35%) in the control group (p = 0.01). Detailed analysis revealed a more frequent subprofile of anxiety and panic disorders in patients with syncope than in controls (30% vs 12% and 20% vs 10%, respectively), whereas the subprofile of depression was similar in both groups. Moreover, those with syncope were more likely to have a high anxiety index (25 ± 5 vs 22 ± 4, p = 0.004), and were more prone to avoidance-oriented coping strategies when experiencing undesirable life events than controls. Considering syncope patients, no difference could be found between the 25 with a positive tilt test and the 15 with a negative tilt test with respect to the number of syncopal episodes and psychiatric profile. After a 3-year drug-free follow-up, 15 patients (37.5%) had at least 1 recurrent syncope. The recurrence rate was similar in patients with positive and negative head-up tilt test results (9 of 25 vs 6 of 15, respectively). In contrast, the syncopal recurrence rate was higher in patients who fulfilled criteria for affective disorders (13 of 26 vs 2 of 14, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.55, relative risk 1.7, p = 0.04). Thus, patients with recurrent unexplained syncope are more anxious and are more prone to panic disorders and avoidance-oriented coping strategies than control patients with arrhythmia. The presence of a psychiatric disorder is associated with an increased risk of recurrence. The outcome of such patients may be improved with recognition and treatment of PDs.

Feasibility, reliability and validity of the Spanish version of Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disability: a structured psychiatric interview for intellectual disability.

Abstract: Background Over 30% of people with intellectual disability (ID) have a comorbid psychiatric disorder. However, there are few assessment instruments available for international use and cross-cultural validation studies of these instruments are rare. The aim of the present study was to standardize the Spanish version of the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disability (PAS-ADD-10), a semi-structured interview for people with ID. Methods After a conceptual translation, feasibility (i.e. applicability, acceptability and practicality) and reliability analyses were carried out. The predictive validity of the PAS-ADD-10 CATEGO-5 codings was also examined (i.e. positive and negative predictive values). Four independent raters with wide-ranging experience in quantitative evaluation and psychiatric assessment of ID evaluated a sample of 80 subjects with ID and borderline intellectual functioning at the AFANAS occupational centre in Jerez, Southern Spain. The ICD-10 codes were used for psychiatric diagnosis. Results The practicality of the PAS-ADD-10 is limited because of the need for previous standardization of SCAN interviews. Nevertheless, its overall feasibility was judged adequate by raters and the PAS-ADD-10 was considered extremely useful for training. Test–retest and inter-rater reliability kappa values were moderate to high. The CATEGO coding showed limited validity because of overdiagnosis of anxiety disorders and underdiagnosis of mood and psychotic disorders (positive predictive value = 74%, negative predictive value = 76%). Conclusions The PAS-ADD-10 is a useful tool for standard psychiatric assessment of people with ID; however, CATEGO codings show low validity and a series of modifications should be considered before this instrument is used extensively in Spain. In this regard, a study on the clinical usefulness of the PAS-ADD-10 in patients with ID and severe mental disorders has been undertaken.

Simulating a full-length psychiatric interview with a complex patient: an OSCE for medical students.

Abstract: Brief encounters with standardized psychiatric patients have been reported. In contrast, a videotaped objective structured clinical examination designed to simulate a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation was used to evaluate all students assigned to three successive psychiatry clerkship rotations (N=52). Performance assessment was based on standardized patients’ completion of a 36-item content checklist and a patient perception scale, and on students’ completion of a written examination component. Checked independently, all three assessments correlated with the students’ score on the NBME psychiatry examination, their ward grade, and their essay examination grade. Students’ ratings were favorable for time allotted, usefulness, and believability.

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of Turkish children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Abstract: Aim. To assess clinical and demographic characteristics of Turkish children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Method. The study comprised 47 children and adolescents (31 boys and 15 girls) aged between 9 and 15 years, who were diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV. At the first interview, sociodemographic data of patients were recorded and Maudsley Obsession Compulsive Questionnaire (MOCQ), Child Depression Inventory (CDI), and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C) were administered concurrently. Afterwards, the comorbid diagnosis and clinical characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder were investigated in detail during a psychiatric interview. Results. The obsessive-compulsive disorder prevalence among 1,739 outpatients seen for the first time at our clinics between January 1998 and April 1999 was 2.7% (n=47). Initial complaints with a content of obsession or compulsion were observed in only 14.9% (n=7) of the patients. Contamination (48.9%) and cleaning (68.1%) were the most common symptoms. Thirty-one patients (65.9%) had at least one comorbid disorder with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the most common being major depression (29.8%). There were no significant differences between the patients with and those without comorbid disorder in terms of MOCQ and subscales scores. Children under age of 13 had higher scores on cleanliness subscale on MOCQ, whereas children with migration history had higher state anxiety scores. There were no differences in STAI-C and CDI scores between boy and girls, children (<13 years) and adolescents (13 years), and firstborn and other children in a family. Conclusion. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a serious clinical problem in childhood and practitioners, pediatricians, and psychiatrists should explicitly ask about the presence of symptoms characteristic to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Given the high rates of various comorbid states, such as anxiety, mood and tic disorders, comorbidities should also be taken into account during psychiatric evaluation of a child patient.

Physicians' diagnoses of psychiatric disorders for people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Abstract: Objective To examine rates of psychiatric diagnoses given by patients' primary or regular physicians to persons with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), persons with psychiatrically explained fatigue, and a control group. Physicians' psychiatric diagnosis and participants' self-reported psychiatric diagnoses were compared to lifetime psychiatric diagnoses as measured by a structured psychiatric interview. Method Participants were recruited as part of a community-based epidemiology study of chronic fatigue syndrome. Medical records of 23 persons with chronic fatigue syndrome, 25 persons with psychiatrically explained chronic fatigue, and 19 persons without chronic fatigue (controls) were examined to determine whether their physician had given a diagnosis of mood, anxiety, somatoform, or psychotic disorder. Lifetime psychiatric status was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID). Participants' self reports of specific psychiatric disorders were assessed as part of a detailed medical questionnaire. Results Physicians' diagnosis of a psychiatric illness when at least one psychiatric disorder was present ranged from 40 percent in the psychiatrically explained group, 50 percent in the control group, and 64.3 percent in the CFS group. Participants in the psychiatrically explained group were more accurate than physicians in reporting the presence of a psychiatric disorder, and in accurately reporting the presence of a mood or anxiety disorder. Conclusions The present investigation found underrecognition of psychiatric illness by physicians, with relatively little misdiagnosis of psychiatric illness. Physicians had particular difficulty assessing psychiatric disorder in those patients whose chronic fatigue was fully explained by a psychiatric disorder. Results emphasized the importance of using participant self report as a screening for psychiatric disorder.

Suicidal Risk Scale

Abstract: Assessment of para-suicidal patients is one of the main tasks for the practitioner in an emergency unit. There are now any characteristics known as suicide risk factors, like drug or alcohol abuse, past history of suicides in the family, or psychiatric disorder. However though these characteristics are useful to define high-risk populations, they are not always relevant in personal assessment. The more relevant variables in this case are psychological. Unfortunately, there are very few assessment scales in this area, since scales are usually related to the prediction of suicide or para-suicide before the act. The only existing tool for assessment after the act is the Beck Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS, 1974), which assesses the wish to die. Therefore we propose a new scale for a global assessment of parasuicide: it is an eleven-items scale, divided in four sections. Each section assesses: (1) the parasuicide itself, with the wish to die, the way to die and precautions against intervention; (2) the patient himself, with the premeditation level, an affective disorder existing before the act, the means of future, and environment effect (in a sense of protection or risk); (3) the global impression after the psychiatric interview: the emotionalism level, and the trust in the patient attitude; (4) the patient history: alcohol or drug abuse, personal past-parasuicide. The scale construction was empirical, from clinical practice, but it encompasses the nine high-risk variables found by Motto and Bostrom (1990) in an analysis of prospective data from 3,005 psychiatric patients at risk for suicide, focusing on 38 persons who committed suicide within 60 days of evaluation. Our study has been conducted on a 77 sample of para-suicidal patients in the psychiatrist emergency unit of the Avignon Hospital. For each patient, the score from our scale was calculated by psychiatric nurses after their own interview, before psychiatric examination, about 12 or 24 hours after the entrance in the emergency unit. Then, patients were classified in four groups according to the psychiatrist decision and orientation: exit (n = 7), consultation (n = 34), hospitalization (n = 24), hospitalization under constraint (n = 12). These groups mean theoretically an increasing global gravity: it is possible for example to hospitalize a parasuicidal patient because he wants to die, even without depression. Or in an other case, if he has a very serious psychiatric disorder (for example affective or psychotic), with a low-lethality para-suicide. Moreover, for a 22 sub-sample patients, the score from Beck-SIS was also calculated. The scale scores comparison in the four groups were made by analysis of variance: there was a statistically significant difference between groups as whole and individually (p < 0.001). In the second analysis, we defined two subsamples: the first one contains the hospitalized patients (n = 36) and the second one, the non-hospitalized (n = 41) patients. Statistically, from the scale scores, it was possible to define a threshold above which all the patients were hospitalized, and an other one under which all patients were not hospitalized. Third, there was a good correlation between lethality scores in our scale (first section) and the Beck SIS scores (r = 0.91). In conclusion, our scale seems to be well correlated with global gravity meant by parasuicide, to assess correctly suicidal intent, and to provide reliable indicators for hospitalization. However, some aspects are still missing in this study: we did not compare any sub-score with other well-known scales, assessing depression or hopelessness. On the other hand, we couldn't obtain prospective data on all the patients after their parasuicide. The following steps will be to carry on with these studies, as well as with the replication of our results on larger samples.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) and co-morbidity.

Abstract: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) very often occurs accompanied with other psychiatric disorders such as: Alcohol and Drug abuse, Personality Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizophrenia etc. Sometimes it might be a problem for clinicians to differ PTSD symptoms from symptoms of coexisting psychic disorders. The aim of this study was to present the most common PTSD coexisting psycho-disorders. This research was conducted during the period from April 1998 to October 1999. Participants were divided in two groups each containing 30 examinees. The first group consisted of 30 participants with symptoms of PTSD only while the second group included participants who suffered from both PTSD and other psychic disorders (co-morbidity). Both groups were quite similar regarding participants gender and age. The scientific tools used in the research were: Standard Psychiatric Interview, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Drug and Alcohol Abuse Checklist. Our research results are indicating that PTSDsymptoms are most common in middle-aged persons, regardless of their gender and age. We have found following coexisting psychic disorders: personality disorder 46.6% (from which 13.3% is permanent personality disorder after the traumatic experience); depression 29.9% (depression without psychotic symptoms 23.3% and depression with coexisting psychotic symptoms 6.6%); drug abuse 13.3; alcohol abuse 6.7% and dissociative (conversion) disorder 3.3%. The results of our work are suggesting that co-morbid psychic symptoms have significant regressive influence on PTSD course and prognosis.

Psychiatrists' perspective is insufficient to root out racism

Abstract: EDITOR—Minnis et al in their vignette based report claim that racial stereotyping that occurs at the first psychiatric interview is insufficient to account for the inequalities in diagnosis of schizophrenia between black and white men in the United Kingdom.1 Their findings are not surprising. What people say and what they do are often two quite separate things. Respondents may have consciously or subconsciously overcompensated for their prejudices in the current climate of sensitivity to racial issues and …

Chronic fatigue syndrome in the psychiatric practice.

Abstract: Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex syndrome with a psychiatric comorbidity of 70–80%. A psychiatric interview is necessary in order to exclude psychiatric illness and to identify psychiatric comorbidity. Studies have demonstrated that in general medical practice and in the non-psychiatric specialist practice, physicians tend to underdiagnose psychopathology in patients with CFS. There are many questions unanswered about the treatment of CFS Aim: Typical issues for the psychiatric practice are reviewed: psychiatric comorbidity, dysregulation of the PHA-axis and the treatment of CFS. Conclusions: Depression, somatization, sleeping disorders and anxiety disorders are the most important psychopathological symptoms found in CFS patients. CFS should not be regarded as a masked (somatoform) depression. Although the results from neuroendocrinological studies assessing the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-axis) are inconsistent, they suggest that there is a subgroup of CFS patients suffering from a discrete dysregulation of the HPA-axis resulting in basal hypocortisolaemia. These findings, however, do not reveal a causal relationship. Antidepressants do not seem to have a positive influence on the symptom of fatigue, but appear to be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of depression and social functioning. Cognitive behaviour therapy and graded exercise show a significant improvement on fatigue and other symptoms and are the only treatments available for CFS patients.

Life events stress in ulcerative colitis: a case-control study.

Abstract: Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is significantly associated with life events stress. Aim: To investigate the relationship between ulcerative colitis, and life events stress. Methods: A prospective study of 30 patients with ulcerative colitis and 30 healthy controls. A semi-structured psychiatric interview and clinical mental state examination were used in the psychiatric assessment of the patients and controls. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to ICD-10. A modified version of Life Events Scale by Tennant and Andrews was used in the assessment of life events stress. Results: Life events stress were significantly experienced by more patients than the controls. The total number of life events, the number of individual significant life events and the total number of unpleasant events were all significantly more in patients than the controls. Conclusions: In this study the association between the ulcerative colitis and life events stress is substantiated at all levels. However, further more extensive studies are needed to elucidate the nature of this relationship.