Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA) have been used as general dimensions to describe affective experience, and they are the affective, emotional components of SWB.

Positive and negative affect is a relevant facet of well-being for community-dwelling older adults. This study aims to conduct a validation of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), by assessing the psychometric properties (distributional properties, construct, criterion and external-related validities, and reliability) of the PANAS in a cross-national sample of older adults.

A cross-sectional survey design was used. A convenience sample of 1291 community-dwelling older adults aged 75 years old and older was recruited from community centers. Construct validity was estimated through confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity. Criterion and external-related validities, reliability and distributional properties were also assessed.

The PANAS demonstrated satisfactory reliability, distributional properties, and construct, criterion and external-related validities in this sample of older adults.

These results suggest that the PANAS can be used as a reliable and valid measure for examining positive and negative affect among cross-national community-dwelling older adults.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Literature lacks of studies assessing correlates of adjustment to aging (AtA) among older populations.

The aim of this study was to build a structural model to explore the predictors of adjustment to aging (AtA) in a community-dwelling older population.

A community-dwelling sample of 1270 older adults aged between 75 and 102 years answered a questionnaire to determine socio-demographic (sex, age, professional and marital status, education, household, adult children, family's annual income, living setting and self-reported spirituality), lifestyle and health-related characteristics (perceived health, recent disease, medication and leisure). Several instruments were used to assert psychological variables, namely AtA, sense of coherence and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling was used to explore a structural model of the self-reported AtA, encompassing all variables.

Significant predictors are self-reported spirituality (β = .816; P < .001), perceived health (β = .455; P < .001), leisure (β = .322; P < .001), professional status (β = .283; P < .001), income (β = .230; P = .035), household (β = -.208; P = .007), sense of coherence (β = -.202; P = .004) and adult children (β = .164; P = .011). The variables explain 60.6% of the variability of AtA.

Self-reported spirituality is the strongest predictor of AtA. This study emphasizes the need for deepening the variables that influence older adults’ AtA, in particular perceived health and further lifestyle-related characteristics, as being relevant for promoting aging well in later life, within a salutogenic context for health care.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Older adults may remain sexually interested and capable into their 90s.

To analyze the contributors to sexual unwellness (SU) and to explore the latent constructs that can work as major determinants in SU for a cross-national older community-dwelling population, and to analyze the explanatory mechanisms of a SU model, in an older cross-national sample.

A socio-demographic and health questionnaires were completed, assessing participants’ background information. Interviews were completed, focused on the contributors to SU. Complete data were available for 109 English and Portuguese older adults, aged between 65–87 years (M = 71.6, SD = 6.95). Data was subjected to content analysis. Representation of the associations and latent constructs were analyzed by a Multiple Correspondence Analysis.

The most frequent response of these participants was ‘lack of intimacy and affection’ (25.1%) whereas ‘poor sexual health’ was the least referred indicator of SU (11.2%) A two-dimension model formed by ‘poor affection, intimacy and sexual health’, and ‘poor general health and financial instability’ was presented as a best-fit solution for English older adults. SU for Portuguese older adults were explained by a two-factor model: ‘daily hassles and health issues’, ‘poor intimacy and financial instability’.

These outcomes uncovered the perspective of older adults concerning SU and the need of including these factors when considering the sexual well-being of older samples.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Although there are recommendations regarding dementia-friendly architecture, studies on design features and their impact on quality of life of patients with dementia are quasi-nonexistent. The design of the environment is one of the non-pharmacological methods in the assistance of patients with dementia.

Setting a checklist of design principles in order to assess centers for elderly with dementia; identifying the types of centers where will be applied the checklist; implementation of the checklist and determining results of assessment.

Our aim is to challenge the contemporary architecture of centers for elderly to be friendly with dementia patients.

After studying literature we built a check-list of 8 principles: providing a comfortable space and also a therapeutically environment; functionality and efficiency; flexibility and accessibility; optimal design of circulation routes in order to avoid disorientation and to reduce agitation; security and safe; aesthetics; sanitation; sustainability. We then performed a case-study on two types of settings, day care centers and respite centers, and we applied the check list on three examples: two urban Day Care Centers for patients with Alzheimer Dementia (2006, Pontevedra, Spain and 2011, Alicante, Spain) and a Respite Center (2009, Dublin, Ireland).

In general, the centers are verifying the proposed checklist. Four architectural tools were identified: light, form, colour and texture. Form is more recognizable than colour and colour more recognizable than function.

Architecture contributes to increase quality of life in people with dementia. The proposed checklist is a promising tool for assessing dementia-friendly design.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Individuals with cancer are at increased risk for suicidal ideation and behaviour when compared to the general population. Suicidal thoughts are sometimes minimized and considered by clinicians as a normal reaction to diagnosis of oncological disease. Less severe forms of suicidal ideation, such a fleeting wish to die may happen in all stages of the disease.

We aim to highlight the cases of cancer patients that present an imminent suicide risk and its related psychopathological aspects, psychosocial and physical risk factors that may increase the probability of suicidal attempt.

Non systematic literature review through the Medline and Clinical Key databases, with time constraints.

Individuals with cancer have twice the risk of suicide compared to the general population. It was found that suicidal thoughts are more common in patients with advanced disease, in hospital or in palliative care settings or in those who are experiencing severe pain, depression, cognitive impairment or delirium. The first months following the diagnosis are the period of greatest risk and the highest suicide risk occurs in men with respiratory cancers. Death by suicide occurs more often in cancer patients in the advanced stages of disease.

An appropriate therapeutic response should include empathy, active listening, management of realistic expectations and permission to discuss psychological distress. The first intervention should focus on determining imminent risk of suicidal behaviour and act for patient safety.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Chemotherapy is an essential component in the treatment and alleviation of oncological diseases. To your application are associated, as well as systemic effects, cognitive impairment in patients. These changes have received increasing attention due to the impact on quality of life of cancer survivors.

This study aims to evaluate the current evidence on the association between chemotherapy and cognitive impairment in cancer patients, especially in the areas affected cognitive function, possible mechanisms of action and consequences on the quality of life of these patients and the importance of identifying strategies intervention in order to minimize these effects.

We conducted a literature review from literature articles addressing this topic with use of databases: Medline and Pubmed. The following keywords were used: “chemobrain”, “cognitive dysfunction”, “chemotherapy”.

Although some states have not found differences, several studies have shown that chemotherapy has implications cognitively. Underlying etiology remains unknown, and proposed several mechanisms to explain these changes: neurotoxicity, microvascular damage and inflamamatory response. Cognitive impairment has significant implications in the daily life of patients both personally, socially and labour. The therapeutic approach focuses on the patient and family education, coping strategies, cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive behavioural therapy.

It is vital to educate patients about the possibility of cognitive change as effect of chemotherapy as well as health professionals in the early identification of these changes. It is essential developing specific intervention strategies to improve the quality of life of the oncologic patient during and after treatment.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Bruxism is a syndrome with uncertain etiology but with proposed factors: psychosocial, peripheral and central. Treatment is also controversial and one of the options focuses in GABA theory and regularization of ion channels. Xelox (capecitabine + oxaliplatin) and bevacizumad is indicated for metastatic colorectal cancer, being oxaliplatin the most neurotoxic agent (acute syndrome and/or a chronic sensory neuropathy). Acute neurotoxicity is very frequent and it is a sensory and/or a motor toxicity (as tongue tingling or jaw spams). The proposed pathogenesis – neuronal hyperexcitability due to alterations of voltage-gated ion channels – is supported by mechanism of action of some treatments.

Review different causes of bruxism.

Description of a clinical case.

This is a story of 76-years-old man in treatment for metastatic colon cancer that developed toxicity: nauseas (treated with haloperidol), bruxism and gingival atrophy. He was referred to psycho-oncology by involuntary movements of mouth and trunk. The patient complained of sadness, anhedonia and insomnia since recurrence of cancer and related the movements with CT. At observation he was anxious, tearfulness and agitated. He was treated for a depressive episode, but the doubt remained about involuntary movements: haloperidol was a confounding factor for oxaliplatin acute neurotoxicity, also aggravated by psychic and peripheral factors.

The authors believe that bruxism is linked to CT in a very complex relation that includes psychic, peripheral and central factors. Psychiatrists need to keep attention to the patient as a whole, not being seduced by easy answers like psychosocial factors.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The frontal lobes are the brain structures of latest development and evolution in the human brain. It is considered that the frontal lobes represent the “executive center of the brain”. The frontal tumors represent 16% of all supratentorial tumors. Symptoms are easily confused as psychiatric rather than neurological.

Can see the alterations of the executive functions in a case of frontal affectation, for future cases know where to focus our attention and develop concepts associated with frontal lobe.

Thirty-year-old patient without relevant medical history. Go to the emergency department with major episode of agitation. After performing cranial CT abnormality, it is detected in the front area. Sign up study. It presents amnesia episode before admission, whereupon shown stunned and worried. The patient describes a change in your life 12 months ago, when it begins to be more nervous, increasing their impulsiveness, she has episodes of binge eating, purging behavior with subsequent occasional alcohol abuse. Jealousy. The patient is informed as much as your family of the possible impact of the injury on the behavioral sphere and impulse control when it is still unknown origin.

From a neuropsychological point of view the frontal lobes represent a system of planning, regulation and control of psychological processes; coordination and allow selection of multiple processes and various behavioral options and strategies available to the human being. Tumour research is important as it provides enough information we cognitive impairment. These patients exhibit symptoms that are easily confused as psychiatric rather than neurological.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cancer patients may encounter psychological distress, change of emotional status, and lowered quality of life. It is predicted that similar changes will be shown during the Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) of early stomach cancer. The objective of this study is to evaluate changes of emotional status and quality of life over time depending on baseline level of psychological distress.

Ninety-seven patients indicated with ESD who visited National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in Korea between May 2015 and June 2016 were evaluated. Psychological distress, emotional status, and quality of life were evaluated at the day before ESD. Follow-up evaluations of them were done at the day after ESD, 2 and 10 weeks later.

The group with high psychological distress showed higher female ratio, more depressive and anxiety symptoms than those of the group with low psychological distress. Psychological distress was related to stress level and lowered quality of life. Repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed that significant differences of depression (MADRS), anxiety (HAM-A), level of stress (GARS), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) were sustained over time, but the decreasing tendency of the differences between the groups was also noticed.

The study revealed that patients who feel more psychological distress may experience more depressive and anxiety symptoms, increased level of stress, and lowered quality of life. We recommend screening of patients with early stomach cancer for psychological distress before ESD, which may improve subjective life satisfaction of patients during ESD.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in Greek women as more than 4000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Seventy percent of those patents performs a type mastectomy. The breast has a societal and social connotation of femininity, motherhood, and sexuality.

Several studies support the existence of the relationship between psychological problems and mastectomy surgery. Body image and feminine self-concept also seems to influence quality of life of those women, considering the breast association of femininity, motherhood, and sexuality. During this study, we try to investigate how a non-psychiatric intervention might influence the mental state and the quality of life of those women.

A clinical interview was performed in 53 women with partial or total mastectomy before 3 and 52 weeks after the rehabilitation with the method of semi-permanent tattooing.

Data were collected during the personal interviews, using Hamilton anxiety rating scale (Ham-A), body image scale and sexual activity questionnaire.

Moderate levels of anxiety were identified before the rehabilitation, associated with poor body image scale scores and sexual difficulties. Both Ham-A and body image score ameliorated after 3 weeks with unchanged sexual behaviour. One year after rehabilitation, anxiety scale score raises close to initial values, body image remains unchanged, comparing with the 3rd week interview and significant improvement noticed in sexual activity.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The prevalence of severe mental illness (SMI) is estimated to be 4%. There are increased risk factors for cancer in SMI patients. People with SMI have deficient access and referral to routine cancer screening and psychiatric illness is often associated to late oncological diagnosis.

Characterize the population of SMI patients that undergoes oncological treatment; establish a comparison with the general population in terms of stage at the time of diagnosis and the type of follow-up that ensued; characterize the psychiatric care available to these patients; propose the necessary changes to ensure adequate healthcare for SMI patients.

To assess and improve the quality of oncological care for SMI patients in our hospital.

We analyzed the data from SMI patients suffering from SMI observed by our group during a 12 month period.

Low percentage of SMI patients being treated in our center regarding general rates; surprisingly high referral time to psychiatry unity; good compliance with treatments and appointments; have mostly been submitted to the standard oncological protocols of treatment.

In spite of serious psychiatric co-morbidity and psychosocial deficits, our SMI patients are able for standard cancer treatment and present sufficient compliance. We value the help of family members and social workers. We have to insist in educational sessions and psychiatric screening procedures for oncological teams. It is also fundamental to implement educational programs for mental health centers in Lisbon in order to sensitize for cancer risks among SMI and alert for the pivotal role of mental health staff, namely the psychiatrists.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Personality disorders are rather widespread in oncology settings demanding special attention of clinician. Serious illness threatening person's life as well as severe treatment and side effects lead to specific self-regulatory emotional and cognitive efforts. Personality could both play an important role in this process predicting adjustment and survival and change in line with illness pathogenesis.

The personality patterns could be important predictors of operation success and further adjustment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) waiting for bone marrow transplantation.

To reveal personality patterns specific for patients with ALL.

Twenty-five patients with ALL (11 males, 37.4 ± 9.5 years old) filled Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–III and Big Five Questionnairie–2. Comparison group included 180 people of the same age and gender without history of mental or severe somatic disorders.

Male patients comparing to healthy males were lower on emotional control and higher in negativistic personality pattern (P < .05). Female patients were higher on dynamism but lower in openness to culture and antisocial pattern (P < .05). They rarely expressed patterns of borderline disorder and drug dependence but reported more compulsive traits (P < .05).

Severe illness could increase likelihood of emotion regulation difficulties and passive-aggressive coping in male patients while stimulate activity and compulsive behaviour in females. These patterns should be taken into account in psychological support of patents to bone marrow transplantation.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Patients who have survived cancer and have lower socio-economic status, are more likely to leave the workforce. Financial problems are widespread among many of the breast cancer survivors, but their effect on the quality of life are not sufficiently explored. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of low income onto quality of life in early breast cancer survivors.

In this study, 214 consecutive early female breast cancer patients, with mean age of 60 years (range 30–90), were interviewed for psycho-social aspects, depression (MINI) and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-Core 30 and BR-23). All patients were cancer free at the moment of interview and all initial oncological treatments were completed. Monthly net family income distribution was: ≤150 euro 58 patients (27.1%); income between 150–500 euro 116 patients (54.2%); ≥500 euro 40 patients (18.7%).

Patients with income ≤150 euro, compared to patients with income ≥500 euro, had statistically significant worse global health status (60.2 ± 27.9 vs. 80.2 ± 19.2; P = 0.0007); worse physical functioning (80.3 vs. 69.1; P < 0.001); worse role functioning (92.9 vs. 78.7; P = 0.009); worse sexual functioning (P = 0.019); more severe fatigue (38 vs. 23; P = 0.01), nausea/vomitus (P = 0.041), appetite loss (18.4 ± 7.5). Major depression was diagnosed in 35 patients. Depressed patients have less income than not depressed patients (23.3% vs. 14.41%), but the difference did not reach statistical significance.

Lower income negatively affects many aspects of quality of life. Specific interventions are needed for cancer survivors with lower socio-economic status to preserve and improve the quality of life.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The problem of mental disorders in patients with breast cancer is relevant due to the high prevalence of pathological changes in the mental health patients, insufficient development of clinical typology of psychosomatic correlations of the contribution of constitutional features.

Nozogeny disorders are clinically heterogeneous and are represented by two nosologic categories: reaction and nosogenic patho-characterological personal development. The basic method of work was a clinical follow-up and statistical research methods (method using contingency tables and Fechner coefficient method using the χ2 – test).

The manifestation of a nozogeny reaction is closely correlated with his premorbid personality characteristics. Anxious-depressive nozogeny reaction was recorded in 17 patients of the first sample with high direct correlation (coefficient Fechner F = 0.76, P < 0.01) with respect to accentuation of personality in the alarm type, and the weak direct link to the personal characteristics of the affective (bipolar) range (F = 0.22, P < 0.01). Anxious-nozogeny dissociative response was detected in 9 patients with hysterical (55.5%) and expansive schizotypal (vershrobene) (44.4%) lung cancer with a significant (F = 0.65, P < 0.01) a direct correlation with constitutional hyperthymia, anxiety-hypomanic nozogeny response was observed in patients c schizotypal RL (n = 4) paired with symptoms of persistent hyperthymia (F = 0.39, P = 0.012).

Patho-characterological development of personality are formed on the remote catamnestic stage breast cancer and show the clinical heterogeneity of differentiation into 4 types: (1) the type of hypochondriacal dysthymia, (2) the type of “paranoia struggle”, (3) in an “aberrant hypochondria” and (4) the type of “new life”.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

There is no clear limit between the personal and professional dimension, when the health worker cares for patients who have no prospect of cure. This shadowing of the personal dimension causes high emotional demands of the professional in the face of the experiences with the death.

In face of troubles which surround the nurse in the context of death, this article aimed to identify the learning and self-care practices experienced by nurses who work with patients in risk or in death process, in a haematology-oncology unit.

This is a clinical-qualitative study, conducted through individual interviews. The participants were 6 nurses from haematology-oncology unit of a university hospital, covering the sectors of chemotherapy clinic and children's unit.

The results highlight two phenomena built by the experiences of nurses: long learning experiences with the team work through the maturity arising over time or even with constant monitoring of the death situations; and self-care practices as self-preservation phenomenon through the development of pain by speaking and listening in groups, the motivation through professional achievement and the well-being caused by the charity care each other.

Work towards the personal development of nurses as professional who deals with ethical conflicts should be focused on promoting opening spaces for speaking and listening of these nurses. This allows them to create ways of dealing with situations of death, which are professionally responsible.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Each individual experience cancer in a different way. While some perceive cancer as a complex and traumatic experience by developing some psychosocial and additional physical problems, others overcome cancer-related difficulties by gaining benefits such as post-traumatic growth (PTG) owing to their resilience. Resilience and PTG that are very valuable concepts in human life to adapt positively to cancer process have relations which need to be better understood.

We aimed to provide a better understanding of relations between resilience and PTG and relations of these two concepts with cancer experience.

Literature review.

Successful adjustment to life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, require resilience. On the other hand, resilience provides a barrier toward stressors by helping improvement of PTG and so, is an antecedent factor of PTG. PTG ensures a deeper perspective and strength to people after traumatic events. Hence, individuals having higher levels of PTG feel powerful enough to handle the problems in their life and can easily adapt to cancer process by focusing on the positive outcomes of trauma, having improved coping mechanisms and an improved psychological well-being.

Resilience and PTG have strong mutual relations and this phenomenon should be considered for a qualified cancer care.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.