Depression is very common in adolescent patients and impacts on their quality of life and functioning. Indeed, depression is an important clinical aspect for treatment, outcome, and prognosis.

This pilot study investigated the factorial structure of the Calgary depression scale for schizophrenia (CDSS) in a sample of help seeking adolescent patients, stratified in three clinical diagnostic subgroups: early onset psychosis (EOP), clinical high risk (UHR) and clinical control (CC). The relationships between these factors and SIPS domains and subjective experiences were also explored.

Sixty-nine subjects were examined to assess the severity of depressive symptoms and the degree of subjectively felt cognitive-affective vulnerability (i.e. basic symptoms)

Principal component analysis revealed CDSS to include two main factors, namely: “guilty idea of reference-pathological guilt” (factor I), “depression-hopelessness” (factor II). Two factors revealed multiple correlations with SIPS domains and subjective experiences.

The results confirm the dual factorial structure of CDSS previously reported in the literature in adult samples, further increase our knowledge of the psychopathological components of depression in adolescents, and strongly suggest that CDSS can also be used in early diagnostic settings

No significant relationships.

The integration of digital technologies into everyday life leads to transformation of various socio-cultural practices, including related to destructive behavior. Among them, cyberaggression holds a leading position, especially in younger generation, and causes direct lasting negative impact on the psychological state of participants and affects (Martínez-Monteagudo et al., 2019; Wright, Wachs, 2020).

The goal of the study is to analyze the relationship between offline and online aggressions and the strength of negative emotional experiences of adolescents and youth, as well as parents’ awareness of this experience with their children.

The questionnaire was completed by 3395 people: 1554 adolescents aged 12-17 and 736 young people aged 18-30 from 8 federal districts of Russia.

Respondents of all generations (64-74%) believe that people are more likely to experience painful or hostile situations in real life than online. Nevertheless, every fourth respondent (19-23%) says that events on the Internet can cause as much anxiety as events in real life. The least emotionally significant situations are flaming and cyberhate. Trolling causes strong feelings in every third adolescent, cyberstalking in every fifth, cyberbullying in every second. Both trolling and cyberstalking make girls more upset than boys, this is true for adolescents (12-13 and 14-17 years old) and youth (χ2=19.01-67.21, p<0.01, V=0.16-0.30).

Differences in emotional response to various types of cyberaggression require the development of differentiated approaches to the prevention of various situations of cyberaggression and the development of specific coping strategies in the collision with them. The reported study was funded by RFBR, project No. 20-013-00857.

The reported study was funded by RFBR, project No. 20-013-00857.

There is a limited literature available showing mental health burden among adolescents following cyberbullying.

Aim is to evaluate the association of low mood and suicidality amongst cyberbullied adolescents.

A study on CDC National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) (1991-2017). Responses from adolescence related to cyberbullying and suicidality were evaluated. Chi-square and mix-effect multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to find out the association of cyberbullying with sadness/hopelessness, suicide consideration, plan, and attempts.

A total of 10,463 adolescents, 14.8% of adolescents faced cyberbullying a past year. There was a higher prevalence of cyberbullying in youths aged 15-17 years (25 vs 26 vs 23%), which included more females to males (68 vs 32%).(p<0.0001) Caucasians (53%) had the highest number of responses to being cyberbullied compared to Hispanics (24%), African Americans (11%).(p<0.0001) There was an increased prevalence of cyberbullied youths with feelings of sadness/hopelessness (59.6 vs 25.8%), higher numbers considering suicide (40.4 vs 13.2%), suicide plan (33.2 vs 10.8%), and multiple suicidal attempts in comparison to non-cyberbullied.(p<0.0001) On regression analysis, cyberbullied adolescence had a 155% higher chance of feeling sad and hopeless [aOR=2.55; 95%CI=2.39-2.72], considered suicide [1.52 (1.39-1.66)], and suicide plan [1.24 (1.13-1.36)].

In our study, cyberbullying was associated with negative mental health outcomes. Further research is warranted to examine the impact and outcomes of cyberbullying amongst adolescents and guiding the policies to mitigate the consequences.

No significant relationships.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts and it is marked by repetitive sensory–motor behaviours and restricted interests or activities. Now recognized to occur in up to 1% of the population, the prevalence of ASD has registered a steady increase in the past two decades. Heterogeneity of presentation is a hallmark with comorbid psychiatric and medical morbidities frequently reported. Comorbidities mask and delay the diagnosis and are the cause of inadequate therapies.

In the present paper, we studied a cohort of patients with ASD, investigating the rates and types of psychiatric and medical comorbidities.

A retrospective study of psychiatric and medical comorbidities was carried out on a sample of 120 participants that met ASD criteria according to DSM-V. The patients were examined with a detailed medical history, physical examination, as well as some additional functional, imaging, laboratory and genetic investigations. The associated conditions considered were: attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, intellectual disability, gastrointestinal symptoms, ophtalmologic manifestations, infections.

Of the 120 ASD subjects referred, 25 (20.8%) received the diagnosis of epilepsy. ADHD was established in 24 cases (20%). IQ score was obtained in half of the patients, 43.3% of them presenting a severe intellectual disability (IQ<35). Respiratory disorders occured in 25% of the cases. Ophtalmological findings were observed in 9.1% of the cases. Other frequent comorbidities included motor disturbances and feeding problems.

A better understanding of comorbidities in ASD patients improves interdisciplinary collaboration, thus facilitating effective treatment programs.

No significant relationships.

Developmental studies in infancy remain rare. Studies measuring depressive symptoms in gifted children are contradictory, considering more anxiety or depression than in non-gifted children. Furthermore, questionnaires or anxiety scales are used without taking into account all aspects of mood disorders and thus, rarely depression scales have been conducted.

To refine the developmental trajectory of depression in a national sample of French gifted children by identification of the specific risk and protective factors.

A self-reported depression scale MDI-C (Multiscore-Depression-Inventory-for-Children) were sent to families to be administered to their gifted children from preschool to high school, aged from 4 to 20 years-old (IQ >125) looking for help from gifted associations. A larger wave of data collection on different aspects of child and family history was collected (pregnancy, term and delivery mode, neonatal period, psychomotor development, health, schooling, interpersonal relationships with family and friends, personality, parental socio-economic status).

438 children (> 130) were eligible. Regarding anamnestic fields, Exploratory-Factor-Analysis highlighted six predictive factors of depression with eigenvalues from 1.09 to 3.17. Major factors explaining 62.96% of total variance are: Factor-1 “motor skills disorder” (14.53%). Factor-2 “positive family relationships” (14.04%). Factor-3 “positive social relationships with peers” (14.02%). Factor-4 “integration of social codes” (11.23%). Factor-6 “Learning disabilities and rehabilitation” (10.1%).

Our findings highlight specifics risk factors of depression in the field of learning disabilities or social cognition, while a good quality of social relationships since childhood seems to be a preventive factor.

No significant relationships.

Substance use is highly prevalent among Chilean adolescents, and the damage it causes at the neurobiological, psychological, and social levels is well known. However, there are no validated screening instruments that also assess risk and protective factors for this Chilean population.

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the European Drug Addiction Prevention Trial Questionnaire (EU-Dap).

A cross-sectional study was carried out in 13 schools in Santiago of Chile. The sample included 2,261 adolescents of 10 to 14 years old. The linguistic and cultural adaptation was conducted using focus groups, the construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, and measures of its reliability were also determined. Furthermore, the associations regarding risk and protective factors with substance use were explored.

Substance use questions were well understood by adolescents. Regarding the subscales of risk and protective factors, they needed some changes, and once completed, all new subscales had good or adequate goodness of fit adjustment. Regarding reliability, all of the new subscales had good or acceptable internal consistency according to the omega coefficient (range from 0.69 to 0.89). Finally, most of the risk and protective factors measured by the questionnaire were strongly associated with different substance use outcomes, especially those related to positive and negative beliefs or attitudes towards drugs, normative beliefs, and refusal skills.

The current findings suggest that the EU-Dap questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument, and it may help to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions in the future.

No significant relationships.

The prevalence of mental disorders (MD) is greater in children; however, they are the population with less help-seeking and access to mental health-care services (MHS).

To explore the characteristics of help-seeking and access to specialized MHS in children with MD.

A cross-sectional study was carried out from 2018 to 2019, in the Children’s Psychiatric Hospital and National Institute of Psychiatry in Mexico City. Sample 397 children and 397 caregivers. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee of both institutions. The patient’s family member was questioned on sociodemographic data and help-seeking to MHS. Sample’s descriptive statistics applying measures of central tendency, Inferential statistics with t-test for differences in means between groups (diagnosis), and one-way ANOVA to variables associated with the help-seeking to MHS.

Children´s sample: 37% female, average age 12 years (SD± 3.6), 51% had diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder (HD), 34% depressive disorder (DD). The children´s age at the time of seeking healthcare was different according to the diagnosis: DD 10.1 (SD ± 4.5) and HD 6.95 (SD ± 3.4), (T = -3.18, p = 0.000); and by sex: girls 10.9 (SD ± 4.5), boys 7.85 (SD ± 4.0); (T = -3.07, p = 0.000). The mother was the first person to notice the symptoms.

The search for MHS differs by sex, diagnosis and family history; it is necessary to design mental health interventions considering gender-based differences, namely, to integrate a gender perspective.

No significant relationships.

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is defined as one of the commonest disorder in children and adolescents affecting 40 percent of them. Although it does not cause mental disorders it is known that IAD is commonly related with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The best approach to asses attention is recording of event related potentials (ERPs) especially late response like P300. There are growing evidence regarding assessment of attention in IAD with different questionnaires but less is known about evidence received with more valid measurements like P300.

The aim of our study was to measure attention parameters in IAD subjects by using the most valid test–latency and amplitude of P300. We have examined 70 children with IAD aged 5-18 years. Children were divided into two groups: Group 1 (40 children) was matched as a study group including children with IAD and group 2 controls (30 children) without IAD and without ADHD.

IAD was assessed by Young IAD scale. Children with Young scale less than 20 and with IQ less than 85 were excluded from the study. Recording of P300 was done by international protocol using oddball paradigm method. Statistical analysis was done by SSPS 26.

In study group increase in P300 latency was found (mean range 350-375 msc) while amplitude was normal (p <0.05). In controls both parameters were within normal range.

IAD could be related with attention disorders causing poor attention span. This evidence is very important as they affect internet addicted children and adolescents’ social well being.

No significant relationships.

While there exist some studies that explored the association between maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in early and late childhood, studies exploring the risk in late adolescence are however lacking.

This is the first study that aimed to investigate the association between maternal anxiety, depressive, as well as comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the risk of ADHD symptoms in late adolescence.

We used data from the Raine Study, a birth cohort in Western Australia. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to assess maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms when the child was aged 10. Whereas, the DSM-oriented scales of the child behavior checklist (CBCL) was used to assess ADHD symptoms offspring in adolescents aged 17. Log-binomial regression model was used to explore the associations.

After adjusting for relevant covariates, we found an increased risk of ADHD symptoms in the adolescent children of mothers with anxiety [RR 2.84 (95%CI 1.18-6.83)] as well as comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms [RR 5.60 (95%CI 3.02-10.37)]. No association was seen with maternal depressive symptoms.

This study suggested that adolescent offspring of mothers with anxiety as well as comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms had an increased risk of ADHD symptoms. Early detection and management for ADHD symptoms in children of mothers with anxiety and comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms are needed.

No significant relationships.

Experience of bullying may be a significant risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).

This study had three aims: to systematically investigate the association between bullying and NSSI, to analyze the possible mechanisms underlying the two phenomena, and to evaluate any differences between bullying victimization and bullying perpetration with respect to NSSI.

A systematic search about the association between bullying victimization and perpetration and NSSI was conducted using specific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct). The following keywords were used in all database searches: “bullying” AND “NSSI” OR “peer victimization” and NSSI.

The searches in PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct revealed a total of 88 articles about bullying or peer victimization and NSSI. However, only 29 met our inclusion criteria and were used for the present review. Overall, all studies examined victimization; 4 studies also evaluated the effects of perpetration and 1 included bully-victims. According to the main findings, both being a victim of bullying and perpetrating bullying may increase the risk of adverse psychological outcomes in terms of NSSI and suicidality in the short and the long run.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to systematically evaluate the relation between bullying victimization/perpetration and NSSI. The main results support a positive association. Future research should evaluate the possible role of specific mediators/moderators of the association between experience of bullying and NSSI.

No significant relationships.

There is growing evidence that generalised joint hypermobility (GJH) is associated with several psychiatric conditions. There are no previous studies on adult ADHD.

To evaluate, in a large Swedish sample, if generalised joint hypermobility and adult ADHD are associated.

431 adults with ADHD and 417 controls were included. GJH was assessed by the Beighton Score, a physical examination, and the 5PQ, a self-report screening tool. Exploratively, reported musculoskeletal symptoms and abnormal skin manifestations suggestive of symptomatic GJH (e.g. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), were assessed to differentiate this group from the general GJH group. Logistic regressions determined the influence of an ADHD diagnosis and known covariates (age, sex and ethnicity) on GJH and symptomatic GJH respectively.

ADHD was associated to GJH, as defined by the Beighton Score and the 5PQ, with adjusted odds ratios of 4.65 (CI 95% 3.01-7.18, p<.005) and 1.86 (CI 95% 1.39-2.48, p<.005), respectively. Likewise, ADHD and symptomatic GJH were associated with adjusted odds ratios of 6.94 (CI 95% 4.05-11.89, p<.005) and 2.66 (CI 95% 1.94-3.66, p<.005).

GJH and adult ADHD are associated conditions. Symptomatic GJH, defined as additional symptoms of pain and/or skin manifestations, has a considerably stronger link to adult ADHD than unspecific GJH has. GJH may represent a marker of an underlying systemic disorder with physical manifestations in connective tissue as well as behavioural manifestations including hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattentiveness. Future studies should investigate if this represents a novel subtype of ADHD and if symptomatic GJH affects the ADHD management.

No significant relationships.

Studies show a link between attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUD). Patients may abuse illicit drugs or alcohol as means of self-medicating e.g. stimulants for ADHD symptoms. Identifying ADHD symptoms in SUD patients could help improve treatment outcome and quality of life.

To evaluate the prevalence of ADHD symptoms in Riga Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Centre (RPNC) outpatients and study the link between ADHD symptoms and specific SUDs.

In a period of 30 days, all consentient clients of RPNC outpatient addiction clinic were surveyed for basic sociodemographic data and screened with Adult ADHD Self-report Scale (ASRSv1.1). Results were compared among patients with different types of addictions previously diagnosed using ICD-10 classification. Results were also compared to a control group.

Out of 279 participants, 209 were treatment-seeking SUD patients, 70 controls. Mean age was 37.99, 77.8% were male. Among SUD patients 45,2% had alcohol UD(F10), 52.9% opiate UD(F11), 35.1% stimulant UD(F14;f15), 20.2% sedative UD(F13). Patients who had stimulant addiction as one of their diagnosis and patients with multiple addictions were significantly more likely (p=0.023 and p=0.012 respectively) to screen positive for ASRSv1.1 among SUD patients population. All types of SUDs were significantly more likely to screen positive for ASRSv1.1 when compared to a control group.

There is a strong link between SUD and ADHD symptoms. Patients with stimulant or multiple SUDs are more likely to screen positive for ADHD symptoms than other SUD patients. It is important to identify ADHD symptoms in treatment-seeking SUD patients.

No significant relationships.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating and neurodegenerative disorder of the CNS, which incapacitates people of working age. Due to progressive disability, the quality of life decreases, adding a number of other diseases to the main one. Several studies have reported high rates of depression in MS with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 50%.

Therefore, we would like to pattern the functional activation of the brain of patients with different phenotypes of MS. This would objectify the patient’s condition and the effectiveness of therapy for these diseases.

68 patients with MS were examined: 40 with a relapsing-remitting type of course (RRMS) in remission and 28 with secondary - progressive MS (SPMS). Patients underwent MRI of the brain on a Siemens Tim Trio 3.0 T tomograph and processed the data using CONN 18b software. Clinical features were estimated by tests (BDI, HADS) results.

91% of all MS patients in research have signs of depression. We noted that decreased FC in RRMS patients has a whole-brain type, but it is only decreasing, not losing the connections between brain clusters. Decreased FC and losing the connections between large-scale brain networks and brain clusters. Due to tests, more severe depression was observed in SPMS patients.

Our findings suggest that patients with SPMS have depression, cause of decreasing in FC between the main clusters of the brain, and patients with SPMS have more severe depression, which, as we assume, neurodegeneration has turned into atrophy and loosing all connections between clusters even in large-scale brain networks.

No significant relationships.

Patients with depression are likely to eventually develop Cardiovascular disease(CVD) and have a higher mortality rate than general population. In addition, anxiety disorders, especially Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), may be associated with mortality and other adverse cardiac outcomes.

Evaluation of depression and anxiety control in Greek patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with/without GAD and CVD, under 6 months of treatment with citalopram, and/or quetiapine, and/or pregabalin.

565 patients with MDD with/without GAD, enrolled in this observational, study (NCT03317262). The subgroup of 133(24%) patients had CVD. Severity of MDD and GAD symptoms was evaluated using the HAM-D and HAM-A Scores at baseline (V1) and after 6 months (V3) respectively.

Mean HAM-D score in patients with CVD without GAD, at V1 and V3 was 23.94±7.51 and 8.14±4.65 respectively (p<0.0001). Similar results were observed in patients without CVD without GAD (HAM-D score 26.67±8.79 at V1 and 7.44±4.40 at V3). Mean HAM-A score in patients with CVD and GAD at V1 and V3 was 25.64±6.38 and 8.98±3.93, respectively (p<0.0001). Same magnitude reduction in HAM-A score was observed in patients without CVD and GAD, 26.27±8.16 at V1 and 9.28±6.48 at V3 (p<0.0001). Patients’ depression symptoms with/without CVD and GAD showed also a significant reduction between V1 and V3.

MDD patients with CVD without GAD, had a marginally lower baseline HAM-D score versus patients with GAD. After 6 months of treatment with citalopram, and/or quetiapine, and/or pregabalin the improvement of depressive and anxiety symptoms was almost equal between MDD patients with/without GAD regardless of the presence of coexisting CVD.

Employee of ELPEN Pharmaceutical Co. Inc.

A meta-analysis from 2016 estimates prevalence of hepatitis C to be superior in people with severe mental illness than general population. In France, positivity for hepatitis C is estimated at 0,75% of general population and 0.3% with a detectable viral load. No recent study was conducted to determine seroprevalence of hepatitis C in population admitted in psychiatric institution.

The aims of this study are to determine seroprevalence of hepatitis C in population admitted in psychiatric institution and describe the profile of infected patients.

From january 2020 to october 2020, screening test for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV was proposed to every patient admitted at the reception unit of Ravenel Hospital. In case of positivity, viral load was realised.

Between January 7th and Octobre 1st , 407 patients greed to the screening test. Among them, 17 (4,2%) were tested positive to hepatits C and viral load was detectable in 9/17 positives, which lead to a 2,2% seroprevalence of hepatitis C infection in the studied population. The patients with positive screening had a mean age of 40 years old. 82% of them were males. 16 admit using intoxicating substances and 10 were still current users at the time of the study. They were hospitalized for addictology purpose (5/17), psychosis (6/17), mood disorder (5/17), personality disorder (2/17), adjustement disorder (2/7). 10/17 had an alcohol use disorder.

This study confirms seroprevalence of hepatitis C infection in psychiatric population is seven times that of general population. This justifies a systematic screening of this population.

No significant relationships.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a fundamental requirement to maintaining social activity. Patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have difficulties in emotional awareness.

The objective of this study is to assess EI in patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.

Patients with psoriasis n=67, atopic dermatitis n=59 and control group n=65 were included in cross-sectional study. EI and its main components (experiential: perceiving emotions and using emotions to facilitate thought; strategic: understanding emotions and managing emotions to promote personal growth and social relations) were assessed using The Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test 2.0. Statistical analyses were performed using One-Way ANOVA and One-Way ANOVA (Kruskal-Wallis test). The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.Data are presented as the Me (±SD).

Our results show that there is statistically significant lower “strategic” component of EI for psoriasis Me=0.367 (±0.0455) and atopic dermatitis Me=0.369 (±0.0353) than for the control group Me= 0.381(±0.0361), (χ2 =7.15; p= 0.028). “Managing emotions to promote personal growth and social relations” is presented with statistically significant lower for psoriasis Me= 0,293 (±0.0374) and atopic dermatitis Me= 0.301 (±0.0351) than for the control group Me= 0.312 (±0.0272), (F=0.05; p=0.007). There is no statistically significant difference between other components of EI and the EI scores in three groups.

Patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have emotional difficulties when it comes to making effective decisions.

No significant relationships.

Several studies have shown impaired cytokine status in both patients with depression and chronic heart failure (HF).

to study the effect of vortioxetine on the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines: interleukin -1β (IL-1β) and interleukin - 6 (IL-6).

there were examined 80 patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) of ischemic genesis with functional class (FC) II-III (NYHA), 37 patients were without depression, 43 - with mild or moderate depressive disorders. Those with mild or moderate depressive disorders were divided into 2 subgroups: 21 patients received psychotherapy, 22 patients, in addition to psychotherapy, were prescribed vortioxetine at a dose of 10 mg / day in the morning after meals. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals. The level of cytokines in the blood was determined by ELISA method.

Patients with CHF have an increase in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, the concentration in the serum of IL-1β was 2.3 times higher than the same indicator in the control group: (56.45 ± 4.17) pg / ml, against (24.71 ± 4.21) pg / ml p <0.001). Depression caused an additional increase in the levels of IL-1β by 13.5% (p <0.05) and IL-6 - by 17.3% (p <0.01). Additional administration of vortioxetine caused a more rapid decrease in blood levels of both IL-1β (HR 0.87 [95% CI 0.72-0.97; p = 0.034]) and IL-6 (HR 0.81 [95% CI 0.68-0.93; p = 0.029]).

Thus, vortioxetine causes a decrease in the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 in patients with HF and comorbid depression.

No significant relationships.

The crisis caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the lives of billions of people across the world. Individuals with mental illness are suspected to be particularly affected by the societal consequences of the pandemic, but there is very limited data on this important aspect.

The aim of this study is to gauge the longitudinal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being and symptom levels of individuals receiving treatment for mental disorder in psychiatric hospital services.

We are in the process of conducting a two-wave, questionnaire-based survey among patients with mental disorders receiving treatment in the psychiatric hospital services of the Central Denmark Region. The first wave was conducted in July 2020 and had 1180 respondents representing all major diagnostic categories. The main finding was that the majority of the respondents reported that their mental health had deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently planning the second wave of the survey, which will be fielded in the fall of 2020. Here, we will reassess the mental health of the respondents from wave 1.

Will be presented at the meeting.

Longitudinal studies of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic of mental health are lacking. We therefore expect that the findings of this study will be of significant interest to the field.

No significant relationships.

The data on gender differences in mental health make the investigation of the specific impact of the pandemic and of the stay-at-home orders on men and women relevant.

The study focuses on the quality of the relationship in couples and mental health in men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study was conducted through an online survey a few weeks after the pandemic was declared and the stay-at-home order was introduced in Russia. 274 participants (50 men and 224 women) engaged in long-term relationships aged from 18 to 62 (M=34.2; SD=9.1) took part in the research. The instruments included the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, the Perceived Relationship Quality Components, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales.

Women show a considerably higher level of stress (t=3.805; p<0.001), depression (t=3.76; p<0.001) and anxiety (t=2.959; p=0.003). The quality of relationship for women is significantly connected with mental wellbeing (r=0.423; p<0.001) and negatively correlated with the stress level (r= -0.60; p<0.001), depression (r= -0,381; p<0,001) and anxiety (r=-0,313; p<0,001). Meanwhile for men, the quality of the relationship is connected to mental wellbeing (r=0.280; p=0.049), opposed to stress levels (r= -0.316; p=0.025) and is neither connected to depression (r= -0.210; p=0.144) nor to anxiety (r= -0.126; p=0.383).

During the pandemic, a favorable partnership has a positive effect on the mental health of both men and women. However, while the relationship quality affects all investigated indicators of mental health in women, in men the relationship quality is only connected to the level of mental wellbeing and stress. The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-04-60174.

No significant relationships.

As a consequence of the impact of COVID-19 there are suggestions and projections that suicide rates will rise, although this is not inevitable. It is intriguing what impact it will have on Kosovo as a country with the lowest suicide rate in Europe.

The objective of this study was to understand the level of suicidal thinking as a result of the COVID-19 situation and possible associations with sociodemographic variables.

It’s a comparative study. We examined data of two cross-sectional online surveys conducted during the one-month periods 20.03.20 until 23.04.20 and 27.04.2020 until 05.06.2020. The participants were online respondents, N = 194 (first period) and N = 155 (second period); who completed the Albanian version of PHQ-9. We used the statement number 9 of questionnaire indicative of suicide.

Mean score of suicidal thinking resulted 0.58 (SD = .98) in the first period and 0.84 (SD = 1.16) in the second period. 10.1% of participants in March/April and 18.2% in May/June period scored that almost every day thoughts that would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way. Significantly higher suicidal thinking resulted for females and for respondents who had previously had depression in both periods. Compared to two previous studies (2018 and 2019) in different settings only the results of the second period show an increase in suicidal thinking.

Further studies are needed to better scientifically elaborate these findings. It is important enhanced surveillance of COVID-19-related risk factors contributing to suicidal behaviors and timely preventive efforts.

No significant relationships.