zahra shahrivar

Early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can lead to earlier intervention and greater improvement of children’s quality of life and performance; hence, the use of screening tools is essential to facilitate the diagnosis process. The aim of the present study was to determine the clinical and differential validity of Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) and Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)in a group of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder compared to a normal developmental group.

The study was conducted in Roozbeh Hospital involving 52 children with ASD and 53 typically developing (TD) children, aged between 4-12 years. Their parents completed the SRS-2 and SCQ. These children were also interviewed using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, 2nd Edition (CARS-2) and Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS). After completion, the results were analyzed using the SPSS Version 18 software and a significant level of 0.05.

The average age of children in the autism group was 7.5 ± 2.7 years, while in the typically developing (TD) children group, it was 7.7 ± 2.3 years (P = 0.656). A positive correlation coefficient was observed between the CARS questionnaire score, the SRS questionnaire score, the SCQ questionnaire score, and the ASDS ‏(P < 0.01). In the SRS questionnaire, the area under the ROC curve was 0.976, and in the SCQ questionnaire it was 0.953, both of which had a good and significant diagnostic value (P < 0.001). A sensitivity of 0.942 and specificity of 0.811 for the cut-off point of 62.5 were obtained in the SRS questionnaire. Additionally, a sensitivity of 0.865 and specificity of 0.925 for the cut-off point of 15.5 were achieved in the SCQ questionnaire.

The SRS-2 and the SCQ are sensitive and specific tools for identifying and discriminating children with autism spectrum disorder.

 Children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) households are at greater risk for mental illnesses. Socioeconomic status has different dimensions: Objective SES, subjective SES, and contextual SES. Evidence suggests that subjective SES partially mediates the impact of objective SES on mental health. However, these hypotheses have not been tested in Middle Eastern cultures, including Iran.

 We aimed to investigate: (1) If there is an association between parental objective, subjective, and contextual SES measures and their children's mental health in a network of general practitioners' clients, (2) If such an association exists for objective or contextual indicators, is it partially or fully mediated through subjective measure? and (3) if such an association exists, is it affected by children's age?

 We assessed 1,103 parent-child pairs in the general practitioners' network of clients. The child's mental health was assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and parental objective SES by education level, subjective SES by the MacArthur scale, and contextual SES by the household neighborhood. Linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of different SES measures on the SDQ score both bivariately and adjusted for each other. A mediation analysis was performed for objective SES' indirect effect on SDQ score through subjective SES.

 We found a significant association between objective and subjective SES and the SDQ score, which remained significant after adjusting for each other. Both objective and subjective measures had a small effect size (Cohen's f-squared = 0.03). There was no association between contextual SES and SDQ scores in our sample.

 Socioeconomic status impacts children and adolescents' mental health. However, SES is a multi-dimensional concept. Further research considering different dimensions is needed to understand the interplay of these dimensions in different cultures and contexts. Addressing such exploratory questions may help pave the way for detecting and addressing these social determinants in primary care settings.

This study compared children's eating behaviors, body mass index, and parents' feeding practices between typically developing (TD) children and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In this descriptive study, 95 children with ADHD and 95 TD children aged 6 to 11 years were studied. The Conner's parents rating scale, the comprehensive feeding practice questionnaire, and the child eating behavior questionnaire were completed for both groups. In addition, both groups' weight and body mass index were measured and calculated. Clinical interviews and the Kiddie Schedule were held for both groups. The obtained data were analyzed by the independent t test and the Chi-square test in SPSS software, version 19.0, at a significance level of less than 0.05.

The two groups showed no significant differences in demographic characteristics and feeding practices. The parents in the two groups were similar in all study variables except for emotional control and monitoring over feeding practice. The correlation between body mass index and child eating behavior scores showed significant relationships with food disorder (r=-0.281, P=0.006), enjoyment of food (r=0.295, P=0.004), and food responsiveness/emotional binge (r=0.288, P=0.005).According to the stepwise regression, the predictors of body mass index were weight restraints and food disorder in the ADHD group and health restraints in the control group. 

This study found no significant differences between TD children and ADHD children regarding weight, body mass index, eating behavior, or parental feeding practice. Further research is needed to evaluate related variables, such as physical activity and birth weight.

Stimulants are highly effective in controlling symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but 30% of individuals with ADHD do not respond to them or cannot tolerate their side effects; thus, alternative treatment approaches need to be considered.

To evaluate the effect and safety of piracetam as an adjuvant therapy plus methylphenidate (MPH) in children with ADHD.

Thirty-six children with ADHD (6-16 years old), admitted to three academic outpatient child psychiatric clinics in the second half of 2015, were randomly assigned to the “methylphenidate plus piracetam group” and the “methylphenidate plus placebo” group, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, for 6 weeks. The “Conner’s Parents’ Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS-R), Children Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4), Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I), and Children’ Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) were completed at baseline and at the ends of the third and the sixth week, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute side effect forms were completed weekly, as outcome measures.

The level of improvement in CPRS-R, CSI-4, and CGI-I scales were significantly higher in the “methylphenidate plus piracetam” group compared with the “methylphenidate plus placebo” group. Side effects were not remarkable in any group.

Piracetam as a short-term adjuvant treatment to methylphenidate can have considerable therapeutic effect and safety profile in children with ADHD and deserves further exploration to assess its potentialities in ADHD treatment.

The strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most common screening tools to detect children and adolescents who are at risk of mental health problems or have psychiatric disorders. The standard mode of SDQ completion is on paper; however, some studies used phone administration and argued that this is a feasible and valid method that can substitute in-person administration. However, few studies have investigated the validity and reliability of phone administration of the SDQ.

The current study aimed to compare the telephone versus paper-and-pencil administration of the SDQ among Iranian child and adolescent outpatients.

Sixty six parents with children aged 3 to 15 years completed the SDQ questionnaire using paper-and-pencil and telephone interview techniques. The study was performed in 2016, and participants were from the city of Tehran (capital of Iran). Participants were first divided into two groups. Then, one of them first completed the questionnaire using the face-to-face interviews, and 3 to 4 days later, they again completed the questionnaire using the telephone interview. And the vice versa occurred for the other group. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to calculate the correlation between the two methods in each group separately. Intra-class correlation (ICC) analysis was used to investigate the association between the two administration methods.

A significant positive correlation was found between the two types of administration in both groups (P < 0.05). Intra-class correlation coefficients indicated a good correlation between the scores obtained from each method of administration (all P values were < 0.001).

Telephone administration of SDQ is a reliable method for collecting data when studying emotional and behavioral symptoms in children and adolescents attending outpatient psychiatric centers.

Moving Shapes paradigm is a test that evaluates intentionality as a theory of mind (ToM) component. This study aimed to assess the normative data and reliability of this test in a community sample of 9-11-year-old children.

A total of 398 children aged between 9 and 11 years were recruited from mainstream elementary schools through a random cluster sampling. All participants were evaluated using the Moving Shapes paradigm. To evaluate test-retest reliability, the test was administered again after 2-4 weeks

The intentionality mean score was 29.70 (+5.88) out of 60. There was no significant difference between girls and boys in test scores. Age was not significantly related to the paradigm variables scores. Ten percent of the participants achieved the scores below 22, and 10% above 37. Cronbach’s Alfa was 0.40 for the intentionality score. The test-retest reliability was fair to good (0.43 - 0.79) for different groups of animations. The inter-rater agreement was 80%.

The study found that the Moving shapes paradigm is a reliable instrument to evaluate intentionality in normal school-aged children.

The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) is a well-known screening instrument to assess autistic spectrum symptoms quantitatively. This study assessed the different types of reliability of the Farsi translation of the scale.

This scale was translated into Farsi and back translated considering all aspects of methodology in translation. Then, based on stratified sampling, 533 7-11-year-old students were randomly selected from the mainstream schools located in the central parts of Tehran, the capital of Iran. For all the students, SRS-2 was completed by both the parents and teachers. To check retest reliability, the test was administered again for 15% of the total participants after a 2-4 week-period. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, split-half” and Gottman” methods, and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were used.

The mean total raw score was 48.47 (±23.63) and 53.17 (±27.33) in the sequence of the parents and teachers’ reports. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha; 0.86 and 0.89), test-retest reliability (ICC; 0.72 and 0.83 for parents and teacher’ ratings, respectively), and interrater reliability (ICC; 0.72) showed well-accepted measurement performance.

The findings indicated that the Farsi SRS-2 can be used as a reliable instrument to measure social responsiveness as autistic symptoms in Iranian child population.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the initial efficacy of the new unified protocol of transdiagnostic treatment for children with emotional disorders (UP-C) on reducing symptoms of anxiety disorders and comorbid depression in Iranian children aged 8 to 11 years. In this study, a 15-session UP-C separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder (as comorbid disorder). To collect data, Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizo-phrenia- Present and Lifetime Version (K SADS-PL), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) and, Children Depression Invento-ry (CDI) were used. Results of graph-chart analysis and percentage change index showed that at the end of treatment and one-month follow-up period, there were significant statistical and clinical changes in both anxiety disorders and depression disorder (as comorbid disorder).

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), with numerous medicinal properties is one of the most important plants from Lamiaceae family. To investigate the effects of drought stress and salicylic acid on peppermint, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on completely randomized design with four replications in the greenhouse of Medicinal Plants Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University during 2017. Studied factors included drought stress (35%, 65%, 95% and 100% of field capacity) and salicylic acid (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg/l). Results showed that salicylic acid (concentration) improved most physiological traits including chlorophyll index, relative water content, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, ion leakage and malondialdehyde. The highest level of ionic leakage and malondialdehyde was obtained in combination treatments of 50 mg/L and 35% FC. Maximum total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity were observed in the combination treatment of salicylic acid (150 mg/L) and 95% drought stress. Therefore, application of this growth regulator at the level of 100 mg/L can be helpful in alleviating drought stress in peppermint.

More attention is now paid on the importance of emotional and mental well-being of the youth. To better plan for psychiatric health care and rehabilitation in this age group, we need to shed light on the epidemiological picture of their mental disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of the referrals to a child and adolescent psychiatric ward during 5 years. In this prospective observational study, all the youth, who had been admitted to the Roozbeh Hospital for the first time, were recruited. All of the participants were evaluated, using the Roozbeh Hospital Item Sheet as a standard tool for obtaining their demographic and clinical features. The level of global functioning was also assessed, utilizing the Children Global Assessment Scale. Over 55% of the inpatients (n=192) were male with a Mean±SD age of 15.2±2.36years. The average length of admission was 40 days. The most common diagnoses were (in descending sequences): 1. bipolar mood disorder; 2. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; and 3. autism spectrum disorder. The global functioning mean score of the participants was between 29 and 59 out of 100 through the worst and the best situations of the psychiatric condition. The study findings highlight the predominance of mood disorders and their complications among this group of inpatients as well as their required and special assessments and interventions. Future annual reports can help with better understanding the trends in mental health issues that potentially aids in policymaking and developing treatment guidelines.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in adulthood, and it is associated with different high- risk behaviors, particularly substance use. Evidence suggests a high prevalence of ADHD in adults who take methamphetamine (METH). This study aimed at comparing functional level, quality of life, and psychiatric comorbidities in METH users with and without adult ADHD (A-ADHD).
In this cross-sectional study, 134 patients who had a history of METH use (at least once in lifetime) were selected from among inpatient and outpatient referrals to a psychiatric hospital. DIVA was performed for those who were positive on the Conner's Adult ADHD Rating Scales–Self-Report-Screening Version (CAARS-SR-SV). The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQoL-BREF) were used to assess the participants’ level of functioning and quality of life, respectively. Psychiatric comorbidities including substance use disorders were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-Axis I (SCID-I).
Among the METH users, 10.4% were diagnosed as having A-ADHD. A-ADHD was more prevalent among female METH users than males. The hyperactive-impulsive and combined types were more common than the inattentive type. Opiates and cannabis were the most commonly abused drugs by the 2 groups, while sedative-hypnotic use was significantly higher in the individuals with A-ADHD. Substance-induced mood disorder was the most prevalent comorbidity in the 2 groups and was higher in those with A-ADHD. quality of life and the GAF scores were significantly lower in those with A-ADHD and duration of METH use was higher Compared to the METH users without A-ADHD, (p>0.05).
This study provided some preliminary findings supporting the prevalence of Adult ADHD among METH users and its negative impacts on their global functioning and quality of life. To provide more effective intervention for METH users, detection and treatment of those with A-ADHD can be of clinical value.

Objectives This study was done to evaluate the clinical characteristics, function, quality of life, and premorbid adjustment of inpatient children and adolescents with First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) at Roozbeh psychiatric hospital.
Methods During a two-year cohort study (2013-2014), all admissions in the child and adolescent psychiatric ward were evaluated. Diagnoses were made using clinical assessment and the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version-Persian Version (K-SADS-LV-PV). The Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS), Clinical Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), and WHO-Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-Brief) were used to assess the related variables.
Results Among 44 participants (47.7% boys) with a mean age of 193.11(21.5) months, 68.3% were suffering from Bipolar Disorder (BD) and 15.9% from Schizophrenia. Poor premorbid adjustment before the emergence of psychosis was indirectly related with academic level and directly consistent with suicidal risk and duration of psychotic disorder (PConclusion Bipolar disorder was the most common diagnosis among the child and adolescent inpatients with FEP. FEP was consistent with poor premorbid adjustment and severe global functioning impairment. These findings confirm the need for prevention and early interventions in at-risk individuals.

Objectives Attributing the intention to others’ behavior is one important factor in the theory of mind development. This study aimed to assess validity of the “Moving shapes” paradigm in a group of Iranian school-aged children to evaluate their understanding the intention of others’ behavior.
Methods Through randomized cluster sampling, students at grades 3 to 5 were recruited among the mainstream schools in Tehran. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). After using the Ishihara test to rule out color-blindness, the “Moving shapes” paradigm was performed for all participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods, T test, linear regression, and Pearson’s correlation analysis.
Results The mean age of the participants was 9.96(SD=0.916) years, and 49.2% of them were male. There was no association between age and gender with intentionality score. All variables of the paradigm were significantly correlated with each other (PConclusion The “Moving shapes paradigm” can be used as a valid test for evaluation of the intentionality in Iranian school-aged children.

Various cognitive dysfunctions are reported in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) in manic, depressed, and euthymic phases. Among these deficits, the findings related to visual memory are more inconsistent.
Given the limitations and inconsistencies, we aimed to compare visual memory in the euthymic phase of BD with a typically developing group.
Thirty 11 to 18 year old inpatients with bipolar manic episode were compared with 30 normal youths regarding their visual memory. The Kiddie schedule for affective disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and lifetime were used to confirm the diagnosis and comorbidities. Conners Parent Rating Scale (CPRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Children Depression Inventory (CDI), and Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM) were conducted to evaluate attention-deficit hyperactivity, manic, depressed symptoms, and IQ respectively. Paired Associates Learning (PAL) and Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM) taken from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess visual memory for both groups. Adolescents with BD performed these tasks when entered the euthymic phase of the disorder.
The 2 groups did not have any differences in their age, gender, and IQ. Most PAL and PRM scores were poorer (nonsignificant) in the BD group compared with the TD participants. The PRM mean correct latency score was higher in the BD individuals with ADHD compared with both the non-ADHD and the Typically Developing (TD) adolescents (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively).
Youths with euthymic phase of BD suffer from some visual memory problems. These deficits may be related to comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Executive dysfunction has been proposed as a fundamental impairment in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, existing findings are inconsistent.
The present study aimed at evaluating the behavioral profile for executive functions (EF) in adolescents compared to healthy individuals using the Farsi translation of the behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF).
In this study, 34 participants (aged 5-16) with ASD were compared to 36 age and gender matched typically developing (TD) children using the BRIEF and childhood autism rating scale (CARS), and raven progressive matrices (RPM).
All subscales of the BRIEF were significantly higher in children and adolescents with ASD. Working memory was impaired in 88% of the ASD group, and the inhibition subscale had the highest mean score. The visual response subscale of CARS correlated significantly with the metacognition index (MCI) and global executive composite (GEC) of the BRIEF. A slight negative significant correlation was found between the BRIEF planning/organization T- score and age in the group with ASD.
Adolescents with ASD have difficulties in every day executive functioning, mostly in working memory and inhibition. These deficits are related to some aspects of social and sensory impairments seen in ASD.

The need for mental health care among children and adolescents in Iran, as in other low and middle income countries (LAMIC) remains mostly unmet. In this paper, we sought to provide an overview of the extent of unmet need and mental health services in Iran. We also aimed to propose approaches to address this gap.
We reviewed the published epidemiologic studies of child and adolescent mental and behavioral health problems in Iran. We also examined the current status of child mental health services and the gaps between current needs and available services based on published literature that included papers published in scientific journals, as well as governmental and other administrative reports. The contextual issues relevant to child mental health care were also explored, as well as the possibilities to introduce new or scale up promising services.
Child and adolescent mental and behavioral health problems are highly prevalent in Iran. Different studies have estimated that 16.7% to 36.4% of children and adolescents suffer from one or more mental health problems. However, there is a serious scarcity of resources to meet this need. Available services are delivered by independent public organizations (e.g., Ministry of Health, Welfare Organization, and Ministry of Education) or private sector with inefficient communication and collaboration among them and no mandatory national mental health policy. Available specialized child and adolescent services are mostly confined to small inpatient units and university outpatient facilities in larger cities, and there is a scarce evidence for the effectiveness of the available services.
Expansion of primary care’s role in timely detection and management of child and adolescent mental health problems, implementation of task-shifting and -sharing initiatives, as well as improved collaboration among responsible governmental and non-governmental sectors are some of the most promising future venues to improve mental health care for the Iranian youth.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in adults, and associated with comorbidities and negative consequences in many parents of children with ADHD. The aim of this study was to determine ADHD and personality disorder in parents of children with ADHD compared to the healthy group.
This cross-sectional descriptive and the analytic study were conducted in 2015 in Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital Tehran and the sample group consisted of 45 adult subjects with ADHD children and 45 healthy adults who were chosen control method. questionnaires Conner’s adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder questionnaires, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II), Conner’s parent’s scales between the two groups were completed, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Symptom Checklist -90- Revised (SCL-90-R) were completed in the group controlling. And for parents who had a score above the cutting point for the diagnostic assessment of personality disorder Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders, to assess personality disorders, as well as for the diagnostic assessment of ADHD in adults Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults (DIVA) was conducted.
The incidence of ADHD in parents of children with ADHD than parents with healthy children was 6/5 equivalent and the prevalence of B cluster disorders, C cluster disorders, passive-aggressive personality disorder and depressive personality disorder in parents of children with ADHD was higher than the cut-off point parents with healthy children (P˂0.01). The most common subtypes in parents of children with ADHD were respectively mixed (attention- hyperactivity) (38.5%) and attention deficit (30.8%).
The prevalence of ADHD and personality disorders in parents of children with ADHD are more than parents with healthy.

This study evaluated the theory of mind (ToM) in adolescents diagnosed with bipolar disorder ýý(BD) during their euthymic period compared to a typically developing (TD) group.ý
The BD group consisted of thirty 11-18 year old inpatients in euthymic phase. The TD ýgroup included 30 age, gender, and IQ matched volunteer students. To assess the diagnosis and ýcomorbid disorders, we performed the semi-structured interview of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders ýand Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) for the BD adolescents. To ýevaluate the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mania, Conner's ýParent Rating Scale-Revised version (CPRS-R), and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) were ýused, respectively. Ravens Progressive Matrices was conducted to evaluate intellectual ability in ýthe both groups. Happe Strange Stories test was performed to assess ToM in the participants. Data were ýanalyzed using the independent t-test, analysis of covariance, and Pearson Correlation analysis.ý
The two groups did not show any differences in comprehending the stories; however, the BD ýgroup’s mentalizing scores were significantly weaker than the TD group (p The ToM impairments in adolescents with BD may be explained as a trait marker which may lead ýto continuation of social problems even during remissionþ.þ

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral treatment based on Kendall's Coping Program on reduction of some co-occurrence symptoms among 8-10 years old children with anxiety. The study design was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest control group. The sample consisted of 20 children 8 to 10 year-old with diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder and/or social anxiety disorder. The participants were selected using goal directed sampling and assigned randomly into two groups (cognitive behavioral treatment and waiting list group). The experimental group received 16 sessions of cognitive behavioral treatment based on Kendall's Coping Program. The data were gathered by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach, 1991). The Mann-Whitney U and Friedman test were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that cognitive behavioral treatment based on Kendall's Coping Program reduced significantly some of the internalized and externalized symptoms in experimental group compared with the waiting list group. The results were maintained at 1/5 and 3 months follow up. The findings suggested that the cognitive behavioral treatment based on Kendall's Coping Program also reduced externalized symptoms of Iranian 8-10 year-old children in addition to reducing internalized symptoms.

This study investigates the effect of CBT based on Coping Cat on reduced anxiety symptoms in the Iranian children within the age range of 8 to 10 suffering from anxiety. It was conducted based on a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest and control group. 20 children within the preceding age range suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and social anxiety were selected using the goal-directed convenience sampling method after they underwent clinical interviews arranged by the child and adolescent psychiatrist, assessment with a semi-structured diagnostic interview of mood disorders and schizophrenia for children and adolescents (K-SADS) and placement at the clinical level according to the DSM-based anxiety scale and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and placed into two groups of 10 (treatment and waiting list groups). Intervention therapy based on Coping Cat individual cognitive-behavior program was provided to the members of the treatment group for 16 sessions. The research data were gathered by means of DSM-based anxiety scale and CBCL and Spence Scale (Parent and Child version), and further analyzed using Mann-Whitney test, Friedman test, and significant clinical changes. The results suggest that Coping-cat-based CBT significantly reduces anxiety symptoms of the treatment group members vis-à-vis the waiting group both statistically (p<0.001, Z=3.335) and clinically, which continued in one-and-a-half and three-month follow-ups. Confirming the results of previous studies, the research findings indicate that Coping-cat CBT affects reduced anxiety symptoms in the Iranian children falling within the age range of 8 to 10 and that such an impact persists during follow-ups. Therefore, its basic application in psychological therapy centers could be feasible.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder in which impairment of executive functions plays an important role. The main objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in children with ADHD. Patients and Thirty children, aged 7-12 years, attending the child and adolescent clinic of Roozbeh hospital and diagnosed with ADHD according to interview with a child and adolescent psychiatrist, formed our ADHD group. In contrast, thirty participants of the control group were selected from 7 to 12 year-old students according to Conners’ Teacher/Parent Rating Scale and did not have ADHD. The kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia-present and lifetime version-Persian version was also completed for all children to rule out other psychiatric disorders. After oral consent, parents of 60 children (ADHD = 30, control = 30), completed three questionnaires of ADHD-Rating Scale-IV, Conners’ Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Short Version and BRIEF. Children in ADHD group got higher scores than those in the control group in all subscales and indices of BRIEF (P < 0.001). There were also good correlations between subscales and indices of BRIEF and the two other rating scales (P < 0.001). BRIEF could be used as a valid tool to assess behavioral aspects of executive functions, especially to discriminate children with ADHD and normal ones.

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders، 5th edition (DSM-5)، children with severe nonepisodic irritability are diagnosed as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) and this diagnosis is included in the mood disorder section. The current study aimed to know whether the DMDD is a subgroup of bipolar disorder (BD) or an independent disorder. For gathering valid English and Persian data، Medline، PsycINFO، Scopus، and DSM databases for English and SID for Persian resources were searched and reviewed until Summer of 2013. Up until now research comparing severe and permanent (nonepisodic) irritabilities (equivalent to DMDD) with BD indicate that BD and DMDD are similar in severity and functional impairment، and different in gender distribution، familial clustering، course and prognosis، comorbidities and neuropsychophysiologic functions. In following years، children with DMDD are more likely to suffer from unipolar depressive and anxiety disorders، but BD has not been seen among them. The DMDD seems not to be a subgroup of BD and rather it should be included as an independent diagnosis in the mood disorder section. The DSM editors need to be flexible enough to make necessary revisions encountering further new findings.

The goal of the current 3-year follow-up study was to investigate characteristics, course and clinical outcomes of a group of patients with first episode psychosis admitted to Roozbeh Hospital during 2007-2009. Patients admitted to Roozbeh Hospital with a first presentation of any psychotic symptoms were included. At admission, the patients were assessed with regard to severity of symptoms, global functioning and quality of life. For data collection, the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQoL-BREF) were used. These assessments were repeated at the time of discharge, and on six, 12, and 24 months as well as three to four years after discharge. Readmissions in the follow-up period were also recorded. The data were analyzed using repeated measure analysis of variance and paired t-test. Of 104 recruited patients, 59 (56.7%) were male. Their mean age (±SD) was 30.6 years (±9.7). Based on discharge diagnoses, 48 individuals had bipolar I disorder (with psychotic features), 22 patients had schizophrenia, seven cases had major depressive disorder (with psychotic features), and the remaining 27 were diagnosed with other psychotic disorders. Patients’ global functioning, and positive, negative and general psychotic symptoms were improved noticeably during follow-up. Nonetheless, the improvement was apparent at solely the time of discharge and none of these measures changed between discharge and follow-up intervals. The patients’ quality of life showed no changes during any of these intervals. Of those with available data, the rate of readmission was 41.1%. A significant proportion of the patients experienced relapse leading to rehopitalization during the first three years after the index hospitalization. This finding along with the lack of improvement of functioning and quality of life during the follow-up period underlines the importance of providing effective interventions for relapse prevention and rehabilitation

Object: Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with abnormalities in emotional competence. One of the main aspects of this competency is emotion recognition which is presented in the face. This study aimed to evaluate facial emotion recognition in adolescents with bipolar disorder when they are free of acute symptoms. Thirty patients diagnosed with BD aged 12 to 18 were selected from a large sample of consecutive admitted adolescents in Roozbeh hospital. They were compared with 30 matched normal developing adolescents who were recruited from mainstream schools at Tehran. All participants were evaluated using a facial emotion recognition task. The participants needed to recognize happy, sad, angry and neutral facial expressions The ANOVA was used to analyze the differences between the two groups in terms of emotion recognition variables. The patients with BD showed a significant deficit in recognizing emotions in general (p=.01) which was prominent in the angry faces. Their response time to recognize the facial expressions was longer compared to the normal individuals. This difference was significant in recognizing the happy and neutral faces (p<0.05). This study suggests an inaccurate recognition of facial expressions in adolescents with BD, particularly for anger, as well as slowness in detecting emotions especially happiness.