Background: Demoralization, as assessed through the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research–Demoralization (DCPR/D) interview or the Demoralization Scale (DS), has been found to affect about 30% of patients with medical disorders, while few studies have been done in patients with psychiatric disorders. Methods: A convenience sample of 377 patients with ICD-10 diagnoses of mood, anxiety, stress-related disorders or other non-psychotic disorders was recruited from two Italian university psychiatry centers. The DCPR/D interview and the Italian version of the DS (DS-IT) were used to assess demoralization and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression. Results: Demoralization was diagnosable in more than 50% of the patients. Factor analysis of the DS-IT indicated four main factors, Meaninglessness/Helplessness, Disheartenment, Dysphoria and Sense of Failure, explaining 62% of the variance of the scale. Patients with bipolar or unipolar major depression and personality disorders had the highest prevalence of demoralization (DCPR/D) and the highest scores on all the DS-IT factors in comparison with patients with adjustment or anxiety disorders. About 50% of patients with moderate demoralization (DS-IT) were not clinically depressed (PHQ-9 <10), while almost all with severe demoralization were depressed. Limitations: Prospective studies on larger samples with other psychiatric disorders, also taking into account subjective incompetence, are needed. Since the DCPR/D assesses demoralization as a categorical construct, a dimensional framework should be necessary. Conclusions: The findings enrich the research on demoralization, showing for the first time the importance of this construct, as measured by the DCPR/D and the DS-IT, in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Exploring and assessing demoralization in patients with non-psychotic affective disorders / Grassi, L.; Pasquini, M.; Kissane, D.; Zerbinati, L.; Caruso, R.; Sabato, S.; Nanni, M. G.; Ounalli, H.; Maraone, A.; Roselli, V.; Murri, M. B.; Biancosino, B.; Biondi, M.. - In: JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. - ISSN 0165-0327. - 274:(2020), pp. 568-575. [10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.043]

Exploring and assessing demoralization in patients with non-psychotic affective disorders.

Pasquini M.
Investigation
;
Maraone A.;Roselli V.;Biondi M.
2020

Abstract

Background: Demoralization, as assessed through the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research–Demoralization (DCPR/D) interview or the Demoralization Scale (DS), has been found to affect about 30% of patients with medical disorders, while few studies have been done in patients with psychiatric disorders. Methods: A convenience sample of 377 patients with ICD-10 diagnoses of mood, anxiety, stress-related disorders or other non-psychotic disorders was recruited from two Italian university psychiatry centers. The DCPR/D interview and the Italian version of the DS (DS-IT) were used to assess demoralization and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depression. Results: Demoralization was diagnosable in more than 50% of the patients. Factor analysis of the DS-IT indicated four main factors, Meaninglessness/Helplessness, Disheartenment, Dysphoria and Sense of Failure, explaining 62% of the variance of the scale. Patients with bipolar or unipolar major depression and personality disorders had the highest prevalence of demoralization (DCPR/D) and the highest scores on all the DS-IT factors in comparison with patients with adjustment or anxiety disorders. About 50% of patients with moderate demoralization (DS-IT) were not clinically depressed (PHQ-9 <10), while almost all with severe demoralization were depressed. Limitations: Prospective studies on larger samples with other psychiatric disorders, also taking into account subjective incompetence, are needed. Since the DCPR/D assesses demoralization as a categorical construct, a dimensional framework should be necessary. Conclusions: The findings enrich the research on demoralization, showing for the first time the importance of this construct, as measured by the DCPR/D and the DS-IT, in patients with psychiatric disorders.
2020
Adjustment disorders; Affective disorders; Anxiety; Demoralization; Depression
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Exploring and assessing demoralization in patients with non-psychotic affective disorders / Grassi, L.; Pasquini, M.; Kissane, D.; Zerbinati, L.; Caruso, R.; Sabato, S.; Nanni, M. G.; Ounalli, H.; Maraone, A.; Roselli, V.; Murri, M. B.; Biancosino, B.; Biondi, M.. - In: JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. - ISSN 0165-0327. - 274:(2020), pp. 568-575. [10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.043]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1411676
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