Medical Trainees’ Readiness for the Promotion of Sexual Health in Tunisia: A Cross Sectional Study

In the Arab and Muslim countries, there are several taboos of sexuality. To overcome the latter, and to distinguish between cultural and scientific data, sexual education is a key measure, especially during medical studies. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of the Tunisian medical trainees and to identify their sources of information concerning sexuality. We conducted a survey among medical trainees of the faculty of medicine of Sfax, in Tunisia. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 171 and completed by 157 trainees (91.8%). The sources of knowledge about sexuality were: friends (81.5%; N = 128), internet (77.1%; N = 121), television and movies (68.2%; N = 107), courses at the faculty (40.1%; N = 63) and parents (22.9%; N = 36). The score of correct answers was higher than or equal to 75% for 28 trainees (17.8%). It was on average 63.3%. It was correlated with male gender (p = 0.006), being a second-year trainee (p = 0.017) and television and movies as a source of knowledge about sexuality (p = 0.008). Masturbation was considered pathological by 17.2% of participants (N = 27). A 5-min period of intercourse was deemed sufficient to have a female orgasm by 44 trainees (28%). Andropause and menopause are inconsistent with a satisfying sexuality according to 44.6% (N = 70) and 56.1% (N = 88) of the participants respectively.     

The Spanish and Catalan Versions of the Parent Development Interview-Revised (PDI-R): Adaptation and Validation Process

The reflective function (RF) or mentalization is nowadays considered a concept with a great explanatory and therapeutic potential. In this article we present the adaptation and validation of Parent Development Interview-Revised (PDI-R) to the Spanish and Catalan languages. It was performed by a cross-sectional design with a non-clinical sample of 61 Spanish and Catalan speaking mothers of under five mentally healthy children. The same sample responded to an Adult Attachment Questionnaire and to the Child Behavior Check List. The construct hypothesis based on attachment theory and mentalization research, expected a positive correlation between the parental RF level and adult attachment. Other hypothesis did not predict significant differences in the results of the two subsamples depending on sociodemographic characteristics. The results do confirm the hypothesis considered in a concordance way with the literature. The discussion provides some qualitative analysis closer to what is expected of the PDI-R’s clinical uses as a frame to work with parents. This study represents the PDI-R’s introduction in the Spanish and Catalan speaking population over the world. We think it opens the door to further research assessing the parental RF with Spanish speaking parents’ samples as well as to guide the clinical work with them.     

Preliminary validation of a Spanish language version of the Adoption Communication Scale in adopted adolescents / Validación preliminar de una versión en español de la escala Adoption Communication Scale para adolescentes adoptados

Abstract

The Adoption Communication Scale (ACS) is a 28-item child-report instrument used to assess adoptees’ perception of communication openness in the family. The aim was to develop a Spanish language version of the scale (ACS-S) and to assess the instrument’s psychometric properties in a sample of 55 adopted adolescents. The ACS-S was found to have high internal consistency (α = .93) and moderately high test-retest stability (.68). An exploratory factorial analysis yielded two factors, the first loaded on satisfaction with emotional communication items and the second encompassing satisfaction with the completeness of the information offered by the parents. These factors are coherent with the theory underlying the scale. The total ACS-S score was significantly positively correlated with adolescent Global Satisfaction with Openness as measured by a Visual Analogue Scale. The ACS-S scale appears to be a valid tool in assessing communication openness in Spanish adopted adolescents.     

Differences in dimensionality of electroencephalogram during awake and deeper sleep stages

The nonlinear dynamical systems theory provides some tools for the analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) at different sleep stages. Its use could allow the automatic monitoring of the states of the sleep and it would also contribute an explanatory level of the differences between stages. The goal of the present paper is to address this type of analysis, focusing on the most different stages. Estimations of dimensionality were compared when six subjects were awake and in a deep sleep stage. Greater dimensionality involves more complexity because the system receives more external influences. If this dimensionality is maximum, we can consider that the time series is a noisy one. A smaller dimensionality involves lower complexity because the system receives fewer inputs. We hypothesized that we would find greater dimensionality when subjects were awake than in a deep sleep stage. Results show a noisy time series during the awake stage, whereas in the sleep stage, dimensionality is smaller, confirming our hypothesis. This result is similar to the findings reached previously by other authors.     

Pilot Mindfulness Intervention for Children Born with Esophageal Atresia and Their Parents

A pilot mindfulness home intervention was conducted for 6 weeks among 8–12-year-old children born with esophageal atresia and their parents. Participants were randomly assigned to a waiting list control (WLC) group (n?=?8) and an experimental group (n?=?12). When all participants had completed the mindfulness-based program, data were pooled and treated for the entire sample (n?=?19). Self-assessment measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale for Adolescents (MAAS-A), the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM), the modified Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory—Child (STAI-C), the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Kids version (CERQ-k). Parental assessment measures included the modified STAI-C. The results underlined the program’s feasibility and acceptability. Clinical effects of the mindfulness-based program were observed. Self-assessed data for children who had practiced mindfulness compared to the WLC group showed increased mindfulness and decreased depression. Reduced anxiety was found in all groups. Positive affect tended to improve from pre-test to post-test in children who had practiced mindfulness compared to the WLC group. Parental assessments showed significant improvement in positive affect and decreases in anxiety and negative affect in the intervention group compared to the WLC group. Cognitive emotion regulation strategies were also affected by the mindfulness-based program. Rumination scores significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test in the intervention group. This preliminary study suggests that regular mindfulness practice presents a promising approach to reducing the burden of this neonatal malformation.     

MMPI-2 characteristics of transsexuals requesting sex reassignment: comparison of patients in prehormonal and presurgical phases

To assess psychopathology in transsexuals at different phases of sex reassignment, we administered the Spanish adaptation of the MMPI-2 (Avila-Espada & Jiménez-Gómez, 1999) to 107 male-to-female and 56 female-to-male transsexuals. Except for the Mf scale, mean T scores from the Clinical scales were within the normal range and did not differ between sexes. Male-to-female transsexuals seeking sex-reassignment hormonal therapy, but not female-to-male patients, scored significantly higher on the Depression, Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, Schizophrenia, and Social Introversion scales than patients seeking sex-reassignment surgery. The results show that the majority of patients were free of psychopathology. Transsexuals in the initial phases of sex reassignment may experience more distress than in later phases; however, these results are unlikely to reflect clinically relevant differences.     

MMPI–2 Characteristics of Transsexuals Requesting Sex Reassignment: Comparison of Patients in Prehormonal and Presurgical Phases

Forty-three medical students and 78 nursing students each filled out four copies of the Interpersonal Check List. The subjects described self, ideal self as physician or nurse, and typical and ideal work partner. For each questionnaire the two summary scores Dom and Lov were computed. The results indicate a discrepancy between concepts of self and ideal self and the results also point to considerable disagreement between medical students and nursing students about their roles on the physician-nurse team.