Suchergebnisse

Young immigrant women in the Netherlands demonstrate disproportionate rates of suicidal behavior. This study investigated the origins of suicidal behavior in South Asian-Surinamese, Turkish, and Moroccan immigrant young women in order to identify ethnic- and gender-specific patterns of suicidal behavior. Based on life story interviews of women who had been enrolled in mental health care, we constructed five typical patterns in which social, cultural, and personal factors were interconnected. Suicidal behavior was influenced by the ability and right to act autonomously with regard to strategic life choices, as well as by the questioning of cultural values of self-sacrifice and protection of honor.

<i>Aims:</i> Clinical and epidemiological research has shown that comorbidity is the rule rather than exception in the case of psychiatric disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been clearly demonstrated to be effective in treating anxiety and avoidance symptoms in patient samples of social phobia and agoraphobia without comorbid alcohol use disorders. It has recently been shown that treatment of comorbid anxiety disorders in alcohol-dependent patients can also be very successful. The purpose of the present study was to find predictors of treatment success for comorbid anxiety disorders in alcohol-dependent patients. <i>Methods:</i> The study was conducted in a sample of 34 completers with a double diagnosis of alcohol dependence and agoraphobia or social phobia who received CBT for their comorbid anxiety disorder in a 32-week randomized controlled trial comparing alcohol and CBT anxiety disorder treatment with alcohol treatment alone. In the current report, treatment success was defined as a clinically significant change (recovery) on the anxiety discomfort scale. <i>Results:</i> The severity of comorbid alcohol dependence did not influence the beneficial effect of CBT on the anxiety disorder. Psychological distress (SCL-90), neuroticism (NEO N), conscientiousness (NEO C), gender, employment and age of onset of alcohol dependence showed some predictive value. <i>Conclusions:</i> Alcohol-dependent males with a comorbid anxiety disorder seem to benefit most from CBT if their alcohol dependence started after age 25, if they are employed and if their general psychopathology is less severe. The most important conclusion, however, is that even severely alcohol-dependent patients with an anxiety disorder can benefit from psychotherapy for their anxiety disorder.

A representative general population sample (n = 7,076) was used to study retrospectively and prospectively the nature of the relationship between co-morbid alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders. Four different models were tested: (1) anxiety disorders increase the risk of alcohol dependence; (2) alcohol dependence increases the risk of anxiety disorders; (3) family history or childhood traumatisation increase the risk of both alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders, and (4) comorbid conditions are a separate psychopathological entity. The data show that alcohol dependence does not precede the onset of anxiety disorders, that anxiety disorders do precede the onset of alcohol dependence, that family history is not very likely to be the third factor explaining the elevated comorbidity, and that in women childhood trauma might be partially responsible for the association between both disorders. The data are inconsistent with regard to comorbidity as a distinct psychopathological entity. These findings are of great importance for treatment planning in patients with alcohol dependence and comorbid anxiety disorders.