Adults with schizophrenia usually have impairments in theory of mind (ToM), which subsequently cause them problems in social interaction. Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers to assess their ToM using adequate measures. This systematic review evaluated current ToM measures (or ToM tasks) for adults with schizophrenia and summarized their specific characteristics, including the concept and construct, administration, and psychometric properties. From a review of 117 articles, 13 types of ToM tasks were identified, and the findings from these articles were qualitatively synthesized. The results showed that ToM tasks are diverse in their presentation modalities, answer modes, strategies of controlling cognitive confounders, and scoring. Most tasks employ cognitive and affective dimensions and target a specific, single ToM concept. The present systematic review found that psychometric evidence supporting the ToM tasks, such as internal consistency, test–retest reliability, unidimensionality, and convergent, criterion, and ecological validities, is insufficient. Based on the results, we propose several principles for selecting appropriate ToM tasks in practice, e.g., selecting a task with multiple ToM concepts, or an exclusive ToM construct containing the cognitive and affective dimensions. Moreover, future studies are needed to provide more psychometric evidence on each type of ToM task applied in people with schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to assess morbidity and associated factors in patients with lung cancer (LC). This study used a cross-sectional design with consecutive sampling. Study subjects were recruited from the LC outpatient clinic and inpatient ward in a medical center from March 2016 to February 2018. Patients with LC were enrolled and assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Brief Fatigue Inventory, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire. One hundred and four patients were included in the study. The most prevalent psychiatric disorder was depressive disorder (25.0%), followed by adjustment disorder (17.3%), alcohol use disorder (3.8%), and insomnia disorder (3.8%). Fifty percent of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis. Using logistic regression analysis, it was found that severity of fatigue (OR=1.77; 95% CI, 1.03-3.03; p<0.05), severity of stressor (OR=14.14; 95% CI, 2.49-80.20; p<0.05), and severity of anxiety (OR=3.75; 95% CI, 1.87-7.54; p<0.001) were three significant associated factors. Patient health problems, death of a close family member or friend, and major financial crisis were the three most common stressors among our cancer patients. Use of a standardized structured interview for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients with depressive disorder is crucial and might increase their quality of life.

Objective: The purposes of this study are 1) to estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders including depressive disorder in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up and 2) to test the validity of two self-reported questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ), for screening depression in patients with HNC.
Methods: Participants were recruited from the outpatient collaborative care clinic for HNC of a tertiary hospital in Taiwan between January 2010 and January 2011. Ninety-three patients with HNC were enrolled and assessed using the HADS, TDQ, and Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, Patient edition, at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up. Conventional validity indices of the HADS and TDQ were examined.
Results: Our results showed that the validity of the TDQ was satisfactory and comparable to that of both the HADS depression subscale and the HADS total scale. The cutoff scores of the HADS and TDQ for screening possible depressive disorders were 8 and 15, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the HADS and TDQ were mean 0.975±0.015 and 0.966±0.019, respectively. Thirteen participants (14%) were diagnosed with depressive disorders at the 6-month follow-up, compared with 8.5% at baseline.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that both the HADS and TDQ are valid instruments for screening depression in patients with HNC.

Deficits in cognition, physical, and social functions in adults with schizophrenia may become salient with aging. While animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can benefit physical function in older adults and improve symptoms of psychotic disorders, the effect of AAT on middle-aged patients with schizophrenia is unclear. The current randomized controlled trial aimed to explore the efficacy of AAT for middle-aged patients with schizophrenia. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either the AAT or control group. The AAT group participated in one-hour sessions with dog-assisted group activities once a week for 12 weeks. The controls participated in dose-matched, non-animal-related recreational activities. Both groups remained on their usual psychotropic medication during the trial. Evaluations included the Chair Stand Test (CST), Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), 5-Meter walk test (5MWT), and Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills (ACIS). The increases in CST repetitions and ACIS scores were larger in the AAT group than in the controls. The two groups did not differ significantly in MoCA scores, TUG performance, or the 5MWT. The AAT group showed a greater increase in lower extremity strength and social skills, but no improvement in cognitive function, agility, or mobility. Further research with more sensitive evaluations and longer follow-up is needed.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease with a relentlessly progressive course of illness. This study aimed to assess the dyadic dynamics of benefit finding (BF), demoralization, and stigma on the depression severity of PD patients and their caregivers. This study used a cross-sectional design with purposive sampling. In total, 120 PD patients and 120 caregivers were recruited from the neurological ward or neurological outpatient clinic of a medical center in Taiwan from October 2021 to September 2022. PD patients and their caregivers were enrolled and assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Benefit Finding scale, Demoralization Scale, Stigma Subscale of the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue, and Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire. Among the 120 patients and 120 caregivers that successfully completed the study, 41.7% (N = 50) and 60% (N = 72) were female, respectively. The most common psychiatric diagnoses of both the PD patients (17.5%) and their caregivers (13.3%) were depressive disorders. Using structural equation modeling, we found that the stigma, BF, and demoralization of PD patients might contribute to their depression severity. Demoralization and stigma of PD patients’ caregivers might also contribute to the depression severity of PD patients. Caregivers’ BF and demoralization were significantly linked with their depression severity. PD patients’ BF degree and their caregivers’ BF degree had significant interactive effects. Both patients’ and their caregivers’ stigma levels had significant interactive effects. Clinicians should be aware of and manage these contributing factors between PD patients and their caregivers in order to prevent them from exacerbating each other’s depression.