The World Psychiatry Exchange Program offers opportunities overseas for early career psychiatrists (ECPs), fostering immersion in clinical and cultural contexts. In this article, we present the experiences of two Tunisian ECPs in India. Activities included observing interviews, and attending courses and webinars. Challenges and opportunities in perinatal psychiatry and in child psychiatry were observed, emphasising cross-cultural nuances. Language barriers were overcome through translation. Notably, collaboration and proximity between departments countered mental illness stigma among medical professionals. This exchange underscores the importance of cultural awareness, collaboration and contextual adaptation in psychiatry. Lessons from this cross-cultural experience offer insights for enhanced care and research in diverse settings. This exchange also allowed for a rich scientific and cultural experience and brought to light many commonalities between India and Tunisia.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tunisia implemented a national lockdown between March and May 2020. This disrupted daily life and limited access to essential services. The restrictions significantly reduced social interactions and outdoor activities for children and adolescents, raising concerns about the psychological impact on this population. AIM: To assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on children and adolescents in Tunisia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a telephone survey was conducted among 514 Tunisian households in August 2020. We included parents of children aged five to 15 years. The collected data included sociodemographic characteristics, general information, and details on the establishment of routines and adaptive containment measures. A 26-item questionnaire was developed to assess anxiety and emotional and behavioral symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. RESULTS: Parents reported depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and behavioral manifestations in 38.7%, 69.8% and 61.9% of their children, respectively. Among children, female sex was associated with significantly greater levels of depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and eating disturbances (p=0.002, p=0.034 and p=0.011, respectively). Children who had somatic chronic illnesses or whose parents had such conditions reported significantly greater levels of somatic complaints (p=0.037). Those whose fathers continued to work during the lockdown had a more positive attitude toward the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.027). Children with anxiety symptoms had more positive attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.002); however, those with depressive symptoms did not (p=0.19). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 lockdown had a substantial psycho-logical impact on children and adolescents in Tunisia, as indicated by high rates of anxiety, depression, and behavioural disturbances. These findings may contribute to the formulation of evidence-based recommendations aimed at safeguarding the mental health of children and adolescents in future pandemic scenarios, thereby minimizing adverse psychological outcomes.

Background: Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in most countries of the world and causes disability, disability, high medical costs, and increased mortality. This study aimed to predict the meaning of life based on moral development, cognitive styles, and hopefulness in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive-correlational study consisted of all patients of the Karaj Diabetes Association in 2019 (Iran), among whom 200 cases were selected by the convenience sampling method and Cochran formula. The Meaning of Life Questionnaire (2006), Kohlberg’s Moral development Test (1977), Kolb Cognitive Styles Scale (1981), and Snyder Hope scale (1996) were used for data collection. Pearson correlation test and multiple linear regression were applied to analyze the data by SPSS23, and the significance level was 0.05. Results: The results revealed that moral development (β=0.15, P=0.03), cognitive styles (β=0.38, P<0.001), and hopefulness (β=0.22, P<0.001) had a positive effect on the meaning of life. Conclusion: It can be concluded that moral development, cognitive styles, and hopefulness can predict the meaning of life among people with T2D, highlighting the importance of the role of the meaning of life in people with T2D.