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Highlights from the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry (November of 2024 - February of 2025)

The Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, formerly “Nordisk Psykiatrisk Tidsskrift”, is an international journal that publishes excellent psychiatric research with a broad scope. It is the official journal for the eight psychiatric associations in the Nordic and Baltic countries. It is a main source of information about current Nordic psychiatry and related fields, The journal is distributed to members of the Nordic and Baltic Psychiatric Associations as well as to members of Associations for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. This gives access to all articles published in the journal from 1946.



Psychotic-like experiences among adolescents entering psychiatric services


Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are common in clinical adolescent samples and form a continuum based on their frequency and intensity. PLEs can have harmful effects on both behaviour and affect. The authors assessed prevalence and subjective distress due to PLEs with the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B) and depressive symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21A) among adolescents entering specialized adolescent psychiatric services. Various PQ-B Distress scale cut-off points were tested for their ability to detect high and low BDI scores using the superiority index, the effect size for mean difference, and spline regressions. Among other things they found that the most common PLE within both genders were experiences of paranoia and suspiciousness, with a prevalence of 59.9%. BDI scores and PQ-B distress scores were strongly associated. The authors conclude that PLEs are common among adolescent entering psychiatric care. Even a relatively small amount of distress due to PLEs indicates clinical levels of depressive symptoms.


Granö N, Lintula S,  Therman S, Marttunen M, Edlund V, Ranta K. Prevalence of psychotic-like experiences and their association with depression symptoms among patients entering adolescent psychiatric care. Nord J Psychiatry. 2024 Nov;78(8):698-704. doi: 10.1080/ 08039488.2024. 2412036. Epub 2024 Oct 4. PMID: 39364835

 

Effect of creative writing in patients with Schizophrenia spectrum disorders


Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are associated with social difficulties that call for psychosocial interventions as supplement to standard treatment. The aim of the present study was to assess if there were changes in wellbeing, psychotic-like experiences, mentalisation and self-efficacy from pre- to post-intervention, in persons with SSD who took part in a creative writing group intervention in addition to their standard treatment. 73 patients with SSD self-reported their level of wellbeing, psychotic-like experiences, mentalisation, and self-efficacy before and after REWRITALIZE, a creative writing group intervention led by a professional author in which participants were introduced to literary forms, wrote spontaneously on those forms, and engaged in literary conversation about their texts. The authors found a significant difference from pre- to post-intervention in psychotic-like experiences, ability to understand one's own reasons and feelings, and self-efficacy. They conclude that although the study was uncontrolled, these results suggest that REWRITALIZE as supplement to standard treatment may be beneficial to persons with SSD.


Henningsson S, Brestisson JT, Printzlau GA, Rosenbaum B, Bundesen B. Arts and mental health: assessment of changes in self-reported wellbeing, psychotic-like experiences, mentalisation and self-efficacy for persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders participating in the creative writing group intervention REWRITALIZE. Nord J Psychiatry. 2024 Nov;78(8):727-735.  doi: 10.1080/08039488.2024.2423761. Epub 2024 Nov 9. PMID: 39520100

 

ICAT is a valid and feasible online tool for cognitive screening


Cognitive impairments are prevalent during remission in bipolar disorder (BD), but existing cognitive screening tools are time- and resource-intensive. Digital, web-based options can facilitate detection and monitoring of these impairments across clinical and research settings. In this cross-sectional study the psychometric properties were assessed of the Internet-based Cognitive Assessment Tool (ICAT) when self-administered in home-based settings. Newly diagnosed, remitted outpatients with BD and healthy controls (HC) underwent cognitive testing with the standard paper-pencil tool Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) in-clinic and ICAT at-home as part of baseline assessments for an intervention trial. The authors conclude that ICAT is a valid and feasible online tool for remote cognitive screening in remitted patients with BD. Web-based screening constitutes an accessible and efficient approach for implementing systematic cognitive screening in BD.


Zarp J, Bruun CF, Christiansen ST, Krogh HB, Kuchinke OV, Bernsen CL, Jespersen AE, Bardram JE, Kessing LV, Miskowiak KW.  Web-based cognitive screening in bipolar disorder: validation of the Internet-based Cognitive Assessment Tool in remote administration settings Nord J Psychiatry. 2025 Jan;79(1):52-61. doi: 10.1080/08039488. 2024. 2434601. Epub 2024 Dec 1. PMID: 39616601

 

Parents trauma and neurodevelopmental disorder traits in adverse childhood experiences


Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events associated with negative health outcomes. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) are at increased risk of ACEs, however, research on ACEs in children with NDD and their parents, and its possible relation to child problems, is limited. The authors aimed to explore the association between ACEs in parents and children. The study included 86 mothers, 37 fathers, and 48 children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents provided demographic information and reported their own ACEs, NDD traits, and their children's emotional and behavioral problems. Children responded to measure of ACEs. It was found that maternal ACEs were significantly correlated with child ACEs as well as with maternal ADHD traits and ASD traits. Child ACEs also correlated with child emotional problems. Regression analysis revealed a relationship between maternal ACEs and child emotional and behavioral problems. None of these associations were found in fathers. The authors conclude that the study highlights the need for ACE screenings in evaluations of children with ADHD/ASD and suggests clinicians to consider maternal trauma and maternal NDD traits. Future research should explore paternal involvement.


Davidsson M, Ringström F, Hagberg B, Gillberg C, Billstedt E. Adverse childhood experiences in children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents. Nord J Psychiatry. 2025 Apr;79(3):185-193. doi: 10.1080/08039488.2025.2469737. Epub 2025 Feb 26. PMID: 40008682 □

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