155 of 650 professional musicians playing symphonic orchestras in The Netherlands completed a self-report questionnaire concerning performance anxiety. 91 of the 155 respondents reported experiencing or having experienced performance anxiety seriously enough to affect their professional or personal lives. There appeared to be no difference in prevalence between men and women. Substantial percentages of the anxious musicians reported considerable anticipation anxiety days (36%), weeks (10%), or even months (5%) prior to a performance. The results indicate that performance anxiety is a significant professional problem. It is suggested that teaching explicit coping strategies should be incorporated in the curricula of schools of music.

Sexuality, aggression, and mood were investigated in 14 presurgical male-to-female transsexuals, undergoing antiandrogenic treatment with anandron, a pure antiandrogen. Subjects were given a test battery the morning prior to treatment onset and after 8 weeks of treatment. In addition they were requested to complete daily forms concerned with sexual behavior and mood. Morning erections and the frequency of thoughts and fantasies about sex decreased after anandron intake. Aggressive feelings were uncorrelated with testosterone level. Moods such as level of energy, feelings of relaxation, fatigue, and feelings of tension and anxiety appeared to fluctuate more as a consequence of anandron intake than did moods such as cheerful, sociable and friendly, gloomy and unhappy, irritated and changeable. The latter remained at a constant level.

For use in epidemiological surveys, short self-report questionnaires measuring psychotic symptoms were not available in 1995, when we started a multi-wave epidemiological study. This paper presents such an instrument, using the epidemiological data of the 1996 and 2000 waves of a longitudinal study. Relevant items from the Dutch Abbreviated MMPI and the Symptom Checklist were combined into one questionnaire, which was completed by a regional Dutch population sample of 1528 subjects in 1996 and 525 in 2000, with a common cohort of 496. Data from a client sample were used (n = 113) for validation purposes. Principal component analyses resulted in one general psychosis factor with sufficient reliability. Validity research indicated that the instrument measured the psychotic symptoms. Positive correlations were found with schizotypal personality and experienced disability. Correlations indicating both convergent and divergent validity were found in the Rorschach test, the Dutch Abbreviated MMPI and the MMPI-2. The instrument measures the prevalence of psychotic symptoms in the general population and can be used as a short self-report screener in epidemiological surveys. Combined with a disability screener, the proportion of the population suffering disabilitating effects of psychotic symptoms can be estimated. Further research is recommended to investigate the predictive value of the instrument concerning the prognosis of experiencing psychotic symptoms or showing onset of psychotic disorder. This offers perspectives for future use in primary health care to identify persons with psychotic liability or who need support in coping with psychotic symptoms.

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For use in mental epidemiological survey research, a short self-report questionnaire measuring current disability is needed to assess the severity of health symptoms of respondents. A questionnaire, measuring current disability at the somatic, mental, and social domains in the environments of work, family (social) life, and leisure time was made along guidelines issued at the 54th World Health Assembly regarding the acceptance of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. This article presents the reliability and validity of the Self-Report Disability Questionnaire (SRDQ). A short self-report questionnaire was designed and completed by an adult population sample of a Dutch health region, participating in a mental health survey. The SRDQ measures current disability independent from disorder entity. The data show good reliability. Study outcomes confirm the validity of the SRDQ. Positive correlations were found between the score on the SRDQ and amount of medical and mental health consumption, as well as evidence for divergent validity. Positive correlations emerged with the number of symptoms on various mental health measures and psychiatric comorbidity. Nonretired respondents dependent on social services, elderly respondents, and low-educated respondents are populations commonly at risk, scoring higher on the SRDQ than other populations. The SRDQ is usable both as a disability screener and as an effect instrument for treatments and community interventions because its reliability and validity are found to be good. The combined use of the SRDQ with specific symptom screeners downsizes the proportion of persons who actually need help.