Background:Nursing fraternity play a pivotal role in psychiatric services. Negative attitudes toward mental illness have been consistently reported in nursing students. Psychiatric conditions and persons suffering from them may elicit different kinds of attitudinal responses.Objective:The current study aimed at assessing the attitude toward mental illness and also at comparative evaluation of the attitude toward persons with different psychiatric, physical, and social conditions.Materials and Methods:The present study was carried out among conveniently selected nursing students (n = 100) using Attitude Scale for Mental Illness (ASMI) and Attitude to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) on their 1st day of psychiatric posting.Results:Higher stereotype (3.1 ± 0.8), benevolence (3.7 ± 0.6), and pessimistic prediction (3.4 ± 0.9) were reported toward mental illness. Negative attitude was noted toward persons with criminal background (4.8 ± 3.7), heroin abuse (3.2 ± 3.6), suicidal depression (1.36 ± 3.6), alcohol use (0.59 ± 4.38), and schizophrenia (0.03 ± 3.2) in the same order, with positive attitude toward diabetic (−4.4 ± 3.9) and religious persons (−5.13 ± 3.6). Significant correlation of ASMI scores was noted mainly with schizophrenia of AMIQ but not with other psychiatric conditions.Conclusion:High negative attitudes in nursing students underline the need for stronger antistigma measures. Differences in attitude toward mental illness in general and specific psychiatric conditions need further systematic evaluation.

Background: Temporary changes in cognitive functions after electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) have been documented. The researchers are exploring if increasing the stimulus intensity of ECT produce better recovery from psychopathology also trying to map effects of increased stimulus intensity on side effects profile including cognitive functions. In the present study, we are reporting effects of increased stimulus intensity of ECT on cognitive functions in manic patients.Methods: The present study is a prospective analytical case control study conducted in the department of psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, Agra, after getting clearance from hospital ethical committee. The study included 60 patients with the diagnosis of manic psychopathologyfrom May 2018 to September 2019. Sample was divided into two groups: 1.5 times of threshold and 2.0 times of threshold. The ECT was delivered as per specified protocol of the study. The scores on Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) were compared both within and between groups at baseline and follow up.Results: The results suggested that both level of stimulus intensity produced mild level of disruptions in cognitive functioning at follow ups and the higher stimulus intensity i.e. 2.0 times of threshold resulted in more impairment in cognitive functions.Conclusions: The impact of ECT by increasing its current intensity for two times, on cognitive functions as seen clinically, suggested no serious adverse effects on any of the patients included in the sample.

Background: Schizophrenic patients are reported to use ‘suppression’ strategy for emotion regulation. Milder levels of psychological issues are observed in first degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia. In this study, we examined usage of cognitive emotion regulation strategies associated with negative emotions in offspring of schizophrenic patients.Method: 20 schizophrenic patients and 20 their offspring were sampled. Cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire and depression, stress, anxiety scales were administered on each participant.Results: The results revealed greater usage of adaptive emotion regulation strategies by offspring and negative strategy by schizophrenic patients. However, under conditions of negative emotions, there is significant reduction in the usage of adaptive coping emotion regulation strategy in the offspring.Conclusion: The results implicate need for strengthening adaptive coping mechanisms under vulnerable conditions of emotional turmoil.

Despite of the debates regarding the procedure and side effects of ECT it is used as an effective and safe treatment of many severe mental disorders (Janicak et al.1997, Weiner 1994, APA 1990) Studies on the clinical efficacy of ECT reported that the clinical efficacy of ECT is affected by many factors such as stigma, Knowledge and attitude towards the efficacy and safety of ECT procedures. (Malcolm, 1989, Johnstone, 1999. There are very few researches on knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of ECT among the patients and their care givers in India. Aim The present study was an attempt to estimate and compare the knowledge, attitude towards ECT among psychiatric patients and their spouses. Method This was a cross sectional study carried out at Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, Agra , a tertiary centre catering services to major part of UP. One hundred and sixteen patients and their spouses admitted in the family ward of the institute were included in the study. Attitude, knowledge and experience questionnaires developed by Tang et .a l(2002) was used. Results The principal source of information for patients (55%) and relatives (75%) was the treating doctor. 21% had learnt from their own previous experience, while (37%) had learnt about ECT from others. The media was a less common source for both patients (13%) and relatives (17%) .Overall it is found that both the patients and spouses have reasonably adequate knowledge regarding ECT.

Background: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia both are chronic and disabling mental illness which imposes considerable burden on caregivers. Many studies have also reported that both of them have a negative impact on the quality of life (QOL) of both the patients and the caregivers living with the patients. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the burden of care and quality of life (QoL) in the care givers of patients with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Schizophrenia.Methods: The present study is a hospital based, cross-sectional and comparative study. 30 patients with schizophrenia and 30 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder patients and their caregivers attending the OPD and family ward of Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, Agra were selected through purposive sampling with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (BREF version), Burden Assessment Schedule, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) were used for assessment.Results: The findings of this study revealed remarkable burden in the caregivers of OCD and Schizophrenia patients along with considerable and comparable impairment of their quality of life. Caregivers of Schizophrenia patients experienced more burden and have poor quality of life than the caregivers of OCD patients.Conclusions: It is suggested to develop effective strategies for family intervention with the purpose of supporting the caregivers and improving their quality of life.