Severity assessment in animals is an ongoing field of research. In particular, the question of objectifiable and meaningful parameters of score-sheets, as well as their best combination, arise. This retrospective analysis investigates the suitability of a score-sheet for assessing severity and seeks to optimise it for predicting survival in 89 male Sprague Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus), during an experiment evaluating the influence of liver cirrhosis by bile duct ligation (BDL) on vascular healing. The following five parameters were compared for their predictive power: (i) overall score; (ii) relative weight loss; (iii) general condition score; (iv) spontaneous behaviour score; and (v) the observer’s assessment whether pain might be present. Suitable cut-off values of these individual parameters and the combination of multiple parameters were investigated. A total of ten rats (11.2%; 10/89) died or had to be sacrificed at an early stage due to pre-defined humane endpoints. Neither the overall score nor any individual parameter yielded satisfactory results for predicting survival. Using retrospectively calculated cut-off values and combining the overall score with the observer’s assessment of whether the animal required analgesia (dipyrone) for pain relief resulted in an improved prediction of survival on the second post-operative day. This study demonstrates that combining score parameters was more suitable than using single ones and that experienced human judgement of animals can be useful in addition to objective parameters in the assessment of severity. By optimising the score-sheet and better understanding the burden of the model on rats, this study contributes to animal welfare.

The present study examined high-risk personality traits and associations with psychopathology across multiple levels of a hierarchical-dimensional model of psychopathology in a large adolescent, general population sample. Confirmatory factor analyses were run using data from two randomized controlled trials of Australian adolescents (N = 8,654, mean age = 13.01 years, 52% female). A higher-order model – comprised of general psychopathology, fear, distress, alcohol use/harms, and conduct/inattention dimensions – was selected based on model fit, reliability, and replicability. Indirect-effects models were estimated to examine the unique associations between high-risk personality traits (anxiety sensitivity, negative thinking, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) and general and specific dimensions and symptoms of psychopathology. All personality traits were positively associated with general psychopathology. After accounting for general psychopathology, anxiety sensitivity was positively associated with fear; negative thinking was positively associated with distress; impulsivity was positively associated with conduct/inattention; and sensation seeking was positively associated with alcohol use/harms and conduct/inattention, and negatively associated with fear. Several significant associations between personality traits and individual symptoms remained after accounting for general and specific psychopathology. These findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying structure of psychopathology among adolescents and have implications for the development of personality-based prevention and early intervention programs.

Parenting has a strong influence on child development. However, there is minimal empirical evidence on why some parents use beneficial techniques, while others use harmful behaviours. Thus, there is a significant gap in the knowledge needed to address problematic parenting. Theories suggest that parental self-concept has a large influence on parenting behaviours. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between parent self-cognitions and parenting behaviours. One-hundred and four mothers of Grade 7 students completed questionnaires measuring their self-esteem, self-criticism, domain-specific self-concept, and parenting behaviours (support, behavioural control, and psychological control). Regression analyses demonstrated that self-cognitions largely predicted psychological control but support or behavioural control did not. These findings suggest that psychologically controlling behaviour in parents may be due to poor self-worth. With psychological control known to deeply damage children, these findings have major implications for interventions targeting harmful parenting.

There is a growing body of evidence highlighting the presence of a single general dimension of psychopathology that can account for multiple associations across mental and substance use disorders. However, relatively little evidence has emerged regarding the validity of this model with respect to a range of factors that have been previously implicated across multiple disorders. The current study utilized a cross-sectional population survey of adolescents (n = 2,003) to examine the extent to which broad psychopathology factors account for specific associations between psychopathology and key validators: poor sleep, self-harm, suicidality, risky sexual behavior, and low self-esteem. Confirmatory factor models, latent class models, and factor mixture models were estimated to identify the best structure of psychopathology. Structural equation models were then estimated to examine the broad and specific associations between each psychopathology indicator and the validators. A confirmatory factor model with three lower-order factors, representing internalizing, externalizing, and psychotic-like experiences, and a single higher-order factor evidenced the best fit. The associations between manifest indicators of psychopathology and validators were largely nonspecific. However, significant and large direct effects were found between several pairwise associations. These findings have implications for the identification of potential targets for intervention and/or tailoring of prevention programs.

Different and evolving conceptualisations of perfectionism have led to the development of numerous perfectionism measures in an attempt to capture the true representations of the construct. It is, therefore, important to ensure that these instruments are valid and reliable. The present systematic review examined the literature for the psychometric properties of the most commonly used general multidimensional trait perfectionism self-report measures. Relevant studies were identified by a systematic electronic search of academic databases. A total of 349 studies were identified, with 38 of these meeting inclusion criteria. The psychometric properties presented in each of these studies were subjected to assessment using a standardised protocol. All studies were evaluated by two reviewers independently. Results indicated that while none of the included measures demonstrated adequacy across all of the nine psychometric properties assessed, most were found to possess adequate internal consistency and construct validity. The absence of evidence to support adequate measurement properties over a number of domains for the measures included in this review may be attributed to the criteria of adequacy used, with some appearing overly strict and less relevant to perfectionism measures. Clinical and research relevance of the present findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Studies have examined the association between depressive symptoms and dietary patterns; however, only few studies focused on older adults. The present study examines the association between current and past dietary patterns and depression in a community-dwelling adult population aged 55 years and over. Adults (n 4082) were recruited into the Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life study in Victoria, Australia. In 2010 and 2014, data were collected using self-administered questionnaires including a 111-item FFQ, the RAND thirty-six-item Short Form Health Survey of health-related quality of life and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale in 2014. Current (2014) and past (2010) dietary patterns were determined using principal component analysis. Association between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms was assessed using a mixed model analysis with adjustment for covariates. Two similar dietary patterns were identified in men and women (n 2142). In women, a healthy dietary pattern (characterised by frequent intake of vegetables, fruits and fish) was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms (current diet: β = −0·260, 95 % CI −0·451, −0·070; past diet: β = −0·201, 95 % CI −0·390, −0·013). A current unhealthy dietary pattern in women (characterised by frequent intake of red and processed meat, potatoes, hot chips, cakes, deserts and ice cream) was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (β = 1·367, 95 % CI 0·679, 2·056). No associations were identified in men. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand the differences that may occur by sex.

Background. Frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption are metrics commonly used to measure alcohol consumption behaviors. Epidemiological studies indicate that these alcohol consumption measures are differentially associated with (mental) health outcomes and socioeconomic status (SES). The current study aims to elucidate to what extent genetic risk factors are shared between frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, and how these alcohol consumption measures are genetically associated with four broad phenotypic categories: (i) SES; (ii) substance use disorders; (iii) other psychiatric disorders; and (iv) psychological/personality traits.

Methods. Genome-Wide Association analyses were conducted to test genetic associations with alcohol consumption frequency (N = 438 308) and alcohol consumption quantity (N = 307 098 regular alcohol drinkers) within UK Biobank. For the other phenotypes, we used genome-wide association studies summary statistics. Genetic correlations (rg) between the alcohol measures and other phenotypes were estimated using LD score regression.

Results. We found a substantial genetic correlation between the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption (rg = 0.52). Nevertheless, both measures consistently showed opposite genetic correlations with SES traits, and many substance use, psychiatric, and psychological/personality traits. High alcohol consumption frequency was genetically associated with high SES and low risk of substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders, whereas the opposite applies for high alcohol consumption quantity.

Conclusions. Although the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption show substantial genetic overlap, they consistently show opposite patterns of genetic associations with SES-related phenotypes. Future studies should carefully consider the potential influence of SES on the shared genetic etiology between alcohol and adverse (mental) health outcomes.