Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life in a Sample of Italian Women with a Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia: The Role of Attachment Styles

Parental quality of life, child adjustment and adult attachment in parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BACKGROUND

Parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience a lower quality of life (QoL) than parents of offspring with typical development. However, factors associated with parental QoL are not yet fully understood.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between parental QoL, child adjustment and adult attachment among parents of children and adolescents with ASD.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

One hundred and eighty-eight parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD completed a group of self-report questionnaires on sociodemographic variables, QoL (i.e., overall QoL and ASD symptoms-related parental QoL), child adjustment (i.e., offspring's total problems and prosocial behaviors) and adult attachment.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Structural equation modeling revealed that the overall parental QoL was negatively related to children's total problems and positively associated with prosocial behaviors, as well as with higher levels of secure attachment and lower levels of fearful attachment styles. Additionally, ASD symptoms-related parental QoL was negatively associated with the offspring's total problems.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This suggests that child characteristics may interact with parental characteristics to either enhance or compromise the QoL of parents of children and adolescents with ASD. Implications of these findings for promoting parental QoL are discussed.

Psychometric properties and validation of the polish version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-Pol)

BACKGROUND

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, intestinal disorders, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. To the best of our knowledge, the questionnaire used for assessing problems and difficulties in the functioning of people with FM has not been translated and adapted in Poland so far. The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-Pol).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The study covered 150 people with FM living in Poland. The measurement reliability, internal structure, repeatability, and validity of the Polish version of the FIQ were examined.

RESULTS

The scale score reliability of the entire tool for the research group was very good. The alpha Cronbach's test result for the whole scale was 0.84. The repeatability of the scale measured by the test-retest method using the interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) was very good and amounted to 0.96. Internal structure suggested by FIQ-Pol authors was confirmed (Confirmatory factor analysis). After introducing modification indices for the entire scale, satisfactory parameter values were obtained, i.e.: RMSEA (0.06), CFI (0.97) and TLI (0.96). Theoretical validity was assessed by correlating the results of the Polish version of the FIQ with the results of the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Both the FIQ-Pol total score and its domains showed strong positive correlations with BDI.

CONCLUSION

The Polish FIQ is a reliable and valid tool to measure the functional disability and health status of Polish people with FM.

Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Reduces the Disabling Impact of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in Women: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Virtual reality-based therapy (VRBT) is a novel therapeutic approach to be used in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The aim of our study is to assess the effect of VRBT to reduce the impact of FMS in outcomes such as pain, dynamic balance, aerobic capacity, fatigue, quality of life (QoL), anxiety and depression.

METHODS

Systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted from a bibliographic search in PubMed, Scopus, PEDro, Web of Science and CINAHL until April 2021 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compare VRBT versus others to assess the mentioned outcomes in women with FMS. Effect size was calculated with standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

RESULTS

Eleven RCTs involving 535 women with FMS were included. Using the PEDro scale, the mean methodological quality of the included studies was moderate (6.63 ± 0.51). Our findings showed an effect of VRBT on the impact of FMS (SMD -0.62, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.31); pain (SMD -0.45, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.21); dynamic balance (SMD -0.76, 95% CI -1.12 to -0.39); aerobic capacity (SMD 0.32, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.63); fatigue (SMD -0.58, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.14); QoL (SMD 0.55, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.81); anxiety (SMD -0.47, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.03) and depression (SMD -0.46, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.16).

CONCLUSIONS

VRBT is an effective therapy that reduces the impact of FMS, pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression and increases dynamic balance, aerobic capacity and quality of life in women with FMS. In addition, VRBT in combination with CTBTE showed a large effect in reducing the impact of FMS and fatigue and increasing QoL in these women.