Jordi Obiols | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (original) (raw)

Papers by Jordi Obiols

European Psychiatry, Oct 1, 2000

in 1999. Now under way in twelve countries in different parts of the world the programme has asse... more in 1999. Now under way in twelve countries in different parts of the world the programme has assembled sufficient knowledge and experience about the ways of dealing with stigma and discrimination because of schizophrenia to be able to offer training about the programme to teams from other countries. The objectives of the course are: (I) to make participants aware of possible ways of fighting stigma and discrimination because of schizophrenia; (2) to enable them to use the WPA instruction manuals describing the steps necessary to build up a programme in their country; and (3) to establish working relationships between the participants in the course and teams fighting stigma and discrimination because of schizophrenia in the framework of the WPA programme. The faculty of the course will be composed of representatives of centres that arc carrying out anti-stigma programmes in their countries. Participants: (1) psychiatrists and other mental health workers from settings in which preliminary action concerning the development of antistigma programmes has been carried out. Such groups will be given priority for inscription at the course: (2) others engaged or likely to become engaged in teaching or other action related to stigma and discrimination because of mental illness.

Psychological Reports, Dec 1, 1999

The main aim of this study is to assess whether there are differences in schizotypal traits and b... more The main aim of this study is to assess whether there are differences in schizotypal traits and behavioural patterns in normal adolescents at risk for schizoph

Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 1999

Dada la extensa y creciente aparición de trabajos sobre marcadores bioconductuales de los trastor... more Dada la extensa y creciente aparición de trabajos sobre marcadores bioconductuales de los trastornos del espectro esquizofrénico, hemos pretendido realizar una tarea de síntesis de los datos aportados y orientarla a la cuestión de posibles diferencias en cuanto a precursores de la evolución hacia el trastorno esquizotípico y la esquizofrenia. Después de situar conceptualmente a los estudios de riesgo elevado, se revisan en primer lugar los trabajos clásicos y más recientes sobre marcadores pslcobiológicos dentro del paradigma del riesgo genético para la esquizofrenia y, en segundo lugar, se presentan los hallazgos de los trabajos que han tomado como marcadores de riesgo variables no sólo genéticas y que se han centrado en el estudio de las condiciones leves del espectro (esto es, esquizotipia y trastorno esquizotípico de la personalidad). Por último se discuten las limitaciones de los trabajos existentes y también sus implicaciones teóricas y aplicadas. Palabras clave: esquizofrenia, esquizotipia, marcadores conductuales, riesgo genético, riesgo bioconductual. Given the wide and growing appearance of studies on biobehavioural markers of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, we have pursued to synthesise the data focusing on the possible differences in such markers as precursors of development towards schizotypal disorder and schizophrenia. Following a conceptual seting of high-risk studies we first outline classic and recent works about psychobiological markers from the genetic risk paradigm for schizophrenia and, secondly, we present findings coming from studies that have used other than genetic markers and have focused on the analysis of the soft conditions of the spectrum (i.e., schizotypy and schizotypal personality disorder). Lastly, limitations and theoretical and applied implications of these studies are discussed.

Revista de psicopatología y psicología clínica, Dec 1, 2008

de su exploración en pacientes psicóticos; es decir, sin los efectos de la medicación, la hospita... more de su exploración en pacientes psicóticos; es decir, sin los efectos de la medicación, la hospitalización y las dificultades de comunicación, a la vez que abren posibilidades de aclarar los mecanismos subyacentes de la esquizotipia e incluso de la esquizofrenia (McCreery y Claridge, 1996). Actualmente, dentro del modelo dimensional de la psicopatología, se considera que los síntomas psicóticos son la expresión severa de rasgos presentes en la población general. Estos rasgos se manifiestan como variaciones observables entre los individuos, que van desde aquellos perfecta-INTRODUCCIÓN El estudio de los síntomas seudo-psicóticos (SSP) en poblaciones no clínicas es importante, debido a su potencial para ampliar la comprensión de los factores de riesgo en las psicosis, cuya investigación ha estado limitada tradicionalmente a los sujetos con trastornos psicóticos (Meehl, 1962; Venables, 1995; Verdoux y Van Os, 2002). La aparición ocasional de estas experiencias en la población normal permite estudiarlas sin las desventajas derivadas

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, May 18, 2019

Neurogenetics, Dec 24, 2014

Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 2017

The present study analyzed the capacity for mentalization of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) ... more The present study analyzed the capacity for mentalization of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and their first-degree relatives (FDR) and examined the implications of clinical variables and cognitive deficits. The study recruited 31 patients with type I BD, 18 FDR, and 31 paired healthy controls. Their capacity for mentalization was explored by means of first- and second-order false-belief tasks, the hinting task, and the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). Patients and FDR were found to have a theory of mind (ToM) deficit when they were evaluated with the MASC, which was also related to a worse neurocognitive performance and to being a patient or FDR. The evidence of ToM deficits in FDRs supports the hypothesis that these deficits could be an independent trait marker for cognitive deficit. Further research is needed on FDR of patients with BD, using sensitive ToM assessment instruments such as the MASC.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 2010

Background Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder usually caused by an anomaly i... more Background Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder usually caused by an anomaly in the maternally inherited chromosome 15. The main features are severe intellectual disability, speech impairment, ataxia, epilepsy, sleep disorder and a behavioural phenotype that reportedly includes happy disposition, attraction to/fascination with water and hypermotoric behaviour. Method We studied the level of adaptive behaviour and the adaptive behavioural profile in the areas of 'motor skills', 'language and communication', 'personal life skills' and 'community life skills' in a group of 25 individuals with genetically confirmed AS, to determine whether there is a specific adaptive behaviour profile. Results and conclusions None of the individuals, whatever their chronological age, had reached a developmental age of 3 years. A specific adaptive behaviour profile was found, with 'personal life skills' emerging as relative strengths and 'social and communication skills' as weaknesses.

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1987

ABSTRACT: The Ventricular Brain Ratio was computed in a group of 42 young chronic schizophrenics ... more ABSTRACT: The Ventricular Brain Ratio was computed in a group of 42 young chronic schizophrenics (age range: 17–45). The patients also completed a battery of neuropsychological tests: four WAIS subscales, the Benton test and the Trail Making Test. Although patients as a whole showed the expected ventricular enlargement and neuropsychological impairment when compared to control groups, no correlation was found between the two measures. These results are inconsistent with previous work on the same topic that hypothesized the association of both parameters. Some tentative explanations for these conflicting results are given.

Schizophrenia Research, 1998

Hallucinations are usually associated with severe psychiatric illness, but have also been reporte... more Hallucinations are usually associated with severe psychiatric illness, but have also been reported by individuals with no significant medical or psychiatric history. Estimates of the

Quaderns de Psicologia, 2009

tomografía axial computadorizada, etc. Además, se ofrecen algunos modelos nosológicos actuales de... more tomografía axial computadorizada, etc. Además, se ofrecen algunos modelos nosológicos actuales de este trastorno a la luz de las investigaciones biológicas recientes.

Early intervention in psychiatry, Jan 8, 2017

Both the nature and number of a wide range of prodromal symptoms have been related to the severit... more Both the nature and number of a wide range of prodromal symptoms have been related to the severity and type of psychopathology in the psychotic phase. However, at present there is an incomplete picture focused mainly on the positive pre-psychotic dimension. To characterize the prodromal phase retrospectively, examining the number and nature of prodromal symptoms as well as their relationship with psychopathology at the onset of first-episode psychosis. Retrospective study of 79 patients experiencing a first-episode psychosis of less than 1 year from the onset of full-blown psychosis. All patients were evaluated with a comprehensive battery of instruments including socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, IRAOS interview, PANSS, stressful life events scale (PERI) and WAIS/WISC (vocabulary subtest). Bivariate associations and multiple regression analysis were performed. Regression models revealed that several prodromal dimensions of IRAOS (delusions, affect, language, behaviour a...

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017

BMC Psychiatry, 2016

Background: The complexity of schizophrenia lies in the combination of psychiatric, somatic and s... more Background: The complexity of schizophrenia lies in the combination of psychiatric, somatic and social needs requiring care. The aim of the study was to compare perceived needs between groups with absence/presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and to analyze the relationship between needs, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and MetS in people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Methods: A "real-world" cross-sectional study was set up with a comprehensive framework including the following, needs for care (Camberwell Assessment of Need Interview [CAN]), HRQoL (Euro Qol-5D Questionnaire), sociodemographic data, lifestyle habits, psychopathology (Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]), global functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale [GAF]), anthropometric measurements and blood test results were assessed for an outpatient sample (n = 60). Results: The mean number of needs (given by CAN) was identified for both groups. Patients with MetS rated a higher number of needs compared to the group without this condition. Mobility problems (given by EQ-5D) were negatively associated with the number of total and unmet needs. For participants with MetS, HRQoL was related to the number of needs and unmet needs. For people with MetS, positive symptomatology score (given by PANSS) was related to the number of needs and met needs and general symptomatology was associated with total, met and unmet needs. For individuals without MetS, the global functioning score (given by GAF) was significantly inversely related with total, met and unmet needs. Conclusions: Needs and HRQoL, as well as general symptomatology, were related only in patients with MetS. This has implications for treatment planning at the individual and organizational levels. An analysis of both physical and mental needs could provide a starting point for the extension of facilities in the health care system in order to reach the goal of improving quality of life.