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The aim of this study was to assess contrast sensitivity for angular frequency stimuli as well as for sine-wave gratings in adults under the effect of acute ingestion of alcohol. We measured the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) for gratings of 0.25, 1.25, 2.5, 4, 10, and 20 cycles per degree of visual angle (cpd) as well as for angular frequency stimuli of 1, 2, 4, 24, 48, and 96 cycles/360°. Twenty adults free of ocular diseases, with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity, and no history of alcoholism were enrolled in two experimental groups: 1) no alcohol intake (control group) and 2) alcohol ingestion (experimental group). The average concentration of alcohol in the experimental group was set to about 0.08%. We used a paradigm involving a forced-choice method. Maximum sensitivity to contrast for sine-wave gratings in the two groups occurred at 4 cpd sine-wave gratings and at 24 and 48 cycles/360° for angular frequency stimuli. Significant changes in contrast sensitivity were observed after alcohol intake compared with the control condition at spatial frequency of 4 cpd and 1, 24, and 48 cycles/360° for angular frequency stimuli. Alcohol intake seems to affect the processing of sine-wave gratings at maximum sensitivity and at the low and high frequency ends for angular frequency stimuli, both under photopic luminance conditions.

Objective Investigate the occurrence of dual diagnosis in users of legal and illegal drugs. Methods It is an analytical, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, non-probabilistic intentional sampling, carried out in two centers for drug addiction treatment, by means of individual interviews. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) were used. Results One hundred and ten volunteers divided into abstinent users (group 1), alcoholics (group 2) and users of alcohol and illicit drugs (group 3). The substances were alcohol, tobacco, crack and marijuana. A higher presence of dual diagnosis in group 3 (71.8%) was observed, which decreased in group 2 (60%) and 37.1% of drug abstinent users had psychiatric disorder. Dual diagnosis was associated with the risk of suicide, suicide attempts and the practice of infractions. The crack consumption was associated with the occurrence of major depressive episode and antisocial personality disorder. Conclusion It was concluded that the illicit drug users had a higher presence of dual diagnosis showing the severity of this clinical condition. It is considered essential that this clinical reality is included in intervention strategies in order to decrease the negative effects of consumption of these substances and provide better quality of life for these people.

Resumo: O objetivo desse estudo foi adaptar a Escala de Ansiedade de Falar em Público (PSAS) para o contexto brasileiro. Para isso contou-se com uma amostra por conveniência de 667 estudantes universitários com idades entre 18 e 60 anos (M = 24,17; DP = 5,43), a maioria mulheres (70,5%). Em relação a evidência de validade, por meio de Análises Fatoriais Confirmatórias foram testados três modelos da PSAS (um fator, dois fatores e três fatores). Desses, apenas dois apresentaram índices de qualidade de ajuste aceitáveis. Uma ANOVA apontou o modelo de três fatores como o mais adequado. Quanto a validade convergente, correlações de Pearson mostraram associação moderada com outras medidas de ansiedade. Os resultados obtidos justificam o uso da PSAS no contexto brasileiro para fins de pesquisa. Palavras-chave: ansiedade de falar em público; validade fatorial; validade convergente.

Previous studies have shown that multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the visual system, mainly by reducing contrast sensitivity (CS), a function that can be assessed by measuring contrast sensitivity function (CSF). To this end, we measured both the CSF for sine-wave gratings and angular frequency stimuli with 20 participants aged between 21 and 44 years, of both genders, with normal or corrected to normal visual acuity. Of these 20 participants, there were 10 volunteers with clinically defined MS of the relapsing-remitting clinical form, with no history of optic neuritis (ON), as well as 10 healthy volunteers who served as the control group (CG). We used a forced-choice detection paradigm. The results showed reduced CS to both classes of stimuli. Differences were found for sine-wave gratings at spatial frequencies of 0.5, 1.25, and 2.5 cycles per degree (cpd) (P < 0.002) and for angular frequency stimuli of 4, 24, and 48 cycles/360° (P < 0.05). On the one hand, comparing the maxima of the respective CSFs, the CS to angular frequency stimuli (24 cycles/360°) was 1.61-fold higher than that of the CS to vertical sine-wave gratings (4.0 cpd) in the CG; for the MS group, these values were 1.55-fold higher. On the other hand, CS in the MS group attained only 75% for 24 cycles/360° and 78% for 4.0 cpd of the 100% CS estimates found for the CG at the peak frequencies. These findings suggest that MS affects the visual system, mostly at its maximum contrast sensitivities. Also, since angular frequencies and sine-wave gratings operate at distinct levels of contrast in the visual system, MS seems to affect CS at both high and low levels of contrast.

A Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental (TCC) teve um movimento de expansão nas últimas décadas no mundo todo. No Brasil, essa abordagem psicológica também vem se expandindo, mas ainda com aparentes restrições relacionadas ao ensino superior e pós-graduação. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a quantidade de instituições de ensino superior que possuem disciplinas de TCC na graduação. A amostra foi composta por 280 instituições de ensino superior do Brasil. Foi realizado acesso aos sites dos cursos de graduação em Psicologia para obter as respectivas matrizes curriculares e ementários. Diante dos dados coletados, observou-se que boa parte dos cursos ministram a TCC, demonstrando que a abordagem tem se desenvolvido e se tornado parte do currículo acadêmico de diversas instituições de ensino. No entanto poucas são as instituições que oferecem a TCC como uma disciplina independente na grade curricular, ministrando-a de forma associada a outros conteúdos.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a percepção visual de contraste de adultos sem a ingestão de álcool e após a ingestão moderada de álcool - 0,09% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC), através da Função de Sensibilidade ao Contraste (FSC). Participaram dos experimentos cinco voluntárias, na faixa etária de 21 a 30 anos, com acuidade visual normal ou corrigida. Para medir a FSC, foram usados estímulos de grade senoidal radial de frequências de 0,25; 2 e 8 ciclos por grau de ângulo visual. Utilizou-se um delineamento experimental com medidas repetidas e o método psicofísico da escolha forçada. Os resultados demonstraram efeito significante de participantes (F4, 55 = 25,518; p < 0,001), de frequências (F2, 110 = 172,288; p < 0,001) e de interação entre frequências x condições x participantes (F8, 110 = 26,806; p < 0,001). Este estudo preliminar sugere alterações na FSC relacionadas à ingestão moderada de álcool.

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