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This study aimed to determine the presence of anxiety disorder and severity of anxiety symptoms in an extensive series of consecutive patients with JME and its association with epilepsy-related factors. In addition, we evaluated the impact of anxiety and clinical variables on social adjustment. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 112 (56.2 % females, mean age 27.2 years) patients with an electroclinical diagnosis of JME and 61 (52.4 % females, mean age 29.3 years) healthy controls. Anxiety symptoms were assessed by the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Social functioning was addressed with Self-Report Social Adjustment Scale (SAS). The patient group was also evaluated with a psychiatric interview. Results: Patients with JME presented more severe anxiety symptoms and worse social adjustment compared with controls. The presence of anxiety disorder and the severity of anxiety symptoms was associated with frequent seizures -generalized tonic-clonic seizures (p = 0.008) and drug-resistant epilepsy (p = 0.021). Regarding social adjustment, the severity of anxiety symptoms was associated with lower economic adjustment (p = 0.039), while the presence of anxiety disorder impacted family relationships (p 0.025). The presence of hard-to-control myoclonic seizure was associated with lower scores on work (p = 0.019), leisure activities (p = 0.008), family relationship (p = 0.022) and overall social adjustment (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Patients with JME have severe anxiety symptoms and worse social adjustment. Anxiety disorder and symptoms were associated with frequent seizures and drug-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsy-related factors and anxiety impaired distinct aspects of social functioning.

Several kinds of marital conflict might be solved through constructive communication, development of interaction skills, and behavioral and thought modification. The aim of this study was to show results of the application of a protocol based on cognitive behavioral couple therapy (CBCT) on dyadic adjustment, marital social skills, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The sample consisted of 32 participants (16 couples) divided in two groups by length of marriage: Group 1 (1–7 years) and Group 2 (8–12 years). All subjects recruited were older than 18 and reported having communication problems in their relationship. The ages were M = 30.4, SD = 4.13. The measures were Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Marital Social Skills Inventory (Inventário de Habilidades Sociais Conjugais [IHSC]), and the Sociodemographic Questionnaire. Participants were assessed pre- and postintervention and had a 6-month follow-up. The intervention consisted of twelve 50-min sessions per couple. Based on three time analyses, both groups obtained the following results: DAS ( p = .001), BDI-II ( p = .000), BAI ( p = .000), and IHSC ( p = .001). We conclude that the CBCT protocol developed for this study, resulted in statistically significant improvements in the couple’s relationship for all variables studied in both groups.

In the past few months, many lives have been impacted by the new COVID‐19 pandemic, which generateda need for social isolation and quarantine, impacting personal freedom, financial stability, and mental health. During this period, it is expected that many people willexperience higher levels of anxiety and depression.Individualswith pre‐existing anxiety disorders (AD) and other psychiatric conditions are more vulnerable to the negative psychological consequences of pandemics.Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are at increased risk of developing AD, with roughlyhalf of this population exhibitingitduring the course of illness 1 .Recently published guidelines focus mainly on general mental health issues, whereas our clinical care review aims to provide specific guidelines for BD treatment during the COVID‐19 pandemic.All mental health approaches cited in this article are based on scientific evidence.

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