Professional Responsibility of Psychologists in the Field of Mental Health in Spain.

In Spain and many other countries, psychotherapy training is heterogeneous and not very evidence-based. This contribution addresses related ethical, normative and legal issues with the aim of clarification, as well as certain relevant aspects of psychological work in the field of mental and behavioural health in Spain. It will analyse professional responsibility and possible intrusiveness in the clinical-psychological field.

Psychotherapies in current clinical psychology and psychiatry in Spain.

Background: The practice of psychotherapy in Spain (Europe) continues being a reason for doubts, uncertainty, controversy or confusion. The access to psychotherapy is also controversial. To contribute to clarify all this in order to improve quality and minimise risks is the aim of our work.

Use of antipsychotics during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

There is growing acceptance that pregnancy itself is not a protective factor against mental disorders. Indeed, some mental disorders such as psychotic and bipolar disorders may become worse during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. In pregnant women with a mental disorder that can be treated with antipsychotics, the known risks -teratogenic, obstetric, neonatal and those affecting the mother- indicate that, in general, the risk of the non-treated disorder is higher than that resulting from the use of antipsychotics and that the reduction in psychoticism improves the overall prognosis of these women.

Personality traits and disorders in pathological gamblers versus normal controls.

Aims: To establish the personality traits and disorders of pathological gamblers in treatment by means of a descriptive cross-sectional study of two prospective matched-pair cohorts: 50 pathological gamblers versus a control group of 50 normal volunteers (non-patient and non-pathological gamblers). All the pathological gamblers of the sample followed treatment as out-patients in the province of Valencia (Spain-EU). Recruitment period: January-May 2004.

Patterns of electroconvulsive therapy use in Spain.

Objective: To describe the utilization, geographical variations and adaptation of ECT in the Spanish context.

Method: A cross-sectional study, involving a questionnaire delivered to all hospitals with a Psychiatry Unit (PU) in Spain included in the National Hospitals Catalogue (N = 233). A descriptive analysis was made of the answers to the different questions, using an adequate denominator in each case: all PUs (n = 233), those units that prescribe and apply ECT (n = 174), or only those that apply the technology (n = 108).