Objective: The Sydney Melancholia Prototype Index (SMPI) is a scale that uses a non-conventional strategy to assess melancholia status based on prototypic symptoms and illness course variables. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the first translation of this instrument in a non-English-speaking population. Methods: A sample comprising 106 Brazilian outpatients with depression was evaluated simultaneously with the Brazilian version of the self-rated SMPI (SMPI-SR) and clinician-rated SMPI (SMPI-CR). The kappa coefficient and t test were used to evaluate concurrent validity vs. DSM-IV, CORE system, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-6 item (HAM-D6), and HAM-D17 assignments to a melancholic or non-melancholic class. The prevalence of melancholia as well as sensitivity and specificity were calculated across instruments. Results: The prevalence of melancholia was highest using DSM-IV criteria (56.6%). The kappa agreement between SMPI-CR and DSM-IV melancholia assignment was moderate (kappa 0.44, p ≤ 0.001). SMPI-CR-assigned melancholic patients had significantly higher CORE, HAM-D17, and HAM-D6 scores. The test-retest consistency values for the SMPI were modest at best, and somewhat superior for the CR version. Conclusion: The Brazilian SMPI-CR presented satisfactory psychometric properties (which were superior to those of the SMPI-SR), and therefore appears to be a useful option for identifying melancholia and studying its causes and optimal treatments.

Objective: Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Brazilians aged 10 to 24 years. We aimed to review and describe the research output on suicide in children and adolescents in Brazil and to identify strengths and gaps in this literature. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for studies on suicide of children and adolescents (aged 0-19 years) in Brazil, published from inception to December 31, 2017. Results: Our search identified 1,061 records, of which 146 were included. A large proportion (134 studies; 90.4%) were original articles classified as observational epidemiological studies. Fifty-two articles (35.6%) used primary data. Of those, 18 (12.3%) evaluated prevalence of suicidal behaviors in population-based samples. Seventy studies (47.9%) addressed death by suicide, and the remainder reported other phenomena, such as ideation, planning, or suicide attempt. Only 37 publications (25.3%) studied children and/or adolescents exclusively. Most of the studies (53.5%) were conducted with samples from the South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the body of evidence on suicide among children and adolescents in Brazil is limited. The scientific output is of low quality, and there is a complete lack of interventional studies specifically designed for the youth population.

Objective: To investigate associations between a history of childhood trauma and dimensions of depression in a sample of clinically depressed patients. Methods: A sample of 217 patients from a mood-disorder outpatient unit was investigated with the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the CORE Assessment of Psychomotor Change, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. A previous latent model identifying six depressive dimensions was used for analysis. Path analysis and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) models were used to investigate associations between general childhood trauma and childhood maltreatment modalities (emotional, sexual, and physical abuse; emotional and physical neglect) with dimensions of depression (sexual, cognition, insomnia, appetite, non-interactiveness/retardation, and agitation). Results: The overall childhood trauma index was uniquely associated with cognitive aspects of depression, but not with any other depressive dimension. An investigation of childhood maltreatment modalities revealed that emotional abuse was consistently associated with depression severity in the cognitive dimension. Conclusion: Childhood trauma, and specifically emotional abuse, could be significant risk factors for the subsequent development of cognitive symptoms of major depression. These influences might be specific to this depressive dimension and not found in any other dimension, which might have conceptual and therapeutic implications for clinicians and researchers alike.

OBJETIVO: Descrever a metodologia de tradução e adaptação do Measure of Parental Style, instrumento autoaplicável desenvolvido originalmente em inglês, segundo as recomendações da International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, analisando-a criticamente em relação a outras metodologias utilizadas para o mesmo fim. MÉTODO: Foram utilizadas as diretrizes do Translation and Cultural Adaptation group, vinculado à International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, seguindo os passos: preparação; primeira tradução; reconciliação; retrotradução; revisão da retrotradução; harmonização; estudo piloto; revisão dos resultados do estudo piloto; revisão sintática e ortográfica; relato final. CONCLUSÃO: Uma tradução e adaptação transcultural criteriosa e de qualidade contribui para que o instrumento possa medir o que se propõe em diversas culturas. Apresentar este processo, assim como seu produto final, possibilita a utilização desta experiência na adaptação de outros instrumentos.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the translation and adaptation methodology for the Measure of Parental Style, a self-report instrument developed originally in English, following the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines, comparing this to other methodologies used for the same purposes. METHOD: Translation and Cultural Adaptation group International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research guidelines were followed (preparation, first forward translation, reconciliation, back translation, revision of back translation, harmonization, cognitive debriefing, revision of debriefing results, syntax and orthographic revision, final report). CONCLUSION: A careful and qualified cross-cultural translation and adaptation of an instrument contribute for measuring what it is designed to measure across cultures. Presenting this process, besides its final product, provides the opportunity that this experience could be replicated for adaptation of other instruments.