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Background and Aims: Assessment of the severity of substance use disorders (SUDs) in a culture-sensitive manner can help gauge the current condition of the substance user and assess change with time. The present study aimed to develop a scale for the assessment of the severity of SUDs in the Indian clinical context. Methods: Based upon the review of literature on previously available instruments and a consultative meeting of experts, a clinician-rated scale was developed that finally comprised 41 items. A briefer 5-item scale with current and lifetime versions was also developed. The scales were applied to patients with SUDs at six different clinical sites. Results: The instrument was applied to 720 patients (98.2% males, mean age: 34.6 years). The Cronbach's alpha of the full scale was 0.852. The inter-rater reliability Pearson correlation coefficient of the full-scale was r = 0.821 (P < 0.001), and the intra-class correlation coefficient single measure was 0.800 (95% confidence interval: 0.724-0.956). A four-factor solution was suggested to be the most tenable. The mean application duration of the full scale was 13.4 minutes, and that of the briefer version was 2 minutes. Conclusion: This validated scale could be a potentially useful assessment measure for the severity of SUDs in the Indian context. The utility lies in the simplicity of administration and scoring and the balance between brevity and thorough assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The literature is limited on correlates of psychological well‑being among Indian medical undergraduates. The study aimed to assess the psychological well‑being, life satisfaction, self‑efficacy, positive state of mind, and emotions among first‑year medical undergraduates. Materials and Methods: It was a cross‑sectional study assessing 121 first‑year medical undergraduate students. Psychological well‑being scale, satisfaction with life scale, general self‑efficacy scale, positive state of mind scale, and positive and negative affect schedule revised version were used. Results: The majority of medical undergraduate students were satisfied with the life. Their life satisfaction was positively associated with general self‑efficacy, positive state of mind, and positive affect score. These indicators were negatively associated with negative affect score. Male students had significantly greater self‑efficacy. Conclusion: Medical students’ life satisfaction was found to be positively associated with other wellness indicators. Resilience‑based positive psychology interventions should be implemented in medical colleges to enhance psychological well‑being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing Bhagavad Gita in day-to-day practice will facilitate in developing a culturally acceptable form of psychotherapy, which would be possibly more appealing and effective in the Indian context. This narrative review focuses on Bhagavad Gita with the aim to outline its utility in day-to-day psychotherapeutic practices. The article summarizes various psychotherapeutic approaches which are apparent during the dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. These psychotherapeutic approaches which are evident when one reads the Bhagavad Gita have been compared to modern psychotherapies like cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoanalytic therapy. It aims to show the similarities between them and further postulate how psychotherapeutic principles from Bhagavad Gita can be used to develop a more indigenous model of therapy which takes this scripture into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]