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Burkhard Brosig

Publications and source records attributed to Burkhard Brosig.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Preconception sex selection demand and preferences in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Preconception sex selection for nonmedical reasons raises important moral, legal, and social issues. The main concern is based upon the assumption that a widely available service for sex selection will lead to a socially disruptive imbalance of the sexes. For a severe sex ratio distortion to occur, however, at least two conditions have to be met. First, there must be a significant preference for children of a particular sex, and second, there must be a considerable interest in employing sex selection technology. Our objective was to ascertain such demand and preferences among the United States general population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional web-based survey. SETTING: United States general population. PATIENT(S): One thousand one hundred ninety-seven men and women aged 18 to 45 years. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Web-based questionnaire assessing preferences for sex of children and demand for preconception sex selection for nonmedical reasons. RESULT(S): Eight percent of respondents would use preconception sex selection technology, 74% were opposed, and 18% were undecided. If the sex selection process was simplified to taking a pill, 18% would be willing to use such a medication, 59% were opposed, and 22% were undecided. In terms of gender choices, 39% of respondents would like their first child to be a son, 19% would like their first child to be a daughter, and 42% had no preference. Overall, 50% wished to have a family with an equal number of boys and girls, 7% with more boys than girls, 6% with more girls than boys, 5% with only boys, 4% with only girls, and 27% had no preference. CONCLUSION(S): Preconception sex selection technology via sperm separation is unlikely to be used by the majority of the United States population and is unlikely to have a significant impact on the natural sex ratio.

Choice Behavior↗
PubMed2006

[Psychological side effects during interferon-alpha therapy -- a case study].

OBJECTIVE: Psychological side effects of the therapy with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) have frequently been reported. The symptomatology varies, although there seems to be a predominance of depressive complaints. Mediating somatopsychological vs. psychosomatic pathways remain unknown so far. PATIENT: We describe the case of a 26-year old female inpatient suffering from hepatitis C infection. During medical treatment with interferon-alpha, a transfer to a psychosomatic unit became necessary due to increasing agitation, somatization and a lacking response to psychopharmacological medication. RESULTS: After the discontinuation of IFN-alpha-treatment, the patient's gradual emotional stabilization could be attained. In psychotherapy, inner conflicts as well as fears about possible side effects of the medication were worked through. After discharge, parallel to an ambulatory psychotherapy, the IFN-alpha medication was readministered and completed successfully. CONCLUSIONS: As long as aetiology and mechanisms of psychic side effects of IFN-alpha-treatment remain unclear, ward-based integrative psychosomatic psychotherapy can be supportive and enlightening with regard to psychosocial factors of influence on the IFN-alpha-induced side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Alexithymic characteristics and patient-therapist interaction: a video analysis of facial affect display.

Alexithymia as a disorder of affect regulation entails a patient's reduced ability to process emotional information. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of alexithymia [as measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS)-26, German version] on affective correlates in a dyadic therapeutic interaction (as recorded by the Emotional Facial Action Coding System). Interviews with 12 in-patients with various psychosomatic disorders (anxiety, depression, somatisation) were videotaped and evaluated for facial affect display. The corresponding emotional reactions of the therapists (split screen) were recorded separately. Patients with high alexithymia scores (TAS-26 total score) tended to display less aggressive affects than those with low scores. The therapists' predominant emotional reaction to alexithymic patients was contempt. Our findings underscore the deep-rooted nature of alexithymia as a disorder of affect regulation. Since facial affects play a major role in the regulation of emotional interaction, this disorder may evoke negative reactions of potential caregivers.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Short-term and long-term inpatient psychotherapy -- indications, results, predictors].

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated differences between patients in both short-term and long-term inpatient psychotherapy. Results for both settings as well as predictors of treatment outcomes were determined. METHODS: Consecutive patients of the Giessen University Clinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, who were treated during a two-year period in both short- and long-term treatment settings, were studied prospectively (N = 166; return-rate 70 %). Standardized questionnaires were applied for distress (SCL-90 R), physical complaints (GBB 24) and interpersonal problems (IIP-D) as well as for object relationships (IPO). RESULTS: In concordance with treatment concepts, patients in short-term psychotherapy had a more acute onset of symptoms, were more highly distressed and better occupationally integrated; patients in long-term treatment suffered more frequently from chronic psychosomatic disorders, personality disorders and comorbid somatic conditions. In both treatment settings distress and physical complaints decreased considerably and remained quite stable during follow-up. Concurring predictors of outcome were more adaptive patterns of object and interpersonal relationships as well as social resources. No differences were seen between the short-term and long-term treatment for utilization of ambulatory psychotherapy after discharge. DISCUSSION: The study shows that a differentiation between short- and long-term treatments, even within one psychosomatic hospital unit, allows for differential indication and treatment concepts.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Separation during inpatient psychotherapy and its impact on the regulation of blood glucose in a patient with Brittle Diabetes].

OBJECTIVES: During the inpatient psychotherapy of a 21-year-old male patient with Brittle Diabetes, psychic reactions and changes of blood glucose after separation were studied. METHODS: The patient was interviewed using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Specific attachment-related stress factors were elaborated. During the course of therapy, blood glucose, body symptoms and mood ratings were recorded daily and statistically evaluated by time series analysis. The statistical analysis allowed testing of critical instances (separation) and psychic determinants of blood glucose control. RESULTS: Significant predictors for the average blood glucose were as follows: the therapist's vacation (p < 0.02) and the announcement of discharge from the hospital (p < 0.01). A significant predictor for the daily blood glucose variation was mood (p < 0.01); the trend of the blood glucose variation was negative (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Toward the end of the treatment the blood glucose was stabilized. This result suggests the benefit of psychotherapy for these patients. Further empirical studies are necessary to confirm the findings.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Testing and validation of the 26-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in a representative population sample]

This paper presents the authorized German version of the 26-item Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-26). Due to the fact, that the revised version of this questionnaire (TAS-20) displays low reliability concerning the scale "external oriented thinking" in the German version, we decided to reinvestigate all TAS-26 items. In a representative sample of the German population (N=2047), the four factor structure of the original version could be reproduced and reliabilities for the four scales as well as for a pooled 5th scale (scales 1 to 3) varied satisfyingly between r=.67 to r=.84. TAS-scale no. 4 "reduced daydreaming" correlated negatively with other TAS scales in this German version also, so we can not recommend to use this construct for the study of alexithymia. Scale values proved to be independent from age and sex, whereas a clear relation with education could be detected: persons with low education scored high on alexithymia scales. To validate the German version of the TAS-26, a mood questionnaire and a body experience questionnaire were used. It could be shown that high alexithymia scores were associated with negative body image and undesirable emotions. It is discussed whether the latter correlation is due to a methodological artefact, since persons with high alexithymia scores tend to prefer middle categories of the mood questionnaire.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Are patients with glossodynia unremarkable? A hard-to-grasp psychodiagnostic disease].

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic glossodynia is generally considered a disease with profound psychical involvement. Nevertheless, psychodiagnostic studies on this disease have been rare. The patients usually have low emotional self-reference, are focused on their physical complaints and refuse a psychosomatic attribute. Therefore, the doctor-patient relationship is often complicated, which impedes the initiation of an adequate therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients diagnosed to have glossodynia or orofascial pain syndrome were examined within the psychosomatic consultation-liaison service of two dermatological hospitals. The Coping with Skin Disease Questionnaire (CSD) and the Symptom Check List (SCL-90R) were used as test inventory. Patients with glossodynia were compared with other dermatological patients in the consultation-liaison service (n = 356) and with the standard random sample of the SCL-90R. RESULTS: By comparing the test inventories it was found that glossodynia patients appeared particularly "inconspicious" on nearly all dimensions. Compared with the standard random sample of the SCL-90R (n = 1006) higher values were only observed for the scores "somatization" and "anxiety". CONCLUSION: Based on the two psychological test inventories, no indication of depression was found, which is often suspected in glossodynia patients. It appears that psychosomatic (accompanying) symptoms in these individuals are not sufficiently assessed by many psychological test instruments.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Integrative treatment of instable diabetes mellitus: education or psychotherapy?].

The term "brittle diabetes" describes a subtype of instable type-I diabetes, characterized by high variations of blood sugar without any evident cause and despite careful clinical management. Clear guidelines for a precise definition of the condition are still lacking; this fosters insecurities concerning diagnosis and therapy of the disease. Psychosocial influences, triggering these conditions, were discussed. The patient-doctor-relationship appears to be tensed due to an often missing compliance. Using a paradigmatic case study as background, the specific diagnostic and therapeutic problems in brittle diabetes were presented. Brittle diabetes advocates a close cooperation between internal and psychosomatic medicine units and a combination of patient education and psychotherapy. Seen under a psychosomatic paradigm, brittle diabetes can be detected early and effective treatment may avoid further complications in these young patients.

Adolescent↗