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Biomedical subjects

C N Hoskins

Publications and source records attributed to C N Hoskins.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Breast cancer: education, counseling, and adjustment--a pilot study.

The feasibility of a randomized clinical trial to implement and compare the effectiveness of three components of an intervention for women with breast cancer and their partners was tested. The intervention components, standardized education by videotape (SE), telephone counseling (TC), and education with telephone counseling (SE+TC), were designed with a complementary approach to disease management of breast cancer at each of four phases of the breast cancer experience: diagnostic, postsurgery, adjuvant therapy, and ongoing recovery. A standardized Telephone Counseling Training Manual was developed. A nonprobability sample of 12 patient-partner pairs was accrued. Four pairs were randomly assigned to each of the three intervention components. A set of questionnaires was completed by each patient and partner at baseline and following each intervention for assessment of emotional, physical, and social adjustment, and perceived support. Attrition was minimal and return rate for the completed questionnaires at all five data-collection points was high. Validation of the SE and the TC, one of the objectives, was by data from the preliminary descriptive study (Hoskins, 1990-1994), pretests and posttests for standardized education, audiotapes for each phase-specific telephone counseling session, and evaluation forms for each intervention session. The positive findings included significant changes from pre- to postmeasurement in patients' and partners' scores for the standardized education in each of the four phases. Even with the limited statistical power, the effects were marked, lending support for a full-scale randomized clinical trial, to understand better the relative treatment efficacy and differential benefit of one or some interventions over others.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Measurement of psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer: a unidimensional or multidimensional construct?

Using data from a longitudinal study of Hoskins' 'Patterns of Adjustment to Breast Cancer among Women and their Partners', a conceptually derived multidimensional formulation of psychosocial adjustment was empirically tested. The Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale was administered to both patients and partners at six times post-definitive surgery, i.e., 7-10 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 180 days, and one year. Extensive factor analytic studies were performed on data from the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale at four of the collection times when complete data sets were available for 128 patients and 121 partners. Results of the principal components analysis with varimax rotation were compared to factor analyses reported by the developers of the scale. The seven-factor matrix reported by Derogatis was not reproduced; instead, one factor was consistently identified at each of the four time periods as the best solution. Although items from all seven domains of the scale loaded on the single factor, items pertaining to psychological distress and role performance in the domestic and social environments were most prominent. These data support the need to validate empirically hypothesized separate dimensions of psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer in both patients and partners as proposed in a number of widely used tests.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Breast cancer treatment-related patterns in side effects, psychological distress, and perceived health status.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe variations in side effects of treatment of breast cancer and concurrent variations in psychological distress and perceived health status. DESIGN: Data were collected at six collection points: 7-10 days, one month, two months, three months, six months, and one year postsurgery. Standardized inventories, including subscales from the Psychosocial Adjustment to illness Scale, the Multilevel Assessment Inventory, and the investigator-developed Treatment Recovery Inventory, were completed by subjects in their homes at the six data-collection points. SETTING: Self-report measures completed in subjects' homes. Private practices of breast surgeons at medical centers in the New York City metropolitan area SAMPLE: Convenience sample of 93 women from a main longitudinal study (x = 51.4 years of age). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Psychological distress, perceived health status, and side effects of treatment for breast cancer. FINDINGS: Fatigue and emotional distress were persistent issues. Psychological distress and perceived health status improved with no significant differences between breast-conserving and mastectomy groups. Significant differences existed between patients receiving chemotherapy versus no therapy between three and six months. Significant changes also existed in perceived health status and psychological distress in both the positive and negative node groups with no differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Adjustment, a multidimensional and complex process, occurs over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Patterns in side effects should enable clinicians to anticipate needs for planning methods of control over time. Nurses must assess side effects from a multidimensional perspective at all phases.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Social support and patterns of adjustment to breast cancer.

The effect of marital support and support from other adults on the emotional and physical adjustment of 128 women with breast cancer was examined. Role function and satisfaction with health care also were evaluated as predictors of adjustment. Intact data series were obtained at 7-10 days, at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year postsurgery. Emotional adjustment could be predicted by satisfaction with a spouse's response to interactional and emotional needs and by support from other adults. The relationships were significant at concurrent times, across contiguous times, and predicting from the 7-10 day postsurgical period to both the 6-month and 1-year end points. Physical adjustment was not predicted by support but satisfaction with health care was predictive of perceived overall health status. Functional status in vocational, domestic, and social roles was significantly related to emotional and physical adjustment at all phases with few exceptions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Adjustment to breast cancer in couples.

Present aims were to examine differences in fulfillment of emotional and interactional needs between 128 breast cancer patients and 121 partners and to examine differences in emotional and physical adjustment outcomes using a multivariate model of family adjustment to illness. Intact data series were obtained at 7 to 10 days, at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months, and 1 year postsurgery. The effect of cancer accentuated a complementary pattern for both emotional and interactional needs. The t tests of differences between means were significant at all phases. The main effect of time was statistically significant for scores on Negative Emotions, Psychological Distress, and Psychological Well-being for both partners. Performance of life roles in the vocational, domestic, and social environments also improved significantly over time. Although perceived Health Status remained stable for partners, patients' perceptions improved across phases of illness.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Patterns of adjustment among women with breast cancer and their partners.

Four inventories were completed by 128 women and 121 partners evaluating predictors of emotional and physical adjustment at six phases of experience with breast cancer. Emotional adjustment could be predicted by marital support, support from other adults, and role function. The relationships were significant at concurrent times, across contiguous times, and predicting from the 7- to 10-day postsurgical phase to both the 6-mo. and 1-yr. end points.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Activation--a predictor of need fulfillment in couples.

Circadian periodicities in activation were studied in relation to married partners' interactional-emotional need fulfillment. Activation was defined as the phenomenological awareness of general bodily energy state or readiness to respond. It was hypothesized that differences in activation would be related to dissatisfaction with need fulfillment. Activation was measured at four designated times of day by alternate forms of the Activation Checklist (Thayer, 1967) and need fulfillment by parallel forms of the Partner Relationship Inventory (Hoskins, 1988). Five couples completed data series that ranged between 27 and 29 days, providing 67 to 106 pairs of data. Cosine curves were fitted to the data for each subject to test for significant circadian periodicities in each variable. A desynchrony score in activation was calculated for the couple at each measurement time and correlated with the interactional-emotional need scores. The data supported the hypothesis for three subjects. Theoretical interpretations and methodological issues are presented.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Psychometrics in nursing research--further development of the Interpersonal Conflict scale.

The importance of ongoing refinement of measurement tools is illustrated by describing the methodology for further development of an Interpersonal Conflict scale. A third dimension, that of Sexual Need, was defined and added to the original sub-scales of Interaction Need and Emotional Need. Thirty-one Sexual Need items were formulated and incorporated into the original scale and the revised list was submitted to a sample of 212 subjects. The methods used to study content and face validity are discussed; factor analytic techniques for assessing construct validity and reliability of the Sexual Need dimension are presented. Six alternate forms of approximately equal reliability were developed for repeated measurements over time. The overall analyses are discussed within a framework of the relationship between fulfillment of psychosocial needs and marital conflict.

Adult↗

Psychometrics in nursing research: construction of an interpersonal conflict scale.

A step-wise description of a self-report instrument to measure interpersonal conflict between marital partners illustrates the primary aspects of the development of a psychometric tool. Definition of the construct to be measured, formulation and classification of items, and appropriate methods to establish validity and reliability are discussed. Indications are considered for alternate forms of a scale, which include repeated measurement over time for the purpose of identifying patterns in human behavior in interaction within the family system. The procedure for constructing alternate forms of equal reliability is outlined.

Adult↗

Promoting adjustment among women with breast cancer and their partners: a program of research.

A three-phase program of research consisted of: (1) data collection at eight data points across one year on predictors and outcomes of adjustment among 128 women diagnosed with breast cancer and 121 partners; (2) development of phase-specific interventions: standardized education by videotape (SE), and telephone counseling (TC); and (3) a pilot study among 12 patient-partner pairs. Four phases were identified: diagnostic, post-surgical, adjuvant therapy, and ongoing recovery. Needs were categorized as those related to: (1) physical well-being, (2) emotional well-being; (3) support; and (4) the healthcare system. In the pilot study, each group consisted of 4 patient-partner pairs, randomly assigned to one of four groups. At each of the four phases, all groups received the currently accepted disease management (DM). Group 1: DM * Group 2: DM+SE * Group 3: DM+TC * Group 4: DM+SE+TC. Measures of outcomes validated in the longitudinal study were administered. The feasibility of a confirmatory randomized clinical trial was demonstrated. Preliminary evidence indicates the importance of research-based, phase-specific educational and counseling interventions that have a positive effect on adjustment among both patients and their families.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Level of activation, body temperature, and interpersonal conflict in family relationships.

The 24-hour variation in physiological and psychological functioning within the individual and interpersonal differences were investigated in relation to the nature of social interaction between individuals. Level of activation, body temperature, and interpersonal conflict were studied in a sample of 16 married couples for a period of six weekdays of routine activity. Homogeneity was a major factor in sample selection. Body temperature was measured every hour during the waking time by electronic thermometer, and level of activation was measured four times a day on alternate forms of a self-report adjective checklist. Interpersonal conflict, defined as perceived fulfillment of emotional and interaction needs, was measured in the morning and late day. The interpersonal Conflict Scale with established validity was constructed for the study and had two alternate forms of equal reliability. An index of desynchrony between partners for both temperature and activation was calculated for each day of data collection by the following method: The deviation score from the overall six-day mean was determined for each measurement time for each spouse and for each variable. Absolute values of the differences between deviation scores were added to obtain an index of desynchrony in that variable for the day. A daily mean of interpersonal conflict scores for both partners was also calculated. The hypotheses that a desynchrony between partners in body temperature rhythm and in level of activation rhythm would be positively related to conflict were tested by the Pearson product moment correlation. Obtained coefficient; were not significant at the .05 level.

Adult↗