Biomedical subjects

Gerald Devins

Publications and source records attributed to Gerald Devins.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The Toronto Mindfulness Scale: development and validation.

In this study, the authors both developed and validated a self-report mindfulness measure, the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS). In Study 1, participants were individuals with and without meditation experience. Results showed good internal consistency and two factors, Curiosity and Decentering. Most of the expected relationships with other constructs were as expected. The TMS scores increased with increasing mindfulness meditation experience. In Study 2, criterion and incremental validity of the TMS were investigated on a group of individuals participating in 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction programs. Results showed that TMS scores increased following treatment, and Decentering scores predicted improvements in clinical outcome. Thus, the TMS is a promising measure of the mindfulness state with good psychometric properties and predictive of treatment outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Correlates of therapeutic response in panic disorder presenting with palpitations: heart rate variability, sleep, and placebo effect.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the correlates of therapeutic response of patients with panic disorder presenting with palpitations, we hypothesized that therapeutic response would correlate with heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep measures. METHODS: After a 1-week placebo washout, 27 patients free of structural heart disease and not on cardioactive drugs were randomized in a double-blinded fashion to 4 weeks of treatment with clonazepam (a known antipanic agent) or placebo. We performed standard sleep measures and recorded HRV from 24-hour Holter acquisitions at baseline and end of study. We defined response to therapy as a 50% improvement in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) score, confirmed by questionnaires and reaction to sodium lactate infusion. RESULTS: There were 12 responders and 15 nonresponders. Normalization of sleep pattern (including less stage 1 and rapid eye movement [REM] sleep) was observed in both drug and placebo responders (P = 0.011 and P = 0.05, respectively) and in placebo responders alone, compared with nonresponders (P = 0.006 and P = 0.013, respectively). Placebo responders were more likely to show less depression, but even after we controlled for depression, main sleep effects remained. None of the HRV measures correlated with response, but compared with placebo, clonazepam led to a decrease in all the time and frequency domain measures of HRV (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Central mechanisms are related to the therapeutic response of patients with panic disorder presenting with palpitations, but this does not directly correlate with HRV. Larger and longer studies may allow objective explanations of placebo response in panic disorder.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reliability and validity of the body image after breast cancer questionnaire.

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire (BIBCQ) in a series of outpatients with breast cancer. One hundred sixty-four breast cancer patients attending outpatient clinics completed questionnaires at baseline. The patients' BIBCQ scores were compared with their scores on related psychological measures including depression, self-esteem, quality of life, and sexual functioning. Scores on the BIBCQ for women after mastectomy and breast conservation were compared. Select items of the BIBCQ were compared between women with and without breast cancer. Patients received a second questionnaire after a 2 week interval to assess test-retest reliability. Good reliability was found for the six scales (ranging from 0.77 to 0.87). The BIBCQ correlated with similar measures as predicted, but not with a measure of social desirability. The BIBCQ distinguished between women treated with lumpectomy and mastectomy, and between women with breast cancer and a control group, supporting the validity of the BIBCQ. The BIBCQ provides a reliable and valid assessment of the long-term impact of breast cancer on body image. It is suitable for use in research focusing on this issue.

Adult↗