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Biomedical subjects

James R Council

Publications and source records attributed to James R Council.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Examining the absorption-hypnotizability link: the roles of acquiescence and consistency motivation.

The Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS) is one of the few personality measures commonly found to correlate with hypnotizability. However, a number of studies have found that the correlation is strongly influenced by contextual factors. Three studies examined acquiescence (or "yea-saying") and consistency motivation as possible contributors to context effects on the absorption-hypnotizability link. Results indicate that acquiescence and consistency effects are likely to influence the level of association between the TAS and hypnotic responsiveness.

Adult↗

Does the positive keying of the TAS inflate the absorption-hypnotizability link?

The search for correlates of hypnotic responsiveness has been largely unsuccessful, with the notable exception of the construct "absorption." The Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS) has been shown to correlate with hypnotic responsiveness, particularly if the two measures are administered in the same testing context or setting. The present study set out to determine whether the all-true, positively keyed format of the TAS inflates the absorption-hypnotizability link. With a sample of 466 participants, the authors show that wording the TAS items in either a positive or negative direction does not affect the correlation between the TAS and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A.

Adult↗

The "big five" and hypnotic suggestibility.

A recent approach to personality measurement argues that the essential personality traits are encompassed by 5 basic factors: openness/intellect, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness, and extraversion. This study used the Big Five Inventory to test the hypothesis that 1 or more of the 5 factors underlie hypnotic suggestibility. No meaningful relationships between hypnotic suggestibility and any of the 5 factors were found.

Adult↗

A comparison of chronic pain between an urban and rural population.

Residents of rural and urban areas of North Dakota were surveyed regarding chronic pain. Participants (N = 188) responded to questions pertaining to the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain, quality of life, and social support. Overall, 58% of the participants reported chronic pain, with arthritis as the leading cause, the lower back as the main location, and oral medication as the most common treatment. Individuals from rural and urban locations differed significantly in the rate of chronic pain reported. Participants with chronic pain reported a significantly lower quality of life than individuals without chronic pain.

Aged↗

Comparison of lumbar paravertebral EMG patterns in chronic low back pain patients and non-patient controls.

According to myogenic models that relate abnormal EMG patterns to the experience of pain, lumbar paravertebral muscle activity has been considered to play an important role in chronic low back pain. In the present study, 40 chronic low back pain patients and 40 matched non-patient controls were compared on lumbar paravertebral EMG during mechanically stabilized static and dynamic postures. Differences between groups in lumbar curvature and spinal range of motion were determined using a dual goniometer technique. Although the two groups did not differ on absolute levels of EMG during quiet standing, significant differences were found for EMG patterns during dynamic postures. In addition, most patients did not show the flexion-relaxation response or the expected pattern of EMG responses during trunk rotation, most likely because of restricted range of motion and/or compensatory posturing. These findings provide support for the biomechanical model of chronic pain and indicate the need for further research pertaining to pain behavior and movement-related lumbar muscle activity.

Adult↗

Expectancies and functional impairment in chronic low back pain.

Perceived self-efficacy [2] and pain response expectancies [13] were examined as correlates of movement limitations and impaired functioning in a sample of 40 patients with chronic low back pain. Self-efficacy was operationalized as patients' ratings of their ability to perform movements, while response expectancies were operationalized as ratings of the degree of pain expected to accompany the movements. Patients predicted their ability to perform 10 simple movements and the degree of pain that would accompany each movement; on a separate occasion, subjects' actual performance of the movements was assessed. In general, independent predictions of both movement ability and pain correlated significantly with performance of specific movements as rated from videotapes. Total movement scores correlated 0.55 and -0.54, respectively, with total self-efficacy and pain response expectancy ratings. Expectancy ratings were also predictive of average daily pain ratings and questionnaire ratings of physical impairment in everyday life. Multiple regression analyses, including causal modeling, indicated that actual performance was best predicted by self-efficacy ratings, which in turn appeared to be determined by pain response expectancies.

Aged↗

A historical overview of hypnotizability assessment.

The development of scales for assessing hypnotic suggestibility is reviewed. Nineteenth century origins are discussed along with examples of scales. Next, research measures developed and published in the first half of the 20th century are reviewed, followed by an overview of scales in current use. This overview attempts to show how past conceptions and scales have influenced current measurement methodology.

History, 19th Century↗