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Biomedical subjects

M Beiser

Publications and source records attributed to M Beiser.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

A measure of the 'sick' label in psychiatric disorder and physical illness.

Persons with psychotic disorders receive devalued labels. Despite considerable theorizing, the proposition that these labels affect the course of psychotic illness has rarely been subjected to investigation. The lack of an adequate operational measure for the labeling construct has hampered research. The present report describes the development of the Social Response Questionnaire (SRQ), a measure of the 'sick' label which incorporates moralistic attitudes, fear of dangerousness and negative expectations attached to the role of the severely psychiatrically ill. This 32-item scale, a multidimensional measure of informal labeling, which may be administered in a self-report format or to significant others, permits the study of dose-response relationships. The SRQ is internally stable. It also exhibits construct validity. Schizophrenics and persons with affective psychosis label themselves and are labeled by others more harshly than persons with Crohn's disease or normals. While self-percepts and the perceptions of significant others are fairly congruent for normals and persons with a significant physical illness, there is no agreement between the self-ratings of psychotics and their significant others. Psychotic persons view themselves more negatively than Crohn's disease sufferers or normals, but not as negatively as their therapists, families and friends. Potential uses for the SRQ in longitudinal research are addressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Successful aging: a theme for international psychology.

Results of a 13-nation international survey on human values and well-being over the adult life span were reported. Four age groups (under 25, 25-34, 35-49, and over 50 years of age) were compared on four indices: satisfaction with job relations, satisfaction with human relations, satisfaction with material needs, and religiosity. The research involved Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and West Germany. Persons over 50 years of age obtained high scores on satisfaction with human relations, satisfaction with material needs, and religiosity, whereas those under 25 scored low on these scales. Thirty-five to 49-year-olds scored highest on satisfaction with job relations. With some exceptions, these trends are relatively consistent across nations. We conclude that the oldest group shows most contentment, satisfaction, and stability in response to the questions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1987

Impaired interns and residents.

In 1981 a study was undertaken to determine intern and resident psychological well-being and identify those house staff who were psychologically impaired. Fourteen percent of house staff were found to be impaired. Single females and house staff who were chronically fatigued or socially isolated were at highest risk for impairment. Impairment arose out of the interaction between sleep and social deprivation and individual vulnerability. Minor tranquilizers, but not alcohol, were used as a coping response to impairment.

British Columbia↗
PubMed1986

Measuring psychiatric disorder among Southeast Asian refugees.

Four measures of mental health--Panic, Depression, Somatization and Well-Being--have been developed for use in a population of Southeast Asian refugees. The scales, a product of work with 1348 refugees, demonstrate conceptual significance, good reliability, concurrent validity and stability of structure across samples. They are culturally sensitive, enabling intra-cultural study as well as screening for clinical purposes. The measures also permit comparisons, for research purposes, with non-Asians.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1986

The art of pharmacotherapy in depressed outpatients.

There is an art to prescribing medications to depressed patients. Both patient and therapist factors are important to a successful outcome with appropriate timing and prescribing of treatment. Two case reports are provided as examples. Specific strategies used by experienced clinicians are presented in the discussion.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Maturation of auditory brainstem potentials in neonates and infants.

Auditory brainstem evoked potentials (ABP) were recorded in 59 healthy neonates and infants whose age ranged from 3 days to 18 months (6 age groups). Latencies of individual waves and the interpeak latencies (IPL) of I-III, III-V and I-V were analysed. A different maturational pattern was observed in the pontomedullary and the pontomesencephalic segments of the brainstem. Latencies of all waves except wave I were longer in male than in female babies. Establishment of normative data related to the technical variables employed by the individual team is a sine qua non prerequisite for adequate neurological evaluation of ABP.

Auditory Pathways↗
PubMed1985

Does community care for the mentally ill make a difference? A tale of two cities.

Matched groups of schizophrenic patients in Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., were compared approximately 1 year following discharge from an index hospitalization. Whereas Vancouver boasts a rich network of accessible private services and a public mental health system that provides a model of care for the chronically mentally ill, Portland's aftercare facilities at the time of the study were limited. One year after discharge the Vancouver cohort experienced fewer readmissions, was more apt to be employed, and reported a higher level of well-being, all of which suggest that community aftercare positively affects the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The grieving witch: a framework for applying principles of cultural psychiatry to clinical practice.

While most psychiatrists would probably agree that culture affects clinical practice, the task of translating this proposition into practical principles remains to be accomplished. This review article examines research findings and, based on this examination, suggests management principles for an episode of illness in a woman of different cultural background than those of her caretakers. The review examines how cultural considerations affect the definition, presentation, causes, diagnosis and treatment of illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Mastering change: epidemiological and case studies in Senegal, West Africa.

While it has often been assumed that persons exposed to rapid social change incur a risk to their mental health, research results have been inconsistent. The authors found that 269 urban migrants in Senegal, West Africa, did not demonstrate worse mental health than did 300 rural nonmigrants. Case studies suggest that outcome is determined not by change per se but by social contingencies which modify the situations, as well as by personal assets which individuals bring with them. Critical factors include the persistence of familiar cultural forms within the new environment and skills such as literacy and the ability to creatively integrate elements of the old and new cultures.

Acculturation↗
PubMed1980

Impact of mental disorders upon elderly American Indians as reflected in visits to ambulatory care facilities.

In order to assess the impact of mental health problems among elderly American Indians, a study was conducted on the utilization patterns of ambulatory care facilities by various age groups of Indians. Since most health care of Indians is rendered by the Indian Health Service (IHS), data obtained from IHS computer centers provided a reasonable index of disease patterns. Because the elderly have constituted such a small fraction of the Indian population, they have not heretofore received significant attention. However, their problems are rapidly increasing. By adjusting the frequency of visits according to population, an estimate of visit "rates" was made. These rates showed one visit for every 10 persons in the 0-44 age group, one for every 5 persons in the 45-54 age group, but only one visit for every 25 persons in the 65+ age group. Most of the visits by older Indians concerned "social" problems rather than "mental" disorders as such. These data provided information that should prove especially helpful in the design of social and health programs for elderly Indians.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Personal and social factors associated with the remission of psychiatric symptoms.

Most studies of "spontaneous remission" involve samples of untreated psychiatric patients. This selection process limits the generalizability of findings to the population of persons with neurotic disturbances. This report concerns a community sample of people with neurotic disorders. Fifty subjects were followed up for five years, using both clinical and quantitative techniques. Almost half lost their symptoms during this time. Various sociodemographic factors, personality assets, and liabilities contribute to the process through which such remissions occur.

Adolescent↗