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Biomedical subjects

R J Gatchel

Publications and source records attributed to R J Gatchel.

116 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential effects of heart rate modification training on college students, older males, and patients with ischemic heart disease.

Seventy male subjects participated in a six session study of feedback-mediated heart rate modification. Three groups of subjects were compared: (1) college students, (2) patients with ischemic heart disease, and (3) healthy males, age-matched to the patients. The groups did not differ in heart rate during rest or in response to a perceptual-motor tracking task. However, the college students produced significantly larger changes in cardiac rate than the other two groups when instructed to modify heart rate (speed or slow) and provided with exteroceptive feedback. The patients showed the poorest overall feedback performance. These differences between groups were greater for speeding than for the slowing task. Relationships were explored between feedback performance and resting heart and respiration rate, drug regime, and personality questionnaires. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that interdependence between psychological stimuli and cardiovascular events is reduced in heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coping profile differences in the biopsychosocial functioning of patients with temporomandibular disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether biopsychosocial functioning differences exist between samples of patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) who differ in coping profiles as assessed by the Multidimensional Pain Inventory. METHODS: A total of 322 patients who presented with TMD were administered a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment battery, and the acute or chronic status of their disorder was determined. A follow-up evaluation was conducted 6 months later to determine the status of their pain. RESULTS: TMD patients with dysfunctional and interpersonally distressed coping profiles demonstrated more acute and chronic psychosocial difficulties than patients with adaptive coper profiles. The data also suggest that having a dysfunctional/distressed coping profile on the Multidimensional Pain Inventory has some predictive value in determining the likelihood of developing chronicity in the absence of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a dysfunctional/distressed coping profile in patients with TMD is likely to provide clinicians with important information about the biopsychosocial functioning of those patients, which, in turn, will help to determine the most effective treatment modalities to use with TMD patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Objective assessment of spine function following industrial injury. A prospective study with comparison group and one-year follow-up.

Objective functional capacity measurement techniques were used to guide a treatment program for a group of 66 chronic back pain patients. These patients were compared with a group of 38 chronic patients who were not administered the treatment program. Outcome data were collected by telephone survey at an average 1 year follow-up. In addition, functional capacity measures were collected for treatment group patients on admission and follow-up evaluations. Results demonstrated that the functional capacity measures collected for the treatment group improved in approximately 80% of the patients. These changes were also accompanied by positive changes in psychologic measures. In addition, at 1 year follow-up, the treatment group had approximately twice the rate of patients who returned to work, relative to the comparison group. Additional surgery rates were comparable for both groups (6% in the treatment and 7% in the comparison group), but the frequency of additional health-care professional visits was substantially higher in the comparison group. The findings suggest that quantitative functional capacity measures can give objective evidence of patient physical abilities and degree of effort and can significantly guide the clinician in administering an effective treatment program.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Masticatory function in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE: Children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) rarely report temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, which may be due to pain avoidance mechanisms resulting in compromised masticatory function. This study examined the relationship between self-report measures of pain and dysfunction and measures of chewing performance in 44 JRA children and 34 normal controls. METHODS: The children were divided into three groups: Group 1, JRA children with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD); Group 2, JRA children without TMD; Group 3, normal control children without TMD. Both visual and analog scales of jaw pain, ability to chew, and quality of life were administered before and after chewing tasks. Children chewed standardized portions of an artificial food for 20 cycles and expectorated the particles into a cup. This process was repeated five times. Median particle size and a broadness of particle distribution index were measured. Also, the number of chewing cycles prior to the child's first swallow for a cube of carrot was recorded. RESULTS: The broadness of particle distribution index was greater for Group 1 (P < 0.001) and Group 2 (P < 0.03) than for Group 3 with no difference in number of chews for carrot mastication among groups. Group 1 reported more pain and dysfunction before the chewing tasks than Groups 2 or 3 (P < 0.05). Interestingly, only Group 3 reported increased pain and decreased ability to chew after chewing tasks (P < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Children with JRA compromise their masticatory function as a pain avoidance mechanism. Such findings may have profound implications with regard to the nutritional status for these children.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychosocial factors and risk of pain and disability.

This article reviews the research on the risk of pain and disability due to psychosocial variables. Variables such as general distress, psychopathology, depression, abuse, and catastrophizing are discussed in relation to the risk of disability. Ways to conceptualize the complex relationships among pain, disability, and several psychosocial variables are also explored. In addition, the identification of adaptive and of protective ways to manage pain and decrease the risk of disability is highlighted. Finally, the authors recommend areas for future research.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantification of lumbar function. Part 5: Reliability of range-of-motion measures in the sagittal plane and an in vivo torso rotation measurement technique.

Intra- and intertester reliability of a previously described technique for measurement of sagittal plane lumbar spine motion was assessed. Results demonstrated a high degree of reliability of this technique. Sagittal plane norms for men and women are also presented. In addition, a pilot study of a simple in vivo measurement method for lumbar torsion is described and tested on a group of control subjects and a group of chronic low-back pain patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantification of lumbar function. Part 6: The use of psychological measures in guiding physical functional restoration.

The present article reviews the use of psychologic measures in guiding a functional restoration treatment program with chronic low-back pain patients. The results of the first 134 consecutive patients completing this program are reviewed. These results demonstrate that various psychologic measures paralleled improvement in physical function. Of particular interest is the finding that various Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales that were initially clinically elevated showed a significant decrease to nonelevated levels after treatment. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with the important observation that one should avoid assuming that a single psychologic test can reliably be used as the sole predictor variable in clinical cases.

Achievement↗