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PubMed1975

[Hypnosis and experimental psychology].

Experimental psychology contributes to hypnology and vice versa and it is pointed out that this mutual relationship should be looked at as a function of the significance of methodology in psychology and of the way in which such methodology has been developing. After reviewing the distinguishing features of the experimental, clinico-social and statistico-probabilistic approaches, the possibilities of using hypnosis as a technical tool for investigating general psychological problems or for throwing light on the diagnostic situation of a particular patient are investigated. The possibilities of using experimental psychological methodology for examining the hypnotic state in rigorous terms are then analysed and the need to systematize basic scientific research is stressed.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Biological stress responses in high and low trait anxious students.

In an investigation of biological indicators of stress in normal humans, undergraduate psychology students were differentiated on trait anxiety and assessed under baseline, preexam (stress), and postexam conditions. Assessment at each condition involved drawing 20 ml of blood, followed by self-reporting for selected questionnaires. Self-reports included state anxiety, general psychological symptomatology, dysfunctional attitudes, academic confidence, sleep patterns, and intake of drugs, including alcohol and caffeine. Blood was analyzed for whole blood serotonin content, plasma MHPG, and platelet imipramine binding. Baseline differences between high and low trait anxious students on biological measures were significant only for whole blood serotonin content. Variation across situational conditions was significant for whole blood serotonin, with an increase under the stressful condition for both anxiety groups. Thus, serotonin is highlighted as an important factor in the human response to stress, whereas expected differences in MHPG were not observed. The serotonergic response to stress was not explained by changes in psychological or physical state variables. Changes in serotonin content were positively correlated with changes in platelet imipramine binding.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Stress management in cardiac patients: a preliminary study of the predictors of improvement in quality of life.

The effects on quality of life of a 12-wk relaxation-based stress management programme emphasizing improvements in self-confidence and control was assessed in seventy-eight patients following myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty. Measures of psychological state, functional mobility level, social activity and chest pain were obtained before and after treatment and at 6 month follow-up. Fifty-one (66%) of patients completed the programme. Significant reductions in anxiety and depression and improvements in psychological general well-being, activities of daily living, social activity, quality of interactions and satisfaction with sexual relationships were observed posttreatment, and these were largely maintained at follow-up. Reductions in chest pain and improvements in spouse ratings of psychological state were also recorded. Similar responses were measured in myocardial infarction and surgery patients. Predictors of outcome in three aspects of quality of life, anxiety, activities of daily living and social activity, were assessed. Improvements in these three domains were independent of one another, and their predictors were also different. Reductions in anxiety were associated with neurotic dispositions and openness to new experience, while improvements in activities of daily living were predicted by work status, age and time since infarction or surgery. Implications for the use of stress management in cardiac rehabilitation are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychological well-being in women with Turner syndrome: somatic and social correlates.

Our aim was to examine possible somatic and social correlates to psychological well-being in adult women with Turner Syndrome (TS), including hormone replacement treatment Sixty-three women with a diagnosis of TS (mean age, 31.5 years) participated in a cross-sectional study, using interview data, ratings on the Psychological General Well-being (PGWB) Index, and data from medical examinations and medical records. Statistical analysis was performed by bivariate and multivariate analyses. Lack of sex hormones during adult life and the presence of hearing impairment were related to lower psychological well-being, as were higher age at diagnosis, higher age at menarche or induced bleeding, higher chronological age and retrospectively reported difficulties with school subjects. Age at diagnosis and difficulties with school subjects explained 25% of the variation in psychological well-being. This study has identified some correlates to psychological well-being in women with TS, which are important when considering the clinical management of adult women with TS.

Adult↗
PubMed1973

On the development of stimulus control.

Pigeons were trained to peck one key when presented with white noise at any of five intensities lower than a reference intensity, and to peck another key when presented with white noise at any of five intensities greater than the reference intensity. The shape of the stimulus control curves (proportion of responses to one key versus stimulus intensity) changed from a horizontal line at the beginning of training to the sigmoid form of typical psychometric functions at the end of training. The development of stimulus control is described in terms of a model based on the theory of signal recognition and a concept of attention.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed2002

Violence and hostility among families of Vietnam veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

The current study provides a portrait of emotional-behavioral functioning within a small sample of Vietnam veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), their partners, and older adolescent and adult children. Veterans, their partners and children reported moderate-low to moderate-high levels of violent behavior. In addition, partner and veteran hostility scores were elevated relative to gender and age matched norms. Partners also reported heightened levels of psychological maltreatment by veterans. Veterans' combat exposure was positively correlated with hostility and violent behavior among children but unrelated to partner variables. Veterans' reports of PTSD symptoms were positively associated with reports of hostility and violence among children, and hostility and general psychological distress among partners. Veterans' violent behavior was also positively correlated with children's violent behavior, but did not yield significant correlations with other child or partner variables. Findings are discussed in relation to prior work and directions for future research are addressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Self-esteem, eating problems, and psychological well-being in a cohort of schoolgirls aged 15-16: a questionnaire and interview study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the extent of eating problems and their association with self-esteem in girls aged 15-16. METHOD: Six hundred and nine schoolgirls aged 15-16 completed a questionnaire examining eating behavior, self-esteem, and general psychological well-being. A subsample of 31 girls was subsequently interviewed in terms of eating behavior and self-esteem. RESULTS: The questionnaire findings revealed that 56% of girls felt too fat and had used some form of weight control strategy. In addition, 32% scored above the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) threshold for anxiety and 43% reached the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale criterion for low self-esteem. Interviews confirmed that those showing abnormal eating behavior in the questionnaires did indeed show greater eating pathology as well as lower self-esteem. Interviews also revealed that those with high levels of eating concern showed greater levels of global self-dissatisfaction and higher dissatisfaction with their physical appearance and family relationships. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that preventative interventions targeted at girls with low self-esteem may be appropriate.

Achievement↗
PubMed2005

Three-year outcome of family work in an early psychosis program.

At the initial presentation to a first-episode of psychosis program, family members were experiencing distress and difficulties. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of individualized family intervention integrated within a comprehensive treatment program for first episode psychosis. Participants were the family members of individuals who had presented with a first episode of psychosis. Family members were assessed with the Psychological General Well-Being Scale and the Experience of Caregiving Inventory (ECI). Patient data included assessment of positive and negative symptoms, depression, quality of life, and substance use. Assessments were conducted over a three-year period. Over time families demonstrated improved psychological well-being and ECI scores. The most significant predictor of poor psychological well-being was the family's appraisal of the impact of the illness on themselves and not the severity of symptoms or impaired functioning. This family intervention embedded within a treatment program proved to be highly acceptable and effective.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health-related quality of life outcomes of omeprazole versus ranitidine in poorly responsive symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes of once-daily omeprazole compared with ranitidine for the short-term treatment of patients with poorly responsive symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial, compared omeprazole versus ranitidine for the treatment of poorly responsive GERD. Eligible patients had a history of predominant heartburn symptoms with symptomatic heartburn after 6 weeks of ranitidine treatment. Patients were randomized to omeprazole 20 mg once daily (n = 156) or ranitidine 150 mg twice daily (n = 161) and followed for 8 weeks. Assessments were completed at baseline and after 8 weeks with physician-rated symptoms: Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS); Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index; Sleep Scale; Impact on Daily Activities Scale, and Overall Treatment Effect. Primary HRQL endpoints were the GSRS reflux scale and PGWB total score. RESULTS: No differences between the 2 treatment groups were observed in baseline demographic, clinical or HRQL measures. After 8 weeks, omeprazole-treated patients had greater improvement in GSRS reflux scale scores (p<0.0001) and PGWB total scores (p = 0. 019) compared with ranitidine-treated patients. Significant between group differences favoring omeprazole were also observed in GSRS total scores (p<0.0001), abdominal pain scale scores (p = 0.003), and indigestion scale scores (p = 0.003), Impact on Daily Activities (p = 0.001), PGWB positive well-being (p = 0.015), anxiety (p = 0. 030), and general health scale scores (p = 0.010). Patient ratings of overall treatment effect demonstrated the significantly (p<0. 0001) greater benefits of omeprazole (mean = 5.26) compared with ranitidine treatment (mean = 3.83). CONCLUSIONS: Omeprazole treatment significantly reduced persistent reflux-related symptoms and normalized psychological well-being compared with ranitidine in poorly responsive symptomatic patients with GERD.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

What would Terri want? On the psychological challenges of surrogate decision making.

The Terri Schiavo case was unique in the media attention it garnered, but the decision making challenges faced by Terri's family are common ones encountered by all families who must make choices about the use of life-sustaining medical treatment for an incapacitated loved one. This article highlights three key issues that were particularly problematic in the Schiavo case, but that represent general psychological challenges inherent to the task of surrogate decision making. The 3 central points of uncertainty, and therefore conflict, in the Schiavo case concerned: (a) the appropriate standard by which medical decisions for Terri should be made, (b) the specific nature of Terri's wishes about the use of life-sustaining medical technology, and (c) the true extent of disability and prognosis for recovery represented by Terri's medical condition. No simple remedy is possible that will resolve all of the uncertainties inherent to surrogate decision making, but some general strategies for improving the quality of end-of-life medical decisions are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Daytime sleepiness and cognitive impairment in the elderly population.

BACKGROUND: Recent findings suggest that there may be a relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cognitive deficits. This study aims to determine to what extent EDS is predictive of cognitive impairment in an elderly population. METHODS: A total of 1026 individuals 60 years or older representative of the general population living in the metropolitan area of Paris, France, were interviewed by telephone using the Sleep-EVAL expert system. To find these individuals, 7010 randomly selected households were called: 1269 had at least 1 household member in this age range (participation rate, 80.9%). In addition to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and International Classification of Sleep Disorders diagnoses, the system administered to participants the Psychological General Well-being Schedule, the Cognitive Difficulties Scale (MacNair-R), and an independent living scale. RESULTS: Excessive daytime sleepiness was reported by 13.6% of the sample, with no significant difference among age groups. Compared with nonsleepy participants, those with EDS were at increased risk of cognitive impairment on all the dimensions of the MacNair-R scale after controlling for age, sex, physical activity, occupation, organic diseases, use of sleep or anxiety medication, sleep duration, and psychological well-being. The odd ratios were 2.1 for attention-concentration deficits, 1.7 for praxis, 2.0 for delayed recall, 2.5 for difficulties in orientation for persons, 2.2 for difficulties in temporal orientation, and 1.8 for prospective memory. CONCLUSIONS: Among elderly individuals in the general population, EDS is an important risk factor for cognitive impairment. A complaint of EDS by an elderly patient should signal the possibility of an underlying cognitive impairment in need of evaluation.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Health related quality of life in Crohn's proctocolitis does not differ from a general population when in remission.

OBJECTIVE: All treatment in Crohn's disease, although palliative, aims at restoring full health. The objective of this study was to compare health-related quality of life and psychosocial conditions in patients with Crohn's proctocolitis with a general population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-seven patients with Crohn's proctocolitis (median age 44 years, 44.1% men) were compared with 266 controls (median age 45 years, 50.7% men). A questionnaire consisting of the Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) evaluating general health as well as questions regarding psychosocial conditions was used. Disease activity was evaluated by Best's modification of the classical Crohn's Disease Activity Index. RESULTS: Patients in remission had a health related quality of life similar to controls according to the SF-36 apart from general health where scores were lower (P < 0.01). Patients with active disease scored lower in all aspects of the SF-36 (P < 0.001 or P < 0.0001) as well as the PGWB (P < 0.0001). In a model for multiple regression including age, gender, concomitant small bowel disease, permanent stoma, previous colonic surgery, disease activity, duration, and aggressiveness, disease activity was the only variable negatively predicting all 8 domains of the SF-36 in the patient group (P < 0.001). The mean annual sick-leave for patients and controls were 33.9 and 9.5 days (P < 0.0001), respectively. Sixty-eight percent of the patients and 78.4% of the controls (P = 0.04) were married or cohabited, 67.7% and 78.0% (P = 0.04), respectively, had children. CONCLUSION: The health related quality of life for patients with Crohn's proctocolitis in remission does not differ from the general population. The disease has, however, a negative impact on parenthood, family life and professional performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Risk factors for posttrauma reactions in police officers: a longitudinal study.

This prospective, longitudinal study investigated risk factors in the development of psychological ill health and posttraumatic stress symptoms in a sample of 223 junior police officers. Participants were assessed using a self-report methodology during training and again 12 months later on a range of personality, trauma exposure, and symptom measures. Risk factors for general psychological ill health at phase 2 of the research were found to comprise mostly stable, preexisting characteristics such as personality style, gender, and trait dissociation. Conversely, specific traumatic stress symptoms were more heavily influenced by experiences in the intervening 12 months, such as severity of incident exposure and peritraumatic dissociation. The implications for differential intervention are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Exploring the course of psychological distress around two successive control visits in women at hereditary risk of breast cancer.

In this article we determined the course of psychological distress during a breast cancer surveillance program in women at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer (BC). The sample comprised of 357 unaffected women (mean age 40.5 years) adhering to a surveillance programme (MRISC-study). Before and after two successive biannual surveillance appointments, the Impact of Event Scale (BC-specific distress) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (general distress) were administered, totalling four measurement moments. In general, psychological distress remained within normal limits and decreased significantly after a surveillance appointment, except for breast cancer specific distress after the second appointment. Scheduled imaging examinations were not significantly related to distress. The course of BC specific distress differed significantly for risk over-estimators and for young (<40 years) excessive breast self examiners. The course of general distress differed significantly for women closely involved in a sister's BC-process. These more vulnerable subgroups may be in need of extra counselling and care.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Coping strategies in civilians during air attacks.

BACKGROUND: Coping strategies may influence the psychological outcome after a stressful event, both as coping at the time of the event and as strategies of dealing with its consequences after the event. The aim of the study was to investigate coping strategies used by civilians during the air attacks in Yugoslavia in 1999, and their association with the level of exposure, gender and psychological symptoms 1 year later. METHOD: The sample is a non-selective group of 139 medical students from the University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Open questions and content analysis were used to assess coping strategies. Symptoms of intrusion and avoidance were assessed, as well as general psychological symptoms. RESULTS: Content analysis of answers to open questions revealed nine categories of coping strategies (sport and walks, leisure activities, talking and gathering, humor, avoidance, philosophical approach, getting information, work, and substance abuse). A cluster analysis identified three groups of students with different styles of coping. Students that used dominantly 'talking and gathering' had the highest, and the ones that mostly used 'leisure activities' the lowest scores on intrusion. There were significant gender differences in how coping strategies were associated with intrusive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The type of coping strategies used during the air attacks may contribute to the level of intrusive symptoms 1 year after the event. Different coping strategies might be effective in men and women to reduce intrusive symptoms. Longitudinal and prospective studies are needed to draw definite conclusions on causal relationships between coping strategies and levels of posttraumatic stress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Age as a factor in response to spinal cord injury.

Previous studies examining the role of age in the mediation of psychological response to a catastrophic injury, such as spinal cord injury, have yielded equivocal results. To further examine the role of age in the response to catastrophic injury, 53 patients with spinal cord injury were administered a battery of tests assessing life stress, depression and general psychological functioning. Two groups were derived from negative ratings of life events and subject's age. Younger patients, who reported higher levels of life stress, also reported more depressive symptomatology; younger patients with lower levels of life stress reported fewer depressive symptoms. Both young and old patients with high stress reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology. Psychological disturbance was greater in the high life stress group as indicated by significant elevations on the global severity index of the Symptom Checklist-90 and elevations on somatization, obsessive compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety and psychoticism subscales. Age effects were not found for the Symptom Checklist-90.

Adaptation, Psychological↗