[Animal psychology in general psychology].
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Animals↗
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Animal research in psychology. More than meets the eye of the general psychology student.
The general psychology course provides a unique opportunity to present the science of psychology to a wide audience. Informing the general public about the importance of animal research in psychology is especially important given contemporary concerns about animal rights and animal welfare. A study of 8 leading introductory psychology textbooks indicated that with the exception of principles of conditioning and learning, the contributions of animal research to psychology were often not explicitly acknowledged. In addition, major findings from animal research were frequently presented as if they had been obtained with humans. In obscuring the contributions of animal research, introductory psychology textbooks miss the opportunity to ensure that public policy be based on accurate information about the significance of this research to many areas of psychological science.
Animals↗
Validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the Psychological General Well-Being Index.
The Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) was adapted for use in Spain. The American version was translated and back-translated independently by three bilinguals and the comprehensibility of a consensuated version was tested in a pilot study. The construct validity and internal consistency of the questionnaire were tested in 104 patients (52 high blood pressure patients attending a primary health care centre and 52 end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis). Concurrently to the PGWBI, patients were administered the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and three psychosocial categories of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP-PD). Patients in the dialysis group were administered the PGWBI on two occasions, two weeks apart. The PGWBI was moderately to highly correlated with the GHQ-12 (r = -0.71) and with the SIP-PD (r = -0.69). Overall internal consistency as measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.94. By dimensions, PGWBI alpha coefficients ranged from 0.56 (Self-control) to 0.88 (Anxiety). No differences were found in mean PGWBI scores between the two groups of patients studied. Two-week test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.76. The similarity of the operating characteristics supports the contention that the Spanish and American versions of the PGWBI are conceptually equivalent. More research is needed on the reliability and responsiveness of the different dimensions of the questionnaire. Our results suggest that only global scores should be used when making individual comparisons.
Adult↗
The prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic renal failure is increased and associated with impaired psychological general well-being.
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition occurs frequently in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms may lead to reduced food intake, resulting in malnutrition and impaired well-being in these patients. The prevalence of GI symptoms in various chronic renal failure (CRF) groups is unexplored. We assessed the prevalence of GI complaints in patients on either haemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), or in the pre-dialysis stage. Patients with and without diabetic nephropathy were also compared. METHODS: A total of 233 patients with CRF (128 HD, 55 PD, and 50 pre-dialytic patients) completed two self-administered questionnaires: the Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), which measures GI symptoms. The values were compared with reference values obtained from the general population. The association between GI symptoms and serum (s-)albumin was also studied. RESULTS: The total GSRS score in patients with CRF was significantly higher than the reference values (HD 2.14 (1.97-2.31), PD 2.24 (2.00-2.48), and pre-dialytic patients 2.03 (1.82-2.25) vs controls 1.53 (1.50-1.55; P<0.001). When comparing CRF subgroups there was no overall difference between the groups, but PD patients had more severe reflux and eating dysfunction. In patients with diabetic nephropathy, only eating dysfunction was significantly more common than in the non-diabetic patients. There was a negative correlation between GI symptoms and psychological general well-being in CRF patients (Rho=-0.46, P<0.001) indicating that patients with a high GI symptom profile have impaired psychological general well-being. A negative correlation was found between eating dysfunction and s-albumin (Rho=-0.33, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of GI symptoms is high in patients with CRF and is associated with impairment in psychological general well-being. Presence of dialysis or not, type of dialysis, and presence or absence of diabetes mellitus seem to have limited impact on GI symptoms.
Attitude to Health↗
Psychological general well-being (quality of life) in patients with cochlear implants: importance of social environment and age.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the variables that affect psychological general well-being (quality of life) in patients with cochlear implants (CIs). The study sample consists of 96 adult patients with a CI, aged 24 86 years (Mean = 61.8 yrs; SD = 15.3 yrs). 48 were patients from the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden and 48 were patients from the University of Florida, USA. The Psychological General Well-being Index and the International Outcome Inventory-Cochlear implants were used in collecting data. Possible independent variables were socioeconomic factors such as age, gender, nationality, living arrangement, education, and social support; as well as length of time since implantation, age when hearing loss became a problem, and subjective benefit of the CI. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 49% of the variance was explained by attitudes from others, restricted social participation, perceived social support and age.
Adult↗
Evaluating the psychometric characteristics of the Psychological General Well-Being Index with a new response scale.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of a revised version of the Psychological General Well-Being index (PGWB), the PGWB-R, using a standardized response option suitable for use in telephone surveys. Sixty patients (42 women and 18 men) from two gastroenterology specialty clinics participated in the study. Patients were administered the PGWB or PGWB-R and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) by telephone or face-to-face interview. Internal consistency reliability levels of the PGWB and PGWB-R were comparable, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients between 0.93-0.96 for the total scale across method of administration. Intraclass correlations between the two methods were high (0.66-0.84). Pearson correlations between the GSRS and the PGWB and PGWB-R were similar to one another and to coefficients reported in the literature. Results suggest the PGWB-R may be useful for studies requiring telephone interviews.
Adult↗
Work and general psychological and physical well-being.
This article describes a study of the influence of job factors (e.g. job control, pay, etc.) on job attitudes (satisfaction, alienation, stress) as well as the joint influence of job factors and job attitudes on general psychological and physical well-being. Satisfaction/alienation and felt stress were found to be two different modes of response to work. Prestige, control, variety, and opportunity for promotion were powerful predictors of satisfaction/alienation. Number of deadlines and job overlap with family life were important predictors of stress. The job factors and job attitudes showed substantively important relationships to general well-being. The testing of various alternate hypotheses supported the inference of a causal work-health link. Implications of the findings are that work must be viewed in a wider context than simply as a form of economic activity if the well-being of the population is to be improved and that a focus on individual "life-styles" as causes of lowered well-being leads to neglect of the underlying social structural bases of disease.
Adult↗
[The general psychological concept in the later work of Eugen Bleulers. Comparison with a summarized description from a forgotten theory 60 years after the final publication (1939)].
Documents by Eugen Bleuler from 1921 to 1939 that go into general psychological topics of meaning of consciousness, formation of motive and will, are presented. An effort towards integration of seemingly incompatible, side by side standing, unrelated biological and psychological concepts that probably is most likely explainable by the contemporary background of ideas, is recognizable. In this context, Eugen Bleuler refers to an already (especially by Richard Semon) systematically developed theory called "Mnemism" that he interpreted and applied to the psychological circumstances mentioned above. That theory of "mnemism" that can be most adequately described as a biogenetic-vitalistic theory, is assuming, that all organic life--independent of the possibility of a self-reflecting consciousness--is able to learn experiences made by analysis of environment and to pass it on following generations. Pattern of stimulus reactions are in the sense of this theory memorized ("engraphiert") and reactivated under similar situational circumstances ("ekphoriert") by the psychological mode of association.--It can be shown that Bleuler pursued this theory for a period of more than ten years. It represents the benchmark for Bleuler's standpoints, for example for the question of determination of human acting, that as itselves are already known from his earlier documents, but here have found a more theoretically based explanation. The assumption of the efficacy of specific, not necessary consciously remembered "engramms" of memory, suggests the hypothesis of the existence of unconsciousness; in this context textual points of contact to the psychological concepts of S. Freud and C. G. Jung--mnemic memory and collective unconscious--are shown.
Consciousness↗
Development of body image, eating disturbance, and general psychological functioning in adolescent females: a replication using covariance structure modeling in an Australian sample.
OBJECTIVE: The current study is a follow up to a covariance structure modeling (CSM) investigation of predictors of body image, eating dysfunction, and general psychological functioning in U.S. adolescent females. METHOD: Four hundred and seventy Australian girls (13-17 years old) completed measures of teasing history, body dissatisfaction, global psychological functioning, dietary restraint, and bulimic behaviors. They were also measured in order to compute body mass index (BMI). CSM techniques were used to analyze the relationships between these latent variables. Two a priori models were tested, one was selected, and post-hoc model-fitting was undertaken. RESULTS: The final model indicated that BMI directly influenced teasing, which directly influenced body dissatisfaction. Body dissatisfaction influenced both global psychological functioning and restriction, whereas restriction had a direct influence on bulimia. Global psychological functioning also had a direct influence on bulimia. DISCUSSION: The results support previous research indicating that teasing and body dissatisfaction are risk factors for the development of eating disturbances.
Adolescent↗
Measuring mental health in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a comparison of the SF-36 Mental Health Index with the Psychological General Well-Being Index.
OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of the five-item mental health dimension of SF-36 (the Mental Health Index, MHI-5) with that of the 22-item Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) in patients presenting with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease, using tests of reliability and validity. DESIGN: A questionnaire-based survey of patients diagnosed with ALS across 15 European countries. SAMPLE: Patients presenting at neurological clinics for treatment of their ALS were asked to join the survey. RESULTS: 1048 patients with ALS have been recruited, of whom 861 (82.2%) have returned baseline questionnaires. There was evidence supporting the internal consistency of both instruments, and for their construct validity in distinguishing between groups, in terms of gender and age. The scores on the two instruments were highly correlated (Spearman rank correlation 0.85). CONCLUSION: Both the MHI-5 and the PGWB showed high levels of construct validity and internal reliability in this patient group. The MHI-5 has comparable psychometric performance to the PGWB, and can be used to measure and compare mental health in defined populations.
Adult↗
Depression, anxiety levels and general psychological profile in Behçet's disease.
BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disease with unknown etiology. Until today, the role of emotional stress and the real incidence of psychiatric symptoms in this disease have not been clarified yet. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the general psychological profile of the patients diagnosed as having BD as well as their depression and anxiety levels in order to investigate the psychiatric aspects of this disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with BD and 17 patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis who made up the control group were examined by the Beck Depression (BDI), Beck Anxiety (BAI) and Brief Symptom Inventories (BSI). RESULTS: The mean BDI score of the BD group was 11.69 +/- 6.93, and the corresponding value was 9.11 +/- 7.34 for the psoriasis group. The mean BAI score of the BD group was 21.39 + 13.68 and this level was 12.41 +/- 10.70 for psoriasis patients. The mean BSI score of the BD group was 61.30 +/- 43.66 and it was 30.41 +/- 28.77 for the control group. The mean BDI, BAI and BSI scores of the patients diagnosed as having BD were significantly higher than those of the control group (F = 0.234, F = 0.508, F = 0.549 and p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: BDI, BAI and BSI scales are useful to evaluate the psychiatric aspects of BD. The results of our study revealed that the collaboration of a dermatologist and psychiatrist is essential for the follow-up of patients with BD.
Adult↗
Main results of the losartan versus amlodipine (LOA) study on drug tolerability and psychological general well-being. LOA Study Group.
OBJECTIVE: To compare two losartan regimens (with and without hydrochlorothiazide) and amlodipine in treating mild-to-moderate hypertension regarding their blood-pressure-lowering effect, drug tolerability and quality of life. DESIGN: A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multi-centre study. After 4 weeks of placebo, patients with a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the range 95-115 mmHg were allocated randomly to be administered 50 mg losartan (increased to 100 mg if the DBP was 90 mmHg or more after 6 weeks), 50 mg losartan (plus 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide under the above conditions), or 5 mg amlodipine (increased to 10 mg under the above condition). The tolerability of the treatment and the quality of life were evaluated by spontaneous reporting, active questioning and the Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index. STUDY POPULATION: In total 898 hypertensives, mainly referred from primary health care (mean age 57.8 years) of whom 52% were men. RESULTS: Administration of 50 mg losartan (plus 12.5 hydrochlorothiazide if necessary) and of 5 mg amlodipine (or 10 mg if necessary) lowered the blood pressure as well as or better than did 50 mg losartan (or 100 mg if necessary). The incidence of 'any discomfort' and 'swollen ankles' increased with amlodipine but not with losartan treatment. The opposite was found for 'dizziness upon standing'. The incidence of drug-related adverse events and the number of patients withdrawn from therapy were higher with amlodipine than they were with losartan treatment. The PGWB index at week 12 indicated that improvements from baseline had occurred in some domains for the losartan groups whereas it remained unchanged for the amlodipine group. CONCLUSION: Both losartan and amlodipine were effective in lowering the blood pressure and were tolerated well. Administration of 50 mg losartan (plus 12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide if necessary) and of 5 mg amlodipine (or 10 mg if necessary) lowered the blood pressure equally well or better than did 50 mg losartan (or 100 mg if necessary). Drug-related adverse effects and withdrawal from the study were more common for the amlodipine group. The clinical significance of the improvements in the PGWB index with losartan needs to be studied further.
Adult↗
State (political) torture: some general, psychological, and particular aspects.
This article reviews some general and particular aspects of state political torture as it is practiced in several Latin American countries in an attempt to secure domination and prevent change. The purposes, methods and effects of such torture are discussed. The article also elaborates on some of the elements that participate in the making of the torturer, the contradictions that he faces, and the psychological mechanisms that assist him in his attempt to resolve such contradictions. Emphasis is given to the question of who is the real torturer.
Humans↗
Treatment with percutanous testosterone gel in postmenopausal women with decreased libido--effects on sexuality and psychological general well-being.
OBJECTIVES: To elucidate if percutanous treatment with 10mg testosterone per day could enhance sexuality and psychological well-being in postmenopausal women presenting problems with low libido. Secondary to study the influence on blood lipids, hemoglobin and erythropoietin levels. METHODS: Fifty-three postmenopausal women participated. As a complement to their already on-going HRT, 10mg of a testosterone gel (Testogel, Besins-Iscovesco) or placebo was administered. Treatment continued for three plus three months in a double blind, randomized, crossover design. RESULTS: The scores concerning "frequency of sexual activity, orgasm and intercourse", "sexual arousal, fantasies and enjoyment", "satisfaction with orgasms", and "interest in sex" were all significally improved for testosterone addition as compared to placebo both before and after crossover. Testosterone levels increased more than 10-fold during treatment while DHT-levels were more than doubled. Estrogen levels were not affected during the addition of testosterone. Liver enzymes, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL revealed no significant differences between any of the periods or groups. Endometrial thickness did not change significantly during treatment. Hemoglobin and erythropoietin remained unchanged. No significant differences in the number of experienced side effects were found. CONCLUSION: Testosterone gel of 10mg had positive effects on several aspects of sexual life such as frequency of sexual activity, orgasm, arousal, fantasies and sexual interest in postmenopausal women on HRT. Several psychological variables were positively influenced. The given dose resulted in too high serum levels. Even if no negative effects were observed, monitoring of serum levels and a decreased dose should be considered in future studies.
Administration, Cutaneous↗
Experiential avoidance as a generalized psychological vulnerability: comparisons with coping and emotion regulation strategies.
Extending previous work, we conducted two studies concerning the toxic influences of experiential avoidance (EA) as a core mechanism in the development and maintenance of psychological distress, and disruption of pleasant, engaging, and spontaneous activity. Of particular interest was whether EA accounted for relationships between coping and emotion regulation strategies on anxiety-related pathology (Study 1) and psychological distress and hedonic functioning over the course of a 21-day monitoring period (Study 2). In Study 1, EA mediated the effects of maladaptive coping, emotional responses styles, and uncontrollability on anxiety-related distress (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety, suffocation fears, and body sensation fears). In Study 2, EA completely mediated the effects of two emotion regulation strategies (i.e., suppression and reappraisal) on daily negative and positive experiences and was associated with diminished daily positive affective experiences and healthy life appraisals, diminished frequency of positive events and more frequent negative life events, and greater negative affective experiences. The present data show that cognitive reappraisal, a primary process of traditional cognitive-behavior therapy, was much less predictive of the quality of psychological experiences and events in everyday life compared with EA. Further consideration of experiential avoidance as a generalized diathesis and toxic process will be useful in improving our understanding of the etiology, phenomenology, and treatment of anxiety conditions, general human suffering, and disruptions in hedonic capacity.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Development and validation of the short version of the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB-S).
BACKGROUND: The PGWBI is a 22-item health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) questionnaire developed in US which produces a self-perceived evaluation of psychological well-being expressed by a summary score. The PGWBI has been validated and used in many countries on large samples of the general population and on specific patient groups. Recently a study was carried out in Italy to reduce the number of items of the original questionnaire, yielding the creation of a shorter validated version of the questionnaire (PGWB-S). The purpose of the present paper is to describe the methods adopted and to report and discuss the relevance of results. METHODS: Data for this study were collected from 4 different population samples: two general population samples a student and a patient sample. On the basis of the results of the first (development) sample population, six relevant items were identified statistically from the original questionnaire and grouped to assemble a new summary scale. Following the newly created 6-item questionnaire was administered in three independent population samples. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to compare the performance of the long and short questionnaire, within and between population samples and across relevant subgroups. A further independent sample extracted by an ongoing cancer clinical trial served as final validation step. RESULTS: Overall, the questionnaires were administered to 1443 subjects. Six items were selected by a step-wise approach to explain 90% of the variance of the summary measure of the original questionnaire. Response rates reached 100%, while missing items were not observed. University students (n = 400) showed the highest mean value of the summary measure (75.3); while the patient sample (n = 28) had the lowest score (71.5). The correlation coefficients between the summary measures and the single items according to the different studies were satisfactory, reaching the highest estimates in the student sample. The internal consistency showed high values of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (range 0.80-0.92) for all three study samples, coming close to the value of the coefficient established for the original questionnaire (0.94). A cross-validation in an independent sample of 755 cancer patients confirmed the item selection procedure and amount of variance explained by the new shorter questionnaire (ranging from 90. 2 to 95.1 %, across age and sex strata). CONCLUSION: The newly identified PGWB-S showed good acceptability and validity for the use in various settings in Italy. The translation of the PGWB-S into different languages, and its use in other linguistic settings will add evidence about its cross-cultural validity.
Adolescent↗
[Predicting factors of eating disorders and general psychological symptoms in female college students].
OBJECTIVE: To compare and determine the relative effects of six of the variables (family functioning, self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depressive symptoms, locus of control and Body Mass Index-BMI) related to the etiology of eating disorders in predicting eating disorder symptoms and the general symptom index. METHOD: Two hundred and ninety-two female college students completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Family Assessment Device (FAD), the Eating Attitude Test (EAT), the Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R), Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (RIELCS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Multiple regression analysis was employed, and scores of the obsessive-compulsive subscale of SCL-90-R, BMI, RSES, FAD, BDI and RIELCS were used as predictors of EAT total scores. The second multiple regression analysis was employed with the same independent variables as predictors of the General Symptom Index (GSI) of SCL-90-R. RESULTS: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were the best predictor of the total score of EAT, and the second was the BMI scores. Depressive symptoms and self-esteem scores were significantly correlated with EAT scores but these variables were not chosen for inclusion in the regression equation. There was a strong relation between scores on BMI and scores on EAT. BMI scores were correlated nonsignificantly with the scores of the other variables. RIELCS and FAD scores were not significantly correlated with EAT scores. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were also the best predictor of GSI of SCL-90-R and the second best predictor was the RSES. FAD was significantly correlated with SCL-90-R GSI scores, depression and obsessive compulsive scores. CONCLUSION: It appears that obsessive-compulsive symptoms were the best predictor of pathologic eating behavior. BMI was the second predictor of EAT scores. Locus of control and family functioning were not correlated with eating pathology. Family functioning scores were significantly correlated with the GSI scores, and depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were also the best predictor of the GSI scores.
English Abstract↗
Bariatric surgery and bariatric psychology: general overview and the Dutch approach.
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic, multifactorially caused disease with serious somatic and psychosocial comorbidity as well as economical consequences. In the Netherlands, between 1993 and 1997, the prevalence of morbid obesity was 0.2% for men and 0.6% for women. Although bariatric surgery generally is an effective intervention, it does not lead to equal results in every patient. The long-term efficacy is predominantly determined by compliance to adequate dietary rules in which psychosocial factors can play a major role. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to the surgery departments of all hospitals in the Netherlands. Subsequently, a second questionnaire was sent to clinical psychology departments of hospitals which perform bariatric surgery. RESULTS: In 28 Dutch hospitals (19%), bariatric surgery is being performed, mostly using restrictive procedures. Almost all hospitals have a multidisciplinary selection-process, and all surgeons and psychologists use multiple selection-criteria. Regarding these criteria, there is more consensus between surgeons than between psychologists. In most hospitals, patients are psychologically assessed prior to surgery. However, postoperative assessment is relatively rare, as is preoperative and postoperative psychological treatment. CONCLUSION: In the Netherlands, bariatric surgery is still relatively uncommon and mostly limited to restrictive procedures. Irrespective of BMI and eating behavior, the majority of patients will be offered a restrictive procedure. The involvement by the psychological and/or psychiatric discipline is not optimal yet; especially, postoperative assessment and pre- and postoperative treatment are not frequently performed, in spite of the fact that these programs can enhance the success rate of bariatric surgery.
Adolescent↗